The Robesonian., 1918-10-14
ON BATTLE FRONT

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A Robson Soldier, Invalided
Home, Tells Of His Experiences
and 1mpressions-When the
German Retreat Began.
Mention was made in a recent issue
g The Robesonian of an address de-
iuored at Union chapel October End
hv Private Marshall Thompson. a
Pobeson soldier who has returned to
The States because of wounds receiv-
oJ at the front in France. Private |
thompson belonged to the U. s. ma
rines and was a member of the ma
rines who the latter part of last May
ciopped the Germans when It looked |
ike they would take Paris. It might |
he added that the Germans have been
.dyancing backwards since that nota-
hlo oattle in which Private Thompson
was severely wounded. The bone in
his left arm was shattered and much
of the flesh tern away and he re-
cpiyed other wounds. Private Thomp-
SON was sent to an American hospital
after he recovered so he could make
the trip. His home is near Midway,
between Maxton and Rowland, and
he left college to enlist soon after his
country declared war upon Germany.
The following from his address will
he of interest to Robesonian readers:
Sights to Make a Man Fight.
"It was the latter part of May
when two regiments of u. S. marines
started from an army training camp
in France to the front. I was among
the number. / belonged to the ma
chine gun battalion. We made the
trip to the front on trucks. AS we
neared the battle lines we met the
french people who lived thereabouts
leaving their homes because of the
advancing Germans. They were trav-
cling in every conceivable manner.
We met old men and old women, some
of the old women carrying their chill
dren. / never will forget one old
French woman who was riding upon
load of hay. AS we passed her she
waived at us, as if to beg us to save
her home. If that sight would not
make an American fight / don't know
what would. Later we met French
soldiers retreating as best they could.
met one who could talk broken Eng
lish He told me we were too late,
that we should have been two years
sooner, as the Germans were going
to take Paris and it would be up. I
told him not to worry that we would
STOP them; and we did stop them.
Sights like we saw would make your
mothers boys and my mothers boy
want to fight. If the Americans had
not stopped the Germans, we too
would soon have been leaving our
homes as those French people were
leaving theirs that day. The French
were disheartened and the fighting
spirit was gone. However, after we
stopped the Germans and turned them
back towards Berlin they saw what it
meant to have Americas aid and
they now are fighting with the same
spirit they fought with when the war
first started.
Threw Terror Into Germans.
"On June 1, at noon, we were or
dered to spread out and set our guns
on the enemy. 1t was an open fight
the sort of fight we Americans had
longed to get into. We had orders
to hold our positions at any cost. The
shells were falling all around us, but
we stuck just the same. The Anleri.
can artillery came up behind and al
night of June they fired over ON
heads into the enemy. After this
the boys went over the top. WI
threw the Germans back by throwing
terror into them that they never hae
expected. never will forget whe1
a number of German soldiers before
us threw up their hands and cried ou
"kamerad." After we got near then
they dropped their hands. Then th'
Americans drew their guns. neve.
will forget how those Germans threw
up their hands, stretching every fin
ger joint and standing upon thei
toes.
A Hard Fight.
II spent II days and nights at tn
front. It was a hard fight. We los
many men. My captain and maJo
were killed and my sergeant was ill
ed right by my side. Chances are tn
American will never lose so great
number of men in another battle.
No Other Country Like America.
There is no other country lik
America. To be an American mean
more than living in America. l
means love in your heart foc you
country and your government
willingness to fight for it or give a
you possess for it. The message fro1
the boys left in France is eve mus
all be 100 per cent American" A ma
living in American who is not willin
to aid the boys at the front is pre-
German. He is no better.
1t Takes Lots of Food.
Il never had such an appetite q
| had while in France. The boys a
like to eat. 1t takes lots of food fe
them. They are healthy bunch.
When the war has been won "
will feel proud if we are true Amer
cans.
Can't Give Too Much to Red Cross
Before closing / wish to say SOM
thing for the Red Cross. You cann
give too much to it. With all m
pain l felt the best I have ever fe