The Second's Task Cut Out. f
Farther Along- waa the First French
division. comprising Moroccans
those bloody black troops that wore
boche ears and noses on their watch
charms and the equally ferocious
Foreign Legion. Still north, of
was the First Amerloaa division. The
Second was to advance on the south
ern or right flank.
At 4:30 the Twenty-third Infantry,
having double-timed the last mile,
came up to Join the Ninth, all breath
less, panting, but on time. And at
4:35, Just as the advance got into mo
tion, here came the Marines, punc
tual tcthe minute, doing it at the
double. Turning from column to at
tack formation, without a pause of
a single minute for the recovery of
breath, the Marines went into the
charge with their brothers.
There was no artillery prepara
tion. It Was to be a surprise attack.
And whether the Germans suspected
anything at all or not, the element
of surprise was big. The attackers
swept ahead, breaking the first line,
routing all that opposed them, like
heroes of mythology performing the
incredible after having been with
out food, sleep or water for exactly
thirty-six hours, soaked to the skin
in the torrential downpour and ter
ribly fatigued by those long1 hours of
marching.
Enemy Fought Grimly.
After they went over the barrage
was loosed. It rolled aheadV of them
and mopped up Heinie. But no bar
rage ever does a thorough Job of it.
After it had passed on, Heinie came
out of his shelters and grimly he
fought.
