Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-11-22
Major Deniy Paints Thrilling Pic
ture of the Battle of
juIy 10.
THREE FRIENDS ARE KILLED
Battalion Of 800 Men Cut to Pieces in
Two Days Fighting, but Held Foe
In check-Descrtbes ParaIyzina
Horrors of the Battlefield.

Washington.-Det of Che par
ticipatiOn of the United States ma
rines IN the counter-attack against the
German forces on the Marie on July
Is are given I'm letter written shortly
afterWard by Maj. Robert l.. Denig of
the United States marines to his wife,
who lives at 2131 Porter street. Phil
adelpltia. and which has been forward
ed to Washington for the historic files
Of the marine corps.
In addition to giving a graphic pic
ture of modern war, the letter cites
an Instance of German treachery in
using airplanes painted with the al
lied colorS in their unfair methods of
aerial warfare
The letter also establishes the fact
that the marines who helped to stop
the German drive On Paris at Belleau
wood early in June were honored by
being brought forward from this wood
to Very and Tigny, near scissors, for
participation with a crack French di-
vision in the great counter-attack
which started the disintegration of the
German front in the west. Names that
became familiar through the fight
ing in Belleau wood are mentioned in
Major Denig's letter as being promi-
nent in the allied counter-attack-
Lieut. Col Thomas Holcomb. Lieut.
Cot, Benton W. Sibley. Lieut. Col
John a. Hughes, Capt. Pere Wilmer
and others who took a prominent part
in the fighting when the Hun was
blocked in his drive on Paris The
letter follows:
1.-THE day before we left for this big
push we had most interesting fight
between fleet of German planes and
a French observation balloon right
over our heads. We saw five planes
circle over our town, then put on what
we thought arterward, a sham fight.
One of them. after many fancy stunts,
headed right for the balloon. They
were all painted with our colors except
one. This one went near the balloon.
shot the balloon up with incendiary
bullets. The observers jumped into
their parachutes just as the outfit went
up in a mass of flames.
"The next day we took our positions
at various places to walt for camions
that were to take us somewhere in
France. when or for what purpose we
did not know. Wass passed me at the
head of his cOmpany-we made a date
for a party on our next leave. He was
looking fine and was as happy as could
be. Then Hunt, Keyser and a heap of
others went by. l have the battalion
and Holcomb the regiment. Our turn
TO embark did not come till near mid
night.
Big Shells Falling Fast.
eve at last got under way after a
few big sea bags had hit near by. WI
mer and led in 4 touring car. We
went at a good clip and nearly got
dltched In q: couple of new shell holes.
Shells were falling fast by now, and
bridge big one landed near by with 6
crash and wounded the two drivers,
killed two marines. and wounded five
more We did not know ii at the
time and did not notice anything wrong
till we came to crOssroad, when we
found we had only IL cars all told.
We found the rest OF the convoy after
hunt, but even then were not told
of the loss. and did not find it out
until the next day.
'sWe were finally. after II hours
ride. dumped in a big field and after
a few hours rest started our march.
1t was hot as hades and we had had
nothing to eat since the day before.
We at last entered a forest; troops
seemed TO converge on it from all
points. We marched some six miles