The Parker post., 1915-09-18

IOAQeQ at certain distance DACK. II
that capacity went to the Argonne,
and was at the battle If VauQuois, at
the end OF February. I had come to
know Collignon very we'll know
that Collignon was repeatedly offered
a commission, but he wanted to carry
the colors of the regiment. He was
splendid figure, with his white beard,
and the rosette of the Legion Of Hon,
or on his breast. He could not wear
the military shoes and most of che
time he went barefooted. Later he
wore sandals. 1t was at Vauquois that
he was killed. Our men had sought
shelter in the cellars Of ruined houses
in the village. In heavy rain of bull,
let's from machine gunc, Collignon
rushed out from such shelter to rec
cue comrade who had fallen wouno1
ed. A shell burst near him and killed
him.
HE was buried at the front, and IL
was not until after my reformation
or honorable discharge, that the me.
mortal service took place at Fontaine.
bleau. / had composed my March
Funebre' between trips from the depot
to the front trenches.
''It was at Vauquois that happened
an incident that suppose stands
alone in this war, the charge of regi-
mental band at the head Of troops.
Nowadays the bands are usually kept
at the rear. But critical moment
came. Our men had three times at
tackled the Germans, and thrice had
been repulsed. The colonel felt that
time for supreme effort had arrived.
He summoned the leader of the band.
"'Put your men at the head of the
regiment, strike up the "Marseillaise,"
and lead them to victory he COM
manded.
"The bandmaster saluted. He called
his musicians and told them what was
expected. Then the forty of them took
their positions. Our line was reformed.
The bandmaster waved his baton.
Gallons, enfants de la Patrie!'
rang out, and the men took up the
song. France was calling upon them
to do or die. The band started out on
the double-quick, as If on rapid parade.
The Germans must have rubbed their
eyes. No musician carried weapon.
But they were carrying the 'Marseil-
laise' against the foe. Then came the
continuous rattle of the machine guns.
The band marched on, their ranks
thinning at every step. The leader
went down. The cornetists followed
him. The drummers and their instru-
ments collapsed in the same volley.
In less than five minutes every man Of
the forty was lying upon the ground,
killed or wounded, that is, with one
exception. That was a trombone
player.
Instrument shot Away.
"His whole instrument was shot
away except the mouthpiece and the
slide, to which his fingers were
fastened. He did not know it. He
still blew, and worked the slide. It
was only ghostly 'Marseillaise' he
was playing, but the spirits Of his
dead comrades played with him, and
with that fragment of a trombone he
led the way to victory. The trench
was taken. Half of the band had
died on the field Of honor.
you have perhaps read statements
that the Germans were lashed to can
non. OF that I have 20 proof, but with
my own eyes have seen German sol
diers bound to machine guns with
chains. We took several of these pris-
oners at the battle Of Vauquois, and
we found several dead lashed to their
guns. Their officers had lashed them
there, with instructions to keep turn
ing the crank
mot Red Cross flag came near
our front but what the Germans fired
at 1t. This cannot be disproved. We
found the German prisoners we took
in absolute ignorance of where they
We're. They had been told invariably
that they were within few miles Of
Paris
Il finally had a breakdown, due to
rheumatism, and the doctors sent me
back to Fontainebleau, where, after a
thorough examination. was honorably
disc .-arged on May a."
M. Decreus wears diamond horse
shoe scarfpin presented to him by his
regiment. Indicative Of the spirit of
comradeship prevailing between off,
GERS and men is note he carried
from bis colonel. M. Decreus sent the
commander a card of congratulation
when the latter was made an officer
Of the Legion Of Honor, and the colo
mel wrote an appreciative reply with
his own hand. He also had q letter
from General Sasset-Schneider, COM
mander Of the first and second subdi-
visions of the Fifth corps, commend
ing him as good patriot who had
discharged his duties to his country
until his strength had given way" to
all representatives of France abroad.
ElMOC A DETQIEIEn EnnT