Don Martin diary entry for Tuesday,
June 25, 1918:
Went to 2nd
division again. Had my finger dressed at Bazu hospital. Is rather bad but
probably will get well. Throat better but still have raucous voice. Returned
early. Wrote cable taking broad line showing significance Italian victory,
American stand, Austrian internal troubles. Also wrote long story for Paris on
Pat Donohue, marine captured but returned to own lines. Saw German aeroplane
brought down near 2nd division headquarters. Saw score aeroplanes
flying over Meaux. In afternoon watched Marne fishermen who fish but never
catch anything.
Don Martin wrote about the Americans at
Belleau Wood and the growing respect for them by the Germans. Dated June 25, it
was published in the New York Herald on June 26.
PERSHING MEN AMAZE THE HUNS
BY THEIR SPEED
BY THEIR SPEED
Regarded First as Amateurs, Now Are Feared
for
Accuracy of Fire
HOW THEY CLEARED FOE FROM BELLEAU WOOD
Impossible to Travel Along the Front Without Finding
Americans, Says Don Martin
By DON MARTIN.
Special
Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France.
[Special Cable
to the Herald.]
WITH THE AMERIAN ARMIES IN
FRANCE, Tuesday [Jun 25]
Although the Germans are certain to
launch soon a thunderous offensive, probably in the vicinity of Rheims, they
are being delayed in their preparations by stinging attacks and also by
constant harassing by the Americans, who cause astonishment and dismay in the
minds of the Germans by appearing in the most unexpected places, always with a
fire and dash which stun the heavy minded Huns.
It is impossible to travel anywhere
back of the great front without seeing Americans. [Army Chief of Staff] General [Peyton C.] March’s statement
about there being 800,000 American soldiers here was published in France
to-day, causing joy to a million householders of stricken France and instilling
new will and determination into the poilus, who are waiting like a newly
awakened giant for the attack.
Americans are tireless in their sector in the
region of Belleau Wood. This is a bloody, historic spot already. In their
attack made on the edge of the wood, where Germans had stealthily planted new
machine gun nests, the Americans on Sunday and yesterday showed a most heroic
spirit. They first sought to destroy the nests with artillery fire, then went
over the top in broad daylight right in the face of the fire of the machine
guns. They captured five.
One had received the nickname “Will o’
the Wisp” gun because it was moved mysteriously from tree to tree. Five
Americans went to get it and succeeded. They killed two Germans who were
operating it with a pulley, drawing it here and there and everywhere. The
weapon was taken undamaged.
American Line in Belleau Wood
The Americans are now holding a line
taken from the Germans in Belleau Wood a mile and a half long and averaging
half a mile wide, filled with large trees, scrubby undergrowth and rocks. It
looks about like the north end of Central Park.
The Germans were determined to keep
their line on the very edge because, if dislodged there the Americans, through
their ability to take positions on the edge of the wood, would command the
valley and force the Germans back a mile more.
The Americans are making history in this
spot just as they took Bouresches and did sensational fighting in Belleau a
week or ten days ago. They are the heroes of France.
In the cemetery of a village near the
scene of the fighting I saw the graves of Americans who fell here. I saw French
women to-day placing bouquets of roses at the head of each grave. They had in
place an ornate placard at the head of all reading “Nos camarades Américains.”
Letters written by German soldiers, but
not posted, and taken by Americans, reflect the opinion the Germans have of
Americans. One letter says:
“It is not pleasant to eat cherries with
the Americans. They are still too fiery. The reason is they have not yet much
experience. We bombarded them heavily with gas. This caused great losses. We
have one corner of the woods and the Americans the other. That is not nice, for
all of a sudden they rush forward and we don’t. Therefore we shoot at every
noise. We can’t trust the Americans. I hope I shall be able to escape this
horrible mess.
“Most of our comrades are buried here. The
enemy sweeps the countryside with machine gun and rifle fire, then with
artillery. In the trenches we are safer than in the support positions. Our food
is miserable, consisting of dried vegetables and marmalade. Much of the food is
sour.”
Best Huns Picked Out
A letter
written by a German grenadier to his brother says: -
“I am again in the front line, because the American
division opposite has achieved a success, so we, as a model division, are here
to make up our losses. We get all kinds of knocks from the enemy artillery,
which shoots accurately.”
The letter refers to the fighting at
Belleau of the model division, the Twenty-eighth German, which has lost
hundreds of prisoners to the Americans. The letter supports statements made to
me by German prisoners who say the Americans may be amateurs but are precocious
when it comes to fighting.
The actual fact is that the Germans
fear their new foe, and cannot understand the speed with which the Americans
are arriving or the speed they show in line. Three months ago the Germans were
inclined to smile at the American artillery fire, which perhaps is not equal to
the best in Europe, but they are not smiling now. The letters quoted show the
respect and fear they have for it. I can testify to the splendid accuracy of
our artillerymen, for I have seen it.
Yesterday word came of a heavy movement
of traffic on a road held by the Germans not far back of the line. In fifteen
minutes the American guns turned loose a tempest of heavy shells and the road
was quickly cleared. After a bit a lone automobile, which was recognized as a
staff car, possibly containing an important German commander, was seen. The
range of the guns was modified a fraction. Shells whirred, and I distinctly saw
with the aid of a powerful glass a cloud of dust where the automobile was. It
undoubtedly was hit. That is a sample of what the Americans are doing in
artillery.
