American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-03

- -" Wv NMEA NAA N"fAN NAHA III NAN
Wv front line trenches IA belgium
we relieved the twenty sixth
Canadian battalion scouts from that
organization came back 20 the villages
Of Dinkiebusch and Renninghelst 20
tell us bow glad they were 10 see rs
and 10 show "a the way IA AZ we
proceeded overland. before reaching
NE communication trenches at the
'FRONT.' these scouts paid % the hospita
ble attention due strangers that Is.
enc OF them. leading a platoon. would
say
-Next DO yards In machine gun
range Keep quiet. don't run aud be
ready 10 drop quick II you are warned
Therc was one scout 10 each platoon,
and We followed him single file. most
OF the time along roads OF well worn
paths, but sometimes through thlckets
and ragged neids Every now and then
the scout would yell at us 10 drop
and down we'd 80 on u stOmachs
whle away on In the distance W.
could hear the put. put Of machine
guns. the nrst sound Of hostile airing
thai had ever reached u ears
-its all right. said the scout
They haven't seen u or got track Of
ms Theyre just nrlng On suspicion"
Nevertheless. when our various pla
toons bad an go. into the front reserve
Trenches, az about two hours after mid
night We learned that the hrst blood
OF our battalion had been spilled. Two
men had been wounded. though neither
fatally our wi stretcher bearers
took our wounded back 20 the field
hospital az Dinkiehusch The men 81
the T~wcuty.sixth battalion spent the
rest OF the night %iustructing us and
thea left ~ 90 bold the position We
were as nervous as = lot OF cats. and
~ seemed TO Tue that the Germans
must certainly know that they could
cons over aud walk right through us.
but outside OF a few casualties from
snlplng such a. the one that bcfeil
tho Fourteenth platoon man. which !
have told about. nothing very alarming
happened the hrst day aud night. aud
~ that time We had got steady on our
sob We held the position Tor twenty
sir days which d the longest period
that any Canadian or British o%rganirs.
ton has ever remained IN a front line
frcncb
IN none % the stories I've Rad have
] ever sccn trench hghting AS u wa.
carried 90 Ia belgium adequately de
b-ribed You see. you can't get much
or an idea about q Trims Ike that max
ans 4 quick tour 90 the trenches under
ofbcial directiou and escort as IN,
newspaper and magazine writers do
] couldn't undertake 60 tell anything
orth vhilc abOnt the hig ISSUES Of the
war but ! can describe how soldiers
have to learn 20 night Ia the trenches
and 7 think q good many OF oar young
fellows have that 20 learn now ~Oyel
there they dont talk OF peace OF
even o. tomorrow They sit back aud
take q.
We always held the Gre trench a.
hEhtiy as possible. because Il Is q
demonstrated fact that the front ditch
cannot be successfully defended Ia q
Determined attack The thing w I'D
aud the thing 90 DO Is 70 be ready q
jump ca 20 the enemy as soon as b.
has got into your front trench aud 4
nghting on ground that you know and
be doesn't aad knock 30 many kind.
of tar out OF him that he'll have 70 pul
his load for . spot that isn't 30 warm
That system worked nrst rate with as
During the day We had oniy . yer,
few men IN the Ore trench n an at
tack Is coming in daylight, there's al
ways plenty Of time 10 get ready 10
a. Az night We kept prepared 10
trouble ell the tine. We had a nigh
sentry on each firing step and a ma
sitting at bis feet 20 watch him 20 So
re wasn't secretly snlped Then "
bad q sentry IN each hay % th
rrencb to take messages
Orderu didu't permit the man on IN
xrtng step or the mar watching hir
90 leave post on any excuse whateye