The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-02

signed TO the one battalion The bal
ance of the men were sent out on the
field to do first aid work. but only the
dressing, as we had non-medical men as
signed for stretcher-bearers. OF course
where | was we were out of range of
machine gun and rifle fire, but not ar
tillery by far, and such artillery fire!
Thousands of shells being fired; bar
RACES which lasted for hours at time.
But the American soldier never fall
tered. In eight days we drove the Ger
mans 90 kilometers and when my regi-
ment was relieved one battalion had
reached one edge of Fismes and the
Germans were on the other side. Here
we worked sometimes 36 and 4S hours
when you could. However, that was all
to be expected. We had more close
calls here, of course.
One being amusing, | will tell you
about it. The regiment was ordered to
| make an attack at a certain hour. 1t
I was in hard position, so we were or
dered to establish first aid station
in the lines the troops were then hold
ing. SO doctor, a couple of stretcher-
| bearers, another medical man and
started out We got within short
distance of our line, where we had to
cross wide open field TO reach our
own troops, who were laying in a small
strip of woods. This open space was
in clear view of the German lines and
knew was watched by snipers, and
/ told the rest of them so. In fact / sug
gested taking different route, but foi
some reasons which made them think
it safe they decided to cross. / thought
that perhaps after all the Germans be
ing able to see with glasses that We
were Red Cross men would not fire on
u.s. l was giving them credit for thai
up to about 80 yards away from The
woods when zing-put rifle bullet
struck the ground not 10 feet away
/ yelled snipers, which so excited thu
rest and which so amused me to SET
them drop and begin crawling toward
the woods that had TO laugh right out
They thought | was crazy, but it sur,
looked funny / did not drop, but go
to the woods in record time, be assured
lof that.
You already know how successful w
were We got all kinds of prisoner
and all through the woods and out il
the fields lay dead Germans. Some ter
rible sights, but you get used to them
Well, after we were relieved we wen
back a piece to the rear where we ha'
chance to get cleaned up and reste'
a bit. But even here we were not al
lowed to rest in peace, for nearly ever.
night the Huns were flying over us an
dropping their bombs. l don t know o
anything that worried ME, more than a
air raid at night, for you can hear ther
overhead, but can t see them and tn
explosion from an air bomb is terrific
/ figured the best place was outside, S
dug a hole for myself away out in tn
middle of field and slept there ever
night while at that place.
Finally word came again to move, st
as on previous occasions, we were load
ed on motor trucks and taken to a neJ
sector 1t S a great sight to sec a trai
of motor trucks-commonly called lol
ries Nearer the lines trucks were use
[ to transport men when the distance wa
, too great TO hike aud not long enoug
for trains. Well, this time we wer
headed for the SCISSORS front and tn
, lexact location of our. sector was Ju'
, giny. and we took it,, too, by the wa,
t At this place much happened which
: will always remember. but it will r,