The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-12-19

was only up to their waists they came
upon barbed wire entanglements and
not man got ashore that way but
was scratched and clawed and man
gled horribly. Some of them that
saw afterwards were just shredded
along the sides of their bodies like
coconuts. A great many of them,
though, were killed by shrapnel while
they were in the water.
On board the Cassard our guns had
been busy all the time, and it was not
long before we put one enemy bat
terry out of commission. We had suf-
fered a bit, too, but not enough to
worry us. There were about 5000 men
on the Champagne, think, and at
least third were killed or drowned,
and the casualties must have been
almost twO-thirds. The ship was just
a mass of wreckage.
They called for landing party from
the Cassard, and officers asked for
volunteers for trench duty. I was not
very keen about going, because had
been in trenches at Dixmude, and I
knew how pleasant they were-not,
but volunteered, and so did Murray.
We went ashore In our boats under a
heavy fire. There were II men killed
In the lifeboat in which was. I es-
capped without q scratch.
We were mustered up on shore and
volunteers were called for, for sentry
duty. Murray volunteered. If he had
only gone on with the rest. of us he
might have come through. After q
short wait We were given the order to
advance. The firing became heavier
about this time, so we went at the
double. We had not got very far be-
fore we had fine little surprise party
handed US.
The front line was running ovel
what appeared to be good, solid
ground, when they broke through and
fell into trenches 80 to 40 feet deep
These trenches had been dug, covered
| over with A-inch boards and ther
| with dirt, and'were regular man-traps
Sharp stakes were sticking out of tn.
parapet and paradOs, and at the bot
tom were more stakes and rocks ant
barbed wire.
We were advancing with bayonet'
fixed and arms at the carry, so whel
the first line fell, and some of tn,
second, the boys of the third line cam,
running up, and in the scramble tina
followed many Of the chaps In tn
first few lines were bayoneted by thei
comrades. YVES In the third line, blu
l was lucky enough to pull up In tim
and did not fall In. You could not lool
down into that trench after you hat
seen It once, 1t was too sickenine
Our casualties were sent back to tn
ship. One boat was sunk by a shel
and all the men lost.
We remained where we were
scratching out shallow trenches 70
ourselves, finding what natural cove
there was and otherwise getting read
for the night which was near.
began to rain and we could hardl
keep any fires going. because we ha
to shelter them from the shore side, s
the enemy could not spot US. and tn
wind was from the sea. It was certain
" miserable that night.
f. Every once in while we woul
stand by to repel an attack, whether
was a real one or not, and we wer
under fire all the time. It seemed q
If morning would never come. TIL
sand was full of fleas-great big boy
and they were as bad as an
coolies ! had ever had at Dixmud
. The morning came at last, and
, was detailed with fatigue part
to the beach where we had lande
stores. When we got down to tt
docks missed Murray and aske
where he was. They said he had bee
. missing from his post not more tha
an hour from the time we left.
I left my fatigue party, witho7
orders, and Joined in the hunt f
Murray. There were men searchi1
{ all along the docks apd on the she
, to each side. Finally I saw hun'
. Of men dbllect around a storehou
ut the farther end Of the docks on Il
. shore side. ] ran UP to them,
There was poor old Murray. Tn
!, were Just taking him down. He b,
been erucified against the wall Of Il