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{
    "localId": "17343227",
    "label": "Handwritten World War I Notes of Verne Chaney, Sr.",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/17343227"
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{
    "id": "17343227",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/17343227",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Handwritten World War I Notes of Verne Chaney, Sr.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/17343227",
    "collections": [
        "Verne E. Chaney Papers",
        "Subject Files"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972",
        "Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948",
        "Wooldridge, Glenwood F., 1893-1977",
        "Miles, John L., 1878-1961",
        "Spina, Frank E., 1887-1972",
        "Klemm, Karl D., 1880-",
        "Thacher, John H., 1872-1960",
        "Soldiers",
        "World War, 1914-1918",
        "Artillery"
    ],
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    "productionDates": [
        {
            "logicalDate": "1918-01-01",
            "year": 1918
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    "ocrText": "1;\nFl. sell, OKla.\n1 after many months of waiting, for the time to come,\nwhen we should pack up and start our journey to the\ncoast, with the the bronk lines as our with France,\nin view, as our objective, int received them on May\n6,1918. There was much you and celebration over the\nnews. Weat once set out to making boxis to put.\nharness, saddles, blankets and horse equipment, in.\nthe Q M., in charge, at the port of imbarkation. at the\nThey were all made according to demensions required by\nand of the second day, the harmers was all cleaned and\nthe job of painting and addressing the loxes for\npack and boxes stratfed with strap iron. Then came\nidentification and when completed there were one hundred\nand fifty four boxes for our Battery alone. On the third\nday we were ordered to turn in our\nOn the third day we were ordered to turn\nin our horses, 153 inall. There was a great\ndeal of haste to be the first to arrive at the Remount\nuntil the our turn. We arrived in due time and\nstation, in order to Kelp from waiting for hours\nturned in one horse more than we started with.\nThere was great rejoying by the men because there\nstable police, no more equitation and mounted drill.\nwould be no more Thorris to groom by detail, no more\nhad plunty of Imoney. There was still a final clean up\nOn the last day we were paid off, every one\nof all the tents and area and was somewhat hard to\nconvince the men that it was necessary to have\nv/ the place clean. Then came the order that we\nwould intrain at 9 oc the next morning. There\nwas much hiliarty that night and no one\nslept a good sleep.\nThe next morning came brot the order to\nroll rolle. When we boarded the train some men\nhad most everything but berd cages and umbrellas.\nThere were a few Lauton friends there to bid us\n\"bon voyage.\nWe were unfortunate at in not having\npullman cars as many other troops had, but ur\nmade the best of it until we avere given pullmans\nnew at st.Louis. york. The traveled like kings from there to\nle\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\n3/ The people of the east gave us a gnuch\ngreater reception than the people of the Central\nWest. It may be atributed to the fact that the\nwar minds. work had made a greater impression on thern\nThey all seemed to turn out for us and\neven you.\" whirtles blew to as if to say, # we are with\nWe arrived in new York the morning of the 16 th\nwas waiting for us. after boarding the ferry we were\nI May. We were marched, full pack, to a ferry that\nput in at the L.I. Ry station. after landing we\nheddin Earl River for about six hours waiting to\nboarded the train and stopped at Garden City\nwhere we hiked on ,to Camp Mills.\nparies all to the tity which were enjoyed entensly by\noutfits and our steel helmets. We were all given\nIf was here were were given complete\nof us. Many took nightly leaves fer mary tourns.\nthe were there\nCamp gates, and there we took a taxe to astoria, L.I.\nand myself met his sister and family outside the\nOn the 16th Frank spina, own lattery barber,\nto their home. We enjoyed a good Italian denner\nand wine. afterwards the evening was well skent\nwith singing, dancing and drinking along with\nin cream and chocotates. Their hospitality was\ngreatly appreciated.\nthe anorming\nDuring our stay at Camb Mills Col. Klemn\nwas undergoing a severe guistioning by the\n4 War Defet representatives, evedently considering\nhis loyalt the cause.\nOn the morning of May NO we boarded the\nH.M.S. Sahonia a ship of 17,000 tons. Our\nentry at the port was highly commented upon by\nthe officals in charge as our papers were made\nout correctly and men were entered without a\nhitch. I being 1st sergeant was given a\nstateroom with rud class meals.\nWith a fee other ships we put to sea that\nevening and had an inventral trip for tuo days\nmorning of may 23rd There we took on coaland\nwhen we put in Halifax at 8 oclock on the\nwater and plans were made for boat drills in\nwhich several trials were actually made\nle\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\n5/ It uas here that we met the convoy and\nseventeen in all.\nthe ships that were to make up our flut,\nOn the morning of 24 the the fleet set\nsail. The sea was smooth and gave even\nthe softent land lubber mo trouble at all. The\ndaily exercise and boat drill had its place in\neach day P The meals were strictly English,\nbeing steam cooked and without is\nmuch to the disgustof a well fed american\nsoldier. There must have been an over production\nof and mutton somewhere as we had ram, lamb, sheep\nthat it could possibly be served. along with that\nsmitton most every day and in most every form\nwe were honored with rabbit, frogen in 1911\nfrom austrailia.\nOur trip was uneventful until\nthe afternoon of May June v nd about four\nto our right regr. I was standing on a fraft,\ntherty, when a submarine made an appearance\ncounter operations. Three blasts of a whirtle and\non the starboard, and had a good view of the\nall the shifs did a left flank and the\ndestroyers made a dash to the rear dropping\nit was uncertain whether ovnot a hit was\ndepth bombs bunging oil to the surface. But\nmade.\nb/ The concussions caused by the depth\ncharges caused the ships to tremble all over\nhear the ratting of the plates of the ship.\nand one could feel the givener and plantly\nThen men of our Regiment were very curious\nand all scrambled for a ringside view, much\nto the astonishment of the English sailors\nmaning the ship.