Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1919-02-20
Interesting Account BY Rock
ingham Man Of Fight of
8lst Division just Before
Armistice.
Bissey La Cote, France

On Nov. 5th, at night, our COM
pany left the little town of Leron-
vile, near Nancy, where we had
been a week on duty unloading |
the division, for the front near
Verdun. After riding for three
hours, 80 men to the truck, wei
unloaded and hiked eight miles
in the rain to dugouts. Here we
spent the remainder of the night
and until 3 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon, Nov. 9th. We reliev-
ed the 35th division around nine
O'Clock that night about ten mil
es east of Verdun. Here our bat
talon, the first, was in reserve
for the second which was hold
ing the lines about a mile north
east of us. For three nights and
two days we were living on easy
street, nothing to worry about
except an occasional shower of
mustard gass shells and a posi-
bility of an air raid. Friday night
ICole Nichols was on gass guard,
and | was with him writing a
note to o. when interrupted
with a calling together, by the
Captain, of the officers and non
CONS. Here we noncoms were
ordered to have our men up and
ready to move out, with light
packs, at five-thirty. We were
not told which direction or for
purpose we were moving but we
all had an idea of what was to
take place. We were issued two
days ration at four o'clock and
at $50 everyone was ready to
move. But we did not move un-
till three hours later. Our artill-
cry started its barrage about 7
o'clock and at $50 we LETT our
dugouts. Onreaching the trench
es we were given the command
to load guns, fix bayonets and go
over the top in line of combat
groups. For about 600 yards we
advanced through an open field
with practically no resistance,
and had reached the woods when
all at once four or five machine
guns opened fire on us. We of
course Immediately took cover as
best we could. and continued to
advance as fast as possible.
| About this time three enemy
aeroplanes flew over us, just
above the tree tops, and opened
lire. A few minutes later they
appeared again and in addition to
I firing they sent up two or three
red rockets, calling for a barrage;
and it certainly came, but FORUM
ately at the time most of this bar
rage fell behind us, though &C.
OCCASIONALLY a shell would knock
the top out of a tree just over
Jour heads. remember one in
stance especially where mick"
WAS on one side of a large tree
and / on the other; and all at once
1.-THE top of said tree began falling
lin splinters all around us. After
that | stayed away from large
trees. We had advanced beyond
the enemy's observation posts and
we're within a few yards of their
trench when we were held up
'lby a machine gun directly in
front of us. Here our lieutenant
ordered me to flank the m. G. on
1.-THE right, and while we were try
ling to get this gun, several other
machine guns began surrounding
and closing in on us. This, to-
]gether with the unusually heavy
Ibarrage which by now was fall
ling all among us, caused us to
:lglve up the gun we were after,
and get out Of the trap we our
lselves were in. In getting out /
land several others were wound
led. Think a sniper got me for
49, y UN4.-a.t1 81 sa.& ~