Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-11-27
NUMBER 48.


In the fsld Just beside the column. II
was the first shell We had had In
Poperinghe, and, believe me. didn't
want to go whether there were any
more on ths way. I had bssn detailed
to 90 to Boulosns, and I got started
quickly.
No sooner had that shell landed than
the civilians commenced TO move Il
was the same old story-panic every.
where among the women and children.
and the road was choked with them.
The second shell landed about ten min
utes later, 20 judged thsy were only
using one gun, and It was . small one
at that There was nothing. therefore,
to get excited about
I picked up priest and two old
women and gave them q lift a. far
a. Cassel, where they could get
train later In the day for Calais or
Boulogne. I reached Boulogne short
ly after 10 O'Clock, and at o'clock ]
was on my way back. When arriv.
ed in Poperinghe everything seemed
as quiet as usual, and I was very much
surprised, as I had expected to find
shells pouring into the place from all
directions.
It seems that the Germans had run
an armored train through and had be-
gun shelling the town from the train.
Our artillery went into action right
away, and instead Of hitting the train
arst they shelled the tracks behind tho
train and tore the road all up 90 that
the train could not get back. Then
they took their time and blew the train
of the map.
Sunday morning the shells began to
fall In the town again, and they were
big ones this hme-twelve inch, I
heard later. We knew that II was no
armored train this time, and we knew
that we were In for hot time.
I was detailed with my car for tho
field cashier, which meant that II tho
order came to move I would have an
officer, armed escort and all the money
belonging to the headquarters, amount.
ing to $4,000. All l had to do at the
time was to stand by and wait for OF.
ders.
They kept up the shell fire all day,
but at night they quit There were
quite a few Of our chaps killed and
many civilians too.
The chaplain Of No. 8 casualty clear.
ing station had taken over q building
and started q soldiers home. It was
q place where a fellow could 60 when
he was of duty, and there were books,
magazines, cake, tea, ETC., to be had
for the asking. 1t was a fine thing,
and It was always crowded. for the
fellows enjoyed It immensely.
This was the first building to be hit,
and It was full Of fellows at the time.
A twelve inch shell crashed through the
roof and exploded on the second floor.
The building caved in like house built
of cards. The marvellous part Of 1t was
that, although there must have been
fully 100 men in there at the time, not
a single one was killed. A few had
some scratches and other minor In.
jurIes, and one had his arm broken.
but these were the only casualties from
this shell.
lost oil my belongings during the
bombardment I had been keeping my
kit bag In the loft Of stable. and
shell came through and laid the build.
Ing to the ground.
All day Monday the Smelling con-
tinued, and still no orders came for
Us to move. Things were beginning to
look serious now, and we wondered
how much longer We would have to
stick 1t out. 1t was the most unsat.
lsfactory duty one could imagine.
There we were doing absolutely moth
Ing and the Germans throwing shell
after shell into US. We had no chance
to hit back, and there was nothing e1.
cept to stand by and take our chances-
When the order did come to move the
field cashier was the last one to be nod-
fed, but even though we were the last
to get the order We were the frst ones
out, and l was happy to say goodby to
that place We went about six kilo-
meters down the road and took over
temporary headquarters In q little W.
age.
It was Just after we moved down to
this village that I got the only scratch
l had during the whole campaign. I
was on the Dickebusch road with q
staff colonel, and we had been visiting
some regiments that were out OF action
at the time. While we were there the
Germans started Smelling. and we de-
cided It would be better for Us II We
moved to q healthier locality. The
colonel was sitting in the tonneau OF
the car, while I, Of course, was In the
driving seat
AS we swung out into the main road
we heard shell coming, and automat.
lcally put on more speed. The shell
burst right on the side Of the road.
One piece Of 1t dew through the bottom
of the car and tore the footboard right
from under the colonels feet It didn't
bother him the least bit he simply
swung his feet right up on to the seat
and advised me to crowd on Q little
more speed.
Another little piece Of the shell graz
ed my right leg just above the knee.
It was O mere scratch, but 1t scared
me as nothing ever has since. and l
guess I thought my whole leg was
gone.
The same shell that came 80 close to
Us caught another poor fellow and
wounded him In the back In twenty.
nine different places, and with all this
he walked a quarter Of mile to Q
dressing station.
Ito be continued)