The sun., 1919-03-16
CHAPTER TX.
PUSHING THROUGH.

night OF June when Sibley
went through Belleau Wood and Rob-
ertson walked into Bouresches, but
there still remained much to be done.
We held the town and the lower edge
of the wood. but 1t was at best but q
precarious foothold. The enemy re-
manned In force to the north of the
town, his machine guns were still thick
IN the greater part Of the wood, and
his big guns still Numbered from back
of Torcy. He was daunted by our first
rush. but he came back. 1t took the
marines many days to finish the Job,
but finish u they did.
On June z fighting recommended
with a more intense fury, and our
losses on that day were even heavier
than on the 9Th. We launched Sc
ries OF battalion attacks against the
forces in the wood. besides the con-
slant fighting for local positions and
the repulsing of counter attacks. On
that day Sibley,s men resumed their
rushing Of machine gun nests and
their strenuous hand to hand fighting.
Up and At EN- Again.
At the peep Of day they were UP and
At 'em again as though fresh from
their billets. 1t was now a matter OF
thrusting the whole line northward
through the wood. and into its dark
some nav they plunged, straight into
its Dantean horrors.
There was no respite. The enemy
machine gun fire became more deadly
after they had penetrated to some lit
tie distance, but they had to keep 60
ing. When they could they dug little
rifle pits for themselves with the small
trench tool carried in the kit. as a
slight shelter against that whitening
fire. When fatigue became greater
than could be borne, men curled up in
shell holes or crevices in the rocks, or
in the shallow trenches they dug. hop
ing for a brief respite, only to be
reused by the uproar OF a new conflict
or the nearby bursting Of n shell.
Occasionally gas was poured into
the wood. and that meant fighting in
masks. None but the finest type of
soldier could have stood up to all this
and continue to make progress. They
took those machine gun nests one af-
ter another, ana in some cases were
able to turn them on the Germans.
Our artillery was at "a disadvantage
in not knowing just how far our men
had penetrated, but gradually with
more complete information our shell
fire improved. The guns cooperatcd
when they could, eventually hurting
more than 5000 high explosive and
gas shells into the woods and clearing
the heights.
Fighting on in those treacherous
woods, subject to flanking fire and in
constant danger of ambush, the ma
rlnes continued to advance. regardless
OF fatigue and losses, until they held
smother quarter of a mile of the woods
and the advance was halted. The new
position was consolidated with the help
OF the engineers and food and am.
munition were sent in. Lizzie (the
Ford carr did heroic work on that day
A few light guns were got in to Sibley
Americans Forge Ahead.
AS a result of the fighting OF June s
all along the line the Americans ad-
vanced their position over a six mile
front.
On the 9Th and 9th Sibley's men
continued to rush those machine CUR
nests and to make further progress In
the wood. II seemed as IL nothing
could tire them out or force them back
Meanwhile Berry. who had beer
wounded. was relieved. Lieut.-Col
Wise, in command of his battalion Of
the Fifth. went in to support Sibley.
Our casualties were terrible; will
not attempt to give the figures. Oul
men were engaging in a sort of fight
ing that means heavy losses with the
best or luck, but that Ga not checi
them. Their comrades fell. but they
pressed on. and behind them they lief
dead Huns piled three deep abou
those captured nests.
To the men in the woods, fighting
most of the time, snatching sleeI
when they could, tho succession o.
night and day was hardly noticeable
and there were few who could have
told how long they had been fighting
Thus wrote Private George Budde o
the Fifth to his parents:
was always glad when the
various positions We held in the
woods had a few holes strewn
around into which we could crawl
when necessary, but there were
days in the first woods we went to
especially when NJ. and myself. he
being of the Same mind. lay under
the stars with nothing but
blanket, while the others had gone
from four TO six feet under ground,
which was not as foolish as 1t
sounds. as the shells were really
going over US, and besides there
was perfectly splendid ditch along
the side OF the road. I really did
start to dig, but It just naturally
tired me all to little bits and I quit
with nothing to show for 1t but
some elegant blisters. 1t seems
really unbelievable. but there were
hours at a time at that place and
others when we would lie perdu
while a steady stream OF missiles
would be going sweetly over our
heads, Just continuous humming
whir-r-r that can't be described.
4 Most OF fhs bis ones 20 stTs notes