The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-01


enough I'll try to pound out my ex-
periences at the near front. The part
played in winning the war by the
American tankers was so small, and
that played by the doughboys and
artillery SO great, I'm ashamed to jot
it down. However. it was the fault
of Father Tins and the Rhineward-
bound Huns,-not ours.
THE only American tankerS to see
action was one brigade which came
over early in the summer and fought
with the English and some units
summer arrivals and hammered into
shape. None of those who trained
during the summer got into action.
In fact, excepting the 331st. 345th bat
talions and the 316th repair and salv-
age tankers, none of the Gettysburg
gang ever reached the war zone with
in earshot and eyesight of the bar
rage. = The entire tank corps is to-
gethef again at the tank center at
Bourg, about five miles from Langres,
and some of the battalions start home
next week.
Put on Machine Gun.
81 was fortunate to be member of
the 331st battalion, which with the
345th and the 316th r. and S. COM
pany, left Bourg on November for
Varennes, a little town near Verdun,
on the edge of the Argonne wood.
I say fortunate now. 1 said unfor-
parture they yanked me out of a warm
office and told me to go out and learn
to shoot a machine gun.
"a bunch of US who hadn't had
any tank training and knew about
as much about a gas engine as fish
about a desert, were told they make
runners out of US. I felt such a state
ment regarding my status under fire
was useless-Pd be one anyway. A
runner. speaking in tank terms. is
one who carries messages from head
quarters in the rear to the tanks in
action in the front, and that's way
in the front. the tanks preceding the
infantry. as you probably know. That,
no doubt, sounded fine to those of us
with suicidal tendencies. I felt that
if they really wanted any speed from
me it would be wise to put me in a
tank with the commander and let me
carry messages from the front to the
rear.
Varennes Was in Ashes.
1--WE started for Varennes and it
took us two days and nights to reach
the place. We travelled only at night.
The town, famous in history because
one of the French kings, who ran
away with another mans wife, or
something. was captured there, was
literally shot to pieces There WASH
single house left standing.
Fritz was about twenty-five or
thirty miles ahead of US. The first
day we could see observation balloons
and hear firing distinctly. especially
at night and in the early morning
Also. at night the barrage was dis
cernible. Each day we could hear
and see less of it as Fritz hurried
homeward.
THE roads thru Varennes were
lined day and night with ammunition
trucks, food trucks. artillery trains
and doughboys. The line seemed
never ending Rumors of cease tlr-
ing were current every hour. The
first real sign of the condition OF
things came one night-the night
negotiations opened-when the trucks
burned dimmed lights for the first
time. The night of the signing OF
the armistice I'll never forget. Every
man felt dirty bound to shoot his rifle
or revolver Sky rockets. or observa-
ticn rockets. lighted thu skies Tor
miles behind the lines.
Hun Dugouts Luxurious
1.-THE dusout and trenches and
barbed wire entanglements and shell
holes and hand grenades (potatc
| mashers) have been described by ex-
perts who drew hundred of dollars fol
their efforts. I'll just say that thers