The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-11-18


and stand there while every ono
else was hugsing mother earth ana
her every little fold ns close as
possible.
being with him. of course stood
up. too. Shells could break all
around and bullets whistle, but u"
didn't seem 60 notice them. GER
tainly gained n respect for his
nerve
II there was particular spot
where rniperH were working IN"
colonel found that spot and en-
gagged me In conversation. lie GER
tainly n "a cool man.
The advance took us down
thru a valley spotted with small
lunches OF trees tmaehinc gun
havcnal and thru the town or ScH-
mes Gowns are always hard 10
take aA no ono lives in them. ]
haven't seen "A civilian for nearly
three weeks. The towns are merely
ruins and offer n great dcnl OF
shelter and concealmenD ana UP
hill into a forest.
wv a'P -
| hill with tho colonel and watched
tho whole thing | never expect 10
see another such sight Tho b"ch'r
cut loos. with their machine guns
and "A shrapnci barrigc which IN
the naHtleHt OF all things. but those
men who were fighting their ilrHt
fight went right thru. with hiieh
and wounded falling everywhere.
and took that town and MI
Artillery Targets
From the end OF the fourth day
until the morning OF the ninth We
lay around there, artillery target
for the Germans. and they certain
~ practiced continuously. They
had US located 10 dot Their air
plane ob~ryaton In a marvel A
plane flies over you. very low ana
in "a few minutes cvllntrndnd
shells are dropping on you.
We were said to have AIR Su'
prcmncy." but II Is hard for the
doughboy 20 believe. They con
tinuouniy rakcd our area with IRE
Our casualties were many. l would
thousand times rather attack
than lay there being shot at with
no chance TO hit back. IL got bad
~ on the nerves of the men.
We were relieved on the morning
OF the ninth day. ! acted M "A
guide for the incoming battalion. re
icving our front line. and Was the
last TO come back. We are now
several miles behind the lines mere
~ lying In reserve. Whether We SO
back again IN "A question which
much higher authority must
answer.
Many Are Lost
We lost nearly 30 per cent OF our
officers. but fortunately only a few
killed Our adjutant. Capt Smith,
met tn. latter fate. aa did also
Lieut. Long. Lieuus kelioa and
Bloomquiht were slightly wounded.
There were others. but | mention
these. az they are known to you
Lieut.. Bettrrton's fate IL "A mys'
terry. on the night OF the Dcsncr
fight. he. Hubbeil and ! went 10
gather up and bring back to the
ordered position the somewhat dis
organized outfit. and when nearly
thru with our task we left Better
TT while both Hubbrli and I got
another.
Germans were on three sides Of
us and lines very indefinite
He had with him corporal and
man. None was seen again. lie
likely In captured or killed.
We now have no majors and only
eight captains The wounded OF.
ficcra are dropped from tho rolls
regiment. depending on whether
thcy have been replaced or not in
the meanwhile.
think that during the eight
days ! had more varied and numer'
GUS tasks than any other officer. |
seemed 20 n ilapgniasc GthcwerL
seemed 90 fill In gaps and there
were many. continually made
front line reconnaissance for the
colonel. and visited units OF our
flanks once or twice day.
Many Sorts Of Work
One night ! got up rRtionE for
the entire regiment on the line. an
other tim. II was ammunition
One night saw that all the
wounded were recovered. The med.
teal detachment was overcome by
heavy casualties
had the job OF agent between
the regiment and artillery and
spent much time in their forward
observation post
1 policed the battlefront for
abandoned arms and equipment.
| handled runners. incoming and
outgoing messages. etc. and Ger
tainly received the maximum OF ex.
pcricncc. and oh. know much,
much more OF war than before,
1t is "a thing In which experience
IL the only teacher. No words can
convey It's actualities. and any one
who has not been thru II Is only
recruit.
The hardships OF cold and hunger
are as bad as the bullets, We left
all but our fighting equipment be-
hind. and II rained a great deal. |
will 40 differently equipped into
the next battle.
/ have not time to tell you all
that I would like to because we