Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-05-10

US and on either side, but none lanueu !
among us, and after waiting there for |
three hours, expecting to be blown to |
bits any second, we finally moved for
ward. Just as we left the copse, from
behind us, up over a ridge, came a
stream of galloping horses.
"It's the cavalry" someone shouted,
but soon l made out limbers and field
guns.
They galloped past us, going like
mad. took up a position to our right,
swung into position, unlimbered, and
in two minutes were blazing away. 1t
was a thrilling sight.
Torn by Shells.
In going forward we went around
the end of the larger wood IN front of
us, over ground that was torn to bits
by the heavy shell fire that had just
preceded, over another edge, across a
valley, and under the crest of hill.
And here we found the tanks going
over the top of the hill to take up
their position. At this point we were
still about a mile from the front line.
At this place opened up an aid post
under the crest of the hill to take care
of what wounded came in while we
were getting into position. 1 looked
back across the valley we had just
traversed.
Shrapnel was bursting in the air,
shells were whizzing overhead, and our
guns behind me were belching forth
the fire. The noise was deafening.
A railroad ran through the valley
and an engine pulling a couple of fiat
cars was going by. A couple Of sol
diers were sitting on the rear truck
swinging their feet. A shell burst on
the track and only missed the last car
about fifteen yards. Neither man was
hit and the train went blithely on.
BY this time it was getting along
toward evening the sun was sinking
in the west, and finally went down
great ball of fire. At the time, 1 re-
member, / noticed its color. 1t was
blood red and had sinister look. Was
1t my Imagination, or might it have
been a premonition? At any rate, l
shall never forget the color of the sun
as it set that night at the end of the
first day of probably one of the great
est battles in history. 1t certainly
didn't look good to me.
The drumming of the guns cOntin-
ued twilight gradually deepened into
night, the signalers stopped their wig
wagging and took up their flash sig
nails, a fog dropped down on us and
put the lights out Of business, and
when we left to go forward under the
cover of darkness they were busy put
ting out their telephone lines-signal-
ers and runners don't have an easy
time.
Shell Dump Goes Up.
Behind us a shell landed in an am
munition dump and it went up with a
roar; then the rifle ammunition started
! going off like a great bunch of fire.
crackers, and great tongues of flame
lit up the sky.
1t is reported that the Germans had
broken through our line and we were
to counter-attack in the morning. We
got into positions without a single
casualty. / opened an aid post in ar
old dugout and settled down to sleeI
until morning. You may think it fun
ny that one could sleep under such
conditions, but l had been up since
$50, had tramped about six or sever
miles, had had a rather trying day
and was dog tired.
So 1 settled down on the rough planl
floor and was soon asleep. / mus
have been asleep a couple of hour:
when a runner came from headquar
ters and told us we were to move of
Immediately. looked at my watch anC
it was 80 a. m. on the second day.
We went back to the railroad, fol
lowed it around to a position some si1
miles to the north of us, landing there
about in the morning and Topped
down on the floor of some abandoned
huts to wait further orders. Our or
ders came along about 8 o'clock. W.
marched up across the open prairie
the sun shining, and it was really hot
Just like some of the warm days W,
get the last of March at home. Ii
going forward it was necessar.
for us to march seventy-five yards II
front of three batteries of field guns
There are six guns to battery. The,
shoot an eighteen-pound shell an,
while we were there each gun wa
shooting twice to the minute. Yol
can imagine the racket when 1 tel
you that the discharge of one gun cal
be heard about four miles. In add
ton the Boche was trying to knocl
out this battery and he was droppin
his six inch shells a little too close fo
comfort.
Nearly in Trap.
Then l made a lovely mistake.
was to establish an aid post near BAT
talon headquarters and went blithel
on when l met company commando
and asked him where to go.
Back there about a quarter of
mile" he replied. "This is the fror
center company. If you keep on
; the direction you are going you ar
: going up over that ridge and Fritz wi
) be waiting for you with machin
: gun"
: So my sergeant and orderly an
myself didn't waste any time in clea
: ing. On the way back found gallo
can full of water, got into a corrugate
t iron shelter and had a wash and
t shave. 1t certainly felt good 1 don
4 believe / had washed for thirty-si
~-~-~-~~~~~~~~~~-~-~-~-~ -~~~-~-~~~-~-~-~~-~~-~~~-