The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-10-18


Top-Would Not Miss the Bio Do
'ngs at the Front for Anything-Re.
count Their Experiences.
Bearing the marks of shrapnel blast
the scars Of bullets or even vet q Bit
short OF breath from the gas, Ameri.
can doughboys, just out of hospital.
jest at the thought of again going over
the top. They're glad to get away
from the tedious restrictions at the
base and welcome the greater liberty
that awaits them at the line.
A party of these infantrymen-all
from draft units-were seen recently
at great American replacement camp.
some distance behind the front. Taps
had just blown, the lights were out and
the men were squirming about in the
hunks trying to find soft place and
bantering each other as they pulled
the olive drab blankets around them.
Inc darkness must have reminded
them of the times they had lain in the
trenches waiting for the word to 90
after the Boches.
when do we go over the top,
boys?" asked one. Then from the
other side Of the hut: "What is the
zero hour?" From over in the corner
a reminiscent. half-laughing voice re-
piled: "Duck, boys; there comes the
barrage."
Veterans at Twenty.
These lads, some barely past TWEEN.
ty-one, were already veterans of the
great world war. This was their last
night In the quiet and they were glad
Of 1t. In the morning they would en-.
train for the rail head and then 60 on,
first by auto truck and then by foot,
up to where their companies were still
holding the line.
There were big doings again at the
front. Miss It? Not on your life |
They looked forward to 1t with the
same anticipation they had a year ago
to vacation along the seashore or a
fishing trip through the silent noun.
tain fastness.
IF I'm still on top six weeks from
now I'll get my first service stripe"
said one Of them proudly. The long
scar on his face showed the shrapnel
had got him and gave prima facie
evidence for his wound stripe. But
he seemed more concerned for q
service stripe than he did for a
wound stripe. He had been sent to
France, trained, done his bit at the
front, recuperated at the hospital and
was going back for more of it before
he got his first six months service
stripe.
Around the door of the barracks
they had been recounting their expert.
ences after supper.
sour engineers got bunged up
pretty bad; nervy lot, them" said one
"Driving an ammunition train is the
real SPORT" said another, especially
where Jerry is Smelling the cross.
roads,"
II like this open fighting which
we're getting now" said an infantry.
Dugout Comes In Handy.
"Open fighting is all right, but q
nice, deep dugout comes in handy when
the heavens begin to DROP" suggested
q comrade.
"It's worth lying sprawled in the
mud all winter just to get up, fix your
bayonet and at 'em," said another
TITS fun TO see the Germans run.
They won't stand cold steel, boy, they
just won't"
"Are you glad to get back, hon
estT asked a dubious and rather
doubling soldier who had spent all his
time In France in the rear-in the serv'
ice of supplies.
"Say, bo," replied boyish-looking
marine, "Td rather be up there with
my company taking my chances than
doing light duty back at the hospitai.
The doc didn't want to let me go, but
I insisted. He said might not get
by the final examining post, but ne
decided to let me try"
Afraid? These boysl Surel TheyH
tell you themselves that they've been
scared stiff themselves hundred
times. Afraid Of bodily harm, but not
afraid to die.
"You never hear the bullet tnat
knocks you out" said one, philosopn'
ically.