The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-10
They Didn't Come Back Till
1t was Over, Over There
(seventh article, by Emmltt T, Reid
lllth Ammunition TralnJ

From the 18th of October until the
latter part of the month, the .Ammp
milton Train remained In the makcshirt
camp AT the former site of Dump Bow.
ley.
During this time our trucks were kept
busy on various details-gatherng up
scattered ammunition and hauling 1t to
the front; gathering up battlowreckod
ordnance material and taking Il to the
rear areas for repair. In addition, the
Ammunition Train gave considerable as.
sistance to the supply Train in the
transporting of rations ana supplies.
The Supply Train of the Second III.
vision had retired for brief rest and
since our supply Train tonnage was
inadequate to meet the demands, the
ammunition trucks were needed IN or.
der to get sufficient food to the dough
boys" who We're still holding the lines
up on the Aisne.
Hats or TO Second Division
In speaking of anything that per.
tains to the Second Division, the men
of the 36th feel like taking off their
hats and bowing, in acknowledgment
of their fighting qualities and persist.
NiANNs lliA Wv lSluil Iltlh Nttl otiN lNN
on nearly every important front in
which American troops were engaged.
They ahd seen as much as 30 days
service on the front without relief. and
although | don't know the total mum
Der OF days they We're in action, ! do
know that their service had been al.
most continuous from Chateau Thierry
up to the time we relived them in the
Champagne. Their truck trains had
been in terrific shell fire and had suf
fered great damage, and the casualties
in the division were said TO equal 17j
per cent of the original number who
first went in.
Piano in the Kitchen
In the course of our work of gather.
ing up ammunition and salvage, we
had opportunity to explore a number
of German dugouts. and from one of
these we secured a piano, which we
hauled to camp and installed in one
of the kitchens (since We had no par
lor the kitchen was the next best place
for a piano.
Those German dugouts were Of Il
great deal of interest. Most Of them
We're equipped with electric lights, and
u number had baths. They were used
by the Germans as battaliun, regiment
al and brigade headquarters and OF
course We're equipped with telephones
which connected with other headquar. |
ters, observation balloons. artillery en- |
placements, etc. They ranged i'm depth |
from IS to 100 feet, with wooden stair.
ways running down. Some, which were |
used for ammunition depots were
equipped with cable and trolley for .
dragging the big shells up the incline
to the surface
Equip From Every DugOut
1t was from these dugouts that we
secured much of the material and .
equipment for our own homes"
Tables, chairs, mirrors, stoves, etc.. |
which the Germans had taken from
French homes in the early days of the .
war. eventually went to equip Ameri
can quarters, and it is to be hoped
that the original French owners were
able to reclaim much of this material
when they went back this spring to
re.establish their homes.
Explode German Mine
Prowlng around in those dugouts
was more or less dangerous business.
Our officers would not let one man go
out from camp alone, nor would they
let even a party go unarmed if they
could help it. Sometimes the boys
would leave their own rifles in camp
and pick up the "made in Germany
kind for a few trial shots. Our ammu-
milton wouldn't chamber in the Ger
man rifle, but plenty of enemy am.
1,,;,,.
never any trouble to find enough to
meet all emergencies.
One day AL Mitchell, a Russian-born
Jew Of our company, was shooting into
a mound of dirt a mile or so from
camp, when he was suddenly bowled
over by q terrific explosion.
When he recovered from the shock
he discovered that he had set off
German mine; and in addition he nearly
put an end to his interesting career.
A number of our "houses" were
badly shaken by the explosion, and
Bailey W1lkerson and myself (the only
two Ardmore men in the outfit were
reminded Of September 27, 1915.
Truck Loaded by Shell Fire
Word came down from Dricourt that /
the division quartermaster had some
equipment on hand, and, suddenly re- ;
membering that l was supply sergeant I
for the outfit chat is, | drew the sup {
plies for both companies and Sergeant I
Sutton drew from mel, 1 took a truck ,
and went up after shoes. {
While waiting for the Q. NJ. to get
ready to issue, we went out to visit
some of our men who We're detached
on special duty with other outfits. Don
Odom, who was with the NJ. o. r. S. !
had gone out with an officer after some 6
rifles which We're to be brought back c
for repair, and was just returning with d
his truck loaded partly with rifles and q
the balance of the load consisting of Il
stones and plaster. v
He hadn't much to say but the Off L
Ger who made the trip with him told h
the story. As they were coming through Y
a village a shell struck a house nearby !
and the subsequent explosion threw one il
wall outward, a good share of it land a
ing in the passing truck. The lieuten- j
ant said Don just ducked. said darn" t
and stepped on the accelerator. coming 5
on into Dricourt with his newly ac- g
luired load u
lie MOteur" Blamed by Frog" il
Together we went over to look at n "A
French plane which had just come down c
nearby. The aviator was muttering W
about "le moteur" tres "a
nalad" and was taking off the side
plates for an examination. Hearing