The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-04-11
MORE WAR STORY.

ienceS on the war front, written by
Durward Smith, member of the 5th
Field Artillery, of the LIST Division, a
limit that saw more of the great war
than any other one division of the
American army, and sent to his par
ents. Mr.. and Mrs. G. w. Smith, for
kheir edification, is continued in this
ssue We have heard many favorable
Comments over the letter as published
n our last issue and the second in
stallment will be read with great in
kerest:
Well. here goes for more Of the st.
Dlihiel sector.
On the End of September we NOV
ed our guns up into a wood not far
rom Mandres Our position was just
bout half way between Bosmont and
dandres, just to the left of the road.
Directly across the road was quarry
vhich at this time was being filled
gith rifle ammunition and hand gren-
des of gas and high explosives.
On the 3rd we started to dig our
bun pits or positions. The ground was
Elay and very sticky on account of
|ain and of that we had our share.
On the 4th We put in two thousand
ounds of ammunition which we had
carry IS yards to place in the rear
II each piece. We always managed to
lave our whole position we'll CANA
LACED. Our work was always done
nder cover of darkness; and after
|ur work was completed we walked
hree kilometers to wood where
sargeant, corporal and myself were
one of these tents, but 1t rained
lost of the time and kept the blank
Is soaked.
On the 9th we were shelled, but no
Image was done. One shell went just
yer the pit. cut off limb and lit di-
ectly in front of Battery B. 1t was a
ib shell, which is shell that does
BIT go Off. Another shell lit in a
Inch of smoke bombs in the quarry,
hich went off, making quite a
nudge. The smoke bombs are used
the infantry to screen themselves
the wind is just right. Sometimes
On the 7th we put in another 1000
unds of ammunition. The 26th and
th infantry went in last night and
e 10th infantry 60 in tonight. There
e sure some preparations being
ade, railroad artillery is running in
andres and there are field batteries
all directions, II you could see them
10
brked all night on the 9th enlarging
|r gun pit. Our kitchens moved up
10 Mandres today, and we slept in
gouts for sometime.
On the 18th we were shelled again
d laughable thing occurred. There
re four mule drivers on the road
Int over our dugout; a shell. came
and lit right in trent of our COM
Ind post, or "P c." as we call it.,
d the fellows rolled down over our
gout roof and fell in front of our
pr. We thought some one was
Funded at first, SO We went out, but
len we asked them what the matter
is they asked, Where in h did we
ht?"
On the 18th of September at one
lock the first gun was fired, which
ls surprise to us, as we did not
(pect to start until just at the break
day. The reason was, that we, or
|ther the engineers did not get the
re cut. 1t was raining again as usu-
which made our pleasant work
ore pleasant. was serving the piece
No. cleaning the mud from
lells. greasing them and putting
lem on the tray ready to be bussed
hd rammed home. We fired from one
htil nearly four o'clock without a
ause. One could hear nothing except
be roar Of the cannons in our ears.
II o'clock we had dinner of rice,
Offee, bread and small steak.
Our next meal was two days later
nd no sleep. Between one and eleven
Fe fired All rounds with our first
wo thousand years of each other, of
ne hawser type, not speaking of long
'ange rifles and railroad guns or
rtillery. Our first prisoners began to
ome in at nine o'clock. We left this
position for one further up. At three
'clock we got up on the road, but
hade no progress as the roads were
blocked with ammunition trains or
trucks, which were sure in hurry
70 get to their forward destination on
lime. We arrived in Bosmont only a
kilometer away at Z o'clock. that was
lve hours going one kilometer We
hen looked for a place to get out of
he rain, after we had watched the
battery ahead of us until we were
pred Of it. 1t certainly was sight.
The Huns had set fire to all the vii
Pages as they retreated. The battery
was on the road but not moving. We
were supposed to stand by, but had
pad no sleep so we went into a little
cubbie-hole. Four or five of us made
p fire, which nearly smoked us out,
put we lay down ON the ground and
did not get so much of it. We slept for
SIX hours. Then the column began to
move so we went out and caught up
with our outfit, which had moved an
Eother kilometer. We did not stay with
our outfit but went on into Bosmont
FIRST, | must tell you of the tren-
ches, as we came to them, there were
no dead. Just outside of Bosmont the
Dutch treanches were built of cement
with good dugouts and electric lights.
Our trenches were in very poor shape
on account of being in swamp and
/ so wet and muddy.
When we got into Bosmont the first
thing we though of was eating. I look
ed around and found dough boys
\ pack. one that had been left by a
n wounded infantrvman II c0nfainad a