SAMMIES' BAPTISM.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1917, Page 5

SAMMIES' BAPTISM.

FIGHT SIDE BY SIDE WITH BRITISH. BUILDING STRATEGIC RAILWAYS. ) ~ United Press Received Deo. 3, 11.20 p.m. London, Dec. 3. The Americans in -some eases have fought Bide by Bide with the British using borrowed rifles. Since the commencement of General Byng's thrust the Americans have been building and operating strategic railways close up to the Gormnn : .^os. They relished their baptism cf fire, find, with sleeves roiied up, thev plunged into the spirit of the fighting. ' A Tcnnessccan was standing by an engine when shrapnel began to rain'. He had no stool helmet, hut grabbed a petrol tin which he put 911 hi, head. The Prussians came up and he hid in a shellhole. The enemy blew up tly railway, but left, the engine. The Tennesson rhen stole from the shell-hole and went back till he rejoined' th» Tommies. He secured a rifle, fought a" dav, and ended up hv getting his engine back. He looked as proud as if he had done the whole thing himself, Two other Americans had similar experiences. , * THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

NEGOTIATIONS COMMENCE. Received Dec. 4. 12.10 a.m. . Petrograd, Dec. 3. luissian officers and soldiers in ante mobiK arrived at Czcrnovitz to take part in the conference vj'th the Austrian Commander-in-Chief. Other Russians arrived in the German lines at Dvinsk and opened negotiations on behalf of General Krylenko. TEN ENEiv-Y ATTACKS. COMPLETELY REPULSED BY BRITISH. Received Dec. 3, 10 p.m. London. Dec. 3 Sir Douglas Haig reports: The Home County battalions this morning captured some fortified buildings and strong points on the main ridge northward of Passehcndaele.

Wo withdrew unmolested last night from a sharp salient formed by Masnieros. which the enemy was still shrilling this morning. There have ibeen ten hostile attacks on this front during the last twenty-four hours. They were'completelv repulsed. Fighting occurred in and around Gonnclieu. We broke up attacks in the neighborhood of T4ivasq-ucrie and Roiirlon. Our artillerv successfully cngasred concentrations of infantry in the vicinity of Moenvres.

Despite the clouds of mist on Saturday our aeroplanes undertook several successful rceonnaisanecs ' over areas near the battle front, bombing and machinegunning infantry. Received Dec. 4, I a.m. London. Dec. 3.

A French communique states that there is an artillery duel in various seetors.