The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-09-11
BROOKFIELD
Description of Going Over the Top Of
1o2d Machine Gun Battalion.

| Il am writing under date of Goth, but
don't know if it is within a week of be-
ing right. The last two days have been
rainy and sleeping in the woods made me
feel a little out Of sorts, but am feeling
better this morning.
Have seen William Hull since we
went over the top and he is all right and
said Cressy and Brown were.
THE first day over the top we went
with the second wave. / saw several
prisoners and they all seemed pleased to
be on this side of No Mans land. Four
fifths of them looked to be under 20
years of age. Several of the boys found
good boche souvenirs, pistols, field
glasses, etc.
THE second day we we're with the
| first wave and saw several traps wires
attached to wheelbarrows and to bombs,
etc.. No, we did not take wheelbar-
row ride, as we did not wish TO accept
the aid of the energy that the Hun had
undoubtedly placed in a pile of fresh
earth short distance away. This was
the day we had to work to try and get a
sight of the Hun. We two squads had
short hike, just before starting the
advance, to shoot up a machine gun
which we wanted out of the way, that
had tried TO harass us during the night,
50 we had to double time to get into po-
sition to start with the wave. II was
some pull but it was some satisfaction
to hold the gun on the place from which
the bullets had come whizzing over our
heads the night before.
"The third day we were with the sec
ond wave, made shorter advance, but
shall not forget it nevertheless. We set
up the gun about noon and stayed two
nights, but not quite as hours, during
which time | had a fine view of an ad-
vance on the hill opposite.
"Tell Herbert if he ever goes over the
top not to leave his shovel behind Bet
ter throw away his pistol of the two. 1t
is rumored that we are to have rest
Hope we do
Aug ?, 1918.
"Wil address this one to you also, as
the coolies compelled me to make the
last one so short. | believe / told you
my pen, camera, watch, sewing kit, diary
and some Junk were lost But one OF
the fellows gave me my pen. He had
picked it up some place You see when
you are going over the top it is essential
that ones pack be as light as possible,
so they told us to take all unnecessary
articles and tie them up and put them
into a certain place and they would be
looked after. AS the watch was not run
ming | thought | had better carry am.
munition or bareback in it's place, as it
was to be Cooked after" back there.
after we were relieved, the bundles
we're brought up and all had been united.
No, mine would not have come loose
without help. Would not suppose my
diary would be worth much TO anyone
else, as ii was only notes by which |
could remember, and possibly that was
lost out after the bag was united. Was
SO glad when buddy gave me my
watch after I proved ownership. You
can just bet it stays with me now, ex,
cept as | leave it with a ieweler TO be
repaired It is now being repaired and
expect to get IL tomorrow evening if
can get leave to 60 after it-about two
miles
"The coolies stopped my writing too
soon before, to say much about going
over the top
First day we we're detailed with sec
ond wave, so there wasn't much doing,
as the Huns beat il when they were
jumped out of the trenches, Some OF
the fellows had chance to get boche
souvenirs / being gunner, stood guard
at the gun until 10 or l0;30, when we
were relieved by others Of the squad,
but / did not 90 looking for souvenirs
By moonlight, or darkness, rather as it
was rainy, but wrapped my blanket
around me and was asleep in no time,
much sooner than ] would have year
ago, with full equipment buckled on
tightly, with raindrops falling and occa
sionally the zip zip Of burst Of machine
gun bullets clipping the leaves just above
us in hopes TO catch someone standing up
higher than the log or knoll of dirt they
we're behind
"A good hot supper was brought up
sometime during the night but through
an oversight ! was not awakened. It
had been about 30 hours since we had
had any eats excepting little bareback
Next morning | thought they were fool
ing when they said, Some feed last
night | said Yes, YOU might know
we should not expect it when they said
It was coming, and they said Why
didn't you get anyY Well, | got a good
meal Of meat and potato then that they
had brought along in mess kits
The next day we advanced through
woods for quite a distance, which is
harder to carry the stuff, as it catches on
bushes and there are logs to climb over
about noon we halted and set our
guns up and expected to stay the nigh.
but in less than an hour We were in.
formed that they were going to increase
our objective, so prepared TO move on
Arrangements were made so carts came
and we did not have to carry guns and
ammunition. That night the whole com
pany was in reserve and we only had
TO have gas and picket line guard, so
we got good sleep. The next day we did
not 90 as far, but the Hun tried to bother
us with their artillery, as they also did
during the night. | got bit Of gas, but
not enough to mind it much, no more
than days threshing in dirty grain.
Next day we expected to stay there
which we did, so dug trenches deep
enough TO lie In, so any shell fragments
would not hit us. We can usually get
away from the bullets by mevenness Of
ground but shell fragments come from
all directions when they are dropping
shells all around After the work Of
digging, the boche were impudent enough
not to shell us at all that night.
Next day we again had the carts
and proceeded in the highway and stayed
in reserve until next afternoon, when we
were relieved.
81 am enclosing q flower which | cut
a couple of days before going over the
top. IT is not preserved very well, as
my only equipment was picture case
i, ,.,,+ ,bfrt ,,acl,t Willie