Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1918 — AMERICANS RAID ENEMY LINES [ARTICLE]

AMERICANS RAID ENEMY LINES

Teutons Driven From Positions and Defenses liestroydd. American initiative has asserted Itself on tbe Lorraine front in France. Three savage raids on the German lines have been made by the Americans who succeeded in reaching tbe second line of enemy trenches before being ordered to return. During their stay in Ger-man-held territory they destroyed carefully-built defenses and picked up much war material. The American artillery ably assisted the infantry in the operation. A heavy barrage fire was laid down in front of the advancing Americans and the Germans had fled before the wave of infantry reached the hostile positions. After the Americans bad been in the German trenches for a few minutes the German barrage fire was loosed on them, but the American guns answered shot for shot and silenced a number of battries. The American artillerymen used gas shells with good effect. Near Toul the American heavy guns have been in action. Three raids on the British lines have been attempted by the Germans in the Armentiers sector bat the British in the face of a heavy fire from the enemy’s heavy guns, repulsed the Teutons. The fighting has spread along the Flanders front, the Ypres and Passchendaele sectors figuring in the official reports. The activities of the contending armies have spread farther south, encounters near St. Quentin being mentioned for the first time in recent weeks.

The war department has adopted a new policy in giving out the casuality lists from France, and hereafter no data, but simply the name and Tank will be made public, the publishing of the time and place of engagement, residence and next of kin, being held to be of aid to the enemy. General Pershing recommended this and it has been adopted. It is also probable that weekly lists only will hereafter be published, instead of daily as heretofore. There has been considerable “scrapping” on the sectors held by the American troops during the past several days and the total casualty list no doubt reaches 100 or more by this time. Among those reported killed in action during the past few days was Corporal Ralph B. Flora of Indianapolis. Flora is the first Indianapolis youth been killed in action thus far .n the war.