The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1918-08-30

and those on every side. About a thlrd
were gas shells. The others were n.
3. ranging from IT'S to 21Os. towns
for miles back were shelled at the
same time. and it lasted for IL hours;
How anv ore came out alive is beyond
me. hut our men stuck to the guns,
and carried ammunition all the time
throughout that rain Of she'll fire: AS
fast as men at the guns were killed
or wounded new ones stepped up 70
take their places. One direct killed
Lieutenant Harris, and three ember
of the gun crew and i've
others. Captain Cook then Went on
the gun himself and he and Captain
White fired it until they had to be
relieved from exhaustion. That night
we lost nine killed and 35 wounded.
And where was l during this time!
Dodging behind trees most OF the
time and sliding on my belly when
ever a shell dropped neal | was out
in front of the Battery about three
quarters of a mile at the edge OF the
woods overlooking the river valley
and the German position beyond.
Nearby was a French O. P. (observa-
ton post a shrapnel proof box with
a dugout just behind. The two French.
men wandered outside, however and
got killed by a shell, so we took pos
session ourselves. BY that time 1T
was getting daylight and we could see
the Germans crossing the i've on
boats and pontoon bridges. All tele-
phone wires had been cut from the
start by shell fire, but one of my men
volunteered to take the information
back to the battery and to headquar-
tiers. He got there O. K. and in a lit
tie bit our guns opened up again pill
ing up the Germans in heaps. Then
our dough boys who had been pushed
back a little ways opened up with
machine gun and rifle fire and then
charged with bayonets, driving the
Huns back to the river. Those who
were not killed or wounded were taken
prisoners, and they were the last Ger
to get across the river in u
sector.
From that time on it was nip and
tuck. Artillery fire continued on both
sides. Our men dug in and the casual
ties diminished. Two days later we
started a big counter attack and
drive and we have been going ever
since.
Our executive was shell shocked so
was sent back to the rear and l was
brought back off of observation and
put in command of the firing battery,
where l have been for the past week.
We haven't remained in one position
for more than two days since we
started pushing the Huns. We move
in the night, dig in, camouflage /r
position and fire. Part of the time
we fire at batteries, machine gun po-
s%itions, strong points, etc., and then
+ again we put up a rolling barrage in
front of the infantry for them to adj
vance through strongly contested
German positions.
Heinie is not very kind to US at
times. Just now he put e a few
gas shells in our neighborhood and
l am now writing with a gas mask
on. A gas mask is not the most en-
Portable thing in the world, but /
would not be without one for a thous-
and dollars a day.
Must close as / have some firing
orders.
: WARD X. MARKS,
LIST 1t. 10 +. A.
American E. F
Private Lardre at Washington.
A letter from Washington, D. c
tells of seeing the capitol, U. S
mint and many other interesting
places.
Washington, D. c.,
August 10, 1918.
Mr.. j. Hooking:
| arrived here about the fifth 0
this month. 1t was sure some trip tina
l had from Spokane, Wash. here. l
took four days to make the trip.
stopped off in Chicago for abou
twelve hours and saw the sights o
the city, but there was not so mucl
to see after all.
got in Washington about eigh
o'clock in the morning and sure wa
lost when l got off the train here. It
not like getting off at the station a
Glasgow OF any other town in oil
Montana. have seen the capitol, tn
Washington monument, the Unite
States mint and also several othe
buildings of great Importance. l wa
down to the Potomac river last nigh
and tomorrow Emmett Powell and
are going to the beach for a littl
swim in salt water.
Well, Mr.. Hooking, there is nc
very much news around here so
will close for today because it is IL
spection and SO it is about time I
go to work again. l will write MOI
next time. Hope to hear from 70
soon. Don't forget to send the Courie
as Emmett and | are sure looking fe
news from home.
PVT. RALPH LANDRE,
Sixth and B Streets,
Washington, D.
Care 472 Eng.