The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-12-16

attack and counter attack I saw
We prepared our division for It for
about two weeks. sending up gas
tanks at night. The night Of the at
tack ] was sent to the post to wait
stood on the top OF the dugout and
waited with a general and his aide in
silence for an hour. All was still,
even in the trenches. Just q 70 gun
every now and then. The great hush
before q storm.
AT 1:15 a. IN. l saw "a moonht
night below me, a mist hurrying to-
ward the Germans. The wind was
perfect It was our gas starting. II
went on and on like a great gray veil
and seemed to hang over them as they
inhaled their death. The wind kept
perfect. and as far as 1 could see to
the right and left was this mist of
gas.
~HeII- Breaks Loose.
Thousands Of German star shells,
like stationary metsors, went up
through the gray gas. Then, at 2:I5
hell broke loose on the second Three
hundred and fifty guns broke the 81
lence and a sheet Of flame poured into
the Boche Trenches double tire de
barriaEe-one in front Of their first
line and one just back of their third
line, so they could neither retreat nor
advance while they breathsd the gas
between.
Until 8 a m. this continued, q
rever-ceasing Smelling: star shells,
torpedoes. such a frightful. ear-split-
ting noise.
MY first call was at s:15. Some OF
our men had been caught in their
own gas. We evacuated 172 in q
very short space OF time.
Il saw gas mslRde: 70 is terribIs.
They cannot get their breath and they
cough and spit and vomit and spit
blood. When ! reached the hospital
with my first load those on top had
vornited blood all over those below
and the car reeIed with stencil. But,
no murnur or complaint. II is a hor-
rible death. But only four died, we
got them TO the hospital so efficiently.
@0ver the Top"
THE gas was shut Off after dawn
and tho 176's continued all day ana
into the night when Comrades, over
the top" was given and out they
oGne with bsyonets, and hand gren-
AIDES (no rides are used any more;
they are Obsolsts except to hold a
bEyonst), Out, over, through and into
tho barb wire, cutting, hewinE, slash
ing their way 20 No. / trench and
they took IL by storm. The Boches
were finished by the gas. This con
tinued until Z q. m. Then our curtain
Of fire was lifted.
THE Americans viii need some
training, ss the English killed IL 900
OF their own men with their own
guns, The French are marvellous,
AT 8 a, IN, the Roche started q
tire de bHTriHgs, but the French held
on, This lasted all day ard they at
a counter from their second
limo that night, with hand grenadss,
90 We had our job cut out for US and
we worked for nearly ninety hours
without Il wink OF sleep, all of us,
and just coffee and bread, and eur
boots on,
Great VIstsFT for French.
"BUt the French held and teek
many prisoners and Weh a great VIC
tory, went up into the
hrst German iins sapturedi it was
a marvel Of cement construction, thir.
~ feet deep in places.
The last fellow took to the hos
pItRI was shot in the side or the
head, lie was, and is, thank God, q
perfect beauty, about twenty-five
years old. Wonderful clear skin and
hair, aud great figure, square shout.
ders, small waist and fine hands. He
lay quite still as I put him In and
bolstsred up his head with mY over
coat He just looked at me as a dog
whose wound you are binding.
Il knsw the road quite we'll ard
though a stream OF great wagons aRd