St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-06-22

en- this hope.
The bicycles lying in the road indi-
Gated that the bicycle division was in
the fight at this point, How strong
the enemy was we did not know as we
raced toward the firing line. Every
body crouched down as low as posi-
BILE while jumping to the right and
left. Before and behind us the bullets
were flying continuously, yet we
reached the firing line without losses.
We were greeted joyously by our hard
pressed comrades. The bicycle regi-
ment had not suffered any losses ex-
cept for a few slightly wounded men
who were still able to take part in the
fight.
We were lying fiat on the ground
and firing in the direction ordered for
all we were worth. even though we
had not seen our enemies. That was
apparently not interesting enough to
some of our soldiers. They wanted
to know how the people were looking
whom they had to shoot at. They got
up to a kneeling position. Two men of
my company had to pay for their Curl
osity with their lives almost instantly.
The first victim of our party went
down without a sound. The second
threw his arms high in the air and fell
on his back. Both were dead in
stantly.
It is impossible for me to describe
the feeling that overeame me in the
first real volley as we advanced and
came directly within the range of the
IRE. ! no longer felt any fright, only
an impulse to get into action as quick
ly as possible. Yet at the sight of the
first corpse a terrible fear seized me.
For minutes I was completely stunned,
lost all ~self-eontrol and was absolute
" unable to think or do anything.
I pressed my face and hands close
to the ground. / wanted to clutch my
gun and shoot btindly. Presently /
Gained down. I suddenly became con-
tented with myself and conditions
about me and when soon afterWard
the command was sounded along the
whole line, Spring out" Forward
marchi" | charged as did everyone
else like n possessed. The order to
halt followed. Like wet bags we
pumped to the ground. Firing had be
gun anew.
Our firing now became more lively
momentarily and increased to a fear
full loudness. If we had occasion to
say anything to our comrades we had
to shout so loudly in their ears that it
hurt our Threats.
Under the effect of our fire the enc
my grew restless, the fire weakened
and his line wavered. AS only 800
meters separated us from them we
could observe exactly what happened
there. We saw about half the enemy
retire in the following manner: Every
other man quit the line, leaving his al
ternate in his place. Those remaining
held on until the retiring party halted.
We used this moment to inflict the
most severe losses on the ~retreating
enemy. AS far as we could C the
horizon to the right and left we saw
the Germans advancing in several sec
tors. Also for our detaehments the
order came to advance as the enemy
retreated.
The task of cIinging to the heels
Of the retiring enemy so tenaciously
that no time would be allowed to make
a new stand fell to US. We followed
the Belgians, scarcely stopping to
breathe on the way, in order to pre-
vent their terrifying themselves in a
village situated just ahead. We knew
that a bloody house-to-house fight lay
before us, yet the Belgians never at
tempted to establish themselves, but
managed to escape with astonishing
cleverness.
In the meantime we received re-en-
forcements. Our company was now
pretty well scattered and fought with
whatever unit vas nearby. The body
I Joined had to remain in the village
to search Systematically for scattered
soldiers. From this village we saw
that the Germans had gained on all
sides. Field artillery, machine gun
detachments and other equipment ar
rived and we were all astonished at
their coming so quickly.
But there was no time to be spent
in speculation. With fixed bayonets
we went from house to house, door to
door, and while the results were negli-
gible because we found no soldiers we
did not come out quite empty-handed.
We made the inhabitants deliver all
guns and munitions and so forth in
their possession. The mayor, accom-
panying the soldiers, explained to
every citizen that all found with arms
after the search would be punished
according to the rules of war and
German rules of war in. Belgium
meant execution.
An hour might have passed when
we were again aroused by the sound
of artillery and g~unfire. A new battle
had begun. Whether the artillery was
busy on both sides could not be judged
from our village. The Commandment
was tremendous. The ground shock
from the growing and moaning that
rolled backward and forward, always
seeming to become stronger.
The ambulance columns now
brought in the first wounded. Cour-
iers sped by us. Wa had set in in
all its phases.
Darkness came over US before we
had finished our hoase-to-house search.
We dragged all the mattresses, straw
sacks and feather beds that we could
lay our hands on, to the community