Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-10-10

Cct 1eBSb winch WlEut u8v0 WoOe ~
worse. only he was good-natured about
It. Then he said that he had been
asleep In Q battalion headquarters dug.
out. about q hundred yards away. and
only walked up when part Of the roof
caved in on him. Yet he did not know
he had been shelled!
! went on down the road . stretch,
but soon found It was easier walking
beside It, because the Huns had shelled
1t neatly right up and down the middle.
Also, there were 80 .many wrecked
horses and wagons to climb over on
the road-besides dead men.
After I had passed the area Of the
bombardment and got back on the
road I sat down to rest and smoke. A
couple Of shells had burst 50 near the
crater that they had thrown the dirt
right into the dugout. and l was a little
dizzy from the shock. While I vas sit
ting there a squad Of Tommies came
up with about twice their number Of
German prisoners. The Tommies had
been making Fritz do the goose step
and they started them at it again when
they saw me sitting there. 1t sure
is good for a laugh any time. this
goose step. I guess they call 1t that
after the fellow who invented 1t.
One thing I had noticed about Fritz
was the way his coat flared out at the
bottom, so l took this chance to find
out about it, while they halted for a
rest just a little farther down the
road. l found that they carried their
emergency kits In their coats. These
kits contained canned meat, tobacco,
needles, thread and plaster-all this
In addition to their regular pack.
Then I drilled down the road some
more, but had to stop pretty soon to
let a column of French infantry swing
on to the road from a field. They
were on their way to the trenches as
re-enforcements. After every two
companies there would be a wagon
Pretty soon I saw the uniform Of the
Legion. Then a company of my regi'
ment came up and I wheeled in with
them. We were In the rear Of the col
uinh that had passed. Our boys were
going up for their regular stunt in the
front lines, while the others had JUS
arrived at that part Of the front.
Then for the first time my feet be
gan hurting me. Our boots were made
Of rough cowhide and fitted very well
but 1t was a days labor to carry then
on your feet. / began tagging behind
I would lag twenty or thirty yard
behind and then try to catch up. Blu
the thousands Of men ahead. Of MI
kept up the steady pace and Very few
limped, though they had been on tn
march since 3 a. m. 1t was then abou
II a. N. Those who did limp wer,
carried in the wagons. But I had seel
very few men besides the drivers rid
ing in the wagons, and I wanted t,
be as tough as the next guy, SO I KEEP
on. But, believe me, l was sure gla'
when we halted for a rest along tn
road.
That Is, the requirements did
Our company Of the Legion had no
| come from so far, and when the from
t of the column had drawn out of tn
way along the road we kept on films
as the saying is. I did not care abou
7 being tough then, and I was ready 70
the wagon.
Only now there were no wagons
I They belonged with the other troop:
So l had to ease along us best l coul
t for what seemed like hours-to m
| feet-until we turned off onto anothe
road and halted for a rest. l foun
!. out later that u officers had gOn
astray and were lost ut this TIM
though, Of course, they did not te
l US so.
. We arrived at our section of tn
4 trench about three o'clock that aftel
noon and I rejoined my company.
h was all tired out after this trek an
found myself longing for the Caesar
t and the rolling wave, where no Mar,
t thons and five.mile hikes were nece
y sary. But this vas not In store II
me--yet.
n CHAPTER VI.