Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-22

front for the first time. was very
much afraid OF the shells. When he
head he made all manner of contortions
like snake. The soldiers laughed
heartily when the roach shells began
TO rain Oh US. bu, 40 one VINO saw
Roggs could have il ped laughing at
him.
AS soon as he came to our shelter
MS nrbt question was: Is II possible
TO live here without being killed."
We tried to reassure him by telling
n,m , Una. The Rx enemy were y no, o ,sing
work" he told us. everywhere have
been there is not house standing.
What are all these graves that have
seen all along the road with casuuc
or cap surmountinE them Tel line
about battle; wha, is 1t really like"
Lieutenant Nolte gave a terrible de-
the men blown 10 pieces, the cries Of
the wounded, nor the disembo "elcd
Just think" said Nol,c to Comman-
der RoEge. | have seen man crawl
ing on all tours. his entrails hangin:
not wish TO hear any more; he. became
pale and beads OF Precipitation stood on
his iorhead. lie could not cat \ thing
a, a,nn S, '' me notes stories nad
he drank continuously.
Solte made signs TO MS TO hide the
though RogEs nigh, drink it all and
there would be nothing left for us. Il
was terrible to see how much that
man would drink: hibitual drunkard
could not equal him.
Had the French attacked us tina;
evening they would not hav" met with
much resistance. even though We had
nel.
On December 81 We celebrated New
Years Eve a, Gruny, near Soyencour,.
where We were r.cuperating. We could
h' constantly the roar OF cannon and
vas bright with red and white
-om firing their guns in the air
in homo Of the new year.
they expected would bring them
drunk. II the h !,,,ar,ers "" we're
sided. dfunke" 'aisr tried no !" ,o ors
his way In with his gun. PUSHED out
the door he came back with a sword
who grabbed me away BY my arm. he
ne Sen Mon hsve p.ss Of sss noHk IKE
. .~.; hf Ed. ' 5sdsn s'os
a .S% 'nGyF Soon ses some our yin. s
heers, were under the table. Royce
was happy;
We. Al nigh, they Tough, among
themselves and made terrible racket.
II there had been call to arms they
semblc themselves into companies.
On January !. a French aviator new
S SYsr co on5 lines 2lr ariery 5i"d
harmed. After, he had found eui what
greater height and ned back to the
French lines. The officers treated the
men in the artillery like swine be-
j, was ridiculous Ia blame them, for
they had certainly done the best that
they were. capable OF. because for every
vi ~ .,,srl, RI
ceived cask OF beer.
Some days later we were ordered
ed hours of the night. When Schmidt
commander. these calls al
ways came about o'clock at night, so
that the men could sleep calmly. Every
one was ready. and schmidt was salts
fed. But now with RosEc In COM
mand. everything. was changed.
ebrated the first. six months Of war
Sergeant Major Hauser went. in the
name OF all the ln,,n officers Ger to request
that night because some of the under
officers intended to have "a little party
RoEge promised This Is how he kept
OFFICER TOO DRINK no
ANSWER CALL TO ARMS
has one emptied his glass that it is
reriled. for Rogge liked to get his
Several young lieutcnants asked per-
mission to leave and go TO bed. bu,
RoGge would not let them go. About
3 o'clock in the morning Lieutenant
Won Stein was so drunk that he had
to be carried 10 his bcd. lie could
not use his hands, or feet amy more
than II he WIS dead, which s o;cimc.
RoGge gave the signal for the assem-
bly, call. We reminded him OF his
promise. bu, he replied: Those fei-
lows have had enough sleep. They
mustn't forget that they are soldiers.
There was much excitement. We tried
our best TO wake up Won Stein. hut in
us TO throw pail Of water on, NM
Even this was not successful. and Won
Stein slept on. Then Rogge said:
Leave the pig alone. the drunkard.
We then went out 10 where the
companies were forming, The soldiers
ready. A soldier. Merkel by name. or
Company Eight. TO whom Lieutenant!
Nolte made the reIhark that he had
forgotten some OF his equipment, re-
but am not drunk as certain gentle
men are" The commanding officer OF
Company Five was missing, and Ser
geantMajor SaltenberEer mad to take
the report to the comma nGant. wnu
told him Ito go to the devil"
.RoEge called all the officers together
deplorable. II and these gentlemen
could he there. every otner man should
have been there"
SerEcantMajor Saitenbcrger then
called together the noncommissioncu
officers Of Company Five. and. imitat-
ing Royce. made them the following
speech: II was satisfied with your re-
Spouse to the assembly cali. q
promised you tha there would no,
be any, but could not prevent 1t. Il
regret that the commander OF COM
pany Five Is not present 1t is a dis
grace for US. bee you gentlemen
not to Initiate him. because we other
officers whatever our grade. must SET
a good example. Good night gentle
men. break ranks!"
Rogge. who heard 1t all. was furious.
but could do nothing. som. davs
later saltenberger was reported unit
for service because OF MS nerves, and
sent back to Germany
Our new position (hetwecn Par
villers and Damery) was very dan
eerous one. All day and night shells
raincd on tho trenches. Every day we
had fifteen or twenty killed or
On the 18th of February we were
sent to Neslcs to rest for fifteen dav.