American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-03-21

sonal stuff in them, were left behind
and damn the systeml) thrown into
the salvage pile.
Everything gone; all we own is
what we have on our backs. I lost a
bunch of stuff, two pairs of new shoes,
extra suit Of clothes, all hat knitted
stuff, including that peach Of a sweat
err that kept me warm last winter, a
dozen pair of socks, my housewife"
leather leggings. all kinds of stuff
gone. Everybody, including officers,
lost their clothes. It sure made us
sore.
Well, we rode all hat afternoon
and well into the evening over ground
that the Boches had owned not so very
long before. Camped that night near
the big Boys" Every little while
the sky would be lighted up and we
would almost be deafened as they
started them over.
Slept the best we could hat night
and made camp there the next day,
dug small doughouts, etc. The day
after that | had to go up to the front
line with a reconnaissance party. l
got my baptism of shell-fire there. We
got way up, ahead of the artillery, In
some woods, and the Huns started
Smelling the woods. l wasn't exactly
scared, but l was sure interested in
the route to the rear, and my strength
seemed all to leave my knees and go
to my feet.
Anyhow, my knees shook, and a
half can of corned beef Owe eaten
two at a time myself and o half
box of hard tack (same thing goes
here), did for supper for ten officers
and six enlisted men, so you see we
all kind of lost our interest in ordi-
nary things. Slept that night in a big,
good-looking dugout, fortunately with
out any gas to disturb us. Came back
the next morning with a lame horse
and much experience.
We moved up nearer the line the
next night, when we could see occas-
ional air fights and endless transport
trains carrying everything imagin-
able to the front. Saw lots of new
graves, dead horses, and cast-off equip
ment, both Boche and American. Had
u pretty uncomfortable time of 1t, as
It started raining, and chow was
scarce at times. However, we made
out.
~ 1OhBiN VI 20 A'N@h Wv ~
In" What | mean is that we did
move In, too. All the way In, where
the little fellows and the big fellows
and all the intermediate-size fellows
play their hell chorus day and night
About the ensuing time | can't tell
you, mother-that is, ] can't tell you
much. Sherman was right. I've seen
hell. | personally got out of IL all
| wl0hN nIshA hnran Iyfu % In from
OF my dugout, was all torn to pieces
and a shell fragment went through
the shoulder and collar of my over
coat while | had II on. II was sure a
narrow escape. I've seen lots OF
sights, tragic and some humorous.
Forget the tragic ones, we have to
and some of the funny ones might
change I o tragedy very quickly. For
instance, one of the most humorous
things Is the beautiful disregard a
man has for when or how he lands
when he Is lodging shell-fragments
You will see a man running across a
field full tilt. Suddenly he will hear q
shell coming and he will just lift his
feet off the ground and land. II there
Is an old shell-hole near he dives In
H. being a matter of no interest
whether the hole Is empty or whether
water, tin ANS, or and kind of rub
hish has n previous claim. He just
goes in. Same thing with dugouts
You hear one coming and you dive
for the nearest one no difference
whether It is already occupied or not
You go in and tell them about II af'
terward.
Everybody works like the dickens
l think | average about eighteen hours
a day, doing all kinds of work and
sleeping with everything on.