\nat about seven oclock the same evening\nthree close more submarines made appearance,\nblasts from our flagship and the\nin, on our right front. again\nthe ship could be heard, and the\nrumblula of machinery turning\nships began a zigzag course.\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\nThis was imidiately followed by the\nboom of gune, rumbluig of the ship caused\nby ex inplosions. The destroyers lost no time\nin getting to the spot getting all three of them.\nThere was something like fortyfive charges\ndropped alltogether.\nand every one must have This ringside seat,\nThe ship was messing at the time\nso then came the scramble. I had just Sinished\nso had a good view of the quick manourer.\nmess and was lianing over the forward rail\nBehind me came a rush of Seet and some one\nwire \"it.\" Turning around I saw a deck hand\nbawled down the hatch; Come on Chawfes\nleft their poots for a dash to the deck!\nwith three life preservers on. The ships cooks\nstayed down and they stole enough grub for\na few men, that were waiting to be fed,\na dozen men. The cooks returned all red\nunder the ears, callings us' bloody americans\"\nthat wouldn't give a damn for the toat did\nsink, and they would stay it to get Out\nsteuard got and couldn't resest the\ngood feed before it went down. Then the\ntemplation to cut loose, so she says\n4/2 I have fed Chinks, Canadians, English\nand austrailians but I never seen such\nbloody chawks as you, I've seen 'em pray\nand furing their hands, but you fellows either\nblock our way or get a front seat and the ones\nthat don't go up steal all my grub.' you\nchawks don't know what it is to get it.\nThere came a day when, the way the\ngrub was put out was Faken up with the C.Os\nfor improvement of possible. Col. Rumbolt was\nship, but Col. Klemm said it was good\nin fabor of taking it up with the C.O. of the\nthat they could \"take it or leave\nenough for his men and remanded\nle\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\n9/40 Day after day there were words between\nthe -2 nd stenard and the men. Until one\nmany were not soon enough they\n,day they had boiled loiled you the men and\nhad chickens in them. Some one took this\ntother steuard and wanted some more\nanswer that he last Led 3600 Chinees\nand was refused and was given for an\nshould in his face as a result.\nThe steuard had stew and rotten eggs\non his last trip and \"they didn't squak\"\nConditions improved from then ow.\nescorted by scoplanes and dirgables, and\nOn the morning of Jerne 3 rd ye were\nentered the Themes River on the morning\nafter laying over we disembarked on the\nof the fourth. (one year promidate ofmy enlectment)\nmorning of the fifth and intrained for\nWinchester, learning Tillbery docks about 9 oc.\nformerly used by the British Troops. This\nWinchester and put up in bellets that were\nWe arrived in a rest camp near\nfed up on cheese, bacon and bread, this\ncamp wasa model of cleanliness. We were\nbeing English camp rations and as a\n1 / result we were bound inf for two weeks\nfrom eating so much cheese.\nin this place channel. we intrained for South harupton,\nretu having spent 48 hours confirmed\nloafing around. the docks and watching the\na part on the We spent day\ngills and jellyfish. Out toward the channel\nwe could see halfsunken ships that had\nevedently been towed in to save them.\nle\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\n11 It was about eight oclock that night\nwhen we boarded a good looking ship with\nlines that spilled speed. Her name was Viper\nfive Knots an hour. I kwas nob a farge shits\nand she looked the part for she made twenty\nfor, only being a channel boat, she had no slufing\nhardinn. # We soon. pulled out for France\nquarters so the men were packed on like\nand we had plenty of escorts as small fishing boats\nand destroyers hovered around us all night. It\nto go below deck and it soon turned cold once\nwas one misirable might, as we were forldden\nwe cleared of the shore. Min began to unroll their\nup around the smoke stack and rested my wary\nroom enough to stretch out. For my part I curled\nrolls and make then bunks anywhere they found\nbones on an iron grating about six feet above the\ndeck, which servedas an opening to the engine\nroom. Well! It was a case of roast on one side\nmuch black by morning, but at that it was\nand freeze on the other, and believe me I wasn't\nbetter than standing up.\nWe hiked at once to a rest camp, which we\nat daybriak we found ourselves in La Harve.\nentirely we have ever of anders been in. and was the dirtust clean place\nnamed ander Camp. This camp is made\nHe we had English rations again with\nan occasional.\" cup 0' ta to go with our cheese.\nHere we came in contact with many\nBritish troops who had been at the front from\nwere every low. They tolds us we didn't\nall appearances the moral of the British troops\nwe didn't think we were going to a banquet.\nknow what we were going up against, well,\nmon-coms were given a pass Hiset La Harve.\nafter a fee days in camp all the\nWe went in a bunch and hada very good time\nwinding up with a big dinner atra hotel.\nIt younger was the officer in charge, and we\nbear we could drink and it sure tasted good\narranged fova a good meal. They served all the\nnot having even a drink of water\nfor several hours. We later had\nmuch fun reding on street cars\nand trying to tell the \"condutous\"\nhow many of us there were.\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\n13/ On June 17th we received orders to\nintram for \"somewhere \"in the interior. The\nloaded on box cars, not half as large as\namerican cars, and it was marked on the\nside of the car, Hommes 40\" \"sheval 8.\"\nshipped like houses but we hada a lot to\nIt scened strange that we should be\nbarn about transportation of troops. In the\nhardly enough room to stand, but we \"stood\"\ncar I was in we had forty five and it was\nit for twenty four hours, finally arriving\nwas pitch dark where we got off. she\nat angers at about 12 on p.m. Everything\nwere finally assembled and given left face\"\n\"forward \"march We hiked and rested,\nfind out we didn't even Know where us\nin the morning still from all l could\nalternating until it was about three, thirty\nsome place to sleep.\nwere going, just merely trying to fund\nalley that was marked \"hommes\" 150.\nat last we found an old bowling\nWe didn't need and invitation to sleep, as\nmost ofus just \"flopped\" \"without blankets.\nMorning found us about eight Kelos\n/ out of augers. In which we stayed until\nJuly 5th.