The Dermott news., 1918-05-09

the shells continued to drop in front o1 us and on either side, but none landed among us and after waiting there foi three hours, expecting to be blown tc bits any second. we finally moved for ward. Just as we left the copse, iron 1 behind us, up over ridge, came q stream of galoping horses.
 It's the cavalry" someone shouted but soon I made out limbers and field guns.
 They galloped past us, going like mad, took up position to our right swung into position, unlimbered, and in two minutes were blazing away. Il 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 l by the heavy shell fire that had just | preceded, over another edge, across a valley, and under the crest of a hill. And here we found the tanks going over the top of the hill to take up their position. At this point we were |
 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. I looked back across the valley We had just traversed.
 Shrapnel was bursting In the air, i shells were wbizzing overhead and our ! guns behind me were belchng forth the fire The noise was deafening.
 A railroad ran through the valley and an engine pulling n couple of flat 1 ears was going by. A couple of sol l diers were sitting on the rear truck swinging their feet. A 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 n great ball of fire. At the time. l re blood red and had sinister look Was It my imagination, or might it have been a premontion? At any rate, shall never forget the color of the sun aS 1t set that night at the end of the first day of probably one of the great est battles in history. IL certainly didn't look good to me.
 The drumming of the guns contin- ued, twilight gradually deepened into night, the slgnalers stopped their wig 1 wagging and took up their flash sig nalS. a 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 llnes-sisnal- CTS and runners don't have Ill easy time.
 Shell Dump Goes Up.
 Behind us shell landed in an am munition dump and IL went up with Il going off like great bunch of fire crackers, and great tongues of flame lit up the sky.
 II is reported that the Germans had broken through our line and We were | to couuter-uttack ill the morning. We l got into positions without single l cusGaity. opened an aid post In an old dusout and settled down to sleep until morning You may think t fun ! ny that one could sleep under such conditions. hut and been up since 70 had tramped about six or seven ] miles, had hal rather trying day l and WaS dog trad.
 So settled down on the rough plank l floor and WAS soon asleep. ! must l have been asleep couple of hours 1 when runner came from headauar- ! tcf~ and ta.d us We were to move utt immediately. booked at my watch and ] 5t= =aas :5o a. lu. on the second day.
 We went back to the railroad. tol- luHed itaruuad to position some siN 1 mics to the north If Us, landing there ! about I in the morning and hepped down on the floor of some abandoned ] hnts to wait further orders. cur or ] aerS came along about 9 octoek w. ] marched m across the open prairie, 1 tht s-4H shining. and tt Was really hot. ! JuFf like some of the warm dayS We [ get the Last of March at home. In ] ? ! for as to march Seventy-ive yards in 1 front of three batteries of field guns i There are six guns h n battery. They ! shoot an eighteeu-pound shell and 1 while we were there each gun was 1 shooting twice to the minute. You can imagine the racket when tell you thnt the discharge of ole gun can be heard about four miles. In addi tion the Roche was trying to knock out this battery and he was dropping l his six inch shells little too close for i comfort.
 Nearly in Trap.
 Then made lovely mistake. was to establish an aid post near bat talion headquarters and went hllfhely on when l met company comm nder and asked him where to go.
 Back there about quarter of Il mile."a he replied. This is the front center company. If you keep on in | the direction YOU are going you arc