Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-05-08
Our Soldier Boys.

During February and March, 1917,
many of the boys from the seth Divi-
sion were taken away from Camp
Funston and sent overseas as re-
placements fer the older Divisions
who were ready to go over. New
men were then sent to the seth and
trained in with the old ones who were
left, and the whole Division left in
May to go overseas. Among those
who left the first of March, was
Robert E. Marshall of this county.
He had gone to Camp Funston Oc-
tober 4th, and after being a short
time in the 164th Depot Brigade, was
placed in Co. M, 354th Infantry. At
ter reaching Camp Merritt he was on
March 18th placed in %. A, Both In
fantry of the Sd Division. They sail
ed from Hoboken April I'd, and land
ed in Liverpool on the 18th. They
went through England by way of
Winchester and Southampton, and
landed in LaHarve, France. They
went to Boudeville, France, where
they went into training until May 18th.
On LIST of June they landed in the
first sector on the Marine River
at MezY near Creamy, which is only
six kilometers from Chateau Thierry.
He says: "We held the line there un-
til July 18th, when we were attacked
by the Germans and our company
was surrounded. I was situated at a
strong point near Mezy, where we
had orders to hold at all costs. The
Germans came over in mass forma-
ton. When they came up to into
two or three hundred yards from
where we were stationed we opened
fire. They kept advancing over their
dead until they found it was impos-
sible to capture u position: They
then fell into skirmish line until they
were back of the railroad. They
shelled our positions for a short time,
and then surrounded us. We staid
surrounded all day, when the remain
der of our company that was back iof
us came up and took most of them
prisoners. Major Walker got a run
ner through into the platoon with in
structions to US to fall back to main
line of resistance. | was in an auto
matte replacement just in front of the
trench to the left of the platoon in
position for the cross fire of the Ger
mans as they were advancing. l was
wounded about four O'Clock i'm the
morning an hour after the barrage
was launched, by a piece of shrapnel
striking me in the head. | remained
in my position fighting for three
!, hours, when | fell back n had one
of the boys give me first aid. After
receiving first aid | was ordered to
the rear, but instead l only fell back
to the rest of the company, where ]
remained until 6 P. M. before going tc
the first aid station. Ihad my wound
dressed there, but as they were she'll
ing the roads SO heavily it was i'm
possible to get back to the hospita.
before morning. The next morning
we were loaded in a big Packard
t truck and hauled to the field hospi-
tai, thence to another field hospital
and then by ambulance to hospita
at Paris where on July 18th, a piece
of Shrapnel and three small pieces o.
my skull were removed at Red Cross
Hospital No. 2. After five days / was
t transferred to Base Hospital No. 3 al
Montpont, France, where I remained
/ until the LIST of September. / asked
, permission to return to my company
and was successful in getting as far al
st. Aignan's replacement camp,
where | was classified and found un'
fit for first line duty and placed in the
I billeting Office checking off registers
r 10 day reports, ETC., etc. Then l wal
sent to Area 8 as a billeting sergeant
D Later was transferred as regimenta
: supply sergeant of Area 4, in which
position l remained until l got my re
lease. During this time l was in de-
tached services, so that | still retain
t ed my placeas a member of the &c
Division. AS to my receiving The
Distinguished Service Gross, all
: know about it is the official announce
F, ment in the paper, as my company
: commander has not known my loca'
. ton for the past six months, and wal
not able to notify me OF the same
. The papers stated it was given mt
!, for staying on duty and operating thu
: automatic rifle after l was wounded
r The i3Sth Infantry, 35th Division
: which contains several of our boys, i
now in the United States. They hop'
to pass through st. Louis on May 18th
!, They will go from there to CAM
Funston, and after that will conn
home. For a week st. Louis has beef