\n1st sergeant became almost unbearable\nDuring our stay here, the position of\nwas the infortunate, being my successor.\nand resulted in my resigning. Agt. Bowndan\nThis was on June 15th. On July 1-st sgt.\nBowman resigned. Our commanding officer.\ncapt. Thatcher, then hada a firgeaut from\nHe was smallin stature and hada very\nBatt. \"B\" transferred and was made it Sgt.\nsarcastic voice.\nle\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\n15/ aboutmines o'clack of the 6th when\nIkuas here we drew about therty horses,\nFreuch harness and our French 75's. along\nwith Instructor the guns we hada French sergeant\nIn about a week of intensive training\nof cannoneers and about two weeks in\na special school for non-coms, in became\nvery effecient with this gun.\nwe received orders to intran for Camb\nabout nine oclock j. m. of July 6th\nCortguidan. There were many men\non pass in augers and there was Chara\ngreat deal of work get ready in time.\nand about eleven oclock to take equipment\nanimition truck trains same for us\nloading guns. We got them there\ngune the I was put in charge of\nonly after having ryn one gim over\nbroken tongue in the himber.\nan embankment as a result of a\nstevadore from to I was everything from\ndirecting the trucks. unloading of other equipment\nI. was they all night loading and\ntraffic cof. that might.\nseventh and arrived there the next day. Where\nWe left augers the morning of the\nwe spent six weeks of intensive training\nin actual firing ,on the range, using\nboth derect and inderect fire. We also had\nsome expirences in barrages.\nday Ten Pershing came to inspect\nthe firing of the Brigade, as a whole. the\nfinished the received the order to turn in\nobserved from an abservation baldon. there\nKnew then we were bound for the front.\nall amunition, much to our surprise. We\nle\nUnion Franco-Américaine\nLE FOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A\nwe packed up, harnessed and hitched\nprepare to entrain. thwas august 16 th\nThe order came a few dayslater to\nand bulled out for Gare a railroad station\nabout five Kilos distance. We were at the\nloading felatform at daylight. We waited\nabout three hours for the train.\nEach battery had its our trains of\nstarted loading it was 48 minutes when\nabout thirty cars. From the time we\nhorses, other material audiness We were\nwe had fructed loading gims, caussons,\ngiven credit of breaking the record. in\nloading a battery.\nat a beautiful little town named\nOn Sunday, august 18 the we arrived\nsalgures. it was located in a valley\nthe Vorges mt. a clear water\nstream flowed thru the town making\nits rocky\ngrun on eitherside.\nin Salzures until we were ordered\nIt was only a Seei days stay\nto move to the front.\n18 with about 105 horses, firing\nbattery and five american causions\nwe fulled over a chain of mountains\nto Kruth, a small village about\nught Kilos back from the lines and\nlying in a deep narrow valley. The\ntrip was made at night and full\nchiefs of sections and drivers.\npack, with all men on foot except\narriving in Kruth in the early\nmorning, men diad tired from the\nall night hike, we had some\nsuitable place fovour\ndifficulty in locating a\npicket lines. This was a first sign\nRept us swaiting on the road Union\nof incompetancy of our st Sgf. as he\nSholding\nour horses for tuo hours\nthe horres. Day light\nafter locating a place for\nFranco-Américaine\nOYER DU SOLDAT\nY.M.C.A.\nfound I horses tuct to a\npicket rope, stallions\nfig thing ralong side mares,\n\" harness thrown back of the hourses\nwith men plopped mar them, most\nnecessary to have a guard on the\nanyway to get a bet of sleep. d was\nso, rather than have some of my men\nstallions to keep them from fighting\nstand guard that had luked all the\nway, I stood it myself. along with\nthe discomfort it had to rain, but\nthe men hept on regardless.\nIt was moon before breakfast was\nready, when the men were duakined\nand prepared. fed a scanty breakfast, hairtly\nafter breakfast came the workd.\ngrooming, feeding and watering of the\nhorses: alter which a suitable skot\nwas found to pitch pup tents. Then\ncame a good nights sleep.\nIt was here we found ourselves in\nTerman territory, alance- Lorraine.\nMany goods meats of uggs fried potatoes\ntomatoes, briad stretter and beer were\nbot and paid for at various little\n20 cafe, thousand Kruth.\ntake dawn. up We a position lifere the drew next and\nwhen we got ordersd that we would\nOur stay here lasted only two play\nloaded up two days rations and the began\nmountain to the front. thwas a\nour long, allnight hike over\nlong and tiresome hike with many\nrests.\nChas Burdge, one of my canowers,\nItuas on our way up that\nlimber when his foot\nwas pushing on and the frece\nslipped and caused the piece to\nwalking when he fill,\nrun over his ligsaud arm, I was\nand it was fitch dark,\nas tho I could see itrun ave on him\nthe entire length of his body.\nThe grade was steep I you to\nY.M.C.A\nstop, and he was pulled out and fut\non a magon and sent back to camp\nHe had only a few bad busises.\nand later sent to the lase hospital.\nknights of Columbus\nOVERSEAS SERVICE\nA\nON ACTIVE SERVICE WITH\nAMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES\nA.P.O.\ndate\nKoFC\n21\nhilt\nmountain in view of the times, had\nWe pulled over the crest of the\nit been daylight they could have made\nus good targets We went into position\nin the of the woods lying just\nfar enough below the crest for a\nwe stayed under covers and did no\nplace and we were safe as longas\nflash defiliade. Ikuas a new\nfiring.\nThe day after our arrival here\nhad a detail to carry our rations up\nwe spent the foremou sleeping. We\nfrom the foot of a steep hill and shortly\ncold salmon coffee and three places\nafterward had a delightful breakfast of\nof hard tack. no doubt a very wholesome\ntreakfast for husky hiking soldiers.\nall the afternoon and next day\nwas spent in 80.0 pitching our pup tents\n22 and camoiflaging them from\nairplane view.\nThen came the job of laying the\nbattery and degging trail pets providing\nan elevation of 27 and 39 with a sweets of\n900 mils. Well we soon had a place\nhag enough to burry a dozen houses and it\ntooked like an anti-aircraft battery. Every\nthing was done with the intentions of having\nWork was soon started on the dugouts.\ngun pitts and down dugouts connecting.\nnot make new paths as anything new\nall the paths were wired so as to\nlike that is recorded in a photograph\nin a searching out fire by the Auns.