Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1918-11-22

aud laying fiat to escape the
shrapnel from bursting shells.
After making hole large enough
to hide head and shoulders l lay !
there for 6 hours under one Of
the heaviest barrages that the !
Hun ever sent over. We could
not advance for the machine TIL
nests, but then several armofed
tanks came up and as they came /,
creeping up like giant caterpil-
lars we opened the line to let them
pass. They went slowly up the i
hill breaking up lot of the nests
aud pill boxes and our infantry
followed up to clean out he
woods. The Hun threw in more
reinfOrcements with strong
counter attack but we stood our
ground under the heaviest fire.
Here was a real test OF the
American boys fighting qua IL
ties. The Frenah told our Cap
tain that the boys could not
stand such a fire very long and
that they would have to retreat
a little. The Captain spoke up:
Il know those boys, they will
fight to the last man rather than
give an ZACH. The Hun is III
front of them and in front he will
fstay". We held him in check 2
days, our only covering being the
few holes we dug iii the bare
| fields. The Hun sent over shells,
all kinds of high explosive bombs
and used gas time after time, SC
that we were compelled to wear
our masks almost continuously
1--WE suffered terrible punishment
during that time and it was made
} worse By his aeroplanes sweeping
down from the skies with bombs
and machine guns wide open.
They became very reckless III
, flying low and we would open up
: on them with our rifles and ma.
chine guns, and great cheer
: would go up whenever one was
brought down for it was great
!, relief to us. | have seen as many
| as Z brought down i'll one day in
that manner. 1t is a pretty sight
: to watch an aeroplane battle
when you see as many as twenty
: or thirty machines in the air al
once. But to go on with my
/ story; after we held the Hun two
days a few more boys joined us
and we went over the top again
5 This time we had broken his
: spirits and he started to retreat
and the prisoners began to pass
. through the lines, increasing in
! numbers each day.
II | am not allowed to name our
casualties but they are not heavy
;. considering the stubborn resis.
lance put up against us. l have
. lost some of my very best friends.
Il They have done their bit and
want everyone to know they fell
sticking to their posts and fight
: ing like demons. One Hun Of
!, ticer (prisoner) says that with
such an army to face with such
spirit and bravery. their cause is
hopeless and the end is near. The
most admired man in this coun-
try is Commanding General Focll
and this is his tribute to the valor
of the American soldier: Amer
iican soldiers llaye one fault, that
is advancing too fast. What
more could one ask or expect of
an army?"
Such are the men we have here
now and with the steady increase
of men of the same makeup com.
ing over each week there is little
hope for the Central Powers. 1t
makes fellow feel good to be
one Of them and to have such
compliment paid to your army.
1t looks like the Hun morale is
about broken and lie will soon
be ready tor most any peace and
at any price. l ain feeling fine
PiCSCht as All CtJOy Ing d
good rest Gladly needed at one
of our camps far behind the lines,
and think that after 3 weeks
under all kind of shell fire fell
low deserves it. l wish | could /!
explain and tell more of my ex-
peMences for l n most sure that |
l have seen my share. Regards |
to all and with the hope of an
early return to home, peace and |
happiness,
IS Sincerely,
CLARENCE H. IRWIN.
Full Of Cold; Had tie Grip.
MapV will be pleased tn read how;