The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-06-25

inc sun was shining brightly all inc
Gay. and IL was just the time or year
when England is very beautiful. On the
way to Dover, / counted eighteen hos
pital trains going By. bringing the
wounded back. SO we began to feel as
though we were getting some place when
we say the wounded coming back by
trainloads. Along some OF the stations
we stopped at. some English people said
we were too late. and others were sore
because we didn't get over a little soon
er. When we got to Dover We had a
chance TO see some OF the people who
were in hard straits on account Of the
war.
We'll, we went from Dover to Calais
across the channel. and everybody got
sick on that trip. When we got TO
Calais we only had four kilonieters 10
hike to Rest Camp No. 6. OF coure. we
had everything we had in the world.
our packs and barracks bags. When we
TO the rest camp we were all tired
out. and were told we could nave sup
per when we wanted it. but nobody
wanted supper they were all too tired.
The first night we were at Calais we
heard some funny noises in thea air. We
didn't know what it was. and some Of
the English Tommies told US that
Jerry was overhead. and we wanted
to know who Jerry was. They told
US we wouldn't be there very long be-
fore we found out who he was.
The next morning the English fellows
asked US If we didn't want 10 sec tho
damage Jerry" had done. and so we
went into the city and looked around.
and saw where he had hit a large build
ing. and where the people were tearing
away the pieces. II showed how tho
French people we're; they never gave up.
although h had many hard times. No
matter how luck was against them they
always came back with a smile.
Well. from Calais we went TO a place
called II and we were TO go in
with the 39th division (Einglish). We
were taught the English way of fighting
and using the English machine gun, and
Of course they were very proud of their
gun. II was a good gun and all that,
but in about four days, we began 10
show them something about their own
gun: how to make 1t shoot better and
faster. We had wonderful mechanics.
but we had a foreign make OF gun and
we didn't like it. Well. we stayed with
them a while and seemed to get along
fairly well with them. Then we had
three days of maneuvering. We were
supposed to be right in the midst of the
fight. and we hiked about thirty or forty
kilometers and fought with FIVE guns.
Just as though we were in the real bat
tie. Well. after maneuvering with the
English for three days we came back 20
NJ and got orders that We were
TO go UP to the Lorraine front. and that
the nth division were TO take over a
sector. They were the Arst National
army to take over a sector on the West
ern front, and they felt pretty proud.
We marched four days, and marched
away from the infantry. They are sup
posed to be the best men IN the United
States army. but. the machine gunner
marched away from them.
We arrived on the Lorraine front, and
relieved the And division. and when our
men came into the line. Jerry had
some of his observation balloons up. For
three or -four days there we were told tbs
Hun was right in front OF US all the
time. One night we were told TO get
ready 10 put over a barrage in a place
right on the edge of No Mans Land. The
Germans had concrete guns they were
working every night, having just the
barrel of the machine gun sticking out.
and they were protected in every way.
We were to try and get these working
parties at night. We were told to get as
low as we could. and of course got
as low as I couid., Jerry" had his
snipers working, but they couldn't hit
US. We were told that after the last
five minute Of fire 10 get out as quick
as we could and then Jerry" located
the. place. but the Machine guns were in
use, and he didn't harm any of the boys.
Another time On the same front we
put over another barrage which lasted
about a half hour That was the time
the 18th division were irving to get
prisoners. but the only Germans that
were captured by the 18th on this front
were three Germans who gave them
selves up.
After we got out Of the Lorraine front,
we we're relieved by the 37th division.
which was a National guard division
from Ohio. When they came into the
lines they were a funny bunch of fell
lows; that is. they seemed funny to US.
Every division that's has been In about