\nfrom an airoflane and might result\ngetting rations as they alt came over\nWe had a great deal of trouble\nthe cable tramway and the Huns made\nthis a special target, so omany am\na\nfeed was put off on that account\nBut not minding the short\nfuds we kept on di working with our\ndugouts and wearing our gas masks\nan hour each day for practice\".\nKnights of Columbus\nOVERSEAS SERVICE\nON ACTIVE SERVICE WITH\nAMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES\nA.P.O.\ndate\nKOFC\n23\nany man caught breaking the\nindisportion to work was sent back to\ncamouftage rules or showing an\nstreets back. of the village. not many were sent\nput to sweeping the\norder of descipline and hard work\nOnly a Sw days here with a good\none night about nine oclock brob an\nto the Cahtain aft the kitchen, which was\norder for the chufs of sections to refiert\nsomething was doing and didn't muss\nabout a quarter down hill. We feb\nmehr to the guns and get things ready\nit far. The Captain says \"take your\nto move as we are going to move up\ntomorrou night.\" We were to get the\nto another position do some shoding\ngring out of the woods so as to Umber up,\nwe were coming back.\nour tints and kitchen were to stay as\n24\nThe limbers came up about one\nhiking to our new fighting place. We took\naim. and we spent the rest of the might\nup a position down ina tow swampy place,\nabout five hundred yards off the road. The\nwere soon camouflaged. The\nst and nd pieces were lin the but\nthird preces were put in old gun shelters\nmore for weather and camouflage\nprotection than anything guns\nto the rear, we bet in to laying the\nall set shortly after daylight, butters gone\nguns as to direction and eleration.\ndigging trail holes, for elevation, and\nThe forenoon was spent in\nto our amusement the drivers and men\ncarrying 500 rounds of gas shells. Much\nof the supply lo, had some awful arguments\nTermans spied them and ad\nabout getting away from there lifere the\ndrunch them with gas, an al wedpon of their\nat 7:45 we were to ofen fire and\nown invention, and something that hadn't\nbeen used on this front for nineteen months\nWe were ready when the zero hour came.\nchiefs ofsection with watch, quadrant and\nfiring schedule showning time, deflections,\nknights of Columbus\noverseas SERVICE\nON ACTIVE SERVICE WITH\nAMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES\nA.P.O.\nDATE\nKOFC\n1/2 and elerations with number of rounds\nset. when bubbles were livel, every thing was\nat each laying, flasblight for showing\nnight and he with our battery officers\nWe had a French Officer with us that\nhell broke loose not only where we were\nstood to the rear of our sposition. Then\nbut the woods all around us spit out\nIt was good to look upon.\na flame that said \" ive are with you\".\nhitch, 125 rounds to the gun. at times our\nOur firing went off without a\ngun spet out as highas forty rounds\nconsidering the gun was find land loaded\nin three minutes and that is fast\nand fired in the dark, only the laying\nbeing checked by flashlight. The French\nofficer rimarked that we fired like French\nveterans.\n26\nlattery who hadt. put up a larrage.\nthe guids were siling except one\nat guns the end of forty fine minutes\nafter the bore was cleaned and equipment\nafter fifteen minutes had elapeed,\nin order for leaving. The limbers came\nup in due time but the 1st sgt. had\nmost everyone up in the air with his\nsquaking voice and as a result there\nwas some confusion in getting the\nwere they pulledin He go\nright limbers to the same didn't as\nthe mud.\nin causing him to get stuck in\nout of the place the way we came\nThe 1st Sgb. had no executive\nracking crritating way of tething\nability or leadership, just a nerve\nsomeone to do something.\nThe houses having been on the\ngo and working for thirty six hours\nallin and were smable to pull the\nwithout fudor water ourst, they were\ngun out even with the assistance\nof the men on the wheels. The second\nway. and fourth guns became stuck in this\nBy this time the Huns were sending\nup flares and star shells, eluminating\nknights of Columbus\noverseas service\nON ACTIVE SERVICE WITH\nAMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES\nA.P.O.\nDATE\nKoFC\nThese continued for sometime\nevery thing until it was light as day.\nTime flue fast and we were not\nmoving. Everyone got pretty nervous. I\nwas asked by the Captain, who had\nsection out. I said it went\ntakm charge, if I could git my\nout the way I came with the\nmen on the wheels we got the\nroad. I was ordered to send the lead\nup that stup dirt hell to the gunk\nhorses back to help on the others. By\nthis time the first section was\nboth then waited for the others.\non the road also in front of us, we\nIn the meanttime a Terman\nup to ascertain it they see\nobservation tallon must have ave gove\ndrufthing with the aid of flares\nand rockets. anyway we had\nmore than gotten our breath,\nscreaming the air and bursting\nafter the push, until shells came\njust above us, with the br-r-r-r\nof on down into\nus.\nThere was about a three foot\ncommand to lay down and take all the\nus fair protection. We needed no\nbank on one side of the road affording\nprotection that this gave us. They kept\ncoming but not from the direction we\nhad fired. Thenk must had the doke\nstuck. The 1st Sgh.\nshells down where the the the were\non us for they soon were dropping\nto take cover. some held their houses\nsome turned them loose.\nThen came the sound of gas horns\nus with harness and traces dragging.\nI soon saw horses going past\nto add to the terror of things.\nSchooluig had taught me different\nmethods of sending over gas and at our\ndistance it must be sent by shell.\nnear its on the side of the hill.\nsecondly no shills had shit the ground\nThirdly all gas is heary and would\nhe down the hell if anywhere.\nKoFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\nva Fourthly the wind was favorable\n191\nto our position. so it didnt bother\nbut the wont thing that hampered\nme much about getting gassed,\nour getting away that was, it was\npitch dark.\nafter about thirty minutes of\nshelling and they weren't coming\nso fast I mustered up enough\ncourage to get up and catch a\npain of horses going by, driverless,\nLuntenants rode up and comanded\nand hold them when one of our\nto shool the next man that run.\nThe drivers soon showed up one by\none and houses without drivers\nwere given to canoneers.\n30\nMany horses were without\ntraces so I put to making traces\nout of halter rokes. as we had orders\nfor the 1st and 3 rd guns to move\nback to our old position we had\nto have traces for the harness so\nit was the best that could be done.