The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-05-24


came from all pores. The new and
stiff leather trappings rubbed us sore.
especially upon our hips. 1t was re-
| lief at 2 p. IN. TO halt at an abandoned
farm and rest on the grass. We
might have lain down about ten min.
utes when suddenly we heard firing.
We jumped up like lightning and hur-
ried to our guns. The firing which
was about three kilometers away grew
more lively. At once we were on the
march again.
From the expressions on the faces
of the soldiers we could read the minds
of the men. Something took posses
perlenced before. AS for myself
became very restless. Fright and curl
osity dashed my brain. Everything
whirled around In my head and my
heart was beating wildly. But l strove
TO conceal my fright from my COM
rades. / am sure that tried energeti-
cally. i don't know that / succeeded
better than my companions.
Although l knew we would be In
the fight In an hour, l tried to per-
suade myself that our interference
would not be necessary l chung tight
ly to everything which might strength
en- this hope.
The bicycles lying in the road indi-
Gated that the bicycle division was in
the fight at this point. How strong
the enemy was we did not know as we
raced toward the firing line. Every
body crOuched down as low as posi-
BILE while jumping to the right and
left. Before and behind us the bullets
were flying continuously, yet we
reached the firing line without losses.
We were greeted joyously by our hard
pressed comrades. The bicycle reg-
ment had not suffered any losses ex-
cept for few slightly wounded men
who were still able to take part In the
fight.
We were lying fiat on the ground
and firing In the direction ordered for
all we were worth, even though we
had not seen our enemies. That was
apparently not interesting enough to
some of our soldiers. They wanted
to know how the people were looking
whom they had to shoot at. They got
up to kneeling position. Two men of
my company had to pay for their curl
osity with their lives almost instantly.
The first victim Of our party went
down without sound. The second
threw his arms high In the air and fell
on his back. Both were dead In
stantly.
1t is impossible for me to describe
the feeling that overcame me In the
first real volley as we advanced and
came directly within the range Of the
fire. no longer felt any fright, only
an impulse to get into action as quick
ly as possible. Yet at the sight Of the
first corpse terrible fear seized me.
For minutes 1 was completely stunned,
lost all self-control and was absolute
ly unable to think or do anything.
l pressed my face and hands close
TO the ground. / wanted to clutchnny
gun and shoot bindly. Presently I
Gained down. l suddenly became con-
tented with myself and conditions
the command was sounded along the
whole line, "Spring QUIT" Forward
march," / charged as did everyone
else like one possessed. The order to
halt followed. Like wet bags we
pumped to the ground. Firing had be-
gun anew.
Our firing now became more lively
In
full loudness. If we had occasion to
say anything to our comrades we had
TO shout so loudly in their ears that 1t
hurt our throats.
Under the effect OF our fire the enc
my grew restless, the fire weakened
and his line wavered. AS only 500
meters separated us from them we
could observe exactly what happened
there. We saw about half the enemy
retire in the following manner: Every
other man quit the line, leaving his al
ternate in his place. Those remaining
held on until the retiring party halted.
We used this moment TO inflict the
most severe losses on the retreating
enemy. AS far as we could scan the
horizon to the right and left we saw
the Germans advancing in several Sec
tors. Also for our detachments the
order came to advance as the enemy
retreated.
The task Of clinging to the heels
of the retiring enemy so tenaciously
that no time would be allowed to make
a new stand fell to us. We followed
the Belgians, scarcely stopping to
breathe on the way. in order to pre-
vent their terrifying themselves in
village situated just ahead We knew
that a bloody house-to-house fight lay
before us, yet the Belgians never at
tempted to establish themselves, but
managed to escape with astonishing
cleverness.
In the meantime we received re-en-
forcements. Our company was now
pretty well scattered and fought with
whatever unit was nearby. The body
1 Joined had to remain in the village