Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-03-13

again that evening after our third bat
talon had relieved us and occupied
the position taken. For the next few
days we we're in the edge af Than
court Woods southwest Of Berey. Our
battalion occupied the lines two differ
ent times before we were relieved
the first week in October by the 37th
Division. When relieved in October
we were moved over into the Argonne
sector where our division vas in re-
serve for a few days. Then some of
u units took the lines relieving the
32d Division. We occupied the sector
between Verdun and Vourziers to the
right of the Argonne Forest. On De-
tober 31st we took over the front lines
preparatory to going over the top
next morning as storm troops. The
big artillery preparations began at
$3.50. At $3.50 we started forward,
keeping close on the tail of the bar
rage which then began to creep for
ward. The machine gun nests were
present and made some resistance I'M
til their operators saw it was hope
less. They would then come franti-
cally from their holes with hands in
air, and be directed to the rear, many
of them in their fear of the 'Barbaous
Americans continuing to hold up their
hands after they had passed the first
line. Most of them seemed immense
ly relieved to find themselves permit
ted to live. We used quite a number
Of them as litter bearers, and some
even helped at First Aid Work, at
which they showed themselves deft
and efficient. In order to take u
objective the First Battalion had to
take Removable, where a number of
machine gun nests had to be cleaned
out. We had most of our casualties
in the Wood beyond the village, which
position the enemy shelled more or
less for the next day or two, until the
units that went on beyond US pushed
the Bosche out of range. On the
night of the 10th we moved forward to
a position near the Mouse River about
Z kilometers below Stenay. We were
10 cross the river just beyond which
was the front line on the morning of
the 18th, and leap-frog the 356th In
fantry, which went over the top that
morning. Company Aand n platoon
OF B did in fact get over before hostil-
tiles ceased. The rest of us were still
on the west side and staid On a hill
there till the morning of the 18th"
Private J. E. Calvert, Go. @, Sd M.
G. Battalion, 1st Division, writes from
Gerod, Germany, Oh February 9: II
do not do very much now but eat and
sleep, but that isn't saying that l am
the very best satisfied. For the fight
ing is yer now and it seems as If it
were a waste of time to stay longer.
We did heavy fighting in the Argonne.
Were there twice. There is not a
harder fighting Division than the
1st. The first trip we we're there Is
days and were in our hardest battle
and we only drove the Hun about i've
or six miles. The advance through
the wood was a foot at q time, for the
Hun was prepared for us. We were
relieved and got more men and went
back again from October 18th to No
vember 18th. That place and Sois-
sons, st. Mihiel and Cantigny I'll long
remember. Brother and Sister Riggs
have my greatest sympathy in the
death of Russell, as we'll as the par
ents of the boys over there who fell
at my side and who had become my
friends. Some fell SO close that / was
covered with blood and small pie ces
of flesh, which l wiped from my
clothes, when they were struck by the
large shells. Why should / not be
one of the most thankful persons alive
to-day to know that | am still in ex'
istence and well and healthy? | weigh
at least 1870 lbs. and am gaining every
day. You would hardly know me
l received the fountain pen you sen
me, but have not received the Christ
mas package yet"
Hartford Collins while on furlougl
in Ironton told us many interesting
experiences of his long stay at Funs
ton. Hartford belonged to the 356tl
Infantry. Last spring he had a spell
of pneumonia from which he barrel!
recovered. and when he did get out i
was too late to 60 over with the S9tl
Division. So he staid on at Funston
and was made a sergeant in another
Division and helped to train the mer
who we're sent in the draft. Just al
l that division was ready to start TO
EuEOD0 Lu0 dFuIISLlCO Wdo 0lSuOus al
are now discharged except the regu'
lar army men. Hartford nov has
position as information clerk at thu
Statler Hotel in st. Louis.
Lawrence r. Aldridge, who is ir
! Ward @, Base Hospital, at Camp
/ Grant, Ills, is at home OIL a furlough
Just a year ago he left for Camp, ant
, this is his first furlough. He was frs
put in medical corps at Fort Riley
!, and then transferred to Camp Gran
ever since. He speaks of his work il
!, a bright cheerful manner, notwith'
standing the fact that he had hoped tt
be put in artillery at Camp Funston
| and go over with the S9th Division
The best soldier is the one who doe
/ his best, without grumbling, in what
ever place he is assigned. Lawrence
is now in the Isolation Ward, wher'
they have cases of Diphtheria, Spina
/. M~aninoitin Chiokan Pox. etc. He saw