American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-12-14

No Sooner Had That Shell Landed
Than the Civilians Commenced to
Move.
as usual. Occasionally they would
drop some bombs and kill a few civil
ians, but the situation was not critical
enough to cause US to move the head
quarters.
On Saturday morning, April "a, 1
had taken my car down to the corps
supply column to ill up with petrol
when a shell came over and landed
in the field Just beside the column. 1t
was the first shell we had had In
Poperinghe. and, believe me, / didn't
wan to see whether there were any
more on the way. I had been detailed
to go to Boulogne. and 1 got started
quickly.
No sooner had that shell landed than
the civilians commenced TO move. Ii
was the same old story-panic every
where among the ONE and children,
and the road was choked with them.
The second shell landed about ten min
utes later. so l judged they were only
oA4 DAAC sun IL " - q CA44A OA4E
at that. There was nothing, therefore,
to get excited about.
I picked up a priest and w old
women and gave them a lift as far
as Cassel, where they could get a
train later in the day for Calais or
Boulogne. I reached Boulogne short
" after 10 o'clock. and at l o'clock I
was on my way back. When I arriy-
ed in Poperinghe everything seemed
as quiet as usual. and I was very much
surprised, as 1 had expected 10 find
shells pouring into the place from all
directions.
1t seems that the Germans had run
an armored train through and had be-
gun Smelling the town from the train.
Our artillery went into action right
away, and instead Of hitting the train
first they shelled the tracks behind the
train and tore the road all up so 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 time-twelve inch, I
heard later. We knew that it was no
armored train this time. and we knew
that we were in for a hot time.
l was detailed with my car for the
field cashier. which meant that if the
order came to o l would have an
officer, armed escort and all the money
belonging to the headquarters. amount
ing TO $4,000. All I had TO do at the
time was TO stand by and wait for or
ders.
They kept up the she'll 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. 3 casualty clear
ing station had taken over a building
and started a soldiers home. 1t was
a place where a fellow could go 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 il 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 OF the second floor
The building caved in like a house bull
OF cards. The marvellous part OF it wa:
that. although there must have beer
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.
I lost all my belongings during the
bombardment, I had been keeping my
kit bag in the loft of a stable, and a