The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-28
Tostevin Tells Remarkable
Story of Dakota Boys
Experience
FIGHT FROM
DUG0UTs AND WIN
Minot Men Kill Hun Cap
tors When Surprised IN
No Mans Land
CBv z. H. Tostevin. STAFF Correspond
ent OF The Fargo Forum)
r,a..... {u pNrauce March B,

fBy y. h. IospeFAhs 5e-eAA
ent OF The Fargo Forum.)
Somewhere in France. March g.
1918.
.sKommst du heraus. Come out OF
tbere2" shouted a German officer.
"Come down and get us you damn
- was the answer OF q aAAo''
North Dakota. boy.
Here Is the story. You simply have
"a taxe NV word for 1t that they were
North Dakota boys, formerly mem
l,ars az Company ID. names cannot De
passed by the censor.
Tvha American force was building
an advanced trench and German
raiding party Of about q score came
for the handful Of American poys
who retreated to their main tfSLscLl. ll.
Tvy0 bows however were so pusy
ehootins. thew forgot to retreat.
a dugout was near and one OF them
sought shelter there.
During the day a shell had expiod-
ed and partially choked the door Oh
fha duRout and it could only De en-
tered by crawling on hands ana knees
--one entered Il.
THE German captured the other.
where is your captains dugoutt
asked one Of the Boche party VINO
could speak Engltsh.
II don't know exactly, but its way
in the rear" was the Dakotan's ans
- -.
How many more men are in that
dugoutP" asked the German.
: Just one" -.
0oil,s'' The American soldier yelled down
into the dugout.
N But the other refused 70 come.
eco down and get hin" coTnInaIiaea
me Minot boy crawled into the.
dugout and the two shook hands ana
decided to stick ii out. They haa
heara all about grenades and smoke
bombs used to hurl into dugouts, but
they had rather die there than pc
: Come out Of there" came the COM
rnand down the dugout hole.
'sCome down and get us you oaEiln
-"
The Germans tossed O. couple or
prenadeg down into the hole but the
Bows had placed themselves close to
the floor and near the door or the
duRout. The grenades exploded but
they escaped injury.
the Germans then tossed down
smoke bombs but the boys still re
fused to come and lying close to the
doorway were loading automatic
rifles.
sonnd Of talking outside.
Then the sound of someone coming
through the hole to the dugout. The
hovs keeping In the protection OF the
corner of the door held the automatic
rife in the direction the sound came
and pulled the trigger.
Crackla, cracxle. crackl Eighteen
shotsl Three deadl
Outside there evidently was
CONSERVATION.
The remaining members OF the
marty pulled the three dead men from
the hole and more grenades were
Then others OF the German party
started down to get the soldiers OF
the Flickertail state.
And tust then a ''minniewhinerH as
Il 3 BOYS call the big shells, came
along and settled four more of the
Cermans. and the rest quickly re
treated when American troops came
20 the rescue.
"snuthina Funny"
sTIuh"! That's snuthing out Of the I,
ordinary said one Of these boys aft- /
er had wormed the story out or
him. Lots Of the reuoWs run INTO
experiences like that. It's great stun |
np front. You never know exactly
what's going To happen.
IF you worry about what's doing /
it'll get YOU sure" was the trench |
philosophy which this boy handed
out.
What's the use OF worrying any |
how, it don't get you nothing.
1t reminds me of the story heard |
the other day Of one North Dakotan |
All the way over on the transport |
he did little else but read his Bible |
and pray. According to the stories /
the bows have told of his actions he |
is a fighting fool"
Makes no difference what is doing, |
AZ he takes a notion to crawl out of |
the trench and scout around No |
Mans land In search of q chance
shot at Fritz. he does it.
well III probably get killed before
the war is over anyway and I'm GO
ing to get a few first" was his
explanation.
But il Is all a gamble any way you
look at 1t.
THE GAMBLE or WAR.
tie life or it's death as the cards may
fall
IN this game-the gamble Of war.
frs~n4fw,tea ~, v,spa q