The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-02-07

On the 9th we went into formation
and in the afternoon we went over
the hill and hit the Boche without any
artillery support. All we encountered
was machine guns and snipers and we
advanced steadily until night and then
dug in. Dug in facing small town
but didn't enter l thot our position
could have been improved and held
but under cover of darkness we with
drew to our original position of the
afternoon.
Early the next morning we hit them
again but this time with the help of
the artillery and we went on thru the
town. Didn't lose so very many men
this time. Shippers gave US the most
trouble. At one time | had four men
cut trying to locate one sniper and
each of them | started out at different
times.
On the 29th-Sunday I have found
out since-we found ourselves all lined
Gesnes. We took it all right but the
91st had pushed so far forward that
we were subjected to flank fire from
the Bosche and he sure proceeded to
give US a hell of Smelling. Most of
it from the flanks, too, and the ground
was so cut up with shell holes that
it didn't look like there was room for
another one. They mixed in lot of
gas, too, but the boys went thru it
like it was so much rain. After we
got under, or rather over, the last hill,
we didn't lose any more because all the
machine gun bullets were going high
and the shells to the rear.
We were relieved at this time and
went into support. Dug in near a
wood and then we proceeded to get
another hell of Smelling because we
were just far enough in the rear to
eat all the shells. This lasted for
three days when the order came out
relieving the DIST. have a copy of
that order and will enclose a copy of
it with this letter. Everybody was
happy but so tired and exhausted that
we could hardly navigate and our hike
to the rear was slow. This didn't last
long, either because out came an or
der which ordered the 181st brigade
of our division of which we are part,
back into the lines to help out the first
division. Well, we liked all night and
morning found us facing the Boche
again and in the front line again,
too.
We stayed five days this time but
all the fighting was local because the
Boche was retreating and he was US
ing a rear guard guard or delaying
action. Machine guns and snipers
were his main weapons with assist
ance from artillery. We were finally
relieved again and received much
credit from the commander of the first
division. Will also send you a copy of
this letter After this we hiked about
fifty kilometers to the rear. Thought
we would go into rest billets but no
such luck. We were loaded on trains
and when we arrived at our destina-
ton we were in Belgium and on the
Flanders sector.
We hiked thru the place where the
Canadians first lost so many men by
gas and also where the "Princess
Pats" were wiped out. Then on thru
the city of Ypres, which by the way
will have to be entirely rebuilt because
it looks like a cyclone had hit it. We
passed places where there should have
been towns but one would never know
it because there was nothing left, not
even a brick.
All the trenches were mashed in by
the bombardment, but this didn't sig
Nifty much because they were all built
above the ground. If thy had been
dug into the ground they would have
been full of water. All the shell holes
Immediately filled up with water and
the mud was a fright.
We went into shelter tent camp just
outside the town of De Reuter-, which
is only couple of kilos from Roulers.
The Belgians were beginning to re-
turn to their homes and it was a sor-
rowful homecoming. We had lots of
turnips to eat because the Boche had
occupied the territory for four years
and he surely planted turnips enough.
They seemed good, tho, after eating
hard tack and corned beef for month
and a half.
A week later was ordered to re-
port at this place as candidate to the
Infantry Candidates school. Have
been here since the first of November
and am unable to say how much Ion
ger I will be here. In my previous
letter you will recall that I "put in"
to go back to my outfit. Well, I didn't
get to go and yesterday they made
another call and I "put in" again.
The lieutenant called me to the or
derby room this morning and made me
account for it.