The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1918-09-12

the front lines and were acting as
advisers and instructors to the IN
fantry working parties. One ev-
ening we had just got our differ
ent working parties supplied with
tools and started to work when
word came by runner that all in
fantry working parties were or
dered to return to their units at
once, as every one was to stand
to" in expectation of a Boche at
tack. Our captain happened to
be there that evening and when
/ reported the state of affairs to
him, he called all of us engineers
together and told us about a Sec
ton of wire ENHANCEMENT which
had to be put up practically on
the banks of the river itself, and
asked us if we wanted to tackle
the job that night, and of course
we said yes. 1t was rather excit-
ing, as our own artillery was
dropping a barrage just across the
river and some of the shells were
falling short and far too near to
be comfortable. The Boche shells
were of course falling further
back and did not bother us. But
every once in a while he would
send up a Very light, which lights
up every thing around almost as
clear as day, and whenever he did
that, we had to drop into the grass
and pray he hadn't seen us, just
before we got ready to quit, one of
these lights went up and he must
have caught sight Of us, or
thought he did, because a machine
gun was turned in our direction
and the bullets whined by, just O.
Iver our heads, but his range was
too high and after sending up an
other light | guess he must have
thought that he was mistaken and
stopped firing. AS matter of fact
he did not make any attack that
evening. The next day another
sergeant came out to relieve me,
and told me to report at once to
camp. When | got there the cap
tain told me / had been chosen to
return to the States, as an in
structor, and sent me over in the
motor cycle to Regimental Head
quarters. When I got there, how
ever, the adjutant told me there
had been a mistake, and that no
one was to go from Company
&c" so | returned to camp. The
captain told me to remain in camp
that night with the company, so
| unrolled my blankets and turned
in. Our own artillery was send
ing over a heavy barrage and the
noise was awful, but finally got
to sleep. Later / awoke and |
thought all hell had broken loose,
and / wasn't far wrong, because
we were right in the middle of the
tremendous bombardment that
the Germans put over before
their attack of July 18th. 1t was
simply terrific, and how anything
alive was able to survive seemed |
impossible. All we had for pro-
lection was few holes that each |
of us had dug just below the level
OF the ground. [ stayed in mine
until it began to break day and
then went out to see if I could do
anything, and find out who were +
hurt. | tell you it took all my
courage to make that first break
from cover, but once had got in
to the open and found lots of the
bows were hurt and needed help, /
| didn t seem to mind it. | might /
as well say right now, that in case
Of this kind, if you find anything
to do to take your mind away
from what is going on, it is far
better than remaining inactive.
| saw sights that day, and for sew
eral days after, that ordinarily 4
would have made me horribly sick
and faint, but in the stress of the
engagement, | was able to pass
them by or give help without a
shudder. Now that it is over, I Ii
wonder how such things can be j
and shudder at the thought of
them. That day we left our old s
camp ground and went into some ,
trenches which were designated h