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

gffen an old barn to ourselves, and we
laid out our blankets and made our
beds, for 1t was 1870 O'Clock. The at
tack vas increasing In fury, all kinds
Of shells landing around US, and the
Germans we're using their same old
tactics OF hurting great masses OF
troops against our position.
Our machine guns rave the usual
good account Of themselves, and the
German dead were piled up over our
wire entanglements in great heaps.
The Germans would fall back, reform
and come on again in their usual close
formation. So it went all night, and
when the morning came the dead
ground between the two lines Of
trenches was a grewsome looking place.
During the day the Germans bonn
barded our first and second line trench
es with high explosives and schrapnel
all day, and at night they resumed
their infantry attack on our position.
Day after day and night after night
the battle continued until We all felt
dead and numb all over.
Sometimes the Germans would pen
citrate our lines for a few yards, and
then we would Immediately counter
before they had a chance to strengthen
their position. We lost an awful lot Of
men, but even though don't know the
exact figures l know l am safe in say
ing that the German losses were more
than double what ours were.
We dispatch riders were certainly
kept busy during this time. Our work
was to be standing by every minute of
the day and night, and the moment we
were wanted to sling the dispatch case
over our shoulder and get away for the
headquarters to the rear.
The riding at night was terrible. The
Germans were Smelling all the roads in
the vicinity, and we had to go dashing
along through the inky blackness at
breakneck pace. 1t was impossible to
see more than a yard or two ahead,
and so it was a case Of ride like ths
dickens and trust to luck. The road
was covered with shell holes, and the
first intimation we would get Of the
fact was when we would feel the mo-
torbike drop beneath US and feel our
selves shooting through the air like
amateur skyrOckets.
We would pick ourselves up, drag
the motorbike out of the hole and, If it
would still run, jump on 1t and get
away again. We certainly got some
terrible spills, and there were a good
many who got broken bones and a few
who had their necks and backs broken.
Imagination cannot conceive Of our
utter misery. Everywhere l looked at
all hours Of the day and night it was
Just nightmare. Most OF the time we
were kept too busy to sleep, and we
would be so tired we could hardly
move. The constant din Of the guns Of
all sizes and Of the exploding shells was
enough to drive nearly all Of us insane.
Perhaps this little incident will show
what condition our nerves were In. A
young fellow named Lewis and l had
chummed together for the time being.
and we rode the anne route during the
entire battle. One night he came down
to headquarters Just ahead OF me, and,
l assure you, we came through some
mighty hot territory. 1 was In awful
condition myself. but I think he was
even worse.
1 handed my case in, and while 1 was
waiting for orders l went out to the
petrol stores to fill up the tank on my
bike. Lewis was talking to the officer
in charge Of the riders and was stand
ing with his back to the door. Another
fellow came in carrying two empty
petrol tins. and-unintentionally, of
course-he dropped them just behind
Lewis. They made quite a racket, and,
coming so suddenly. Lewis jumped
" a table and tainted dead away.
We were all in about the same condi-
ton, and it didn't take much to get a
rise out of us Poor Lewis was killed
the next night by falling into a shell
hole.