Connecticut western news., 1918-04-18
CHAPTER w.
"Into the Trench"


The next morning the draft was in
Spected by our general, and we were
assigned to different companies. The
boys in the brigade had nicknamed
this general Old Pepper, and he GER
tainly earned the sObriquet. l was as
signed to b company with another
American named Stewart.
For the next ten days we crested"
repairing roads for the Trenches, drill
ing, and digging bombing trenches.
One morning we were informed that
we were going up the line, and our
march began.
1t took us three days to reach re-
serve billets-each days march bring
ing the sound of the guns nearer and
nearer AT night, way off in the dis
lance we could see their flashes, which
lighted up the sky with a red glare.
Against the horizon we could see
numerous observation balloons or "sau-
sages" as they are called.
On the afternoon of the third days
march / witnessed my first airplane
being shelled. A thrill ran through me
and gazed in awe. The airplane was
making wide circles in the air, while
little puffs of white smoke were burst
ing all around it. These puffs appeared
like tiny balls Of cotton while after
each burst could be heard a dull
''plop." The sergeant of my platoon
informed us that it was German air.
plane and I wondered how he could tell
from such distance because the plane
seemed like q little black speck in the
sky. I expressed my doubt as to
whether it was English, French or Ger.
man. With a look of contempt he fur
Their informed us that the allied anti
aircraft shells when exploding emitted
white smoke while the German shells
gave forth black smoke, and, as he ex-
pressed it, at must be an Allemand be-
cause our pOm-pOmS are Smelling, and
1 know our batteries are not off their
bally nappers and are certainly not
strafeing our own planes, and another
piece of advice-don't chuck your
weight about until you've been up the
line and learnt something"
I Immediately quit "chucking my
weight about" from that time on.
Just before reaching reserve billets
we were marching along, laughing, and
singing one of Tommys trench ditties:
I want to go home I want to go home,
1 don't want to go to the trenches no
more
Where sausages and whizz- bangs are ga
lore.
Take me over the sea. Where the Allie
,oJt
Oh, my, I don't want to die,
I want to go home"
when overhead came "swish" through
the air, rapidly followed by three 9th
ers. Then about two hundred yards to
our left in a large field, four columns
of black earth and smoke rose into the
air, and the ground trembled from the
report-the explosion Of four German
EVENINGS, or "coalbOXes." A sharp
whistle blast, Immediately followed by
two short ones, rang out from the head
- orr column. This was to take up
ARTILLERY formation" We divided into
small squads and went into the fields
on the right and left of the road, and
crouched on the ground. No other
shells followed this salvO. 1t was our
first baptism by shell fire. From the
waist up I was all enthusiasm, but from
there down. everything was missing. l
thought should die with fright.
After awhile, we reformed into col
umns of tours, and proceeded on our
way.
About five that night, we reached the
ruined village of H, and 1 got my
first sight of the awful destruction
caused by German Kultur.
Marching down the main street we
came to the heart of the village, and
took up quarters in shellprOof cellars
(shellprOof until hit by shelly. Shells