Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-10
BURSTING SHELLS ROUT U.S..
MEN DESTROYING BOCHE WIRE
View From Artillery Observation Post Proves Busy
American Soldiers Pay Little Attention to
Firing of German Guns

A like 80 many writhlns snakes and re-
membered the same Impression under
/ like circumstances at Chemin deS Danes
/ The difference In smoke and in area
Of displaced matter was very marked "a
against the first fcw among the ruined
stone, the moisture in the earth giving
( the fragments less vicious area and the
smoke being browuishly white. We were
using 80 and loo and the accuracy OF
shot was the subject OF conversation
over the wire. camoudagcd conversation
that meant much to those who under.
stood and as go much NUlapuk TO any
other
Looking OIL to the right could se,
in the clear atmosphere OF an almost
] sprlnglihe day a working party Of Amer.
/ lean soldiers, putting up new wire
There wero about twenty-five of them
each clearly outlined Il was like a
puppet show, for ! imagined could sec
them talk Each gesture was indicative
one stopped to rOu q cigarette. strike a
match and puff out smoke Others
shaped or drove stakes. and others still
strung wire. They were in plain view
and within easy range OF the Bochc. but
worked on, Cb,iyious of something they
well knew As | was looking in intense
/ interest, almost able to make out their
/ features, there was q double boon. boon
Two BOChc as came over, one immc.
diately following the other and landel
within fifty feet Of the bunch" Immc
diatcly they ducked for the cover of a
1 communication trench. For the space
OF three minutes, three minutes thai
seemed like forever to me, thev STAYED
there Then they came out aud Wen
back TO the job as unconceruedly as if
peace relgned everywhere upon th'
earth.
4 They were no more al work when the
/ BocRe served the same dish, this timt
triple shots In rapid succession. one o,
which seemingly landed amoug III,
working party, Some had time 10 talk,
cover, the others 10 the number Of per
/ haps dozen falling or throwing them
/ selves Hat upon the earth With III,
smokes clearing they jumped up auc
/ the men under cover came out, all AGAR
| going back to the work
| The Boche must have become quite an.
| noyed al thus braying his iron and ste el
for hardly had the work rebegun thar
/ three more shells came over. This time
only four men had time to take coyel
az the sound and fash the rest throw,
| ing themselves fiat while two shells a.
we saw il, burst fair among them. A.
! the smoke cleared, they did not rise
and the lieutenant said TO me:
Look at your wrist watch. II the,
are not up IN thirty seconds / shal
phone for the ambulance"
| As he spoke the men arose, each anc
every one of them, none injured eecaus,
/ God is good or their hour had not ar
| rived. But instead of returning 10 tn,
job they made for the communicative
trench, where we could see them in
group. talking, and evidently endsavor
ing to decide II or not they should z,
back 10 their stakes and wire As the
stood. and ] could almost sense thel
| conversation, l saw an officer come dowl
the trench, for the men came 10 attsn
tion, while he put up HE hand tina
they dispense with the formality. One
evidently the "noncom" in charge, sa
luted and explained. The oficer spok
as his attitude displayed. He was saw
Ing II would. be uawlse 70 continue 10
the present One Ssmmse at the en-,
nearest, observing without his knowI
edge. made a gesture Of respectful dis
gust, and ! could hear his unspokel
though, 'Ah, ] Amt afraid OF then
Bushes ~
And then he rolled eigarstts as tn
ollicer passed on. and the ''noncem
carried out his superior's orders, Worl
on the new wire laying vas on for n
aaN Steel had won over the nesh o
ma FL ~