The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-09

as low as we could while the whizz-
bangs came over-whiZz-bu bum. Wh1Zz-
bumt some pIunked into the mud
harmless. Others gave Us few cas-
ualties while We crOuched-
Down TO my left was Lieutenant
Frank E. Kinds of Minneapolis. a for
rner teIezrapher. He was hit and died
of his wounds. He used to be in the
Nineteenth company, volunteer signal
corps in the Philippines Ahead OF Us
were some of the Seventy eighth bat
talon in the first line They were 20
take the first German line in our sec
tor we were to take the second, and
the company behind US the third
THE artillery strife was the most
dazzling thing 1 ever Witnessed L
looked back and saw rows OF guns 90
off. each in its turn, yet so fast that
the flashes seemed like a tooth-edge..
ribbon of flame
The signal TO advance was the ex-
pIosion of a mine down on our left
American Led Charge.
7 stood up and waved my hand
and said Come on, fellows Over We
went. We lust walked ahead. 1t was
no use hurrying- The guns played
on the German first line for about
three minutes, giving our first wave
a chance to get up there and drop
in the minute the Smelling lifted, to
prevent the Germans from bringing
up their machine guns from the dug
outs
The first wave took their trench
and we passed thru them. following
the barage. to take the second line
We were losing some men thru our
own shells, but only a small percent
age. We always figure on a number
of defective shells in a big strafe.
our shrapnel was breaking over
our heads continually. but that's all
rio for SHr1rrr7a1s ha1a If throws
forward
We took the second line without
much of a fight The Boche came
running up out OF the dugouts in
swarms. holding his hands shoulder
high sha king with nerves and calling
They emptied their pockets trying to
give US presents, pipes, knives, but
tons. watches. One American cor
poraI came running up to me in
traverse and asked Seen any FTritzes
yet2' He held his bayonet ready. but
hadn't found any of the enemy where
his bunch went in.
Most of Prisoners Bavarians.
Our prisoners were mostly mem
bers of the Eleventh Bavarian regi-
meut Their officers had ducked back
along the communication trench.
with thirty or forty men 1 went
on ahead to establish that strong
point. anxious to get it done soon in
case our third wave should have trou-
bic in taking the third line Just as
we got started digging a runner came
up with word that Major Harrison's
thigh had -heen smashed by a chunk
of high explosive she'll They had put
him in a shell hole where he was
com aratlvely safe. When the lob
was finished I went back to report.
being now in command On the way
1 got hit with a piece of shrapneL
That was about a m Monday.
At Tuesday afternoon I was re-
heved to go TO the hospital
"A great many of our dead were
scattered everywhere as I came back.
IN one shell hole I saw four or five
who had crawled there wounded and
died Their heads had sagged under
the water and other wounded fellows
kept away from them One dead man
was split wide open. apparently hav-
ing been hit squarely by a she'll
Americans Killed in Charge.
PanniU went to the hospital before
the casualty lists came out. but 9TH
ers of the legion have heard that
Sergeant Abe Walters. formerly of the
Twenty second United States infantry
was killed. and Private p. D. Gossard
of Council Bluffs, Iowa, seriously
wounded
PanniH was formerly manager of
the General Acoustic company in
P1ttSburE- He enlisted in Toronto