The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-10-10
GIRLS DOUGHNUT
SHOP B0NBARDED
BOOBIES LET LOOSE FIERCE
sARRAGE ON AMERICANS.
FOLLOWED UP BY GAS ATTACK
Irene Mcintyre, Salvation Army Can.
teen Girl, Relates Experiences
She and Her Sister Gladys i,aVe
Had Close to Front Lines.
rDy Miss Irene McIntyre.D


With the American Troops at the
ront. Oct IA few nights ago We
,'ad another taste of war. We had
leen lulled into a false sense of Sc
urity BY an unusually quiet week,
yery little artillery, no barrages at
n. and very little air fighting.
In fact, the pans in our kitchen had
not ratified for days, and we were
ready to forget we were at the front,
Except for soldiers and the necessity
Tor keeping out of observation of
German lookout posts on the hills op-
posite us.
Boches Let Loose Barrage.
AL of sudden at midnight the big
funs of the boches let loose in box
tarrage about a mile and half from
us at the nearest point. AT the same
time they shelled all the villages in
q circle about us.
We hurried into our clothes and
went down to the barbed wire entan.
clements in a neighboring field. There
We were comparatively safe, as long
as We lay close to the ground so that
eclat could not reach US if shells came
nearer. We could also get fine view
of the fireworks.
II was wonderful, and solemn, too.
when one thought of it. The night
was blue black. and with each retail
iating shot from our guns great Or
Iange flames darted and disappeared
into the blackness. We remained
perfectly silent while we watched.
Ny heart always speeds up as !
watch such a sight and realize what
it is meaning to our boys out there in
the trenches.
Undergoes First 5ombardment.
After an hour of the most brilliant
artillery display have ever seen we
went TO bed and tried to sleep, but
too many whining shells passed over
head for that. l didn't tell Mrs. Shep-
pard, the inspector from Boston, who
was with us. that the shells were in
coming, because it was her first ex-
perience under shell-fire and we did
Mt want 10 scare her to death. But
my sister and l knew what they were.
Gas Attack On.
At the same time we were watch
ing just where those shells were land
ing. Just as dawn was breaking,
which is early in France, the church
bell and the klaxons sounded above
the noise of bursting shells and we
knew gas attack was on.
Gladys and / dOnned our masks and
then discovered Mrs Sheppard could
ed she did not have it far enough un.
der her chin, and her nose clip could
not find home. Gladys turned on
the fashlight while | tried to make
the clip and Mrs. Sheppard's nose
connect.
Finally the junction was made, and
we realized she was safe and un-
gassed. Then our relief wanted to
vent itself in laughter and we gig,
gled until we were afraid we would
blow off our respirators. | had to
dress with my gas mask on, and it
was more like an obstacle race than
anything | have yet attempted.
Returns To Canteen.
Before long the all-clear signal was
given, and we knew the gas was
gone, though the guns still sounded
all around us. II was now perfectly
light, and we hurried to the kitchen
to make fire and get hot chocolate
and food for any wounded who might
come through.
In a short time some boys did ar
rive, slightly wounded, and well
enough to stop few moments for hot
drinks and sandwiches. They were
glad we had something to give them,
for the poor boys showed the strain
they had been under, and they were
immensely appreciative of something
hot TO eat and drink.