The sun., 1918-10-06

relieved. and l was obliged to stay over
two days to set the other battalion COM
mander straight, orient him in his sec
tor, help him in the problems that came
up, until he himself could get working
knowledge, and then return to my battal-
ion at rest.
The first day and night were uneventful
excepting that the men were somewhat
more nervous than ours, and did not have
as good discipline, displaying themselves
too much, and the officers did not seem as
well Informed as to their duties The
Major went into the deep dugout, and l
remained up on top with the adjutant.
On Thursday l went around, simply pay
ing my last visit, and in the afternoon I
took Major Battle for trip into one por-
ton of the sector
While we were there there was quite
heavy firing, with particular concentra-
tion on a certain portion Of the line.
When 1 arrived at the post of command
of the Major, which was about 4 80, the
Major showed me a message which he
had received from one Of his company
commanders indicating that there lad
been quite serious loss by reason of the
destruction of a dugout. felt that there
would be need of some one with authority
and l at once asked permission to 60 for
ward and see what could do to make q
true estimate Of the situation, avoid any
panic and, if possible, bring relief to
any men who were there.
He refused TO let me 60, saying that
Majors were not expendible, and said he
would send Lieutenant up there
quarters of an hour passed, dur
ing which time l met young pioneer
officer and sent him up. Then | got so
restless l went TO the battalion commander
and told him that l thought he was max
ing mistake-that he ought to send me
up there, that could act for hun ard do
some real good.
He then consented that ! should 60 up
and see if / could help tie company
commander
Found Some Decentralization.
l went to the company commanders
dugout and found him sitting there little
Stunned, not quite certain as TO what he
should do-stting with him were the Of
ficcrs whom the Major had sent up and
two other officers. There, too, was Lieu
tenant of my battalion, who had been left
there to inform them rs to the peculiar
tiles Of the sector, so picking him, went
TO the front and found some demoraliza-
ton, particulars Of which it would be I'M
wise 10 state, and found some men work
ing in the dugout which had been hit by
huge 100 kilo Minnenwerfer (trcncl
MORTAR and cavcd in completely.
Went around to each man on post,
talked TO him and Strengthened him out
1t WAS just getting dark; flares were going
up from the French and Germans and
there was tensencss in the air. l went
down myself into this dugout where the
men were working, got them organized
little better, and picking up ten men who
had lost their way and wanted to get
back with these two officers, started with
them.
This was about $50. I stopped for
minute to put my arm around u youngster
who was on guard and asked him if he
were going to let those damned Dutchmcn
get his goat, in response to which he
smiled and said "No," grasped his gun
little more firmly and resumed his watch
more intently.
l was not more than two minutes away
from him and had left the trench and got
into little path leading back through the
woods, when terrible bombardment CON-
menccd We were out of all shelter, SO
! made the little detachment lie down in
the woods while those large Minnenwer-
fers and shrapncl scattered around in a
terrifying manner.