The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1918-12-26

We drew rations and half here and
how we did eat. We had mess ser
gcant that knew how to feed. | was
on kitchen police for week there dur
ing which we had fried spuds twice
day, fried steak and nearly every night
dessert of some sort and three mornings
a week French toast. | landed the
dugout job. 1t was not so far from
camp and after We were underground it
was nice work. | also acted the part of
Jack knife carpenter too.
The 2Sth of April | was pu. on a de.
tan to put cootie bath house on the
banks Of the stream on the flat nearby
| had plenty of rides to and from work
and to Memib- Tour for the tents and
material On finishing the job we all
took bath and left it to the boys back
May 18th we took trucks and that after
noon we were in the ruined town of
Heiltz la Marcppt. 1t was destroyed by
the huns in 1914. On the way here we
passed thru Commercy and Barle Due
Our stay at Heiltz was short, two DAYS
1t was here | went fishing and caught
10 fish. Leaving the above named town
we hiked to the station town of Bleme
whore another engineer dump job await
/ oil flor 1oVS laf+ al "a
loading the stuff on the cars again and
took the train for Isle Adam, a station
north of Paris, passing through its sub
cribs we could ste tn eEifel tower. From
Isle Adam we marched to Parnes-were
then behind the First Division which
was in the Mon Didivier sector. On the
night of May 81 we received orders to
be ready to move at moment s notice.
On June we were loaded on trucks for
what turned out to be Chateau Thierry.
If you will get a Saturday Evening Post
of August 81 you will get better ac-
count of our trip than | can give here
with this eXception-afte passing
through Meaux our trucks were bombed
/ was so dead for sleep heard only a
faint noise. After leaving our trucks
we had hike of fourteen kilometers to
the town of La Ferte. On June LIST
from then till July 9TH we were under
shell-fire or within easy range of mis-
guns. That first night will always 1t
fresh in my mind We had been hiking
from early morning till after midnight
with little sleep or little to eat on the
trip. The last miles a made in sort OF
trance, my legs seemed to move of them
selves while slept walking,
1t was only the thoughts of what ~
had seen on our way ul'-and our exc Al
lent health that kept us up.
On June 18th we marched to Gelleal
wood to reinforce the Marines. w
. reached the wood at / clock and wer'
told to dig in which we did with on
mess kit lids and bayonets, in a shor
, while | had fox hole that would pro
, tect me from machine gun fire. slep
in it till morning and then dug the res
F the next day.
The platoon | was in took up nosi ,o
behind the crest of hill. The next ia.
, the Hun sent over numerous BIS or
. FOUNDERS. They would come whis"n
over our heads and explode in wood
back of MS.
The night of the 18th enemy aourte
attacked with trench mortar, an ms
! chine guns but made no attempt 70 com
. close himself 1t was tren h morta
that killed Cox
= That night Kennedy and | were %
/ outpost guard We were all Of 400 yard
from our position and on its flank. Gu
d duty was to prevent a surprise. ArriN
ing at our post which was the base of
large tree we brushed the leaves an
a twigs out of the way and sat down t
+. watch. At about | 0 clock they starte
a IN. The din was fierce. If YOU multi
g ply the pecking of steele riyeter h
.. 100 you would have fair idea of tn
I din. Then a mortar would let out
r. srowl like a bull dog, the Lext instar
. terrific explosion would take place
@ cur positions, The star shells wouI
! make things uncanny, too, with the
4 li2ht.
L The attack over, we were called
q aud found the company had or Iers {
-. change positions. Our next one was
= an old dry creek bed which was all {
p ten feet deep in places-the Huns ha
! formerly used them. 1t gave us goC