AMERICA'S PART.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 June 1918, Page 2

AMERICA'S PART.

AMERICA’S GROWING ARMY.

NOW half-a-million,

KNOW HOW TO SHOOT STRAIGHT.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.— -COtt RIGHT. j

| AUSTRALIAN & N.S. CABLB ASSOCIATION & ESC TER.] LONDON, June 7. Tho gallant fighting of tho Americans made a dramatic impression in France. The Hon., Mr Leather’s promise th'et the half-milijon men mark would be reached by May has been fulfilled. Many thousands are actually in the firing line. America’s efforts suddenly looms large, and has taken a , share in comforting the Allies, when help was urgently needed. During a recent visit to the American front, a correspondent was most impressed with the splendid physique and intelligence of tho American infantry They are undeninbly amateurs, but have a wny of their own. They are teeming with questions, like a simple yongster. Their physique is indisputably far (letter than that of the Europeans. > The “Daily Mail” correspondent says .that the Americans are distributed over wide fronts in addition to the sectors ,which the American divisions solely hold. • In every fourth village behind the line from Switzerland to the sea, you find Americans 'who arc rapidly learning tho craft of war. One thing they already know is how to be deadly shots. After a recent German raid it was most notable that every enemy corpse was shot through the head or the the heart.

AMERICANS IN BATTLE

(Reuter’s Telegram.)

LONDON, June 7

Reuter’s correspondent at French writing on the 6th states that the First American Infantry have been engaged in battle, an<J took part in the defence of Veuilly Wood, on the south bank of the Ourcq. On the 3rd, they left for the front in the highest of spirits, and resolved not. to yield an inch of French ground. On the morning of the 3rd, the Germans crossed the railway running along the Ourcq Valley and took a village a mile from Veuilly, also the height southward and advanced in strong force against our lino at Veuilly Mood, the object being to gain a footing at Mariqny Wood, south of Veuilly. The Franco Americans took up positions south of the wood the Americans being on the left. When the Germans came within range the Americans opened a flank machine gun fire, causing the heaviest losses. The Germans halted to rally, when the rout was completed by a French’counter attack which put them to flight.

AMERICAN OFFICIAL MESSAGE.

[“BEUTKH's” TELEGRAM.]

LONDON, June 7

An American official message states that in an attack north-westward of Chateua-Thierry, on the morning of the 6th, we, in conjunction with the French, advanced the line southward of Torcy, about a mile, capturing prisoners, and inflicting heavy losses in killed and wounded. /

OPINIONS OF EXPERTS.

ALLIES RELYING ON AMERICA. [AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION ifc REUTER."] LONDON, June 7. Some war experts are insisting on the far-reaching significance of the appearance of the American forces in the Battle of the Marne. The Supreme Allied War Council, envisaging the war from the standpoint of a strategical reserve, relies on the American Armies ,to end the struggle, and also to give the British and French reserve powers which may even enable Russia to throw off Teuton bondage, and thus participate in a final struggle. It must also be remembered that the German casualties have already far exceeded the amount of killed and .wounded agreed upon between the Pan-Germans and the Socialist leaders, when the desirability of the present offensive was mooted.