Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-15
SideliQhtS of the Great War

, line springs to it's feet plunges for
ward and a nerve raking hurrah
smashes through the woods. The
enemy's fire begins veritable hail OF
! lead. Some fall, but onward crashes
.. the German line.
"As soon as we reach the position OF
the enemy his fire ceases and all take
to flight. Our bullets follow them and
then many 'red-pant' lies on the floor
of the forest. But our bullets do not
find a mark long-the enemy has dis
appeared; we after him. only to meet
another terrific hail of lead. Again we
fall to the ground for cover, and this
time felt blow-a bullet had strucl,
my cooking utensil. | owe my life to
the quick fall to the ground-for an
other second and l would have never
|, risen again. Another bullet hits the
ground just beside me-but never mind
that. Up and at them-at the very
hide of the fellows.
'We soon reach our goal-a trench
of slight elevation to the left from
where heavy fire has done much dam
age in our line. Many of us are down,
and others crawl to the rear to &c:
their wounds attended to. Now, fire. the
cres: of the trench becomes our target.
The rattle of musketry from both sides
becomes deafening One of us will
have to give in. Fire, fire. We have
learned how to shoot straight-the fire
in the trench weakens: the trench it.
self is yelled now by cloud of dust
raised by our bullets.
advance. comes the command
again. We all are impelled forward by
the mad desire to get at them. One
hundred meters separate us from the
enemy. Many sacrifices are demanded
in the final charge. Again the enemy's
fire weakens-then it almost ceases.
Advance" shouts somebody. The
fellows must be driven out of the
trenches. Some of them already are
leaving, but our bullets lay them low
as they run. Another halt-another
advance Only fifty meters to the
block our progress.
''But the fellows in the trenches
have lost faith in themselves They
desert their position in massess--run-
ming, scrambling, stumbling. falling
some in a manner that shows they will
never rise again. We forget to take
cover. Standing, we pour our fire into
the groups of fleeing men. Good COM
rades fall-cry for help-bid you fare
well with the last breath. Farewell
good friends. we must advance.
''Soon we have disposed of this en-
envy, who has laid so low many of us.
The barbed wire is hacked through
with our bayonets. We reach the
trench. 1t is filled with writing, strug-
Cling bodies. We aimed well. In the
ditch lies kaleidoscope mixture of
bodies swathed in blue and red-and
pale ones from which CLASSY eyes look
into the azure sky.
But on with the pursuit. Some of
us remain behind to disarm the wound
ed SO that they cannot fire in our
backs. Many another sprawls, falling
on the soft forest floor.
THE height is TAKEN but the day is
not yet done. Everywhere the French
have taken prisoners to stem the tide
of retreat. There is yet many bloody
encounter, but we get the enemy out
of the forest and once they reach the
open our waiting artillery does the
rest. Our share of the work is done.
the gruesome forest and it's experience
are ours.
Most of us had lost their comrades
in the mad rush through the trees and
brushwood /Indescribable were the
scenes which followed when we found
one another still alive.
$50 we take rest. and while doing
this to the humming and whistling OF
our shells as they 90 over us on their
way to village in which the French
have sought refuge Soon the building
are aflame and the French again on
their way.
You have done WE'LL said our
corps commander. With you fellows
Id fetch the devil out of hell"