Weekly journal-miner., 1917-10-10


 a counter assault in which the bayonet (protected by the scabbards) was used so freely that many received bad bruises. At the outbreak of the at tack, we were wakened by the hendish shouting of the enemy as they poured over the top. Instantly, the volume of star shells and flare lights was in creased, until the country side for many miles around was lighted to in- credible brilliance A mile from the scene of the fight, l could easily read fine print by the light of the star shells.
 Our shift in the front line trenches was from o:30 Wednesday morning to 30 that afternoon. Major Rowland, the commanding officer of the com pany, acting as battalion commander, determined on an attack of reprisal A hypothetical barrage was laid or the enemy trenches all morning, and at ll:25L'zcro time" we went over the top in two enthusiastic waves. The first wave, consisting of two platoons, was called the assaulting wave, and included hand and rifle grenadiers. fusiliers, or machine gunners and voltigeurs, or rihemen, with fixed bayonets. Gaps had been cut in our wire during the preceding night, and through these, we spriuted. deploying in No Mans Land for that steady slow walk, that has become the habitual mode of advance. It IS only when the assaulting wave has ap- preached within 50 yards Of Fritz's trench that the charge IS taken up. This steady, slow advance has some thing in t more terrifying than any charge. The determination of the | Allied troops in France to close with the enemy with the bayonet IS the essence of the successful assault. The 1 German soldier has the morale to stand up under a fierce, disorderly rush. but he can't grasp the temper of an Allied platoon that calmly marches right up to his parapet and then begins sticking bayonets in him Hence, the walking pace.
 Our assault carried the right flank of the enemy trenches. The major had selected a time when the enemy were about chewing their noon-day meal. and when we got into action, about half the defenders were in no shape to hurl back our assault. We carried the front line, hung up over a couple of machine gun supplements and then were busted from all but half the front line ditches by strenu- ous counter-attack The struggle lasted but half an hour, but it was the hottest. most tiring work most of our men had ever been through.
 Every detail of trench holding and every preparation for the assault were reviewed by Lieutenant Bazin, who IS typical French officer, and who speaks better English than 99 per cent of the men in the camp. He was an initiated in one of the Verdun at tacks. coming out of the Notifications with S5 left out of his battalion of over 400 men. Consequently, he knows what trench warfare means. From reports we receive from the American forces in Europe, mainly via George Patullo's articles in the Saturday Evening Post, we learn that the training being given the students here and the regulars there is identi- cal. The day is divided into drill. learning machine guns. rifle and hand grenades. bayonet combat principles and such other special education as modern war has made necessary to the infantryman. Patullo was stu dent in the last camp here, earned his commission, and is now in command of company in France. His articles savor strongly of the idiom ot the training camp, such as we are learn ing here. It seems that some of his stuff is a copy of the lectures we get from our bayonet instructors.
 The first week in October, be- ginning tomorrow, is to be devoted in part to range practice, the first the camp has had. While all the men get this instruction the artillery student will have, in addition, the pleasure ot firing problems with the three-inch rifles and the Four-Point-Sevens. The regular batteries, stationed here keep the country shaking with their prac- tice salvos. Saturday, while on hike, the captain of one of the infantry companies was informed by an excited orderly that he was in the range zone