The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-06-01

"Allez! Allez! Les Boches" cried
the French territorials streaming back
through the Second division Of the
forward in support and relief. ely!
Fly! The Hunt" they shouted.
Retreat. h-ll! We have just come.
Let the BOche retreat" called back
an officer Of the American forces as he
and his men rushed forward.
1t was May In France, 1913, records
Clara Whlteslde In the Philadelphia
Ledger. The French line from Sois-
son to Reims paralleled in q general
way the line Of the ancient road.
Chemin des Danes, and the French
defenses were so strong that the war
worn gallant French armies were using
middle-aged men known as territorials
to hold this part Of the line. Perhaps
because Of this, and also to make an
effort to split the French and English
armies, the Germans made a great at
tack on this sector at the end Of May,
and In five days had driven back the
French to open country, following the
great half circle of the Marine, which
the Germans crossed at Dormans on
the east side Of the salient at Chateau
Thierry and at Belleau.
There were no trenches and no
Notifications 81 far back from the
fighting front, and the wal was again
In the open. FOreseeing the purpose
Of the German army to enter a wedge
between the allied armies, Marshal
Foch selected American troops to stop
this advance, which at Les Meres
farm and at Chateau Thierry had
reached the nearest point to Parls-37
miles-since the previous advance In
1914.
Herolsm Commonplace.
The Second American division had
just taken that part Of the line in the
ne%ighborhOod Of Belleau, while at Dor
mans and Chateau Thierry the First
and Third were holding back the Hun.
Rocks and crags hid the enemy's ma
chine guns, but In the early part Of
the engagement the French we're vir-
tually without artillery protection and
were fighting a hand-to-hand action to
stop the Germans until help could
come. In the fighting Of May and
early June, 1918, the American troops
were without supports and reserves,
but the individual initiative was re-
markable. Heroism was a
place of the American soldier in ac-
ton.
1--WE need supplies, gas masks. Who'll
volunteer?"
"Tll go" promptly answered q
young sergeant Of the marines.
His offer was accepted. He had an
almost uncanny sense of direction, and
no n in the company possessed a bet
ter knowledge of wood lore. All his
summers had been spent In the open,
and these playtimes Of earlier days
had developed qualities that now stood
him in good stead. The playtime Of
the child had become the opportunity
Of the man.
Creeping cautiously through the I'M
derbruSh, he reached the shelter Of
the woods, only to find that he had
stumbled on a quarry and a camp Of
more than sixty German soldiers.
Trembling with excitement, he rushed
forward. Surrender" he shouted.
"The whole American army Is behind
me-" Surprised, bewildered, the men
marched out, under cover Of the hold
up. and were brought prisoners into
the American line. One Of the majors
In the Second division wrote In June,
1918, Of the death in action Of this
marine: HE was killed in the Bots
de Belleau by a shell near where my
command post was, shortly after
bringing his captain out, who had been
wounded In an attack we were max
Ing. The day before he went into q
quarry and brought out 60 Germans
as prisoners, single-handed. Such an
act speaks for ITSELF"
1t was by this spirit these men
fought. and because Of this spirit these
men o 1t was a dearly bought
victory. but 1t stopped the German
objective. and the enemy never again
won . victory or made another drive.
Many States share GLORY.
In the little cemetery on the western