Cheyenne record., 1918-05-09

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~ shells continued to drop In front of
- and On either side. but none landed
among n. and after waiting there for
three hours, expecting to be blown to
bits any second. We finally moved for
ward. Just a. We left the copse. from
behind rs. up over ridge. came .
stream Of salloping horses.
"It's the cavalry, someone shouted.
but soon I made out limbers and field
guns.
They galloped past rs. going ike
mad. took up q position to our right.
swung into position. unlimbered, and
In two minutes were blazing away. It
was thrilling sight.
Torn BY Shells.
In going forward we went around
the end Of the larger wood In front Of
NJ. over ground that was torn to bits
by the heavy shell fire that had Just
preceded, over another edge; across .
valley. and under the crest Of q hill.
And here we found the tanks going
over the top Of the hill to take up
their position. At this point we were
still about q mile from the front line.
At this place opened up an aid post
under the crest Of the hill to take caro-
Of what wounded came In while we
were getting Into position. looked
back across the valley we had Just
traversed.
Shrapnel was bursting In the air.
shells were whizzing overhead. and our
guns behind me were belching forth
the IRE. The noise was deafening.
A railroad ran through the valley
and IN engine pulling couple Of hat
cars was going BY. A couple Of sol
diers were sitting on the rear truck
swinging their feet. A shell burst ON
the track and only missed the last car
about fifteen yards. Neither man was
hit and the train went blithely on.
BY this time It was getting along
toward evening. the sun was sinking
in the west, and finally went down a
great ball Of IRE. At the. time. re-
member. I noticed its color. It was
blood red and had b sinister look. Was
II my Imagination, or might 1t have
been q premonitionf At any rate.
shall never forget the color Of the sun
as 1t set that night at the end Of the
frst day Of probably one Of the great
est battles in history. It certainly
didn't look good to me.
The drumming Of the guns contin-
ned, twilight gradually deepened into
night, the signalers stopped their wig
wagging and took up their nash sig
mails, q fog dropped down on us and
put the lights out Of business and
when we left to 60 forward under the
cover Of darkness they were busy put
ting out their telephone lines-sisnal-
ers and runners don't have an easy
time.
Shell Dump Gees Up.
Behind us q shell landed In an am
munition dump and it went up with q
roar; then the rife ammunition started
going OF like = great bunch Of nre-
crackers, and great tongues Of fame
Lit up the sky.
It IL reported that the Germans had
broken through our line and we were
to counter-attack in the morning. We
got into positions without a single
casualty. I opened an aid post in an
old dugout and settled down to sleep
until morning. You may think 1t fun
ny that one could sleep under such
conditions, but had been up since
8 80, had tramped about six or seven
miles, had had a rather trying day
and was dog tired.
30 settled down on the rough plank
floor and was soon asleep. I must
have been asleep couple OF hours
when q runner came from headquar-
ters and told US we were to move OF
Immediately. looked at my watch and
it was 80 4. m. on the second day.
We went back TO the railroad, fol-
lowed 1t around to q position some six
miles to the north Of us. landing there
about 4 in the morning and Topped
down on the floor Of some abandoned
huts to wait further orders. Our or
ders came along about 8 O'Clock. We
marched up across the open prairie.
the sun shining, and 1t was really hot.
Just like some Of the warm days We
get the last Of March at home. In
going forward 1t was necessary
for us to march seventy-five yards in
front Of three batteries Of field guns.
There are six guns to battery. They
shoot an eighteen-pound shell and
while we were there each gun was
shooting twice to the minute. You
can imagine the racket when tell
you that the discharge Of one gun can
be heard about four miles. In addi-
ton the Boehe was trying to knock
out this battery and he was dropping
HE civ inch sholIa n LITTLE fOO close for
comfort.
Nearly In Trap.
Then l made lovely mistake.-I
was to establish an aid post near bat
TALON headquarters and went blithely
on when met a company commander
and asked him where to go.
Back there about a quarter Of a
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