The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-10-31
HOW AMERICAN
GUNNERS FIRED
.1ST SHOT OF WAR

.- o. g b 4
With the American Forces in France,
Monday, Oct 29.T.The first Americans |
to estalblish contact with the aSer- |
mans today are bathing in the mud |
of Eastern France. They constantly
are under fire and have their guns on
the enemy.
American shells have been hurled |
into German territory and they have
exploded near the enemy line.
| On hill to the right OF the explo-
sions, cataracts of mud arc to be
seen. To one side an American Off
Ger is looking out on the scene
through his field glasses. He is try
ing to see what damage has been
done by the artillery and his barbed
/ wire entanglements.
Closer to the enemy in the first line
trenches is the infantry, with the
shells of both American and German
guns whizzing over their heads. The
mon are rubber booted and soaked by
the rain, but the fact that they are
the first 4Anaericans@ae actually in action
is sufficient satisfaction for their dis
comforts
The correspondent motored through
many shell torn villages, close to the
American position, and then walked
1.-THE rest of the way. Motor cars are
likely to attract the attention OF the
IGermans, who might drop a few
bombs in that direction. The Ameri-
lean battery was almost walked upon
before it was seen, so wen was 1t hid
q den in trees and eshielded' by foliage
on a low-hung wire netting. The wa
ter dripped through the netting as
the men worked the guns. Close by,
. American gunners were digging a
place in the mud for another gun.
/ Through the foliage in every d.
rection the ground was undulating.
At that moment there was a flash OF
fame through the mist. 1t was the
crack of rs gun, and following it
, closely came the noise Of the shell
rushing through the air, becoming
fainter and fainter as the projectile
sped on its way to the German posi-
: ton over the crest of a hill. The
mud digging artillerists continued
:, their work, without even looking up
A lieutenant from Georgia emerged.
He was the officer who directed the
: first shot. He led the way down the
slippery, muddy hill to a dugout COW
! cred with sand bags and logs. There
: was met a lieutenant from Indiana OF
9 the same battery, who directed the
r first 18 shots of the war against Ger
many from an observation point.
On the other side of the hill was
: found the first gun fired. The muddy
= gunners were hard at work cleaning
. their gun.
This was the first gun fired in the
war, said the jaunty lieutenant. Tht
sergeant inside the pit there fred it
: Looking into the pit, the lieutenant
} said Sergeant, where are yor
FRONT
Il A husky voice replied: "Tm from
+ South Bend. Indiana"
care you Irish? ?"
mo sir" the sergeant laughingl.
= replied.
At this time orders came for thi
:, gun and others of the battery place
- in nearby hills in sight and SCUM
- of one another to begin firing. TIL
nj first gun on the farthest hill wen
- off with roar and faint stream O
smoke was blown backward from tn
pit, Inside the pit in which tn
correspondent stood voice sheute
tn range figures and a lieutenan
repeated them, A voice inside tn
pit a moment later yelled that tn
gunner was ready to fire. The lieu
- tenant gave the command to the gun
y ners Watch your bubble"
- The lieutenant, who was standin
~ on pile of mud which had been re
. moved from the pit, cautioned thos
:. about him to place their fingers i
:. - their ears, This was done and tn
:; lieutenant shouted the word Fire!
=, The gun barked quickly, the nois
4. being followed by metallic clank g
the shell case was elected and til
gun made ready for the next LOAD
The lieutenant told the correspo1
dent the story of the first shot
n the war; how they had come up tn
night before in q driving rain an
lacking horses, had hauled their gu
nj into position by hand SO that the
could get the first shot at the Gel
as mans; and of how after many hour
us labor in getting the gun placed the
- sent over at 6i15 in the morning
~ high explosive shell.
- From the artillery lines to the IL
fantry trenches was a censiderab
distance over more muddy hills. TT
-, correspondent found the infantry IL
side the trenches. There also wei
many wires which ran into switcl
board and American and French OF
n orators were sitting side by side
recting operations.