Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-01-30

fellows think the world of it. 1t has
been on every front with us, and is
some veteran.
Our life at camp consisted mostly
of water, feed and groom in the morn
ing and firing on the range in the aft
ernoon. We had many interesting ex-
periences, of course, among which was
our first liberty in French city. This
CITY was Rennes, a place OF about
100000 population. But will tell you
about this place later. Let's get up
to the front.
With everything in shipshape, spir-
it's high and hitting at the bit, we start
ed out for we knew not where. We
loaded guns, horses and all equip
those little old box cars for what
ment and once more climbed into
proved to be a two days ride. We
had corned beef and bareback for eats.
We detrained at the historic city OF
Belfort about o'clock in the morning
of June 8. Before we had chance to
become very interested in the wonder
full city an air battle took our atten-
ton. It was a dandy. Fritz came over
to see who the newcomers were.
They shot anti-aircraft guns at him
for awhile, but he seemed to simply
enjoy the shells away up in the air,
so a French plane went up c1rcied
around him a couple of times, and took
a few shots at him. Fritz's only reply
was a tail-spin down to mother eartn
in flames. This was our first sight OF
An air hattie. and we shall remember
it for long time.
Belfort is typical old medieval
city. 1t Is surrounded by a moat and
had a drawbridge and still retains it's
old Notifications, which are hundreds
of years old. The city is surrounded
by two rows of hills, which made it
practically impenetrable in olden days.
At one time Caesar held the city. 1t
ia a very interesting and historic
nlace, It is partly due to the fact that
This city is so strongly fortified that
the Hun decided to take the northern
route through Belgium en- route TO
Paris. instead of the southern. A hike
from here took us up to the quiet Ola
city of Anjautey. We stayed here
few days and. then moved up to our
first position In the lines. Our trip
had at last landed as In the old state
Of AIsace. We were the first Ameri-
can soldiers ever on German soil. II
was several days before Fritz's aero
ulanes located us. They fired few
shouts, but they passed over and ex-
ploded some distance behind US.
It was on Wednesday, June II, that
firing data began coming to US over
a telephone. About ten minutes TO
four. the skipper" came to us and
told us to be ready to go into action.
II ever minutes seemed to go slowly II
was then. We made sure that the
sights were on the .aiming post; we
examined the bubble to be sure that IL
was level: we tested the lanyard to
he sure that it was in readiness. Ev-
ervthing was perfect. why dldn
thew give us the order to fire? Each
,sfirsarra seemed sn hour, until hnally,
the order to fire came. Number one
man grasped the lanyard. hesltateo
Int q, moment, then let it go. 1t was
lust 4 O'Clock that our flrst olt OIL
shraprseT began it's journey toward
Fritz's fines. We we're anxious 10 sec
the result, but it. was Impossible; the
shell exploded behind little hill Jusa
within the lines Of tire enemy. That
was the first but many followed 1t IN
4ree days to come-war was on Tor US.
During the following weeks We;
sSe,led Fritz's lines continually. II
WIS: far from i one sided alta T, as ne
also gave US a good education IN doo9
Ing shrapneT and the unpleasant task,
of donning g gas mask every Tune ne
,sasn fit to fnfest our lines with ms
deadly gas fumes. We learned that
Sherman was right, but we later
learned that ne was only nhd. one
day we fired a barrage and hung 20
Germans in car barbed wire; Desloes
this r don't know what damage we o'o.
We moved our position several times
W III. just before we left. we were
stationed on a hill overlooking the
.city of Mulhause. Although Mulhause
was full Of machine gunners, we never
fred on the city. We soon again
boarded those. old freight cars for an
.othsr- two days trip. We passed
Paris, detrained at Ormoy and
hiked' to Pont st. Mayence=. Our stay
at this place was short, as action hao
began up at Chateau Thierry and we
were soon under way again. FIRST cali
vas sounded on the morning OF July
q. Six O'Clock found us under way
to meet the enemy in the second battle
of the Marine.
we rested only when it was neces-
sary. and the cassions rolled along all
dav and until far into the night. When
rest finally came we rad left the
peaceful. little villages of Claimant,
Bully, Dury end Creepy far Behind. Be-
fore nightfalr we began to enter and
pass through what had once been
peaceful little villages. but now were
nothing but ruins. Things began Tor
A