\nThen came another shower of\nshells, but the men stuck, then\ncame that racking sound of the\ngas horn from some other battery.\non, but I kept on cutting and\nWe were ordered to put our masks\ntying traces. The Lut asked if\neveryone had on his mask and\npassed and the Lut Jordon\nI said \"yes\". a fee minutes\nasked if I smelled any gas, I\nsaid \"no\". so Ho came his\nmask. I believed my assumptions,\nwere correct so I left nine off,\nas to whether there was gas or not\nas I always did hate to wearnit.\nKOFC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\n+x0\nWar ACTIVITIES\n31\n191\nWe finally had enough horses\nwe The fourth section\nand traces for the two guns so\nhaving gotten out his the meantime,\nfollowed us. a check was made\n/ st Agt and one man was\non men and it was found the\nunaccounted for\nshells continued to fall on\nthe roads thrust the night\nseveral times.\nand and necessitated our stopping\nIt was a long and hard\nI managed to ride an off\nhike going back to our old position.\nhorse and will say I nearly I fell\noff a hundred times.\ntrued walking behind the\n32\nguno but would go to sleep\nwatking, in spite of my efforts\nto keep awake. I would make an\neffort to see something ahead\nand all I could make out was\nresidences, I Knew then I was\ntall office buildings and large\nI had of ten read of men dying\nseeing things, optical illusions.\nof thert seeing revers and lakes\nahead of them.\nhours that we returned tooder old\nIt was after 48 how sleeplers\nposition. We slept all that day and\nhad a big feed, bacon, gravy tread\nsatisfy our appetites.\nand coffee but nob near enough to\nbot the news that the 1st Sgh and the\nWhen rations came up, that night they\none man that we that missing, turned up\nin ichalon the morning after the chelling.\nas a result he was relieved of his job and\nreduced to private.\nhis canoniers and drivers were sent back to\nThe chuf of the second section, along with\nKOFC\n+\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n33\n191\nthe three houses were Rilled and our\nget new that the that was stuck. They brat back\nbattery must have had some trouble in the darkness\nposition was badly shot up; also that some other\nended our first bafteen of fire, a result of which\nas a gun was run over an embankment so\nevery one benefited a great deal. This battle was\ncalled, by the battery, The Battle of Who Reur.\"\norders to \"march order\" and the limbers would be\nThe second night after the battle we received\nraining and pitch dark, no lights were allowed,\nup at twelve oclock. It was a miserable night\nand we had some difficulty moving about then\nlimbers arrived in due time and we wound our\nthe woods attending to this detail and that. The\nthe way mud and rain back to our echalon at\ndown the mountain slushing thru\nKruth.\nItwas at this time that our horses began to\nshow signs of breaking down, caused by indless hours\nThey began to grou poor and showed a marked\nof work, irregular feeding and not half enough at that.\n34 sign of weakening.\nWe were in Kruth long enough to get\n\"somewhere\" to another front.\na good two days rest when we left overland for\nthe road going thru Salzures. It was on this\nWe left one morning at four oclock taking\nhike that Col, Klemm became enraged at something\nat the men for wearing caps instead of hilmets\nand came riding along like a madman, yelling\nthem down the mountain side. He threw a\nand jirking them from then heads and through\nmajors cap over and rode up to Maj. Miles\nand made a grab, for his, but May Miles ducked,\nand remarked what the hell was going on.\ntoenail and was told F ride by Maj, Wileon, the\naman in my section had an jugrown\nReg. Medical officer, and I provided for him to\nride an off horse. I explained the circumstances\nright.\" along came the Major and ask why\nto the captain and the said, \"Yes it was all\nthe man was reding and of course he says\nalright. But along came the Col. and he\nsaw the man riding and bawled out,\n\"rit off that house an explanation was\noffered but the lal. demanded that he get\noff and if he couldn't walk to get an\ninstructed but as soon as the eat rode\namblance. He got off as\nKOFC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n35\nI told him to get on again, which he 191\ndid. We went on that way for ught or\nten kilos when the lol, found him again.\nThe out lot rode up in his car and jumped\nwalk all the rest the way and that\noff and stay off and he hoped he had to\nand bawled out for that man to git\nhe hoped There hid is starve no before doubt he but caught what the up.\nincident wasn't taken up with the\nCol. was wrong in the fact that the\nCaptain in charge of the battery.\ngoing three Salzures, Vagney, Remirmont,\nWe traveled overland from -Kruth\nBayon Toul and Nancy. Winduig up ab\nst. drive Mihiel at that and being in reserve, backing up the\noverland after toward three Verdun. days at this ( place we started\npoint.\n36\nthe time we left Kruth that we arrived at\nIt was after twenty seven days from\nthe front near the argonne Fount. after\nmaking 500 Kelos overland, thru mud, rain,\nlight feeds for both horses and men, irregular\nfuding, long hours of traveling at night with\nmen carrying packs, we arrived in a big\nwoods just Fen Kilos from the line. We\narrived here about eight a. m. and had\nbreakfast ab 11 octock.\nItwas here we were intitled to a\nposition. It was Incessary as the men and\nfive days rest before taking up another\nhorses were badly in need of a rest. Bub\nat 4:30 this same day we were ordered to\nthe front.\npouring ram that drenched us. The French\nWe left as scheduled. If was a down\nroads were packed with trucks and guns bound\nInfantry were going to the rear and the\nfor the front. We had some difficulty getting\nalong as the right of of way was questioned more\nthan once. then we got it we made it on the\nrun. the went all the May, up hell and\nKOFC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nto\nWar ACTIVITIES\nI\n37\ndown, three shell torn villages and around 191\nthe railroading of the shells going guno aud\ncould see the flash of Terman and\ncorners. Until we came to a point where we\nbound for some small villages roads. we had passed\nthere ou perhaps some cross\nWe wended our way around the base\nof a hill, thru mud to the hubs, to a patch\nof small trees. If was here that we backed our\nguno and causons into position and\nside of a hill and made our bed on the\ncamouflaged them. Then we went infon the\nground for a much needed sleep. all the\nnext day was spent in sleeping. We were\nalmost too tired to eat, it wouldn't hade\nwe had canary feed most of the time anyway.