South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-05

scented to any details. beyond spec
ification of the battery, and for hav-
ing handled the lanyard at the fir
ing l was regarded as the one who
came nearer TO firing that first shot
than anyone else, if there was TO
be any distinction.
In fact, there could be no other
distinction unless the captain want
ed 10 claim it for having given the
order Accordingly / was ordered
back 10 America TO help advertise
the third Liberty loan and push in
the Red Cross drive, as my badge
of honor, but l wear 1t for the bat
terry c. and not for myself. We
couldn't all pull that lanyard. much
as everybody in the battery wanted
TO. The newspaper men made fools
Of themselves over the incident, and
soon nearly every town and hamlet
in the United States was trying to
claim that first shot" glory. We
were pleased TO learn that one
mother of such son had said she
doubted the story, and anyhow
would be much prouder of him to
have fired the last shot" and so
said we all, though the fight must be
finished first.
We sent a few more shells over
10 help Fritz warm up his morning
coffee, and then we were relieved
and returned TO our quarters in the
village for chow.
After chow. shovels were issued to
us and we began the arduous work
OF digging gun pits and building
dugouts. We constructed the pits by
digging into a depth of three feet
and then placing logs. concrete slab s
and sandbags around the edges Of
the excavation. We camoufiaged
our new positions by stretching wire
netting over them and covering the
netting with marsh grass.
The Huns shelled us repeatedly
while we were at work, but all the
boys stood up under the music like
veterans We thought the boches
were getting our range when they
landed a six-inch shell within 30
yards Of our position, but that was
the nearest they came TO US that
day.
That night the American infan-
Try. helmeted and ready for battle,
marched into our front line
trenches The infantry beat US TO
France by nearly two months. but
we Of the artillery got into action
more than IL hours ahead OF the
doughboys.
After two weeks of work on our
battery positions behind the front
line. our regiment of artillery went
into winter quarters and we were
kept out OF the scrap until January.
when we went in again with wall
lop.
Our battery was paid special hon
ors all along that hike 10 winter
quarters.
Decked the Gun with Flowers.
The little gun that fred the first
shot for world liberty was decked
with fresh flowers in every village,
and we of c battery had 20 run a
kissing gauntlet almost every step
OF the way. I can tell you the
French appreciated the significance
OF that first shot. They knew that
II spelled freedom for them from
the invading Hun.
Sergt. Hugh Marsh OF Belleville
III. who was with the first contin-
gent OF Gen. Pershing's forces 10
reach France has given me
graphic description OF the expe-
riences OF the infantry during the
period I was absent at winter quar-
tiers, and 7 shall tell il as nearly as
possible in his own words After
that I viii resume my own story and
take the reader back again 10 the
Yankee battery positions behind the
lines.
Sergt- Marsh spent four years on
the Mexican border doing patrol
work before he went across with the
first contingent OF the Pershing
forces.
The infantry moved right into the
hght zone upon their arrival in
France and started drilling eight
hours n dsy under the guidance Or
the famous Alpine Chssseur- or