The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-21
Harry c. Meade
Writes Parents

INIT, OF which | am a member, had
been dt Hervilla, France, about al
week when we were first told that
we would soon have chance to get
into action against the Huns, Ev-
cry one was real glad that the big
show would soon open.
On the 2sth Of September we were
called together by our Captain and
told Of the attack that would take
place on tomorrow morning against
the famous Hindenburg Line. He
also outlined, as well as he could,
just how the company would go into
action.
There was no sleep for us that
night, for we had packs to get ready
guns to go over and beaucoup letters
to write home. Besides we were to
start up to the front at midnight, 50
we stacked arms and piled our packs
around the stacks, so that no man
would have any trouble in finding the
right pack once we were ready to
start. For all of this had to be done
in the dark, as the German airmen
had habit Of coming over every
night, and if they saw light they
usually caused that particular light
to be put out tuts-sweet by dropping
few bombs close around.
About ten o'clock, whistles began
sounding a warning that Jerry" was
on his way over, and the anti-air-
craft guns began throwing barrage
around him, helped out by numerous
Lewis automatic rifles in the sur
rounding country But in spite Of
all the disturbance they were raising
over him, he sailed on over. The
big searchlights around also picked
him up, so as to make better target
Of him, but in spite Of all the atten,
ton accorded him, he started un-
loading bombs around our regiment
al headquarters. This had been GO
ing on for few minutes, when one
of our aviators, who happened along
about that time, suddenly dropped
down upon our visitor from high up
in the air, and promptly began "pep-
pering him from above; and as this
was not on his program, he suddenly
left that section of the country for
parts unknown, followed by our an
ti-aircraft shells, machine gun bull
lets and wishes from all left behind
which wouldn't have helped his
thoughts had he known what they
were, Eo@
AT II o'clock, we had some hot
coffee and a little later, swung on our
packs and started for the front. Each
section moved Off followed by the
limbers that contained that sections
fighting equipment There was q
space of twenty-five or thirty yards
interval between each section, so that
if shell did hit in a section, only
few casualties would be the result.
We had gone along for some timt
in this manner, before Jerry" begar
to toss over long range high explosiv
es that threw pig iron all around us
causing more or less excitement
among both horses and men, but not
causing the casualties he had hoped
for.
About 3 o'clock, a. M, we arrived
in little valley, where we unloaded
our limbers and sent them to the rear
and settled down for a little rest be
fore going up to the Jumping of
point" In this valley, lined up along
the hill, out of "Jerry's" shell fire
were long string of heavy tanks
that a little later on, would help u
in our attack, and they sure looked
good to us, Jerry" hasn't any low
to spare for the Doughboy's friend
the tank.
We stayed at this point for somc
little time, and then the order came
for US to move up to the starting
point. When we arrived there, We
found the jumping off place" was OF
top Of high hill, overlooking-wc
knew not what-but down the slope
a little ways in front Of us was oul
artillery lined up ready to open uE
with the barrage when the time came
At exactly $3.50, a. M, by my time
our artillery opened up as one gun in.
stead of several hundred, and thu
flashes from them formed one con
tinuous chain of fire as far as the
eye could reach. 1t was the pref
test sight | ever saw. The sun had
by this time begun to light up the
the tops of the highest hills, but dowr
in the valley, where the st. Quentin
canal lays, that forms the linden,
burg line at this point, it was still
as dark as night. But this was
mostly due to the smoke barrage put
up by our artillery, and the fog Of the
canal. Jerry also opened up
barrage Of his own about this time
and he promptly began throwing pig