Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1919-01-17

always by a fleet OF submarine chas-
ers. The convoy during the night
bursted ESQ to speak, and the differ
ent transport sailed to their different
ports of Decentralization. Our trans
port sailed into the Bay of Biscay
1t certainly is a superb harboring.
After half day sailing we sighted
land. Everyone was on deck and
they all expressed themselves with
the picture which was before their
eyes. Every where, every side was
slope of mile in height. This
slope was mixture of green patches
of wheat or other grain, of trees COW
cred with green foliage or a high
cliff. A natural fortress. No. we
we didn't know where we were and
this was general question. What
is the name of this placer" Not a
soul told us and they haven't an
swered the question up to now.
AS we began our hike to billets it
seemed as though the ground was
coming up to meet-our feet. AS we
went through a portion of the city
we found that we were at Breast,
France. The country looked to be a
good agricultural place. This was
June 8, 1918. After an hour or so
rest began to look about. Straw
berries were plentiful. But no wine
simply because an order was issued
forbidding the sale of it to American
tactical movements. Ha.
Nearly week here and boarded
train for another point. They call
ed it a rest camp but it prove to be
a sand hill. We detrained at Calais,
France. Riding nearly three days in
box car which measured Sx20 it.
Forty men were stuck in one of these
I At Calais we were issued our he'll
NETS and gas masks. And we had to
give up our surplus bedding roll.
Here we slep in tents and close OBJ
servation was kept for enemy planes.
Well, this was getting rather excite
ing and one night an alarm was Civ
en-, there was a general stampede to
see them but it was only the anti
airguns practicing.
yTT 1nft in,
landed at small village Of Being
hem. 1t is near Samer. Here we
drill according to the English. l did
not think the change queer, because
of the fact we were with the British
forces. While here I left for two
weeks course on the light Lewis ma
chine gun, I certainly had a nice
time while at school, This was near
St. Omer. Returned to the company
on July 4th, next day we left for an
other point, this time at Doullens.
Just back of the Arras sector. At
ter few weeks of excessive training
we started for the front. went up
the week before and found myself
to be with New Zealanders. Say,
they are some soldiers not afraid of
anything, while here they went ov-
er the top. AS they say: 1--WE pull
ed a stunt. 1t was small piece
of woods right on top of a hill.
say they took it. Istarted to go a.
long but the commanding officer de-
MED me the opportunity. I return
ed to the company, while l was gone
our Captain was thrown from a
horse and was compelled to go to a
hospital with a broken arm and a
few cracked ribs. My platoon Com
mander was put in charge of the com
pany and this left me in sole com
mand of the platoon I took them up
and occupied the front line. At
night while making my rounds and
putting out patrols I could hear. old
Fritzie talking but he never bother
ed us.
When we were relieved we went
into support. Here we received quite
a Smelling one morning but no one
was touched. We were relieved
and after rest for a few days we
were again sent to the lines. This
time we went over the top. Our
advance was so rapid that it was i'm
possible for the artillery to put up a
protecting fire. We took our object
i've without a single casualty. I got
my Boche machine gun. 1t was brok-
en- but finding the missing parts
put it in firing condition. ] haven't
time to tell my experience here as I
would like so will lean on your pa
thence. This was called the Sere's
Hill sector.
We were then ordered on a short
notice south, we rode in, trucks and
were placed just east of Verdun. We
hiked around to the Northwest of
Verdun. Being in reserve in the
ST. Mihiel drive. From here we en-
tered the Argonne-Meuse drive.
The S0th was given a sector and
we reached our objective during the
first day. Then we were given an
other sector just to our left. After
nearly three days fighting we reach
ed our objective. This was some