The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-05-07
llSfE u lAs68I
IE AgS d CAREFUL
lyon Writes Of an Interest
ing Incident on the Amer
lean Front.
sy c. c. LYON

ny W ~ !.
west Virginian Reporter With
x General Pershings Army.
X IN THE AMERICAN TRENCHES
III iFR lkNCE, April II. - For several
lays in succession, just about sun
down, German artillery had been drop
bing one, solitary, high explosive shell
a 8 little French village Immediately
Ssck OF the American lines, where an
American colonel had his headquar
teTs.
Less than three miles away, behind
Ede German lines, was another little
village, where a German colonel had
us headquarters.
Just as the German artillery had the
exact range of our town, so our artil
Iers was likewise prepared, on sec
0nd's notice, to shell theirs.
French instructors attached to oul
outfit Insisted to our colonel there
must be some mistake about those Ger
man shells that kept annoying US.
eve never shell each others head
quarters towns" the French officer
explained. "They did in the early days
Of the war but both sides soon found il
didn't pay. These stray shells are
mistakes in ranges or something like
that"
Then the German gunners had bet
tef be a little more careful, because
Ym getting awfully tired of it. I've
never made any agreement to leave
any German headquarters village
alone.1
The next evening, sure enough, an
other shell dropped in on US, and this
time there were few casualties.
Our colonel was furious. He storm
ed and raved and threatened the mos
terrible revenge.
"The very next shell they put in this
town is going to be the death warrant
Of that whole bocllo outfit over there,
he declared. "Ill wjEe their whole
damned town of the map"
The next German smell came along
: teasingly, the next evening.
Our colonel took down his telephone
Ind got the artillery commander or
fhe line.
"GiYe them everything you've got
but first Of all demolsh the chateau
where that German colonel has his
Headquarters" he commanded. "Aftel
that clean out the whole town"
Our artillery firing lasted nearly four
hours and when it ended our colonel
BOT his message over the phone:
Colonel, the Jobs done. We put
the chateau out Of business in 10 min
utes, and the rest of the town won't
be Of any use to the enemy because
every building it down."
Our colonel got up and put on lis
coat and said 10 those ABOUT him:
Now, let's all get out of here
They'll level this town within a few
minutes"
We Withdrew from the village in
nasty fashion; most on foot, but few
ION horses and in autos.
During our bombardment Of the Ger
man Headquarters town the enemy
had feebly reilied with an occasional
she'll into our town, but as soon as our
guns quit firing the Germans evident
IL came out of their dugouts and went
to their artillery, because before we
were outside the village shells began
Naming on US in torrents.
withdrew to another village far
flIer back, and there the colonel re.es
tablisled headquarters.
saw our town the next day, and !
had to hunt around ior what was lei,
81 the 5ltl!.2g that hai tnused op,
Colonel and his headquarters. Only
one wall was lett standing. In the
mas Of debris that had fallen into the
cellar I noticed several familiar arti
teles, one OF them a crippled chair that
the colonel had been want to use, and
about two.thirds Of pair of breeches
that had once been my own. You see
SO had been visiting the colonel when
all this happened.
Every other building in our town
was down and the entire military pop
Nation had left. Only stray cat OF
two and lot Of rats had stayed be
hind.
This action on the part Of our
colonel that is, putting the German
headq uartefs town out Of, business
completely, even at the cost Of having
self iSffiifI SRhv Wins Aoo