New Britain herald., 1918-12-16

town of Seicheprey, and the "Jury'' April 20rh. The battle lasted until the 22nd but the Boche did not gain a foot. It sure was a hot scrap. I was attached to the 1st Battalion as a runner" at that time and was in a dugout in Seicheprey. The barrage started at 8 A. M. I aWoke and the whole place was rocking. Shells landed thick in the town until about s A. M., when the barrage passed on to the rear and the Roche came over. They got into the town but we drove them out within two hours. They held on a little longer in the "I1eml- ere" woods but we had our lines all cleared by the 22nd. They left the town full of mines and liquid nre bombs. Their losses were very neaNE estimated at 750. We had several more battles during our stay in that sector. Once when the Roche attack- ed ''Xivray- Marvosin' to the left or Seicheprey. l was in Beaumont, u kilo back of Seicheprey) working III regiment headquarters. They put very heavy bonn mbardment on Beau mont that day. l was in dugout with three other fellows. A dud came through and went through one of the hunks and out of sight under the floor. It made a big jar, flash and a lot Of dust but did no damage, We had some pet danger places in that old Toul sector-"Dead Mans Cor ner", ''Shrapnel Valley, and few others. The front line trenches had two or three feet of water in them and the mud WaS beyond de- scription.
 We'll, we left there about the last part of June and went to Villers St. Eteime. near Toul for a few days. Then we got on the box cars again and went to a little town near M1euX, between Paris and Chateau ThierrE. We wero there on the 4th of July. The next day we started to hike for Cha teau Thierry. That was some hike. For 32 hours we hiked with hardly rest. We relieved the marines there and startd the drive on the 18th
 It went along pretty good until the 22d. when we got to Epieds. There the Heinies put up a good light. There's where I got my dose of mus tard gas. I was carrying message to the colonel when I ran into a shower of gas shells. They were coming thick and so fast I didn't dare stop to put the mask on, but put on full speed and tried to get the mask on while I was running. I got through all right but I sure was all in. I was sent to the dressing station and then to the hospital. The outside burns didn't last over three weeks but while they lasted I knew I had them. When got out of the hospital which was Base No. Is, at Chaumont, I was sent
 
 near Paris. I stayed there a week. It is a nice little city on the river Marne. I went swimming in the river several times. I received new equip ment and was sent to the outfit. I found them at "Brion sur Ource, - near Chatillion in the department of Cote Dor" We got plenty of hard drilling there for a couple of weeks and then started for the St. Mihiel salient. We got off the train near Bar le Due, and after a series of long night hikes arrived at MOuilly on the line between Nerdun and St. Mihie1. On the 18th of September at l a. m. our barrage started. The 101st went over the top at 8 a. m. and before noon had the first and second line trenches cleared We even went through them and marched right through the woods for about fourteen kilos. At midnight we emerged from the woods and wonderful sight con- fronted us. Several towns lay in the plain and on a hill a. kilo or so ahead and they were all ablaze. The whole country seemed to be on fire. Everything that would burn was on fire. We deployed and entered the town of 'Hattonchatel." The Boche had all gone a short time before and our only danger was from burning buildings and possible mines. No one was hurt there. Then parts of F and F companies went into the town of "Vigneulles' about a kilo further. There were about $50 of us when we got there. And we found a whole Boche supply train-wagons, kitch- ems, machine gun wagons, etc., all lined up in the main street, just pull ing out. We captured the whole out fit-about 380 men and I don't know how many horses, wagons and ma chine guns. We didn't lose a man there, either. That is where the old French woman was so glad to see us that she fell all over one of the fel- lows, kissing him and crying over him. She couldn't believe we were Americans at first. The whole town was afire, and rifles were barking here and there, where some of the fellows were chasing the Boches out of the holes they crawled into. The old lady stood in the street in front II,.e IT