Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-12-16
SAW "BAYoNEr TRENCH
Fort Mill Man Recalls Strange Trag-
cdy OF World War.

Suy VI NOGIu "a
The 'Bayonet Trench monument
unveiled at Verdun, France, on Dec
einber s. marks one Of the strangest
tragedies Of the World war;" yester-
day said a Fort Mill man who did
his bit as an American soldier over
seas. Shortly after the armistice
was signed 1t was my good fortune
to be able to visit Verdun and I can
testify to the fact that there was at
that time the bayonets of 100 French
soldiers, in whose honor the monu-
ment has just been unveiled, pro-
truding from the ground where they
were buried alive by a wave of mud
caused by the explosion of powerful
shells Of their comrades and the
Germans"
According to the story sent out
from France about the unveiling OF
the monument funds for the me-
mortal were provided by George r.
Rand of Buffalo. n. Y, who was
killed in an aeroplane accident In
England last December.
Young Rand was one of the first
Americans to join the Lafayette
Escradrille. AS he was hoering over
n trench, during the battle OF YER
dun. on tho fateful morning of Jone
IL, 1916, waiting to give the 100
French poilus in the trench below
the signal to go 'over the top" he
SUDDENLY swooped lower, just In time
to see the treacherous fields of mud.
churned by the shells OF both armies.
roll forward and completely engulf
the men. leaving the 100 bayorcts
sticking up through the mud.
The 100 poilus. watching their oth-
Ger, who stood watih in hand, ready
to order the advance on Douaumont,
where u German artillery regiment
was stationed had no opportunity to
escape. With their rifles grasped
firmly in their hands they wero
literally buried alive. Not man
moved, and when months after the
armistice had been signed, inrcstiga-
tors visited the field. they found the
100 bayonets sticking up. each the
breadth OF n mans shoulder apart.
The young American aviator. as he
looked down on that unwaHcrinS
line of bayonets which looked as If
they were held above the heads OF 4
company on inspection day. made
the vow that II he lived through TIE
day he would provide funds for n
suitable memorial. When he reached
headquarters that night he told his
comrades of the silent trench of
bayonets" which marked ono of the
bloodiest encounters OF the war. and
he wrote his check for 5G0."n0
francs which he sent to general
headquarters.
The monument dedicated last
Wednesday amid most impressr"e
ceremonies will probably prove one
OF the lasting memorials of the
World war 1t marks the spot. where
buried under several feet Of battle
mud, 100 skeletons are still fac'rE
the enemy, their rifles grasped In
their bony fingers. waiting the order
to "go over the top
The monument includes huge
marble slab which IS erected over
the long line OF bayonets. Although
, many OF the bayonets have been sto-
len by relic seekers. the rest will be
preserved by means of n huge per-
COLA strurture OF granite whirh sur
! re unds the spot
- Ambassador Wallace mrdc the
presentation speech and handed over
!. 20 President Millerand the deed for
the property. President Millerand
accepted the gist OIL behalf OF
Ffance. and Expressed his npprecia-
: lion to the Americans who .ha
!, made possible the monument to the
praHe Bretons who were buried in
The trench of bayonets"
S-