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Show Great Experience For Correspondent WITH THE AMERICAN TROOPS NORTHWEST OF VERDUN, Oct. 30. (Correspondence of the Associated Press.) "Hello, this is Lakewood 10. Vho Is calling?" "Watercress 1-1. The rd regiment is advancing acocrding o program and has reached F-2, C. S. L6. Patrols are in Malancourt and re-lort re-lort tho bocho retreating northward oward Montfaucon. I have a message or Sunnyslde' 4. Tell them we have effected liaison with their extreme 'ighL" Crugaln: "Pigeon mosacuser Just arrived with message from st battalion, rd regiment. regi-ment. Wo arc being shelled from D-1G R-l-15. Need counter barrage." To sit, or hotter still, to be able to work, in "G-2" or an American army corps during the infantry action is to hear a constant succession of cryptic messages such as tho above. "G-2" is the intelligence section of the army, where information, news, rumors, re- ports of every nature come in as fast as telegraph and telephone lines, hastily hast-ily laid by engineers following in the footsteps of the infantry by swift and Indefatigable motor cycle dispatch rid ers, and last but not least by tho hum- ble carrier pigeon, can convey them, i . "Lakewood" of course is the ad-f ad-f vanced "P. C." or post command of a 1 regiment, a battalion or a division. "Watercress" may be the corps head-quartors head-quartors to which report is made, and "Sunnysido" is probably another ;P. iC." adjoining. The names of coutsJ-, .are fictitious. J It was the privilege of an Associated Press correspondent to spend a portion por-tion of the past two "pushes" northwest north-west of Verdun with an American corps as the guest of its chief of staff. The experience was a liberal education educa-tion in the technicalities of conducting war.. The entiro corps staff was up and awake virtually all of the first night, occasionally going out to listen to tho advance preparation by tho artillery, listening to advance telephone reports about the effectiveness of the flrlnf, and in genoral on tho qui vivo for the infantry action to come. As tho rumble of the artillery preparation prepa-ration ceased and the more distinct thunder of the barrage sounded tho tension became obvious. At the first tinkle of the telephone everyone start-1 od and then a tremendous silence enveloped en-veloped tho room as the officer from G-2. listened to the first reports, repeal ing them aloud so the rest might hear. This process with only n slight lessening lessen-ing of the taut interest, continues hour after hour. It is somewhat later in the day : however generally at least that the' reports have to be followed by instant action. It Is then that it becomes most fascinating to watch the operations of iTi-Tiin.ni i. n.ixuiu i i n i niww a corps. Then the calls begin to come I in for a barrage to protect a Lilt un- I der fire, for reinforcements, for the ' cessation of fire that, acocrding to ' schedule, is still being directed at I point nlready occupied. : oo j b |