The Ordway new era., 1918-12-27
Big Drive


On the morning of the 14th we had
our guns trained on the bridges at
Dormans over the Marne and with
the German cavalry within three kilos
of our battalion headquarters We
started the big drive which was the
turning point in the war and which
started the Hun on the retreat, from
which he never recovered and finally
ended in his defeat and surrender.
We pulled out of the position in
couple of days. as the enemy were be-
yond our range, and started in pur
suit. The night of the 21st we
stopped on the road at Vaux and here
we. saw our first American and Ger
man dead The hill in front of the
town was one big mass of shell holes
and strewn with dead soldiers.
bunch of us. in charge of the chap
lain, went out and buried the Ameri.
cans as best we could, and it was here
that we first commenced to realize
to the full extent what the ravages of
the German horde meant and what it
would of meant II :; had not been
stopped inst where 1t was. The town
itself. as you saw by the picture in
Leslie's. was nothing more than
pile of bricks and mortar: not house
nor an uninjured wall left standing.
Fougnf Ten Days
The next day we went into position
near the hard fought Beleau Woods
and Hill 204, where we fired for ten
days, when the. Hun was again out
of our range. We moved up again
ana wcnt into POSITION at Bezu st.
Cermain. where we stayed only 'wo
Gays and were bgain out of range.
When you stop to think that our guns
have a range of something over
twelve miles you can imagine at what
rate the Germans were retreating at
this time. We pulled on up to Beau
vdrdis, where we stayed until August
( then on north through Fereehtar-
denois, to Cherry, about four kilos
from Fismes, where the Americans
met some of the 6ercest resistance
the Gremans put up in the whole war.
1t was at the crossing of the Ve3le
river at this point that cost the allies
so many men ard so much time. On
the morning of August IL one of our
neighboring batteries started to pull
out of position and the Germans got
their range, and with the help of air.
plane observation done them more OF
less damage. When we started to pull
out the airman was still on the job
and here was the first place we were
under fire. Batteries on all sides of
US had casualties. but "B" battery
with her customary good luck. came
out with only one mar wounded.
At. st Mihiel Salient
From here we went back on to the
Marne near La Ferte, where we rest
ed for several days. and then started
out for some place. Rumor had ii
that we were headed for Italy. but al
ter several days convoy we pulled
into the woods near Verdun. where
we went into position, but pulled out
again without firing and moved to the
St. Mihiel sector. where we helped in
the big drive which wiped out this
salient on September 12.
Living Like Rats 4.
Next we went into our first real
dugout opsition near Verduu, where
we fired or Mt. Farcon in the Meu3c
and ArPonne drives. Here we lived
in holes like rats, and I might say
with them, too, not allowed to show
ourselves outsiue In daytime and be-
ing might careful even at night.
Here also We got our first real dose
of the far-famed and notorious out
law. the cooty. Much fun is made of
him and man, jokes cracked ac his
expense, but he is no joke, take II
from me, and many an American
would offer a larger reward for his
capture t;'al was ever put up for any
ut the Games boys. About 5 O'Clock
in tie morning of the goth of Septen-