The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-08

joining Balleau Woods. For days 1t
had been a battle ground. and tar
get for both German and American
guns Only a few Jagged walls re-
manned.
The country is rolling. with many
steep hills and patches Of woods,
much the same as the rest Of the
front in northern France, We went
over the hill, across a plateau and
down steep decline into the Marine
valley and the city of Chateau
Thierry.
No Civilians in Town.
1T was filled with troops.
II did not see a civilian In the
town, except an old Catholic cure.
The bridges that spanned the river
were all shattered, and fallen into
the stream. One pontoon bridge
SPAWNED the Marine. We crossed this
and proceeded north until / reached
the field hospital where I was to re-
port. w
Il was presented to the adjutant
who introduced me to the command
ing officer. and he took me over to
mess. ..
Eats on Pine Bench.
I'VE ate at a pine bench under a
great tree beside a little mountain
stream about so yards from the main
road to the fighting lines. Everyone
was informal, and very cordial. Mill
tary customs and formalities faded
away.
The hospitals were tents filed
with wounded. The surgeons and
nurses worked in 12-hour shifts,
night and day. Day and night the
road was filled with traffic, ammuni-
ton, troops and supplies, and now
and then a crowd of detected prison
ers marching back to the rear with
a grinning Yank at their heels. That
afternoon our vicinity was shelled.
No one was hit. That night a Ger
man, plane came down the Marine
valley from the north and bombed US.
We were then about eight miles from
the German lines.
Helps Bury American Dead.
"Our American dead we buried in
a graveyard situated in a wheatield
across the road. A troop of field ar
tillery on repose were camped beside
us, I attended mass the following
Sunday at this artillery camp. The
services were held in the supply tent
we stood in the mud, there were
no benches. The chaplain, Father
Lyall, heard confessions under tree.
An ammunition case served as an al
tar During the next few days the
French and Americans pushed the
Germans back, and camp life was a
little quieter We unpacked our stuff,
and prepared for a good visit
Huns Again Bomb Camp
1--WE had another bomb raid the
following week, two machines this
time Many military objects were
situated very near. l was up to the
front lines twice with supplies, once
near F'ismes and once at Rheims. l
saw the remains of the cathedral, and
a bit Of German Smelling. l cannot
go into detail as to my work-it was
very interesting and always pleasant
and inspiring.
After the offensive in that sector
was over, 1 drove the cannonette
about 1853 miles across the front. and
delivered my job to another man. My
work for the Red Cross at the front
was an experiment, but it has now
been extended over the whole front.
Ny commanding officers and chief
nurses wrote the Paris office some
nice letters when left, and as a re-
suit l was made captain and sent
to Bordeaux in conformity with the
original program.
"This is organization work Of a
much larger kind. but, of course, not
near so interesting. l was disap-
pointed that had to leave the front,
but things have been quiet and / was
fortunate in being there during most
Of the second battle Of the Marine
where our troops and the French won
magnificent victory. Pershing
characterized it in his general orders
recently as the decisive battle Of the
war. .
German Lines Weakened.
1.-THE weakening of the line in the
north to relieve the hard-pressed
armies of the crown prince enabled
the British to smash forward there
and they are still going. / imagine
that when the Germans have shifted
their reserves back to stop the British
the allies will strike elsewere, and
soon some day-the German reserves
will not exist. or will be so depleted
they cannot stop that particular Of
fensive-then good night for Ger
many.
"That may happen on any front.
The army that breaks them should
not receive the credit-that will be a
coincidence. The simple program, as
1 see it, is not to gain territory. but
to destroy the enemy's armies.
German Reserves Depleted.
Our reserves are constantly being
built up: the Germans are being
constantly depleted. Some day this
process will reach a point where we
can mass more men and guns In
given point than the enemy can as
semble-then Kaiser Bill, fare thee
well. The war will be over. ...
1.-THE day and the month can be
given you by Frank Plummer-he
knows as much about it as anyone.
here or there.
1--WE are glad to see the splendid
spirit exhibited at home-the only
way the Germans can now win is by
q successful peace offensive-the
molly coddles. the paleposts and the
pro=Germans are the only reserves
the Kaiser has left. You at home can
do as much as the boys over here
If you put that line of German re-
serves out of action.
THE American press is the mill
tant force that must meet the hidden
enemy and destroy it.
) That's the way it looks to me-"
M 49,. g..