The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1919-01-31
WEST VIRGINIA BOY
WRITES FROM FRANCE

Mrs ]. NJ. Rowe of Fort Gay, w
Va. received the following from her
son. Dee Rowe:
! .. Aisy, France, Dec. 15. 1918.
Some experience of the 315th F. A.
lj5th h. A., Brigade. or the Fighting
S0th Division.
We. the 315th r. A, arrived in
! France Sunday. June 8. 1918. at Bor-
deauX. After five-day rest we en-
trained for Rodon arriving there "a
hours later. From there a part of
our men were sent to different parts
of France to gather up horses FOR
our regiment and brigade.
After getting our horses, we left
RoGon Arrived in Camp Meucon
after very hard four days hike In
Camp Meucon we all received our
and on Sept 10th, left there for some
actual experience with the Boche. We
arrived at Seully on the western front
near Verdun on Sept. 10th.
We placed our guns in our first
firing position at Le-Mort- Hommes,
which in English is Dead Mans Hill
There we had our first experience
with the Huns. About 300 a. m. on
Sept. Goth. our great barrage began.
After quite a number of hours hard
fighting we gained Dead Mans Hill,
with Hill PSI and also the greatest
observation post in France. located at
Montfaucon This is where the Ger
man Crown Prince watched the
slaughter OF his own men about two
years ago in the battle OF VerGun,
which was fought on Dead Mans Hill.
From there we advanced about six
miles taking our second position in
or near the town of Bethencort. Our
fighting S0th Division could not be
contented and again they advanced.
From there we captured and placed
our guns near Nantiles, known here
as Gas Hollow, In this position was
our first casualties. The roads and
fields were strewn with dead men.
Shells were bursting around us. but
we still advanced taking our next
artillery position in Montfaucon.
After two weeks hard fighting we
again advanced through a forest of
woods under hevay shell fire to
'Cierges. There our fighting S0th
Division infantry was relieved for re-
placement, We the artillery were
-
The boys that relieved our fighting
SOth for some reason cid not show the
spirit that our infantry boys did. We
certainly thought at that time that we
were going to have to occupy the
front line trenches ourselves to save
our big guns. Times were so critical
that if our S0th division engineers had
not come to our rescue we would have
been out of luck. With our engineers
we held this position until Rainbow
division arrived. From there we ad-
vanced capturing the town of Ro-'l
magne. At this place we had the
saddest experience of our lives; but
we not only held this position, but
advanced.
On Nov 1st, we gave the Germans
a second great barrage. This was
one of the greatest, hardest, bloodiest
battles fought in France. We the
3l5th. We're at this time attached to
the goth Division infantry. At this
position our artillery came in close
contact, the enemy making counter
attack and we were compelled to get
our small arms, rocks, bayonets or
the most convenient thing TO fight
with, and help the 9Oth drive the |
enemy back.
This 90th Division infantry does not |
know the word retreat" If ever man
held a position being greatly outnum
bered these infantry boys did. Our
lighting S0th Division infantry which |
was back for replacement, again ar
lived fresh and full of grit, and with |
hem on our left we again advanced. |
With our heavy barrage on Nov. 1st. |
we captured the noted Argonne For |
,st section, known to be the bloodiest, |
hardest sector on the entire front. We /
captured at this time thousands of |
prisoners, and guns of every descrip- |
ion. From this position we contin- |
Ially advanced only being stopped at |
wo particular points, and that for |
,nly very short period of time-one |
near Bauthevile. and the other | can
lot recall at present.
On Nov. 10th we crossed the Meuse
River, at the town OF Sassy, we being |
he first artillery brigade to cross the
Neuse. We went into position near
At II: 90 a. m. the following
lay we received our orders to cease
iring. The entire l55th Brigade was
n Verdun. Argonne offensive, from
Sept. goth to Nov. nth inclusive, and
It no time, cay or night, were our guns
die
We will explain our personal exper-
ence when we return to the United
States
uTCKCVHTE