August 15, 1918: Don Martin's day trip to a 'quiet' front

Don Martin diary entry for Thursday, August 15, 1918: 

Went out with [Edwin] James [New York Times]. Visited the 1^st corps headquarters at Coulange; got no luncheon and came back by a road south of the Marne. Wrote about 500 word cable for New York. Correspondents now told they must keep writing from here so the Germans will not suspect that we are liable to break out somewhere else. We are to stay here for ten days and then go to Nancy. Word came this afternoon for the correspondents to go to Chaumont tomorrow to attend an important conference at G.H.Q. General Pershing wants to talk to us.

           Don Martin wrote a short report for Paris on his day trip to the front, dated Thursday, August 15,which was published in the Paris Herald on Friday, August 16.

German Bombing Planes 

Fly Over American Centres

Drop Explosives Where They Think Troops Are Quartered – Vesle Positions Strengthened

(Special Telegram to the Paris Herald)

By Don Martin

With The American Armies, Thursday.

             During the last few nights Germans have been attempting to do with bombing planes what they ordinarily do with their heavy artillery. More than a dozen large bombers flew over the American back areas last night and the night before and dropped aerial torpedoes where they supposed troops were quartered. The performance began about ten o’clock on Tuesday night and continued until daylight. Last night there were fewer enemy planes about.

                 There has been practically no infantry action along that part of the Vesle, which has been the scene of keenest American activity. The Germans have, as I stated several days ago, strengthened their positions on the heights north of Vesle and are determined to hold there for a while – presumably until they have perfected a position farther north. Their artillery has been comparatively quiet.

               In the village of Fismette, opposite Fismes, there has been a good deal of sniping and machine-gun firing. The Germans are in one end of the village, the Americans in the other. The result is that the four or five principal streets are swept with machine-gun fire whenever soldiers are seen, and snipers are taking pot shots at every soldier who is foolish enough to stand still for more than a second.

                Fismette has been a lively place for several days and artillery has left it alone because of the presence of both Germans and Americans.

                To-day I took a trip practically up to the eminence overlooking Fismes. Everywhere I found that the Germans left behind millions of dollars’ worth of supplies and ammunition and that they unquestionably intended to remain south of the Vesle until the end of the war.