The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-05-10

among u.s. ana aIIer WdiunS ihs1e AOi
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 gaIioping horses.
Its the cavalry" someone shouted, |
but soon / made out limbers and field |
guns.
They galloped past us, going Ike
mad. took up a position to our right |
swung into position, unlimbered, and
in two minutes were blazing away. 1t
was 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
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 mile from the front line.
At this place l 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. | looked
back across the valley we had just
trayersed
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 couple of fiat
cars was going by. A couple OF sol
diers were sitting on the rear truck
swinging their feet. 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 a
| great ball of fire. At the time, l re-
member, l noticed its color. 1t was
blood red and had sinister look. Was
it my Imagination, or might it have
been a premonition? At any rate, |
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 conttn-
ued, twilight gradua!;y deepened into
night, the signalers stopped their wig
wagging and took up their flash sig
nails, 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 shell landed in an am
munition dump and it went up with {
roar; then the rifle ammunition started
going of like a great bunch OF hre
crackers, and great tongues of fam
lit up the sky.
1t is reported that the Germans ha'
broken through our line and we wer'
to counter-attack in the morning. w
got into positions without singh
casualty. l opened an aid post in al
old dugout and settled down to sleel
until morning. You may think it fun
} nv that one could sleep under sucl
! conditions, but l had been up sine
, 5 80, had tramped about six or seve
miles. had had rather trying da
and was dog tired.
So / settled down on the rough plan
! floor and was soon asleep. mus
have been asleep a couple of hour
when a runner came from headqual
: tiers and told us we were to move o
: Immediately. looked at my watch an
: it was 80 a. m, on the second day.
= We went back to the railroad, 70
! lowed ii, around to position some 81
miles to the north of us, landing thel
about 4 in the morning and Hoppe
: down on the floor Of some abandone
I huts to wait further orders. Our o
: ders came along about 8 o'clock. W
= marched up across the open prairi
- the sun shining, and it was really nc
y Just like some of the warm days v
get the last of March at home.
> going forward it was necessal
y for us to march seventy-f1ve yards
p front of three batteries of field CUR
= There are six guns to battery. TIT
- shoot an eighteen-pound shell al
u, while we were there each gun W
g shooting twice to the minute. IL
~ can imagine the racket when | Il
sc you that the discharge of one gun c.
be heard about four miles. In ad,
ton the Boche was trying to kno
nd out this battery and he was droppi
n his six inch shells a little too close
IS comfort.
of Nearly in Trap.
nd Then l made a lovely mistake.
er was to establish an aid post near b
cd TALON headquarters and went blith,
ry on when | met a company command
NO and asked him where to go.
Wy Back there about a quarter OF
mile" he replied. This is the frC
zig center company. If you keep on
he the direction you are going you /
ny going up over that ridge and Fritz
AS be waiting for you with mach
we gum"
lis. So my sergeant and orderly q
mt myself didn't waste any time In Gle
en- ing. On the way back found gal
can full of water, got into corruga