\ndone us much good to have been hungry as\nmoving our pup tents Town by the quns.\nthuas the next day work was begun\n38 The battery was layed and work begun\nshelter against shell fire.\non our trail fait, and digging a trench for\nWe were assigned the mission of\nreducing barbed wire and then follow up with\na creeting barrage.\nFor two days there was constant\naireal activity and Terman observation\nballons made it necessary to stay closely\nunder cover. and every night for two nights\nthey used a \"searching out fire all three the\nwoods were were in, and dr times they came\nwithin fifty yards of us. They must have\nsuspecioned something going on but couldn't\nlocate it. During the night hours we\naccumulated 3000 rounds of shells and like\nnumber of fuses.\nThe woods all around us was fairly\nbristing with guns. and all plans were made\nfor a possible successful counter attack.\nOn the night of sept. 25th allwas\nset for a five hour barrage. Our time was\nset at 4:20 A,M, sept. v6th. The night\nlifore, our doughboys passed our position\nand were on their way to go over at\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWAR ACTIVITIES\n39\n191\ndaylight the next morning. They were\nenthusiastic and anplous to go, each saying\nthat She didn't have time to take any presoners.\nIkwas at 11 oclock that night that\nfiring started on our left. Itwas some sight.\nThe flashes of hundreds of guns thru the\ndarkness, that light up the houson like a\nshells only to its greatness. and as\nhuge fire. added The enemys flares and star\nthe hours went past the flashes and roar\nwas reaching our point.\nbecame more destinch, as the line of fire\nwent to our guins to put the finishing\nat 2:30 we had a good feed then\nready to move forward when we had furshed.\ntouchs to our guns and getting our equipment\nOnce more I had my guadrant, watch,\nflashlight and schedule akmy fingers ends.\nIt was a twenty six & age tarrage.\n40\nIt consested of changes in deflection\nand elevation and all must be put out, so\nmany shots a iminute and at a certain\ndeflection and elevation ata certain time.\nWe had short rest periods of ten minutes every\nthirty for cooling our gun.\nat 8:30 in the morning found us\nwith 500 rounds to the gun having been\nfired and everything went off without a\nhitch. The officers were all well pleased.\nThe houses and limbers came\nup and we moved forward then lines\nof roaring guns and wound our was\nthru the woods and over trenches until\nwe found ourselves past the German's\nfirst line trenchis. We passed hundreds\nof Terman presoners and many wound\namericans being carried in by the prisoners.\nIt was at the crossing of a Terman\ntrench that I saw a doughtory in the\ntrench looking over, itsedge, with refle in\nhand evedently waiting for something to\nshoot ab. th was only a fee words he\nmuttered that convinced me he was shell\nshocked and was not responsible for\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWAR ACTIVITIES\n41\n191\nhis being there.\nWe could see a small town, shot to\nthe ground not far off. Machine guns with\ndozens of aireoplanes overhead and flying\ntheir endless put put put pub There were\nlow, It was here that I saw three of our\none right after the other, and falting in\nobservation balloons shot down by one felane,\nflames to the ground.\nWe were standing on a road stalled\nby a boche plane. We went into position\non account of a budge having been blown up\nand awaited orders for shooting. It was a bad\na free hundreds distance, behind a hedge fence,\nplace as the enency opened up on us with\ndirect fire, but their shooting was bad. It\nthe limbers came up after us and we moved\nKilled a fee houses and wounded a fee men. Then\nout in the ofen, a shell torn field that\nsumed almost impossible to cross.\nafter getting stuck a number of times in\nshellholes we finally hit a dirt road leading\nforward. after having been the first battery\nwe camp the the top of a bald Fill, cossing\nof go forward, and now leading the Regiment.\nlay a deep ravine that was deep and stab.\nwe were halted. Before us\nIt was here we saw many dead Termans\nand saw an elaborate system of dugouts,\nequiped with running water, bath, surming\nwas here the Ternaans found us a better\npool and all modern convinces. also it\nthick and fast and they fell on both sides\ntarget than before They sent them over\nof us. But every one of the men \"stuck\" as\nthe therevere nothing going on.\nsoon the Major ordered to unlimber\nand to take the houses to cover. One of my\nteams were coming thru the ravine and a\npole broke, and I sat on my house and cursed\nmy luck. I looked around to find an officer\ngiving me orders from a shell hole. We\nsoon 9 of another one in, a spare\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWAR ACTIVITIES\n43\n191\nsectional pole we always carried. a\nhead and burst about a hundred feeb\nshell passed about ten feeb over my\nbeyond me. Thakuas enough for me\nI dismounted and led my house as setting\nup so high made too gooda target.\nWhen darkness came we moved thru\nthe ravine, putting ten and twelve houses\nto the gum. It was one oclock when we\ninto some brush for the night.\nstopped again and backed our guns\nFor the first time in 24 hours we\ngot some bread and butter. We were almost\nfamished three\nseemed as tho we would never\ncatch ub with our doughboys, they were\ngoing to fast for our worn out horses\nand men. We had up to this time\n44\nkilled by overwork, all but about\nforty hoises, causing us to leave our\ncombat train to the rear. all indevidual\nimounts were put in the harmers to helps\nmove the guns.\nall thru the night the rattle of\nmachine guns and the screaming of shells\ncould be heard, but we were too tered to\nmind that.\nof nine, Agt. shackletor was killed,\nIt was near here that a friend\nmaking way for the tanks.\nat five oilock the next morning\nwe pulled out to move forward. after\nmoving around mindd places in the\nholes we came lipon a rock road, for\nroad and pulling then shell holes and mund\nwere hardly able to wabble.\nwhich we were thankful as the horses\nThe ground we had covered so for, was\na scene of lorecked machine\nguns and rifles and signis of hundred of wounded\nstation. Continuous lines of wounded being\nmen waiting for transportation to a dressing\ncarried to the rear.