Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-05-07
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still nights the rumble of the guns
was sometimes heard. The winter
was cold, but did not compare in Sc
verify with our Maine winters. At
times there were eight inches Of
snow, and occasionally the thermo-
meter registered twenty degrees be-
low zero. The regiment received its
training from the 163rd French Regi-
ment, also quartered in the town.
resting. and being recruited for the
ceived in the use of the bayonet,
grenade, automatic rifle, gas and fire
bomb. Practice was also had in the
French formations. The regiment
remained in Liffold lie Grande until
February, 1918. The boys look upon
this village as their home in France,
and their relations with the villagers
were SO pleasant that these villagers
asked that the boys be returned to
them, an unusual occurrence.
During February and March, 1915
the regiment was brigaded between
two French regiments on the wester-
ly end of the Chemin de Danes. in
J the vicinity Of Pion Wood, Allen
ant, and the Athletic Canal. Just at
that time, the sector was a quiet one.
The 103d in taking up it's new posi-
ton on this sector passed through
Scissor, on February Sth, and
marched about eight miles to a point
some three miles behind the battle
front. Here they took up quarters in
an immense cave, or chalk quarry,
forty feet underground, capable of
holding with ease the entire regiment.
The line between the Allies and the
Germans was here marked by the
Athletic Canal, space of perhaps one
hundred and fifty yarcs separating
the two armies. The work of the d.
strengthening the barbed wire en-
tanglements and Of digging trenches
farther back to be used if necessity
required. Much of this work was
done under artillery fire. Spaulding,
of H Company. and Hunt, of Head
quarters Co. were here killed by she'll
fire. Trouble was also experienced
from gas. Each battalion made up
Of four companies, would hold the
front trench for sixteen days. four
days to a company. The Augusta
company, being guaranteed for a
time, because of scarlet-fever, mea-
sles. and mumps, had but little Of
this front line work. Under the tute-
lage Of the French the boys resisted
enemy raids, executed raids of their
own. captured prisoners, and lost
very few men.
While the infantry were receiving
this instruction. the artillerymen
were learning to handle tia French
rs guns. One night, wfen an Allied
raid was to be made for the purpose
of taking prisoners, the French al
lowed their American scholars to lay
the barrage. The French 10 is ca
pable Of firing about six shots a min
ute without, heating the gun. When
the word was given for the barrage,
the Americans. in their zeal to give
the Boche hell. fired some twenty
three shots minute. in spite of the
agonized Non. non mons" Of the ex-
cited Frenchmen. AS a result of this
usage. some four batteries. number
ing sixteen guns. were put out of
commission, and had to be sent back
for repairs. A German officer, cap
tured during this raid, asked, as a
last favor. before being sent to the
rear, to see the new automatic 10
that the French had been using
against them in laying the barrage
About the 10Th or Goth of March,
word suddenly arrived for the regi-
ment to hike out. as they supposed
for rest area. Before they had all
left the vicinity. the big German drive
on the Chemin de Danes was under
way. and had this regiment remained,
it would in all probability have been
annihilated as were the French by the
German horde which overran and
took this powerful defense system.
AS it was, companies E. F. G and H,
comprising the Skowhegan. Dover
Foxcroft, Bangor and Waterville
boys were harried by hostile avia-
tors. The station at which they were
to entrain was destroyed by aircraft
bombs. and the crew refused for a
time to operate the train. The sec
ond battalion and Headquarters
Company were subjected to terrific
shellfire. and escaped casualties valy
by the greatest Of good fortune.
BY rail the regiment was again
carried to the southeastern part of
France. and detrained at Bar sur
Aube. From this place they hiked
for five days across country to their
original training village. Liffol lie
Grande. Here they expected to re-
main for training purposes, to put
into practice what they had learned
from the French in the Chemin de-
Danes area. Such was not the case,
however. for the regiment, after
six days rest, was marched easterly,
and took up positions in reserve in
the Toul sector. south Of st. Mihiel,
In the vicinity Of st. Agmont, Apre-
"sent. and Seichprey. The first all
DAY battle between German and