New-York tribune., 1918-07-08
Our Men Cool
In First Fight
.OnBritishLine
Troops Slept Soundly Just
Before They Were
Called Into Battle
(By The Associated Presa)

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
respondent slept on the ground among
the troops of one star company of
Americans who played a prominent part
in Thursdays great show. From the
Of this first great fight Of the Yankees
on the British front.
Some facts have been cold before,
but the story as related by one of the
concerning the activities of our boys.
He told it in a simple manner, without
frills and without boasting. And here
is what he said:
"The Americans went into the line
after a hard march. The Fritzes un-
doubtedly had no inkling that the at
tack was to be made. At midnight
Wednesday we were sent forward to
lie out, ready for an advance at $40
o'clock Thursday morning.
"Many of our boys were tired when
they reached the positions, and de-
spite the fact that they were just en-
barking on the biggest adventure Of
their lives "a leap into the unknown
they threw themselves on the ground
and slept soundly. It was an en-
couraging sign to US, for it meant that
the men were not jumpy. They never
show any sign of nerves. as matter
of fact.
For us officers there was no sleep
during that three hours wait. There
were conferences to be held with the
Australians, and then, too, the respon-
sibility was weighing heavily on US.
We knew that our lads would come
through clean, but we could not help
being a bit anxious.
I'VE had to admire the coolness of
the Australian officers, who told
stories and laughed as though nothing
was going to happen, though we Amer
leans knew that shortly before the
kickoff the gunners would put down a
barrage which would be the signal for
all hands on the job.
"A few minutes before the barragc
was due the Allied artillery opened
with a harassing fire, and we Ameri-
can officers were out among our men
hot-footing to keep them steady, fear
ing they might mistake this for the
barrage.
"Then came the barrage, and we
never dreamed there could be such gun
fire. 1t was tremendous. The gunners
certainly did wonderful job.
THE infantry started to advance. NV
men were headed for Hamel village.
and our first trouble was encountered
IN a broad belt of barbed wire in front
Of the Boche forward line of defences.
The tanks had opened the way through
most Of this, but in spots some of our
men were held up for little time
Il saw a funny thing here. One Of
my corporals, who had been guard
officer in penitentiary and who has a
reputation for being a hard customer
in fight, got hung up in the wire. He
rad no cutters, and so sat down on the
ground and started pulling the stuff
out of his legs, barb by barb.
"A Boche got machine gun on him
and was making things hot, but the
corporal kept on pulling the wire,
meantime roaring curses at the Huns.
Frame a trick like this on white
man, will you? Let me out of here
and I'll show YOU
Takes Revenge on Boche
These were some things heard him
yell, with lot more less compliment
ary. He finally got out, but his uni
form looked as though he had been
run through a threshing machine
What he did to the Boche after that
was plenty.
"About this time a German she'll ex-
ploded near US and two of my men
went hurting through the air. I