The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1919-05-15
Facts and Tales Of the War.
(Article Fifteen)
by TOM RHEA PHILLIPS

i (Artlcle flfteen)
by TOM RHEA PHILLIPS
! A continuation of the expert
ences of Ralph Vernal Morris
as told by him.
! Such a feeling Of uncertainty
such anxiety and suspense, as we
waited breathlessly, waiting for
the command to go! We took with
us all we needed and yet a very
light load. The trenches were
| from a few yards to quarter of
a mile apart. We crept over the
intervening space unobserved
and plunged into the enemy
trenches, which we had gained by
a complete surprise. Now you may
be sure that we made it
warm for Jerry! After
a little fierce fighting those who
could not reach a communicating
trench and retreat, were crying
"Kamrad," "Kamrad. Some of
them we "Kamraded" and some
we didn't. The fellows stuck to
it we'll, when we consider that it
was our first hand-to-hand scarp.
Then we began to consolidate our
gains, and to push forward to-
ward our objective, little village
Propele, about a. mile from our
front lines. The Germans beat a
consistent retreat, and covered
their retreat with machine gun
fire. We carried our aim, and
captured the village, which we
! began at once to fortify. We add
ed to the German trench system.
In the advance we lost some fine
fellows, but we didn't have time
to stop and grieve, but said in our
minds that Sherman was right in
what he said about war. We
captured fifty Germans, and num-
bers of guns and pack mules.
| AS soon as we had taken the
village the Germans began a ter
rible artillery barrage, in the
hope that we would be driven
out, but they had no such good
fortune. There were no civilians
in the village, which was net
work of trenches, and the whole
area covered with she'll holes and
debris Of fallen buildings. The
village was literally shot to piec-
es. The odor was terrible At great
risk to ourselves, we had to bury
the dead whose bodies were
strewn about. The barrage last
ed for twenty-four hours, during
which time we were completely
cut off from communication with
our men. We used the reserve
rations which we found on the
bodies of our dead men. When
ever we started to dig a commune
eating trench, an alrship would
come over, drop bomb, and
harass our work, hence we were
able to make little progress. Fin
ally, though, the trench started
from the men at our rear, was
dug on until it met the one that
we were attempting to make. AS
the men dug the trench they had
to comoufage the landscape in or
der to ward off air attacks. Green
| branches were sometimes useG5
but more often, woven net wire of
fine mesh, with green moss or
MOSES of green strings tied in it
was stretched over the trench as
it was dug, and succeeded in de-
lceiving the watchful eye of the
hostile airmen.
Within something like a week,
during which time we had well
consolidated our gains, we were
relieved by the 92nd Division, the
| forces taking our places being
negroes. This too, was their first
visit to the front. The very first
night they were there the Ger
mans drove them out, and we had
to re capture the village for them.
/ Now, we left this area, and
liked at night and rested during
the day, for some five or six days,
and came to the rest camp at
Epinol. Here we stayed two
weeks. We drew new clothing and
equipment and turned in our
overcoats and part Of our blank
cts, to thus Tighten our load.
At the expiration Of the two
weeks we all took trucks to Luna
Vile, from whence we liked at
/ night up to the front trenches. 1t
took us three or four days. Our
trenches were in the st. Mihiel
| sector. We were to be ready for
an attack on the Germans at any
time. At one o'clock A. M. the
Americans began to put over a
heavy artillery barrage to discon-