Western Kansas world., 1918-08-22

settled rapidly and there WAS nothing
else for MS to do except to jump into
the icy water and swim. Hardly had
we left the boat when 1t sank. but we
al reached the other bank safe for the
moment
In spite of our vet clothing we had
to take new boat at once. and with
our blistered hands had to man the
oars again. In the middle of the river
we collided with another boat This
boat had lost its pilot and two rowers
1t rammed MS and our pontoon tipped
over and 1S infantrymen and one mem
Der of the crew were thrown into the
water. We were saved along with
four men from the other pontoon and
taken to the left bank. Hardly had
we landed before we were ordered to
take over a pontoon loaded with am
munftion.
About i've more times we crossed
the Meuse- Meanwhile day broke
and then a terrible battle developed
between the troops which had crossed
and the French. The Germans had the
could not be shelled by the French ar
tillery.
We were given short rest and lay
in our water-soaked clothing in an old
abandoned trench shivering with cold
Our hands were swollen to twice their
normal size. They panied SO greatly
that we could not hold a bottle to our
lips. 1t was a terrible sight to see
young and strong men lying on the
ground helpless and broken.
After short rest we were ordered
to seek for wounded in the burning
houses but we did not find many. for
most of those who had been badly
wounded and unable to save them
selves, were burned to death. Only
the buttons of their uniforms and their
weapons indicated to us to which side
they had belonged.
In some cases, there were not even
these vestiges. Only little heap of
ashes within the ruins Of house. was
all that was left of whole families for
whole streets During the search most
OF us behaved as II we had not taken
part In the terrible events of the last
hour, as If we had not seen the hor-
rors OF this encounter and as II we
had forgotten entirely the danger we
had just escaped.
As to honoring the dead. something
which had been taught us by our moth
ers from infancy, or a fear which the
average person feels toward q body,
there was no sign. My pen would balk
IL tried to recall the expressions, to
describe the acts soldiers as well as Of
ficers committed to determine the ma
tionality or sex Of the dead. In the
meantime, the battle between our
troops and the French had reached a
climax. Our troops had suffered great
losses but now our turn came.
The German artillery shelled as we
crossed the enemy's position with
great fury. Our artillery succeeded in
silencing the enemy's batteries and we
tried to take his high positions by
storm.
When we were within 200 meters of
the enemy's defenses, the French ma
chine guns were turned upon US and
we were driven back with enormous
losses.
Ten minutes later, we stormed a
second time and had to retire again,
with great losses. We again formed
for attack within the shelter of our
trenches, but the fighting spirit was
gone. But we dared not lose courage,
although the victims of our useless
storming attacks covered the field and
we were able to look at our dead COM
rades all about us.
The artillery started up again: re-
endorsements arrived; after half an
hour, we stormed a third time, over
the bodies of our fallen comrades. As
we halted about 20 meters from the
enemy's trench, he withdrew his en-
tire first line. Soon after we saw the
Germans advance along the whole line.
The reason for this unexpected retreat
was explained later when we learned
that the main part of the French army
had retired some time before The
heavy toll Of life among our comrades
was taken in a mere rear-guard action
During the next hour the enemy
abandoned all the heights Of the
Meuse As we reached the crest of
these heights, we could easily over
look the roads over which the French
had retreated. They were departing In
close formation, in long columns Our
company and others received orders
to assemble and soon we pursued the
fleeing enemy. 1t was our work to re-
pair roads which had been destroyed
SO that they would be passable for our
armies, q task that was harder in the
burning midday sun, owing to the fact
that the dead and wounded had first to
be disposed Of.
III French soldiers, surrenderinq II