The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-05
Every Shell Has a Song All It's
Own.
HAD LOOK OVER The LINES
State Journal Boy Acted as
Guide to Officer.
He Says Gunfire at Night Re.
Z sembles Celebration.

william Beasley. who is with the
radio troops in France, has written
home to his father, DR.. ]. N. Beasley.
telling of a night trip he took with
his lieutenant up the side of amour
tain for observation purposes. Beasley
was formerly employed on the Topeka
State Journal.
He writes: '"I have just returned
from an exciting tour of thirty min
utes duration What is that old poem
about learning something new every
bright and shining day? Only tonight
1t was as black as the ace OF spades.
We are so high on the mountain that
we are in the clouds. and today it has
been raining a drizzle, making the
paths slippery. There are no anti-skid
chains - be had here.
Our artillery which Is located close
to our station was putting over a
heavy barrage and had been doing so
all evening The radio shack shakes
with every shot, and the noise and
flashes of fire are terrific. 1 was
sitting here writing after the novelty
of the bombardment had worn off.
when our lieutenant and our motor
cycle rider came up the hill. The
lieutenant wanted someone to show
him on up the hill where he wanted a
look at our trenches. No Mans Land.
the boche trenches and a German
towRnot far away.
He Offered to Go. 81
ST had been up and seen the view
thru glasses, so offered to go with
him. l got my gas mask and my gun.
and we started. 1t was SO dark could
hardly see my hand before me. and
we stumbled along over rocks and
trees. We could hear the talking and
laughing of the boys ,at the big guns,
and we heard the clinking of the
shells as they were moved about. We
were within a hundred yards OF the
place we were headed for, when q
new battery right next to us opened
up. Such a noisei My ears and chest
felt funny and the light was binding.
1t scared me stiff, but when I got 4
little accustomed to it. thought of
New Years night and the Fourth OF
July back yonder in the U. S. A.
1--WE passed the old trenches and the
barbed wire used in the old days of
fierce fighting in 1915. We were In
front of the guns nowS> and they were
firing over our heads. By the sound
whether it was gas shell or an H
F. 1 have now learned to distinguish
by the sound the gas, the II. E.. the
shrapnel and anti-aircraft. They
make a different sound according to
whether they are coming or going, too.
Reached tho Objective.
wen. we reached our objective
the point where we could see where
our shells were falling. We could see
a flash on the ground, and some sec
onds later we heard the report. 1t
was too cloudy to see just where they
were falling, but we knew that our
men behind the guns were making
every shot count. 1t commenced to
rain harder. so we went down again,
losing our path several times, and
running into some barbed wire en-
tanglements.
The guns are now quiet, but they
may start any minute--no doubt they
will begin about the time 1 get to
sleep,
Il am in fine health and spirits,
but there is no mail delivery here.
The chow is keen. Had real Ameri-
can hot biscuits yesterday-tasted like
cake to me, l wish l had my wireless
receivers from home. They are more
comfortable than the French ones
am using.
II just received letter by courier
from Gene Butler who is over where
Ken Sutherland was. Things are
very quiet there. Only four times last
week did he have to beat it for the
dusout, He claims he made it in Moth
ing flat tO0n