Americans as Saviors
While a few hundred thousand soldiers are a
small amount when considering armies numbering millions, nevertheless the
presence, as General March says, of eight hundred thousand Americans in Europe
is having a tremendous effect on the whole situation. The French now see more
Americans than their own men. They look upon them as saviors. They know the
tide has turned.
All are eager to know the location of
the impending German blow. Experts believe the Germans will strike in the
region of Rheims, then, late in July, against the British to the north and
afterward along the line from Château-Thierry to Soissons.
Fifty German divisions have been in
special training like race horses for the final thrust, which is certain to be
titanic, but will never break through the French and American lines protecting
Paris.
Don Martin wrote about the
honoring of Major Theodore Roosevelt in a June 25 article, published in the New York
Herald on June 26.
ALL OF FRANCE IS
SPEAKING NAME
OF MAJOR ROOSEVELT
Citation of
Americans for Bravery
Stirs the Whole Expeditionary Force
Stirs the Whole Expeditionary Force
By DON MARTIN.
Special
Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France.
[Special Cable
to the Herald.]
Herald Bureau, No. 49 Avenue
de l’Opera, Paris, Tuesday. [Jun 25]
The honoring of Major Theodore Roosevelt,
Jr., and other men of the First Division, A. E. F., has caused a splendid
feeling among the Americans at the front and also in training. The European
edition of the Herald published a full account of what each of the men did to
merit citation and the papers were gobbled up by the tens of thousands.
Now they are all waiting to hear the
official verdict on Belleau Wood and Bouscheres, where the same valor that was
described at Cantigny marked the brilliant fighting of the young Americans,
many of them fresh in the war. What was true of the Americans at Cantigny will
be true everywhere.
The honoring of Major Roosevelt was no
surprise. Everybody over here knew that when the occasion came he would show
the spirit of all the Roosevelts. He took his life in his hands a dozen times
and his escape from death was miraculous. Of the same stuff is his brother,
Captain Archie, who was badly wounded and was decorated by the French late in
the winter. Two such men in one family is not bad, and all France is talking
“Roosevelt.” This is no reflection on the other Americans, for the name of
Roosevelt is known as well as that of Napoleon among the French. The newspapers
here publish long articles on the bravery of the family.
 |
| Photo of infantry under command of Major Theodore Roosevelt (National Archives photo no. 111-SC10355, Menial-le-Tour, April) |
A special telegram about American
action near Chateau Thierry was published in the Paris Herald on June 27.
Infantry Dashes Forward in Brilliant Attack and Ground
Won Is Held as Successive Counter-Attacks Are Crushed — Conflans Again
Bombarded
— Lieut. Hill Downs German Machine.
— Lieut. Hill Downs German Machine.
(SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO
THE HERALD.)
By
DON MARTIN.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES, Tuesday Night. [June 25]
In a brilliant attack delivered late yesterday
south of Torcy, the American troops advanced their line and took more than 200
prisoners, together with a considerable quantity of material. A series of
counter-attacks were repulsed with losses to the assailants.
In
the Voivre there was increased artillery activity on the part of the enemy. Our
artillery made a direct hit on a German ammunition dump, setting it on fire.
Lieutenant Hill shot down an enemy aeroplane
north-east of Lorry at 8.30 last evening. [Lorry is situated in the region of Metz.]
American bombarding machines attacked Conflans during the latter part of this morning. Thirty-two bombs of twenty kilos each were dropped on the railroad yards. Anti-aircraft fire was active, but not accurate. [Conflans (Meurthe-et-Moselle) is situated about fourteen miles northwest of Metz.]
American bombarding machines attacked Conflans during the latter part of this morning. Thirty-two bombs of twenty kilos each were dropped on the railroad yards. Anti-aircraft fire was active, but not accurate. [Conflans (Meurthe-et-Moselle) is situated about fourteen miles northwest of Metz.]
A thrilling air-war story, dated Tuesday, June 25, was published in the Paris
Herald on June 26.
Mid-Air Battle Thrills
Thousands Of Amex Fighters
Blazing Machine Drops Like Plummet After Brief
Engagement With Frenchman
(Special Telegram to the Paris Herald)
By Don Martin
With The American Army, Tuesday.
There was little activity in the American sectors last night.
The Germans made no attempt to strike back at the Americans opposite Belleau
woods, but threw a great many gas shells with little effect.
A German aeroplane
was brought down over the American lines this forenoon by a French aviator. The
battle took place high up, between two fleecy cloud banks, and was witnessed by
thousands of American soldiers, who were thrilled by their first view of one of
these sky duels.
The German apparently intended to
attack a sausage observation balloon which had been up all the forenoon, taking
advantage of the splendid visibility. Shrapnel from French guns turned him off
his course. As he was aiming back toward the German lines a French machine
dived down from a great height, curled sharply and fired its machine gun. In a
moment the German aeroplane started earthward like a plummet, bursting into
flames long before it struck the ground. Later it was officially reported that
it had fallen well inside the Allies line.
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