Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-27
ONE SOLDIERS
EXPERIENCE IN
TRENCH WARFARE
Paul Wisner. Son-in-law of Rev
F. M. Kirkus Writes an In
teresting Letter.
HE HAD A VERY HOT TIME

The accompanying letters, descriptive
Of his first experiences OF trench warfare
in France, was received from Paul
Wisncr. son-in-law of Rev. L. NJ. kirkus,
Yesterday morning. Mr. Wisner, who WAS
n private in the One hundred and Sixty
fifth Regiment (tho old New York Sixty
ninth) of the Rainbow Division, has
lust been promoted as n corporal. the
promotion being one in active service at
the front
THE MARCH To THE TRENCHES.
Our platoon, though still called the
bombCrs and Sappcrs really works
battery of trench mortarS. winch rs -
kind OF cannon that throws "A blg bomb or
shell II is considered by the English
who invented the gun as one of the most
effective infantry weapons. Each mortar
has a crew consisting OF n corporal and
five men When the first battalion oi
our regiment moved up to the trenches,
a part of our platoon. myself included,
moved up shortly afterwards
Nv first visit to the front Will always
hr indclblv stamped on my memory.
We spent the preceding night at a halt
way camp IN the rear N ! a m. on
, Il snowy windy morning We got up, ami
& HittF = cup Oi thlAt't rNAlttN fti NstAh ~ go
| packs and rifles The guns went up on
I truck, rs thev are much too heavy to
carry that distance 1t NIL looked very
different from what had expected No
nolSr or confusion o( amy sort, no amhu-
Ianccs rushing to the rear with wounded,
not even a shot 10 hc heard Ns dawn
broke. all that was 10 be seen WAS the wet.
sloppy. road winding through thick
forest ON either side were many tenn
pnrlrl Sheds and StorchouScs, and along
The road an occasional hrokcp-io"n
wagon or Vun-carrIagC. IN the gutter
hN nc side VIC passed "a mound bearing
thr inscription IN >oldat Allcmn.
IL al seemed like the remains 81 war
fought and forgotten twenty Years ago
Nbout : o'clock We arrived NJ ono of our
/ Kitchen wagons. situated several hundred
wards behind the front line trenches
here we got an enormous breakfast ~
bread. coffee. and mixture ~ rlcc and
trau, immediately after We started on
the long ami hard Ioh u moving up the
gums and shells, which arc very bulky
and heavy, 20 their positions
cur dugout where We hvcd. was ~
the front-hnc trenches Il Was entered
! IN two very steep and narrow Stalrways
and WAS about thirty feet underground
/ 1t WAS about the size and shape ~ a
Pullman car. with row Of double hcrths
/ un clthcr side Having two entrances,
| i, was well ventilated hut II Was crawling
( with hcc and wc Slept two 10 berth,
1 WhIch WAS not more than three quarters
1 the size of a siccpngcar berth
I RACK WITHOUT 4 FIGHT
/ ON tho sector where We were the Ger
man lines arc about 700 yards away,
and the whole section Is heavily woodCd
I - vou can imagine how strange IL seemed
when We were relieved after tour days.
. IA 20 back not having fired q shot or
~tVn /, single German or even their
trenches. III iact w heard from them
much more often than We wanted
Though For the Grrmsns soon found
uut thcre were Americans IN that sector
aud gayr Us = warm welcome Then
artIllcTv TIRE was very heavy ~ time:
md exceedingly we'll directed The triE
back fu thc kitchen for mess was otter
/ a,utr exciting When | first got M ;hcr,
had ltot thr slightest fear 81 the tITc
uut after ono experience. when | NJ,
nearly buried Alive lv the side "f til,
trench cavIng IA on me, and h&d tC
crawl ou nm stomach Ser several hundre,
wards. learned better Nfter that j
" iA~ tliN ~ iliffi = fii 'i sAl4 t'f' va ~ 20
ID 20 out 10 exposed places
RAID ENPERIENCI
| our second trip 70 the front was much
more interesting for we returned after
about one week rc>I The French anC
American, pulled of rand on the Ger
mans lines II took place al night anC
was wonderful experience The At
tiller. IRE. both ours and theirs was
terrific and continuous We moved ouI
runs up to more advanced position
| and in conjunction with the artillery II
the rear covered our advancing troop,
with barrAgc fire We came through
vcrv successfully with only one man
disabled through ga~ think he vii
recover al right The French colonc
aud our OWN officers expressed themselves
a- being very pleased with our work
The German trenches were absolutely
Hattencd on aud their b@rbcd wire WA,
DESTROYED Unfortunately they had been
allc 10 lthdraw their troops in tune, 50
( no prisoners were taken.
The rest of the regiment w;ls not 81
fortunate as We were III regard 70 casual
ties B. got a bad dose Of gas and
Is now III the hospital. | have been un-
able to get III touch with him since j
was most fortunate IN his case ior h,
Wa, twice cited for bravery under fire
bat this will put stop 10 his chances q
/ going 10 Officers school
Paul Nlsurr
Enclosed 70 ms father u letter datcC
March u Received IN NcW Yorl
April 24l
To Address Socialists.
Joseph + Cohen Of Phiiadclph,o WI
speak al the meeting If the Sucialis
SUNDAY Forum at Sl5 Market street