\nKOFC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n45\nabout five minutes we stopped on account\nafter traveling along this rock road. for 191\nCus. Here we saw several small tanks\nof the road being shelled just in front of\nwounded or killed. Men lying dead on both\nthat were shot up or its operators that\no\nview. sides of the road made a very defressing\nstopped at a cross road, prior t. to crossing a\nagain we moved forward only to be\nsmall bredge before going Chephy.\nHere scened to the the so-called \"Knuckle of the\nHundinburg live.\" There were countlers machine\nguns tying, clips half used, hand grenadis,\nevidunce of a nice one time strong point\nnines, reftes and equipment. But here was\nprotecting the bridge approach There were\nmany of our men lyrng in the road blown\nto atoms uther by shell grenadis.\nat this point, the probably the greatist\n46 impression was made upon our minds\nThere's saw lodus without heads, some\nas to what our infactry had gone three.\nwithout arms or bigs, some cut in to\nfeet apart. Here were officers and prevates\nat the waist and parts lying several\nalike, having paid the price.\nturned again toward the line. Our batter\nCheppy and toward Verrennes, where we\nagain we moved forward there\nstill leading the Regiment and Brigade\nus pulledinto and an old orchard and\nhartly prepared for work.\nas this time we were 3000 yard\nfrom the hum. They occupied the vally\nin front and the crest of the hells on\nboth our flanks. The wounded wore\nstill coming by us and brot the news\nthat attack. the Hune was making a counter\nIn the meantime the battery was\nwas established Later our Communication\nthe doughboys to direct our fire. Communicat you\nlayed and our Eaptain went forward with\nwas cut by a tack so we spent about\nthree hours there without firling a shot\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n48\n191\nWere were soon in touch again\nbatteries and silmced there aud put up\nwith the lines. The ofered fire on some\na barrage. again our wires severe cut.\nThen came quother wait.\nWhile us were maiting unamysed\nof us at the road we had just pulled off\nour selves by watching the him shoot back\nof and saw there give Verrennes and cheppy\nwhich were packed with men, ammuniting\ncould see them shelling our packed roads,\na severe shelling off in a distance wf\nand The saw one thing held\nour for ten minutes, and that\nwas some heavier artillery pulling into\nposition behind us, The Huns speed\nthem and mussed things up for a while.\nItwas nearing forer oclock and\nmy had had nothing to eat since six\noclock that morning and our work\nposition, created, for us, an incrmous\n49 around the guns making our\nthe guns, as the ammunition wasn't\nHowevers we continued to carry freet for\nappetite. But no prospects of eating.\nseveral hundred to the gun.\ndelivered to the guno.do We soon accumulated\nmarked alreal activity by both sides,\nDuring our wait here there was\nwith Boche planes and observation\nballous in view constantly and ah one\nalled plancs a Boche ventured over to\ntime when the valley sumed clear of\nbomb some artillery, as it was massed\nto our rear, and seemed to make a roof\nseemed to Spit from every foot of the\nthe valley opporte us and machine guno\nof steel over our heads. He flue around\nup when he H came within their range\nvalley. The machine guns would open\nand sounded peculiar, as some would\nopen up and clare when he came with\nof two hundred feet and opened up\nrange and He flue over us at a heighth\nspat the dirt around us but, he thing\non us with his machine they\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n50\nderectly over us his machine\n191\nshot at the wrong gugle. Howe gen he\ndropped several Gombs but did no darrage\nall traffic that passed the place, where he\ntheir mark.\ndropped his gas, necessitated them wearing\nbut evedently his purpose was other than\nHe repeated he flights over us\nthe co-ordinaud of artillery positions\nto destruct. He the doubt was getting\nfor their artillery headquarters.\nto our rear, leithing about three horres and\nup on our horres, which were on the road\nDuring his observation he opened\nwounding two.\nIt was about this time we lost\nup ammunition One was my gurrner\na few men wounded while bunging\norporal Coyle.\nafter the Boche plance went back\n51 51 to his own lines, that our Major that\nit best for us to change our position.\nposition right on a rock road.\n700 yards. This time we took up a\nWe did change, but only by\nIt was about eleven oclock that\nnight we got something to eat, bread\nand rotten meat. It had been on the\nso bad we couldn't eat it. But the chunk\nway so long it had spoiled, it smelled\nof bread tasted good.\ntrail pit dug and old Hungry \"layed\nWhen ut had the gims layed, and\nframes on a tarp foya bit of rest.\non Normal Barrage we three our weary\nand each gun to get off the first shot,\nBut a guiard was kept on communication\nand us sleeping dressed just six fuf\nin from ten the grounds. us However the job\nHowever our infantry had in\ncause counter to attack call on no H. stop a\nthe news that we were put in the orchard\nThe next morning found us with\nas a sacrifice battery during a counter\nattackupod our infantry.\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n52\n191\nThis, the third day, found us somewhat\nin road a place, on an opin\njust fifty yards to our rear.\ncancouflage and our horses proketed\nall day we fired on targets, mostly\nmachine nexts, artillery and stationary\noburvation\nseen a Boshe observation tower. We fired\nFrom our portion on the road could be\nsee some Huno come hurrying down the\non it and three the glasses we could plainly\nhit one it.\nus in wrecking making\nladders. Buksome larger caliber gunder beat\nwas called upon to shoot if a battery\nat another time my gum, alone,\nmoving out of position. as one gun can\nbe more readily adjusted than four, J\nwas lucky to The called upon for job\ncame over the phone to must shoot meant as fast as\nafter about three adjustment shots,\nwe could, as every shot\nCaptain phoned This that the job was finished.\nfred about thirty rounds when the\nTalhing that many more hums. We\nat such a moment as this is when the\nlittle gun.\n\"75\"lives up to its reputation as a fast\nDuring the day headquarters had\ninformation for us to have data made\nfor two barrages, \"Eventual \"and \"Normal.\"\nhave cause to be our old foution in\nSomeone from the Battery happen to\nthe orchared, and brot back the news\nthe night audin the exact place where\nthat the position had been shelled during\nlarge enough burry three houses, no\nthe third section price was, was a hole\ndoubt the potition war shilled by \"210's.