Evening journal., 1919-01-09

and a little later the prisoners were be-
ing sent back IN huneAes. Al p. NJ,
we had reached our first objective. We
dug In for the night, and the next morn
Ing were up and at them. This day we
took the town Of Chrysaniem, and II
was there that we had such a demon
stnation from the Belgians. They gave
us food, wine and would have given
us anything we wanted, but we had to
keep on moving, and did not stop until
we came to the town Of Heurem on the
Escant river. We dug IN for the night.
The next morning we started to bridge
the river. Jerry used aeroplanes. NJ.
G.. and artillery, but after several hours
we had bridge tIt was a tree with a
~ inch plank on ~.
Just as we finished, Jerry laid over
a barrage and believe me / prayed, and
dug In and did a little bit Of everything
all at once. Later In the afternoon, we
started across again, and II was then
that came near being In the land be-
yond A shell hit about 10 feet away,
and shrapnel cut my leggln clear
through 10 the skin. and took a big
hunk out OF my pants. The concus-
sion knocked me unconscious, and az
ter came TO l crawled over against
the bank 10 safety. This was the sec
ond barrage that day. but we got across
the river and dug in for the night. Jerry
gave us very little sleep, as he used all
kinds Of artillery and fireworks. We
moved forward In the morning but only
in yards and not in kllometers, as we
had been doing. Jerry greeted us with
another barrage, and II was a cuckoo.
After this there was continual shelling,
but on the NTH night ! was sent back
10 Thlelt as billeting officer for Com
pany r. You can bet / was thankful. |
We stayed at Thielt for a few days, and
then moved up 90 the front again, and
were already to go over the top again, |
but that morning we received the word /
the armlstlce was signed, and then I
there was some celebration by the
French, Belgium and Americans at An J.
xergen, where we were stationed. We
stayed here for week, and then moved =,
forward through Syngem, Berlegem,
Dykele and several other small towns.
We followed Jerry up to place near
but we did not have the pleas
ire Of seeing the capital Of Belgium.
We then came back 10 Delnze. We are
low at a small town near Courtrai.
We expect to leave soon for France,
where we will go TO some camp until
ime to come home.
1T IS very cold here now, and we
rave had Ice for the last couple OF
weeks; 70 showed littls the other day
"When we went over, Jerry sent up
lanes OF red rockets, caterpillars, and
III kinds Of signal lights. II Is one or
he most wonderful sights that you
ould ever see, and along with this you
ZEE the flash Of the artillery and over
lead is a shrapnel bursting, and in
rOnt you can see little dots Of fire OF
he machine guns, and then the great
ed sun comes out and all this becomes
INVISIBLE, or rather loses its brllliancy.
'ou know the zero horn, or the time
We go over the top is just few min
ties before dawn. It is the most beau
.ful sight / have ever witnessed, and
even makes you forget danger until /
ONE shell lands near and arouses you
rom your dream. This is rather a poor {
escription, but II is something you {
ave to see in order TO see the beauty '
I Il. You hardly realize II Is war a
nd you are out TO get the people who S
re giving you the treat However,
, don't take long when you hear the
Ip zip OF the big boys. will walt