New Britain herald., 1929-04-20

American governments but the greatest tribute he received Was from the mea who knew his cour- age as he pumped rifle like any ordinary doushboy.
 4 rift i'll the barrage came and Companies 4 and B. cut and bleed ing from the terrific artillery pun ishment. leaped through and took hand. Sick at heart and done for the day. what was left of the 800 men in A and B were relieved of the bur den. Fresher bodies went into the fray with renewed zeal. Still the bat tie wage1.
 Magnificent was the charge of the Prussian brigade. Numbering 1,500 to the first American lines 300, the ''tin soldiers" held like bulldogs un- til help could get through. All day long the terrific din kept up. Two to one with America on the short end was the count afterwards made, of the dead and wounded.
 No Coffee and EacOn
 Back in support. even before any could get a bite of breakfast, the third battalion was ordered back from where it had just come. Know ing the story from the crashing of of the shells, objections were all forgotten. Like the French "Cest Ia euerre.' so the New Eng'anders sraspcd their packs and shooting irons and began the trudge up tn. line.
 The road couldn't be traversed. On Dead Mans Curve even fly would have had a hard time staying in one piece. The 103rd artillery en- placement just off the road. was all but blown off the map. Still these Rhode Islanders. manning the hea- vies the 175's with Steve Pierce. star roller polo player, sighting one of the pieces, hlazed away like a one-armed m&1 in boxing bout Crippled. hurt shattered, the guns were still working.
 The infantry had 10 take 10 the fields and crawl along a stone wall, as ancient as the land over which the men travelled. Groups of five went along together with 20 yards between. Better to have five men killed or hurt than 10 have 2o," was the prosaic way of explaining this strategy.
 It was well afternoon when Co. I hit Beaumont, less than a half mile away. so intense was the fiery barrage falling. Not without its cas- ualties did the company make this small but yet so great distance Then into the communicating trench came runners, among them Billy O'Dell and Dave Iindgrcn, trying to get through for Colonel John (Ma- chine Cun) Parker to find out what was going on. Th" "Old Man. was on a machine gun again, working it like he first worked his gatling gun al the charge of San Juan hill.
 Then 10 the chalk mine but still past these, came the orders Finally the company took np it's position in the Seichcprey Hayou. the long zig zagsing lin" leading down to the embatt!ed town. 4 crash and Joe Sokowich of New Britain was gone. Another and Billy O'Rrien Of Bridge port and Barnes of PlainNille ''went Vest" Al Baki"l of New Britain and Kline of Meriden, third platoon ser geants, jumped to the perape' 10 better place their men. A crash came and Kline dropped.
 Holes were hastily scooped ont in the walls Of the trench but still the bombardm"nt continued
 Torture for Six Hours
 For six hours. this torture was endured by Co. l. No dueouts for protection. no shelter from the ricocheting shrapncl. Still no one turned tail and ran. Ambulances filled with holes still got through 10 take the wounded away.
 Slowly but surely night came on. The kitchen detail Of @. l h2d crawled up the line with 'chow" for company, the only one in the bat talion to have it's eats Seven o'clock passed by.
 By this time. the mule -skinners in th" rear had come through with the shells for the big guns. Orc pound slurs were shipped into the sup port line and brooches were clicked shut. But the order came, Don't nre until you are told"
 Runners came panting up 10 Captain John Feegel In turn he c"cpt all along the line and passed in" word 60 Co. I men. Get ready, were goina 10 counter attack" Zero hour w"s 1:3a and as the last rays Car"d in inc holoraust of fhe S"jcheprey Bayou. tho men of th. company It loose. Down over 1he shell torn ground they went. hop pirg trench after trench in their mad dash 10 pay ha"l. 10 those who made them suffer q little Of the pain ara cScrrci&'ing torture.
 The Prussians had suffered in killed and wounded also and when they saw the mad. yelling horde de scendine down th" hillside. if was too much for even these seasoned veterans of moro than three years of warfare. They turned and ran. Even as column proceeded OH a de"d run across no mans land, inc American artillery cut loose and smGthered them SO hat not q living one vas seen. The retribt'iOn was awful. the slaughter as bad as in thr morning.
 By $ o'clock. the third battalion hg1 cleared th" or"inal front lin.~ Of the enemy and it was a hard tasl for the officers 10 hold the ,dourhbovs thero but orders were or ders and as the night crept on and