Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-08-06
AMERICAN SOLDIERS FOUGHT like
FIENDS," SAYS BRITISH OFFICER
qh Praise for Conduct Of Yankees in First Fight Side by Side Win
/ Their British Cousns--TOd to "kI and They Sure Did
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Delighted With CON-
rades ProWesS at Hame

Tor us over there in No Mans Land
None of our boys cared for that. but
The day before the attack all the men
of my company got together and
shook hands aud said good-by, tor
YOU see, We did not know ii We should
meet again.
Signal to Advance.
~ had worked very hard 10 learn
to be good soldier Tor | wanted 10
be credit to the folk back home. |
guess must have Learned some things,
for my commander gave me II of our
chaps to lead over the top as corporal
And my men fought Well"
He paused, his face glowing With
pride, and then continued:
AT midnight Wednesday We went
Forward ana laid out 10 the open wait
ing for the signal to advance Then
about daylight came the barrage. II
was a pretty big thlug-the biggest We
ever heard. The time came for the
charge and We pushed out.
"A few of our boys were TOO anxious
and they got SO close to the barrage
that they We're hurt. My pal was
struck by shell beside me-"
Again he stopped and this time there
were tears in his eyes and lump was
working in his throat. There was ST.
lence for moment then he went on:
I'VE were advancing toward Hamel
village and had to go over one slope,
then down into a little valley and up
another hill. We got along all right,
but down In the valley there was lot
of barbed wire that held US up some.
| know | got caught, but not for very
long.
"Our men were fighting like any
thing and killing a lot of Boches who
were In the trenches and shell holes.
A good many of the Germans We're
yelling 'Kamerad,' and surrendering
too.
1.-TWO Of the Boches came running
up 10 me with their hands over their
heads. didn't know what 10 do with
them, but an officer came along and
sent them to the rear
Wounded, but Killed Two.
"Then we went on and had about
reached our objective when something
hit me IN the leg and went down. |
tried to get up but my leg wouldn't let
me and | was dizzy. While ! was on
my knee saw two Boches charging at
me with fixed bayonets. had the
butt of my rifle resting on the ground,
my finger on the trigger, and | fired
when they were about ten yards away.
One of them fell over dead, but the
other kept on coming and was on Inc
before | could throw in a fresh cart.
ridge.
Then I knew | had to fight him
with the bayonet like man. SO |
got to my feet somehow. and as he
jabbed at me with his hayonet par
ried II with my rifle and then swung
the rife TO his head as hard as
could. The blow broke his skull and
he went down.
"That's all | remember until | woke
up and found a chum beside me, He
had gone out and brought me back."'
That finished the personal story Of
this boy who had fought and killed and
been wounded, but he had something
else which was much on his mind.
After much hesitation it finally came
out.
Il wonder if my little girl at home
is happy" he said anXiously, referring
to his sweetheart In Chicago. The
correspondent told him she certainly
would be very happy and proud to
know how well he had done.
81 hope she will be-" he responded
thoughtfully. and then added:
"Would II be too much trouble for
you 20 drop her Just line to let her
know that ! am all right? ! don't
know when / shall have chance tc
write"
That letter will 90 Immediately, but
pending It's arrival the girl in Chicago
should know that he Is wounded, but
rs he himself says, all right. Appar
entity, his wound is not serious.
German prisoners, taken recently
nave been surprised 10 learn of thu
number Of Americans on this side
The German higher command has beer
spreading reports that the oversee
troops We're not arriving in such nun
hers ms the entente capitals had stated
The Grrmau prisoners admitted rue
fully that the drive had been conduct
ed with cleverness and invIncible cour
age To this praise was added a tele
gram from Field Marshal Haig to tn
forces involved, including the Amer
can detachment expressing his war;
congratulations.
Boy, PAGE the Colonel