Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-12-26

dessert of some sort and three mornings
week French toast. l landed the
dugout job. 1t was not so far from
camp and after we were underground il
was nice work also acted the part OF
Jack knife carpenter too.
The 2Sth of April / was pu, on de-
tail to put a eootie bath house on the
banks of the stream on the flat nearby
/ had plenty of rides to and from work
and to Memib- Tour for the tents and
material. On finishing the job we all
took bath and left it to the boys back
from the trenches. The morning of
May 18th we took trucks and that after
noon we were in the ruined town of
Heiltz la Marcppt. 1t was destroyed by
passed thru Commercy and Barle Due.
Our stay at Heiltz was short, two days.
1t was here | went fishing and caught
no fish. Leaving the above named town
we liked to the station town of Bleme
where another engineer dump job await
ed us. After ten days we left after
loading the stuff on the cars again and
took the train for Isle Adam, station
north of Paris, passing through its sub
cribs we could ste tn eEifel tower. From
Isle Adam we marched to Parnes-were
then behind the First Division which
was in the Mon Didivier sector. On the
night of May 81 we received orders to
be ready to move at a moments notice.
On June l we were loaded on trucks for
what turned out to be Chateau Thierry.
If you win get Saturday Evening Post
of August 81 you will get better ac-
count of our trip than / can give here
with this exeeption-afte passing
through Meaux our trucks were bombed.
l was so dead for sleep | heard only a
faint noise After leaving our trucks
we had a hike of fourteen kilometers to
the town of La Ferte. On June LIST
from then till July 7th we were under
shell-fire or within easy range of his
guns. That first night will always lie
fresh in my mind. We had been hiking |
from early morning till after midnight |
with little sleep or little to eat on the |
trip. The last miles made in a sort of |
trance, my legs seemed to move of them
selves while a slept walking.
1t was only the thoughts of what Tc
had seen on our way up-and our exc -
lent health that kept us up.
On June 18th we marched to Gelleau
wood to reinforce the Marines. We
reached the wood at II o 'clock and were
told to dig in which we did with our
mess Kit lids and bayOnets, in short
while l had fox hole that would pro
tect me from machine gun fire. slept
in it till morning and then dug the rest
the next day.
The platoon l was in took up posi- ION
behind the crest of hill. The next day
the Hun sent over numerous SIS or
Founders. They would come whis'ng ;
over our heads and explode in a woods
back of us.
The night of the 18th enemy counter
attacked with trench mortars AMI ma
,hine guns but made no attempt to come
lose himself. 1t was a tren,h mortar ;
hat killed Gov
That might Kennedy and were on. '
outpost guard. We were all of 400 yards
rom our position and on its flank. Our t
luty was to prevent a surprise. Arriv '
ng at our post which was the base of I
arge tree we brushed the leaves and !
wigs out of the way and sat down to q
watch. At about l clock they started c
II. The din was fierce. If YOU multi /
'ly the pecking of steele riveter 10y r
90 you would have a fair idea of the
i'm. Then a mortar would let out {
-rowl like bull dog, the next instant +
terrific explosion would take place in O
ur positions. The star shells would O
iake things uncanny, too, with their v
ght. 5
The attack over, we were called in t
nd found the company had or lcrs TO c
hange positions Our next one vas in &
n old dry creek bed which was all of o
IN feet deep in places-the Huns had o