The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-02-20

patched to Camp Meade, Nd, where
they were in training until July when
they were sent overseas, making the
trip on the famous Vaterland. The
boat was unacc0mpanied by convoy
or other vessels until they reached the
submarine zone. They were billeted
to a small village in France and after
a period of training here they we're
sent to the front northwest of Ver-
dun just after the big St. Mihiel
drive. For five days they would be in
the front line trenches and then sent
to the rear to recuperate. On Septem-
Der rs the grand barrage which reach
ed from the coast of Belgium to the
Switzerland frontier started and last
ed for "a hours. In their sector there
were 2700 guns of all calibars massed
within a space of three-quarters of a
mile. He said the sight that night was
terrifying. At five o'clock the next
morning they crawled out Of their dug
outs and with instruments, coils of
wire, storage batteries and ground
wireless apparatus were waiting the
word to ego over" when along came
a "whiz-bang" or shrapnel shell and
laid eight of the bunch out. At first
when he recovered consciousness he
thought he had lost both legs but he
Strengthened out and was overjoyed to
find the members still attached to his
body. But an ugly wound through the
f1eshy part of his back where two
pieces of shrapnel had plowed their
way through, just grazing the lower
portion of the spine gave him some
trouble as we'll as did a shrapnel slug
in his ankle, but with the assistance of
some of the Others who were able to
get about they picked up the rest of
the boys and gave them first aid. None
of the boys were killed but some were
badly injured. The major, whose name
was Langley, pushed on, however, and
their corporal, boy named Ferjstad
from South Dakota, with the three re-
naming men in the battalion follow
ed the major. The major fell shortly
after leaving the trench but he later
heard that all the REMAINING boys got
through safely. Their company com
prised 280 men and at last reports
they had lost but four men. Captain
Howard, who, in private life, is con.
nected with the famous watch COM
pany in the States, was their cap.
tain. General Kuhn was the general
in charge of their division-the 10th
They were attached to the 313th In.
fantry which was cited upon several
occasions. The Field Signal corps
used code exclusively when at the
! front. The code is changed often. Al
officers positions and organizations
are referred to by code in their com
munications. He said that telephone:
were used almost exclusively. He
stated that the Germans as we'll as
themselves carried amplifieri. con
trivance which enabled them to detect
the least sound. They always usec
their wireless when at an extremity
He mentions with pleasure the fact
| that he was standing near the high
! way one day as General Pershing rode
by and as he saluted the General re-
turned the salute gracefully.
Private Falconer speaks in the
highest terms Of the splendid work OF
the Red Cross, the Salvation Army anc
/ K. Of C.'s, but has a great dislike fol-
/ the Y. M. c. A., and is not bit back
ward in his criticism of that war or
ganization. He has only the best tt
/ say regarding his treatment by Uncle
| Sam and says that he received his
1. pay regularly, but says that the cocky
/ young Shears & Sawbuck officers thai
j order the boys around at the canton
ments upon their arrival in America
certainly CRATES on the nerves of {
soldier who has been over among rea
/ officers. He says that he presumes
he would still be at Camp Dod~e hat
it not been for the arrival there of {
/ regular army officer who Immediately
took steps to see that the boys were
4 discharged and allowed to return tt
their homes.