South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-25
South Bend Boy Tells
ViUid Story of HoD it
Felt TO Go OUer Top

A vivid description OF how it feels
60 20 over the top is contained in
letter srom Harry Powers. Co A.
l5lst infantry. a former South Bend
boy. 20 relatives in this city The
letter follows:
"I have not had time 20 write 10
you lately because we have been
over the top, and since that time
have been holding q section OF the
front line. We left the dugouts
where / last wrote you. and march
90 20 shelters much nearer the
t~enches. After we had rested here
"a few days We completed our march
up % the front II was Just past
midnight when we left, and our ar
tllery had already started the pre-
l.minary bonn bardment, and the
flash OF our guns Illuminated the
sky FOR miles around. We came over
high hill into our position. and
the shells from our batteries were
going directly over our heads They
make an exploding sound as they
hit air pockets, and at first you i'm
CINE that the sound is from Ger
man shells We huddled down in
20 come. Our wait seemed to be for
hours. but the time finally came and
we hled out Of the trenches lined
, up and waited for the word 20 go
In a few minutes the spasmodic
boom OF guns changed 70 the steady
roar or a barraEe. and at the same
time, the machine guns started their
barrage. and we started over the
top."
First Part i Easy.
"The first part of the advance was
easy as we had not reached the
German front line. so all we had TO
do was keep going forward under
the cover OF our barrage. We went
down into a valley. and then up
nigh hill When we reached the top
or the hill we stopped and waited a
few minutes Here 7 looked back
over the hill. and saw the prettiest
sight Imaginable. There was a heavy
gun grey fog over the valley. just
above il were blue clouds OF powder
smoke. and back of the hill the sun
was just rising. throwing a red glow
over the whole scene.
After we had rested for a few
minutes we continued the advance,
and from then on It was a great
deal more difficult TO make prog
ress for we had 90 march through
q swamp, out onto a plain directly
in front OF the enemies line. He
rad evidently withdrawn his infan-
try but had left numerous machine
gun nests 10 harrass our advance.
We had reason 10 be thankful for
ne heavy fog, for under its cover
we were able TO get nearly 20 Jer-
rvs guns before ne discovered us
Then he opened fire, and we an fell
Dat on the ground while his bullets
clipped the grass above our heads.
our own machine gunners were
able To flank the Hun and his men
we're either killed or captured. The
patch TO our objective ran through
81 village, and 70 was on the road APP
preaching this that we met the
most resistance. for ne had guns all
along the way. However, after we
had captured tho village. the rest
was easy for the enemy's retreat
turned into n wild route. and we
rushed over the rest OF the ground
40 our objective. capturing many
guns. prisoners. and much ammuni-
tion on the way
Collected some Junk.
We consolidated our position.
and settled down TO hold the line
until relieved. Our section was
along the bank of river and had
evidently been n German headquar-
ters. for we found supplies of every
kind there had TO laugh every
time / looked around there, for we
were sleeping on the Germans
beds covered with his blankets
(aud his cooties) eating his food
and smoking his tobacco (rotten
stuff. The Kraut-Eaters had left
ln "a hurry. for they took nothing
with them. You can imagine that
we got a bunch Of souvenirs / have
watch, shoulder straps. iron cross
ribbon. and a bunch of other junk
lThis is some war;.
when you are I'm the front line
YOU eat breakfast and wash about
u a. m. then sleep until dusk. At
that time. everyone with full equip
meut. stands to" All night you are