Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1919-01-25


'Their barbed wire gave us trouble Our
artillery cut it up pretty badly, but still
1t was a pretty strong barrier against the
advancing infantry. When we got tangled
up III the wire Jerry would play with his
rifles. | We seen fellows get into German
trench with their uniforms flying in shreds.
II was wounded in the arm at the big
stunt. We were attacking along the whole
front. and the Huns were kept on the hop.
While going up | was hit and had to fall
behind. My arm was badly mussed up, but
| threw few grenades here and there and
guess | got few of them.
1.-The German artillery fire was accurate
They had our ranges down to a science, and
while they had good ammunition were hum
mers. They were good marksmen. Why
| We seen them cut regular ditch along Il
row of shell-holes to prevent our troops
from using the holes for shelter. There was
positively nothing they didn't do that was
horrible.
five seen them cut loose at a company
runner with three-inch artillery. 1t was a
funny sight for us, but not for the runner.
The Huns would drop shells all around him
while he fled on wings Of terror. | never
saw them get runner with their artillery
fire. but I've seen some very close shooting
oIudpS Cuo lllOSI Unusual experience |
ever had was one day when we were adj
vancing toward the German positions. They
cut loose with their artillery and we were
ordered to take open order and hunt cover.
For two hours we were violently sheled, but,
thanks to Providence, none of us was killed.
A few were slightly wounded They mixed
high explosives with gas and shrapne
''About the hardest luck Of the war,
thought concluded Mckinney, "fell to the
lot of pal of mine. He got a piece of
steak somewhere and was cooking this
first bit of steak in months. While the meat
was broilng the Germans began a gas bonn
bardment. The men put their masks,
but the meat ruined. That's what |
call hard luck''
Frank Washington, ga typical plantation
Negro from Edgefeld, S. c." is another
who proved his valor under conditions wor-
thy Of testing the bravery of the bravest.
He attached to Company c, 371st In
fantry, and received an explosive bullet
through the arm at Champagne. His story
is quoted:
cit was all bad, but the worst was when
the German airplanes flew low and sprayed
the wounded with liquid fire There is no
way of putting out that liquid flame, and
no one can help you, because the fire spreads
so quickly. 1t is bad enough to be helpless
not so bad, in fact, for they were savages-
the Germans are supposed to be civilized.
"A Hun plane flew over when | was
wounded, but, believe me, when | see that
fire coming | sure did some lively hopping
around. There wasn't going to be any
broiled Washingtons if | could help it. But
some Of the mortally wounded were burned
to death. Those Huns should be made to
pay for that sort of thing. 1t amt fighting
it concentrated hell. But we had to tend
to their wounded, and one of our officers saw
that we did it.
81 was over the top in the fighting on
September 20 and 30. We advanced after
the usual barrage had been laid down for
us. We went up to the Germans, and my
platoon found itself under the fire Of three
machine guns One Of these guns was in
front and jes' runnin' like millrace. The
other two kept a-piling into us from the
TANKS, and the losses were mounting. We
got the front one. It's surrendered and