WITH THE YANKS,

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1918, Page 1

WITH THE YANKS,

CAPTURE OF CANTIGNY

(With the -American Army in Picardy, May 29th.)'

American troops charged to the capture of Cantignv yelling “Now we’re in Germany! Let’s wallop hell out of ’<‘m and go ori to Berlin/” Back at headquarters officers waited anxiously for news. Afteir forty-five minutes a voice came over the field telephone: “ Hello! This is Cantignv/” ,/ And headquarters knew the cans had taken one of the most important towns on the Amiens front nun had won their biggest victory’of the I war to date. >

The report came from a Signal Corps Captain. Wire carriers, ignoring the German counter-barrage, followed the American infantry and French tanks in the attack. When Cantigny fell the field telephone station was ready for business.

The attack , took place over a front of more than a mile. Within fortyfive minutes after the infantry had gone over, Cantigny, the chateau and several hundred yards of German second line trenches were American territory. The regiment that made the

attack sent back 182 prisoners indue

ing five officers. AMERICAN FLY'ERs IN ADVANCE. American observers in French plane> How low over the enemy lines, flashing signals to the American artillery and carrying back, messages. Tlie American gunners neutralised the enemy artillery fire for aboul five hours. An hour before the attacn ■started tremendous explosions were observed near Cantigny.

Some American- soldiers rode into battle on the rear end of the tanks for all the world like kids hack home “hopping a ride."

After crossing the enemy trenches

it was a game of hunting the Boelie nvacfiino guns. A corporal attacked an enemy machine gun crew of four men. The corporal was wounded five times, but be killed three Boelie and captured the fourth. He carried off the machine gun on his shoulder until

his wounds forced him to lay it down. SURRENDER TO CORRESPONDENT An instance of the Boehe’s anxiety •Ho surrender was furnished when a

group of twenty tried to he captured by an unarmed correspondent. “ Jimmie ” Hopper, magazine writer, went over the top with the Americans. As lie v.ao entering Cantigny/ a crowd of Germans rushed at him, begging earnestly to be taken prisoner. Hopper was nonplussed but called to an officer :

“Como and get ’em !”

Tlie Bodies hid in the grass, in rye fields, in dngouts—anywhere there iwas the slightest cover. They were routed out with bayonets, grenades and flame throwers. Thirty Germans were incinerated in one dugout, when they fired on the Americans after crying “Tvamerad!’’ Big cellars in Cantigny, where it was possible to conceal a bundled troops were completely smashed by American artillery. Enemy losses were probably the heaviest in these pits of death. Prisoners ranged from boys of 18 or 19 to men of 40. All were suffering from shell shock, a result of the tremendous bombardment, which preceded the assault. FRENCH OFFICERS PRAISE WORK,

French officers gave,highest praise to the offensive spirit of the Americans. Not only did they show no hesitation in the assault, hut their officers experienced considerable difficulty in bolding them back. The first question asked by wounded soldiers arriving at the hospital was always ns to when they would he able to return to the line.

‘•lf anything more like this is coming off I don’t want, to miss it,” explained one. After the first arrivals the doctors were extremely wary in handling the patients until they had examined their pockets. They found the majority of them had hand grenades tucked all over them. When four grenades were pulled from the hip pockets of one of the hoys he drawled :

Great ball game this morning. Doe.”

The wounded seem to lie the happiest Americans in Picardy. In a Lent field hospital this afternoon they were laughing and chattering like mag-pies. Those in another tent lmd laughed and talked until they were tired and were, sleeping like babies. Among the talkers, such expressions as the following are illustrative of their spirit:

‘‘lt was tlie candy.” ‘‘Uest fun I’ve had since the football game.”

I’d like to do it overv day.”

‘‘That trench stuff made me thinkwar was a foolish game, hut this is real sport.”

The Americans rehearsed tluv attack in the rear lines, blit many of them said that when they saw the foolish looking tanks . actually waddling across the, shell holes they had to laugh. Sometimes they thought. the tanks weren’t going fast enough, so they ran ahead of them. Lieut. "Wood of Oakland, Cal., said he had the greatest- difficulty in holding his men hack. Wood was slightly wounded, hut is one of the most enthusiastic men in France.