The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-21

sent to Cantigney, where it took part in the battles around Soissons in July when the Germans were turned back from Paris
 ARRIVED HOME NOVEMBER 20 A few days after the Germans signed the armistice young Metcalf was sent back to this country. arriving at New York November 20. From there he went to the general hospital at Ft. McPherson, Ga, for treatment, and securing a leave of absence came to Birmingham two or three days ago to visit his sister,
 Mrs. Theodore Armhein who resides at 1912 Avenue E.
 It was at Soissons on July 19 that Met calf received the wound that sent him ! to base hospital near St. Lazaire and , permanently unfitted him for further mil itary service. Assigned as first aid to a machine gun crew he went with it into
 an open wheat field where German bull lets rained thick and fast about them,
 American boys falling like wheat before a reaper.
 "The gunner alone of the crew was left said Private Metcalf, "and I took up the job of passing ammunition to him.
 There were several German machine gun nests in the strip of woods across the field. The Germans were counter at taclSing and 1t was important that we hold them in check A bullet from one of their guns got our gunner and that left me alone. Rolling the body of my fallen comrade in front of me I took up my position at the machine gun and began pouring lead into those Germans as fast as they showed themselves Nearly two hours passed The company commander, whose name I never learned, ,1p nd ol- hal do l ing. Trying to keep back about 200 Ger mans replied. Go to it, he said and went away to gather up the men of his company.
 ROCHE BULLET GOT HIM | .'Not long after that a. German bullet struck me in the chest going through
 my right lung. but I stuck to my ma I chine gun until the Germans began their retreat Then I walked to the first aid station, a shell hole near the front; re- l ceived such attention as could be given
 me there, then walked to the field hos I pital where my wound was dressed I From there was sent to the base hos | pital near St. Lazaire, where I remained I until after the armistice was signed, | when I was sent back to this country, landing in New York on November 20 From New York I was sent to the gem eral hospital at Ft. McPherson, Atlanta. After few days with my sister hero l will go to Louisiana to visit my parents
 and then back to the hospital when
 expect to receive my discharge.
 While Twas in the base hospital near
 St. Lazaire the captain of the Twenty
 sixth regiment and French officer came ! to see me. The French officer took my
 name and a few days later I was dec orated with the French Croix De Guerre. l or as we call it the cross of war. My | etk. %1,, F., l in action.
 | ."Of the original members of the Twen- l ty-sixth that went to France only about I 30 per cent survived at the time of the signing of the armistice, and a great l many men brought in from the replace ment camps also fell in the battles around Soissons, Cantigney. Verdun and the Ar gonne, the regiment being in the latter sector when hostilities ceased
 I CAUGHT BETWEEN BARRACKS
 "On July IS my regiment went over | the top at Cantigney. Our artillery laid down a barrage and the Germans coun- i tered with the greatest barrage they ever l put down at any place. With the roar | ing of the great guns and the bursting
 of shells all around us nothing else could be heard. The noise they made was deaf ening and for hours they kept up a l continuous and mighty roar. Caught in I between the two barrages. With the Ger I man guns sweeping the open field many of our men fell. but escaped uninjured. though my coat was cut to pieces by fragments of shrapnel
 The next day in trying to drive tho Germans back Iereceived the wound that ! put me out of business. I was gassed :, on the Foul sector in March. 1918. and laid up in a hospital three weeks. re- l joining my company at Cantigney. was I lying down by the side of the gunner passing ammunition to him when he was
 killed. and rolling his body in front of me I took charge of the gun. Every i member of the crew was dead. but l knew the Germans must not be allowed Ito advance at this point and I deter
 mined they should not. had the gratifi-