The Glenwood post., 1918-03-16

One morning we were informed that
we were going up the line. and our
march began.
1t took US three days to reach re-
serve blllets-each days march bring
ing the sound Of the guns nearer and
nearer. At night. way of in the dis
tance we could see their flashes, which
lighted up the sky with red glare
Against the horizon we could sec
numerous observation balloons or ''sau-
sages" as they are called.
On the afternoon Of the third days
march I witnessed my first airplane
being shelled. A thrill ran through me
and gazed in awe. The airplane was
making wide circles in the air, while
little puffs Of white smoke were BURST
ling all around 1t. These puffs appeared
like tiny balls Of cotton while after
each burst could be heard q dull
"plop." The sergeant Of my platoon
Informed us that it was a German air
plane and wondered how he could tell
from such distance because the plane
seemed like little black speck In the
sky. I expressed my doubt as to
whether 1t was English, French or Ger
man. With look Of contempt he fur
ther informed us that the allied anti
aircraft shells when exploding emitted
white smoke while the German shells
gave forth black smoke, and. as he ex-
pressed II, 1T must be an Allemand be-
cause our pom-poms are shelling, and
know our batteries are not of their
bally nappers and are certainly not
strafeing our own planes, and another
piece Of advice-don't chuck your
weight about until you've been up the
line and learnt something"
I Immediately quit "chucking my
weight about" from that time on.
Just before reaching reserve billets
we were marching along, laughing, and
singing one of Tommy's trench ditties:
I want to go home, want to go home.
I don't want to go to the trenches no
more
Where sausages and whizz- bangs are ga
lore
Take me over the sea, Where the ALLIE
mand can't get at me.
Oh my. / don't want to die.
l want to go home"
when overhead came "swish" through
the air, rapidly followed by three 9TH
ers. Then about two hundred yards to
our left in n large field, four columns
of black earth and smoke rose into the
air, and the ground trembled from the
report-the explosion of four German
five-nine's, or "coalboxes." A sharp
whistle blast, Immediately followed by
two short ones, rang out from the head
of our column. This was to take up
"artillery formation" We divided into
small squads and went into the fields
on the right and left of the road, and
crouched on the ground. No other
shells followed this salvo. 1t was our
first baptism by shell fire. From the
waist up was all enthusiasm, but from
there down, everything was missing.
thought should die with fright.
After awhile, we reformed into col
umns Of fours, and proceeded on our
way.
About five that night, we reached the
ruined village Of H, and I got my
first sight Of the awful destruction
caused by German Kultur.
Marching down the main street we
came to the heart Of the village. and
took up quarters in shellproof cellars
(shellproaf until hit by shelD. Shells
were constantly whistling over the vii
lage and bursting in our rear, search
ing for our artillery.
These cellars were cold, damp and
smelly, and overrun with large rats
big black fellows. Most Of the Tom
miles slept with their overcoats over
their faces. I did not. In the middle
Of the night woke up in terror. The
cold. clammy feet Of rat had passed
over my face. Immediately smoth-
cred myself in my overcoat, but could
not sleep for the rest Of that night.
Next evening, we took over our sec
tor of the line. In single file we wend-
ed our way through zigzag COM
munication trench, six inches deep
with mud. This trench was called
"Whisky street." On our way up to
the front line an occasional flare OF
bursting shrapnel would light up the
sky and we could hear the fragments
slapplng the ground above us on our
right and left. Then Fritz would
traverse back and forth with his "type-
writer" or machine gun. The bullets
made sharp cracking noise overhead.
The boy In front Of me named Prem
tice crumpled up without word. A
piece Of shell had gone through hia