Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-07

-Twenty-third heavy field artillery
got its first taste OF heavy fight
ing in the ST. MJhiel.
That their long season Of train
ing at Camp Logan. Texas, had fit
ted them for the front lines was
clearly manifested in the actions
of the gunners when under fire for
the flrst time.
Several months had elapsed be-
tween the time they had arrived
in France and their participation
in the st. Mihiel. which was on
Aug. 26, 1918.
On the morning OF May 26
Battery F left Camp Merritt
for port of embarkation and in the
afternoon boarded the S. S. SEQ
tian. Battery F here again prov
ed that F in her case stood for
FIRST, boarding the ship in just II
miputes without a hitch. The S.
s. Scotian left port at 1880 a. m.
May q on its 3,000-mile voyage,
the reason for all the 5000 being
to dodge the subs. The voyage
was uneventful and the battery ar
rived in Liverpool. England, June
n. and disembarked on the morn
ing of June 8. Marched to Camp
Knotty Ash, six miles distant,
which was reached in the after
noon.
At 2:45 p. m. June 8 the battery
entrained for Winchester, England,
$50 miles distant, and arrived there
at 10 D. m. That same night the
battery marched six miles TO Camp
Winalldown. arriving there at ! a.
m. On June II. noon, the battery
entrained at Winchester for South
ampton, England. IL miles distant,
and arrived there at p. IN. At
7 D. m. the battery embarked on
the s. s. Viper for La Havre,
France, where it arrived at 2 a. m.
June IL, having Travelled 1O5 miles.
The battery disembarked 1t s a. m.
and marched four and one-half
miles to a British rest camp
whistle camp. On June lS the
battery marched three miles to
the station at La Havre and en-
trained at 9 a. m. for Grams,
France, which place was reached
at 6 D. N. June Is. going into biv-
ouac for the night in the rain. APP
proximately $40 miles had been
Travelled by rail. On the following
morning the battery left for Ep-
ENJOY, Doubs, France, Is miles dis
lance, via motor trucks, and ar
rived there in the afternoon. Here
the battery was billeted in four
buildings. Drill and guard duty
occupied the men the remainder
of the month. Here Lieutenant
Coyne was the only officer with
the battery, as the rest were at
school.
During the first part OF July the
battery received 176 horses and
four 1856 nm. pieces. which kept
them busy. On July &c the bat
terry evacuated the billetS at .Ep-
ENJOY and moved to Camp du Val
dahon, a distance of one and sone-
half~miles. Here Lieuterant Fred
L. Heath Joined the battery. and
still remains our firing battery ex-
ecutive
At Camp du Valdehon Battery F
occupied the south section of bar
rack XII. The grooming)of horses,
eduitation, drilling and practicing
on the range here made Battery F,
ready for action. 1t was all done
at that time without a murmur,
but ask a Battery F man now
about Camp du Valdahon and his
reply is censored.
Aug. % the battery left Valda-
hon for Besancon. overland, a dis
lance of 90 kilometers, where 1t
arrived at p. m. Aug %. Here
the battery entrained fully equip
ped for the front for the Toul Sec
tor, and arrived at Foug, Franco,
(front) at l a. m. Aug. 20. Here
the battery unloaded with some
speed treason enough and at once
marched to Grand Mehierl, arriv-
ing there at 2:45 a. m. and biv-
ouaced for the night. From there
the battery marched to foret de
La Refine, forming a part of the
support of the Eighty-ni1th divis-
ion. Upon the relief of the Eighty
ninth division by the First division
on Aug. % Battery F then formed
part of the artillery support to
the First division.
On Aug. 26 the battery changed
positions in the Foret de La Refine.
and from this position the battery
prepared for the st. Mih.el offens-
i've, their first battle. Battery F
gun position was in the ruins OF
Bouconville. At 1:0l a. m. Sept.
IS the battery sent its first-shell to
the Hun and then continued help
ing to complete the rolling bar
rage. Battery + worked well dur
ing this engagement and can boast
of having done it's work well and
having taken part in one of the
greatest battles Of the world war.
From Bouconville the, firing bat
terry advanced to Xivray, hero
taking new position. SEPT. IA at
7 D. m. the firing battery returned