The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-05-08

A war record several feet long Is
that Of Private Elmer M. Marsh
Chickasha boy, veteran of the fights
in the Alsace-Lorraine sectors, at
st. Mihiel, at Scissors, on the
somme front and in the Argonne
forests. Marsh was injured in the
scissors and Argonne forest onsets,
but after spending several weeks in
American hospitals in France, has
returned to Chickasha and is ready
TO take up his post in civil life.
Entrench at Alsac.
1T was a glad corps of soldiers
that left the training area al Con
drecourt to occupy the trenches in
the silent area at Alsac, a city of
100000 and the capital of the dis
trict Of the same name,' said Pri-
yate Marsh yesterday afternoon.
This city is in sight of the city of
straussburg, Germany, which city
was protected by some of the most
efficient troops in the German
army.
The first American casualties in
the war just won by the allied ma
tons, were inflicted in the Alsace
sector November 5, when company
F, of the 10th Infantry, suffered a
loss Of II captured and killed in |
action in a German raid" Private
Marsh said. Germans opened their
barrage at o'clock in the morn
ing, and continued for fifty min
utes, during which time the Ameri- |
can trenches and wire entangle
ments were destroyed Marsh de.
clared, speaking of his first taste
of warfare. Two hundred and fifty
Germans entered the American
trenches, for which they paid
heavy loss from the fire of American
guns and from hand grenades.
Our company was five hundred
yards from the section being raided,
but all actions could be plainly seen
by illumination from the fire of the
guns This was the only active
fighting during the time the First
division was stationed in the AL
SAGE sector, although Germand and
American patrols from this location
had several mix-ups in No Mans
Land"
First Yankee Raid.
THE first raid executed by the
Americans in the European conflict,
was by the third battalion Of the
10th Inantry, first division" declared
Private Marsh Artillery remained
in action for one hour and forty-five
minutes. during which time the
Americans entered the German
trenches, dealt them a small casu-
atty list, and captured many pris
oners" j
1T was on the 26th of April when
we entrenched on the Somme front.
Here we Witnessed continuous artil-
lery fire for ninety days. On May
2S the Americans went over the top
and captured the city of Cantigny.
The barrage opened at 4:5O
a. M. and at 5:15 "over the top sig
nal was given. At 10 o'clock we had
gained all detectives and had Gd-
vaneed one mile en- a two-mile front,
simultaneously, capturing a large
Of prisoners.
Resistance during this advance
was not very stubborn. hut after we
had gained the numbers of objec-
tives, the Huns made every attempt
to recapture the lost ground, but all (
was in vain, as the doughboys with s
stood seven counter-attacks.
Rest Near Paris.
After being relieved on the {
somme front, July sth, we were sent |
to a rest camp 20 kilometers O5i t
niles), from Paris Pursuant TO ord l
ars from General Pershing, we left
he rest camp and arrived in the
scissor sector on the night OF July
i6, making camp just two miles from