The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-09-27
j. S. OFFICERS
co over TOP
But It's Done Secretly by Those
Who Are Training Behind
British Lines-TWo
Men Wounded.
BY the Associated Press.

Somewhere Along the British Front
In France, Sunday. Sept 23.-On an
historic battlefield which merges nto
the fighting lines are camped many
American troops, far removed from the
rest Of their conpatriots. who form
the vanguard of Uncle Sans expedi-
tionary force in France.
For military reasons, it is impossible
10 tell the world just where these men
are, who they are or what they are
doing to further the interests OF the
entente allies cause, but it may be said
On authority to friends at home, that
they are a credit to the Stars and
Stripes which for the first time in his
tory flies over a camp of American sol
diers in this part of the war-wrecked
world.
Wounded Men Proud.
Some Of them have been working
continually in a zone covered by Ger
man guns and already two Of their
number nave been wounded, a fact
where of they are exceedingly proud.
Especially are these men prepared
and anxious to try honors with the
Germans. In fact their only grievance
Is that for the present they are not
permitted. except where necessity de-
mandB, to expose themselves to the
enemy's big guns. In fact, until a
stringent order was issued recently the
American officers had a hard time
keeping their men out of the British
front line trenches. 1t is said that more
than one American soldier has crept
away when off duty and after making
friends with h .Tommies'' has taken
his place beside them for a few glori-
GUS minutes, while a minor battle was
progressing.
Americans aOver the Top"
1t would have been unwise, perhaps.
for the correspondent to inquire too
closely whether any of the American of
ficefs had done their bit" in this man
ner, Nevertheless. h correspondent
had grave suspicious that some of them
have been over the top with their al
lies in early days. before orders forbade
it. However, they are good discipline
arians.
The correspondent visited two differ
ent camps and in each there were the
same scenes of m~ethodical activity,
Characteristic of American methods
Things were moving smoothly and no
false motions were being made. Eff
ciencyswas the watchword everywhere.
1t was noon the second camp
was reached and the officers and men
werespreparing mess
@ - - ~ ~
fell into conversation with a young Of
ficer who comes from one Of the: famous
Inc wealthy families of the United
States:
How do you like it out here?' asked
the correspondent.
The officer gazed ~reflectiyely through
the open door of the mess room. out
across the open and beyond the camp.
As far as the y could reach, there was
a scene Of devastation I'M ~desolation
HereAand there walls of a building
reared themselves to mark the spot
where perhaps a village had stood.
For miles could be seen shattered
trunks of trees that had been smashed
by great shells rs though rent by light
ming. Occasionally the eye met a little
graveyard with its wooden crosses
some for German soldiers and someafor
British, who had died in the s~anguinary
fighting which had taken place Over
this ground. In places there were Still
remains OF German dugoutB, Tor thu
enemy had held this territory at one
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