Evening star., 1918-02-26
US. BDYSSPE|VD
NIGHT UNDER FIRE
Junius Wood Describes Ameri-
can Fighters as They Face
Shells of Boches.
ONLY ONE SOLDIER HIT
By JUNIUS b. WOOD.


BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.
r..hlexrnn to The Evening Star and
Chlcaro Daily News. Copyright. 1913.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. February 25.-The cry-the
crescendo whistle giving warning OF an
approa ching shell-was drowned IN q deal
eninx crash several hundred yards away
striking so close that the glare that Int
uu the darkness and the sound OF the eA-
plosion were simultaneous.
The Germans had started shellins
battery just off the road down whicn
q soldier and ! were approaching baftahon
headouarters Travelling in pairs had oeen
ordered for the reason that If one man
were hit there would be a possibility that
the other might secure help. Then there
was another boom in the distance. fol-
lowed by the same disquieting whistle
coming nearer and nearer and ending IN a
crash as it exploded close to where some
artillery officers were telephoning. one Oh
them had his ear at the telephone as we
sntered The headquarters, where out steel
helmets struck against the railroad ralis
forming the low ceiling of the room.
.aTell two of our batteries to give tnem
q retaliatory bombardment: said the ma
ior commanding the battalion
In less than half a minute saiVo from
eight guns was fired and we knew the
Germans were getting taste OF tne same
medicine. Retaliatory fire is great Isc- ,FS
Tor in keeping any sector quiet Inc
Germans throw 1--WE shells at a battery OF
the village in which headquarters are 10
Gated The Americans seno pack zen
shots at one of their batteries or mead
quarters. The Germans do the same oilis
their firing is not SO heavy.
81 am Just starting on night lnspec-
tion of the sector" said the major, pulnns
on his hip boots. strapping a revolver to
his waist and hanging Two gas ihash'
around his neck
Huns Stop Shelling.
sNThe battery reports that the Fritzes
have stopped sheIling and we have
stopped firing" said an artillery oncer,
hanging up the receiver.
There came rap at the door anu
soldier with the brassard of the hos
pital Red Cross on his arm entered tne
7 have brought in a man from the
front. sir" said the man. wnefe shai'
.The hospital is in the next building
down the road" replied the major
"Yes. sir, but he is dead" said the
aThcn put him in the building across
the road. You will find another there
who was brought in earlier ton1gnt.
One of the supply wagons Will carry 81;
them back tomorrow. What outfit did
he belong to-" ;,
whica was she1led about an hour ago
with shrapnel- He was the only man
Have you abandoned the position:'
no. sir. there is no sheliing just now
.srhe ruined town with its gaunt bat.
tered and roof1ess walls was silent and
ie the clear frosty moonlight It seemeo
like stage scenery. An automatic rine
trenches q few hundred yards beyond
as the first sentry challenged. Inc
major stepped forward and whispered
rhe password.
Get Coffee for Men.
It was close to midnight as we edged
into the narrow communication trench
and passed carrying parties. each pain
OF soldiers with stick on his snouioeIs
and q can swinging between. golnS "
the kitchens in the rear to return WIZ q,
coffee for the men For stretcn OF
more than 100 yards the water was
above our knees, a German smell nav
ing flled in the drainage trench. Eveny.
where along the STICKY ,ha ssoes Tevetment .e r
rhetner these were OF wire netting
twigs or sandbags.
"Hatt," came a tense whisper which
stopped US at almost every turn IN .sne .ne
step forward and whisper the pass
word"
do not want a boche to step IN some
night and surprise YOU
This was the caution the major gave
to each one of the three men at each
post. Two were inside a niche in the
trench parapet, one watching steaoiiy
the haze on mo mans land oeyono
the barbed wire. and the other sleeping
with his rifle by his side, while the
third was patrolling the trench
Everything quiet tonight? the
major always asked.
"yes sir" the soldier addressed in
variably replied. though an automatic
rifle might be popping at the next post
where the batteries on the hillside were
exchanging compliments anove ms y,
quiet is not being shot at at that par
ficular moment.
Il have patrol out now examining
the German wires. reported a captain
whom We met sioshins through tns
mud.
ANY others out?" asked the major
Mine is the only one. II Company
patrol has just reported in, and l be
lieye they found German snipers
ANY sniping tonight" asked tn,
major.
"a little" said the captain. but they
quit early in the night Our men mus
have shot the sniper."
We had a variation of our own on thi.
nightly routine. We had reached on
Of the swampy stretches where it i.
not possible to dig trenches and thu
path is on narrow buckboards protect
ed only by fiiInsy gabions of twigs
Suddenly without warning our artiller!
started to roar on the hillside back o
us, laying a barrage on German
trenches. IN less than minute cam
the answering bang and glow of Fritz
artillery on the opposite hills
. counter barrage. The gunners pickle,
out the particular spot we were passing
as their target.
The first shell blew a ten-foot gap Fl
the stretch of gabions we had jus
over our heads, lifting a section Of tn
swamp into shower of sticks. stone:
mud and water. The flashes on tn
German Hill were continuous. eac
shell approaching with a screech. fall
ing with a thud near at hand and the
exploding, all in a second Of time. TIL
concussion from one knocked US off tn
slippery walk and fiat into the mud
covering up the previous splotches O
clay and giving us a harmonious coat
ing from ears to toes.
Find Safe Place.
Finally we reached the mouth of
trench and were safe from anything ex
III