AMERICANS AS FIGHTERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 8 July 1918, Page 6

AMERICANS AS FIGHTERS.

BRAVERY AND INITIATIVE. DIVISIONS IN FRANCE,

LONDON, June 19, The correspondent of the Times at American headquarters reports: The American capture of Bellau Wood, north-west of Chateau Thierry was a spirited .affair. The men lay in shallow shell-holes, under intense shellfire, without food, water, or rest, to advance at any moment. Meanwhile machine-guns greatly harrassed and exasperated the Americans, who rounded up gun after gun, killing the crews. A sergeant captured three single-handed, and was killed while tackling the fourth. Another placed his hand over the muzzle and got five bullets in his hand, but he bayonetted the crew and captured the gun.

The initiative of the Americans resembled that of the Australians. In many instances privates took over command of platoons, and sergeants led their men when their officers were killed while men saved lives under torrents of shells.

A New York message states that Major-General Crowder, Judge Advo-cate-General, says 3,000,000 Ameri cans will be under arms by August 1. Two complete American divisions, equipped wdth American-made arms and ammunition, are now in the fighting zone in France, members of the Military Committee were told by the War Department yesterday. Two other complete divisions will be made up soon. These troops are in addition to those fighting with the French.