Tombstone epitaph., 1918-05-12

us and on either side. but none landed
among us. and after waiting there for
three hours. expecting to be blown to
bits any second. We finally moved for
ward. Just as We left the copse. from
behind us. up over ridge. came
stream of galloping horses.
Its the cavalry" someone shouted.
but soon ] made out limbers and field
guns.
They galloped past us. going like
mad. took up a position to our right.
swung into position. unlimbered. and
in two minutes were blazing away. II
WAS a thrilling sight
Torn BY Shells
In going forward We went around
the end of the larger wood In front of
us. over ground that was torn TO bits
by the heavy shell fire that had just
preceded. over another edge. across II
valley. and under the crest OF a hill.
And here we found the tanks going
over the top Of the hill to take up
their position. AT this point we were
still about mile from the front line.
At this place ! opened up an aid post
under the crest Of the hill TO take care
OF what wounded came In while We
were getting into position. I looked
back across the valley we had just
traversed.
Shrapnel was bursting in the air.
shells were whizzing overhead. and our
guns behind me were belching forth
the FIRE. The noise was deafening.
A railroad ran through the valley
and an engine pulling couple of fiat
cars was going by. A couple OF sol
diers were sitting on the rear truck
swinging their feet. A shell burst on
the track and only missed the last car
about fifteen yards. Neither man was
III: and TIE train went tliiheiy on.
BY this time II was getting along
toward evening. the sun was sinking
In the west. and finally wen; down n
great ball OF fire. AT the time. ! re-
member, l noticed its color. II WAS
blood red and had a sinister look. Was
II my Imagination. or might il have
been a premonition? At any rate. !
shall never forget the color Of the sun
as IL set that night at the end OF the
first day OF probably one Of the great
est battles In history. II certainly
didn't look good TO me.
The drumming Of the guns contin-
ued. twilight gradually deepened into
night, the signalers stopped their wig
wagging and took up their fash sig
mails, fog dropped down on US and
put the lights out of business. and
when We left to go forward under the
cover OF darkness they We're busy put
ting out their telephone lines-signal-
ers and runners don't have an easy
time.
Shell Dump Goes UP.
Behind US a shell landed in an am
munition dump and IL went up with a
roar then the rifle ammunition started
going OF like great bunch OF fire.
crackers, and great tongues of flame
lii up the sky.
1t is reported that the Germans had
broken through our line and we were
to counter-attack In the morning. We
got into positions without single
casualty. / opened an aid post in an
old dugOut and settled down TO sleep
until morning. You may think IL fun
| ny that one could sleep under such
conditions, but ! had been up since
3 30. mad ,ramped about six or seven
miles. had had a rather trying day
| and was dog tired.
So ] settled down on the rough plank
floor and was soon asleep. l must
have been asleep couple Of hours
| when a runner came from headquar-
tiers and told us we were to move of
Immediately. l looked at my watch and
| IL was ] 80 q. IN. on the second day.
We went back to the railroad. fol-
miles TO the north Of us. landing there
about 4 In the morning and Topped
| down on the floor Of some abandoned
| huts to wait further orders. Our or
ders came along about 9 O'Clock. We
marched up across the open prairie.
| the sun shining. and IL was really hot.
Just like some Of the warm days We
get the last OF March at home. In
going forward il was necessary
| for us 10 march seventy-five yards in
front Of three batteries Of field guns.
| There are six guns 10 a battery. They
shoot an eighteen-pound shell and
/ while we were there each gun was
| shooting twice to the minute. You
| can imagine the racket when ] tell
you that the discharge Of one gun can
be heard about four miles. In addl-
ton the Boche was trying To knock
out this battery and he was droppin:
| his six inch shells a little too close for
comfort.
Nearly in . Trap.
Then I made lovely mistake.
| was TO establish an aid post near bat
talon headquarters and went blithely
on when ! met II company commander
| and asked him where to go.
| Back there about quarter of a
mile" he replied. This is the from,
center company. II you keep on in
the direction you are going you are
| going up over that ridge and Fritz will
be waiting for you with a machine
gun"
/ So my sergeant and orderly and
myself didn't waste any time In clear
ing. On the way back found gallon
can full Of water. got into a corrugated
iron shelter and had a wash and a
shave. It certainly felt good. ! don't
i beiieye I had washed for fhirfy-Six