Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1919-04-18

II. Els in the near vicinity made
sleeping an almost impossible task.
Sept. 26th. 300 a. Nero hour.
1t is impossible to describe the noise
made by the cannon. Hundreds of
them firing at the same time with
huge shells bursting all around. The
lights Of Broadway are mere glim-
mers when compared with the lights
of the battle. The flashes of the guns,
star shell lights and signal rockets
lighted up the horizon in one contin-
uous stream of fire. Daybreak found
us moving through the forest DeHesse
and every tree and bush screened
light of heavy guns. We travelled in
trucks to the edge of no mans land.
From there we made our way on foot
carrying machine guns and equipment
and rations in a light pack In march
ing over no7man's land, which had
been in the hands of the Germans for
four years, we had to cross one large
shell hole after another. We saw the
effect of artillery fire. No farmer ev-
er turned over the soil more thor
oughly than the artillery had plowed
up the forest of Cheppie. There was
not one tree but that was full of
shrapnel. Kilo after kilo--it was one
shell hole after another. Some of the
sights along the road would make a
strong man weak. We halted at sun
down an the outskirts of Very to eat.
Some of us didn't have time to eat
! had three boxes Of A. M. and with a
slice of bacon hanging from my
mouth made my way through Very
which was being shelled by heavy
Hun guns. That march was the hard
est part Of the fight for it looked Just
like death trap to me, as men were
falling here and there, with shells on
all sides of us, but we marched right
through. We spent the second night
in the rain with only a rain coat.
Sept. 9th. Moved back through
the said Very to Biv. p. C. for few
mouths Of eats brought up to us by
our faithful cook Saw the effect of
artillery fire on the morale of our
men. Went back through Very (this
town was under shell fire all the
time. Moved up to one new P. C.
Layed all day on the hillside lodging
artillery fire and sniper bullets. Three
men were hit and l was right in the
midst Of them. One is lucky at times.
Whether I was lucky or not is for you
to decide.
September 28th. Dodging H. Els
and shrapnel and air raiders.
Sept. Goth. Captured my Boch bu-
gle and lodged H. Els.
Sept. 30th. Relieved from t',. I, mt
after policing up our losses.
Oct. LIST. Moved up again to police
the front. It is easier said than done.
Were under shell fire all the time, but
only lost one man.
Oct. End. Moved back to an or
chard. The Boch firing on us off and
on all the time. That evening l wit
messed one of the most terrible air
raids one could see. A Hun plane
came over and dropped two large
bombs, the first striking near to us
and the last one came down on
group of engineers killing forty men
and fourteen horses. Such was the
excitement each day.
~ Oct. 3rd. Two runners were killed
at Div. p. C. from our battalion.
Oct. 4th. Were relieved at dark,
which was the greatest relief one
could have. Ones nerves sure 90 to
pieces in time under shell fire. We
walked back behind the lines and
spent the following day cleaning and
policing.
Oct. 18th. Travelled all day in
trucks. Arrived in Varney near Bar
Le-Duc, which is one Of the cities of
France.
Oct. Is. Travelled two days via the
box car route; passed through Chat
teau Thierry and the outskirts of Par
is.
Oct. Goth. Unloaded in Belgium,
near Ypres.
Oct 23rd. Moved in trucks across
the old Flanders front. 1t sure was a
picture of desolation. One could see
now and then skull of some brave
warrior who had been dug up by a
high explosive shell. Billeted in mud
and water near Roulers.
Oct. 2sth. Moved to Cathem near
Ishghem. II was air raiding both
nights and thirty-two Boch prisoners
killed.
Oct. 30th. Started again for the
front. Dug in at night in a grain
field. Four men were wounded during
the night from H, Els; also had some
sneezing gas which is nothing very
nice. One cannot keep his mask on