\"\nwas brot right to the guns, in trucks. about\nnight brokus us with more fuel \"which\n1:30 the chiefs of exctions were called to the\ncaptains quarters, as he hada new\nbarrage for us. This necessitated all the\nmore direction rock to road the gun in order to give proper\ncannoweers getting up to dig up some\nanothel hours to bed we had about\nsleep, when the call \"larrage\"\ncame. We were on the job and were\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\nIN\n54\n54 atit allday, forma about five hundred 191\nrounds. thrush have been this day that\na counter attack was made by the Hun\nthat it saved the day. They described it\nas the doughbours remarked the next day,\nthere by hand Theydescribed how the Humo\nas being as perfect as if they were placed\nfill back torn to pieces and in disorder.\nHaving fired most of the day (Octist)\nwe were very tered at night. We constructed\nblaukets a shelter with our paulins and threw our\nThat down foula a bit of sleep.\nsoaked thru and morning found us nearly\nnight it rained and we got\nfrogen and laying in a juddle of water.\nAo: get our back breakfast. to still we\nBy sections we walked down to chepping\nplodded our wet the give felling\nfor - When right ground\nnecessary to bail the water out of the trail\nwe Infurned, we found it\npit before we could fire. It kept no burry\nfrom the hill.\nas itseemed as we cdughtall. the water\n7/most of the day keeping the water down\nDuring the day the drivers took to\nseventy five yards to our rear and explored\nscouting around in some truches about\nmany dirgouts. They made some good finds\ninacuated. They all showed signs of being hairtly\nblaukets, rifles and one Officers helmet\nas they brot back many German\naround the trenched. There were some\nFurther scouting foundwany dead\nunderground passages five hundred\nmetres long with comfortable quarters\nfor beneath the hill.\nToday brot the news that a whole\nFerman battery, gims houses, min and\nall had he captured by our infantry\nrear and passed they chippy going to the\nroad from our position has a Herry\nabout three hundred yards down the\nbatterly being operated by men of the\n129th things fireda as tong as their\nammunition lasted.\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n56\n191\nbeing fired upon but miszed, we spent\nactivity, intercupted sleep, erregular eating,\naside from raining, barrages, areal\nat an eleration as high as 39°.\nour cslx days on the rockroad firing\nBattalion moved ahead of us and had\nDuring our stay here the first\nabout seventy five casualties in Telled\nwounded and gassed.\nur had shells fall in front and behind us,\nWe were fortunate in our position\nwe had gas aldrms most every night\nbut being on the crest of a hitt we were\nwere comparatively safe.\ninfantry came marching part us an\nall during the day of Oct. 3rd our\nthe 1st way D invision. They were tired, ragged,\ntheir to therear being releaved by\nmuddy and with sunken cheeks\nshowing many shipless nights\nand nerve racking ixprerences.\n57\n-\ntin Boche planes We even shobal\nagain machine gunned by about\nOn the afternoon of the 3rd we were\nOn the night\nthem with rifles, fickedup round dead\ndoughboys. The planes in\nstationed just to the right of us, but\nkilling a few men in the batteries\nmiddl it would hdve killed fifty of\nhad a bomb been droppen in our\nwhen they flui over. of scattering\nus as we were lined up toud mess\nwe amired ourselves shooting at them\npurring of machine gimo and anti-\nthe whole valley echool with the\nand expecting to see one of them faflas\naircraft guns.\nThe conduct of the men was\nmarvelous as they dedut rum to Ruow\nwhat fear was.\nrear of the guns and one night about\nOur Kitchen was put just to the\nyards back of it and the falling of\n2:30 a.m. ad a big shell fell about forty\ndirt and mud sounded like a\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n58\nus and labour allwas said was a\na stambede of houses. Iffell all around 191\ncanual remarks, \"I guess that was\nthat \"V10 \"thats been shooting around\nhere all day, and believe me a 210\nwith a detayed action fuce sure makes\na guisey On mightof the 3rd we were\ngiven 500 roundod to shoot\nalong with a schedule which would\nthe ziro hour arrived, the order came\nlast about an hour. But just before\nfor \"march order.\" Mee! ! But it soynded\nrelieved. good as we hada hunch we were being\nthrir Verennes for the rear hypasred\nLate that night we probled out\nsumed to be some fighting. There\na sector of the argoune that there\nwas such a roar and flash of guns\n59 that one was almost bluded in\nthe clarkness and a conversation\nwas out of the question\nWe marched all night long, travelying\nstill see the wrickage of equipment\nparalell with the front lives, We could\nshell tom roads, clead horseb and induce\nof many a tragec death.\nPassing along a road on the\nside of a high hill had been a mine\nexplosion, causing a great breach in\nthe roadway, but some \"colored loys\"\nwasn't long dentil we were passing\nwere on they job fixing it, sout\nthru shell torn villages and wending\nour way to the rear. It wasn't long\nbehind. before signs of war were soon lift\nuntill now we have lost about a hundred\nFrom the time we left the Vorges mt.\nhead of hourse, mostly killed from overwork,\nthe losses,\nto the weather was responsible for high of\nlack of feed and water. and wo doubt exposure\ngune and cairlons for rightun hours, and\nWith thirty five head of horses we publed\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n60\nwe could stillhear the roaring of guns and there\nfinally pulledints a big woods for rect. Here -191\nwere thousands of troops quartered here\nacting as reserve.\nthe road and stayid the rest of the day and left\nHere we feedded made camb along side\nthe nixt moon. The entire remains of the\nto visit some of our friends. I was fortunate\nDivision was camped. We had an offortunity\nin seeing Agt. Bill of the 110 Eug. and he\ngave me more detail of Agt. shakeltons death;\nmet afrund of mine named Forwler, he\nalso of Agb. Ficken being garred I also\nalso also ghere me some details of shachelton's\nFrom here we hiked to Seigneulles, about\nughteen hours from the beg woods. IL was on\nthis move that up got so hungry up picked\nup cruits of bread that was left by some\nsome town about nine in the oclock p.m.\nother outfit. as int were paring there\nsome doughboy Kitchen had some bacon\nfortuluate enough to git some before it run\nleft from supper Well! Those that were\nout, ate it as tho lkwers cake. There\nMapa truck load of bread dupped on the\nground mar by and with the\nwe wore deshirate. Ireally believe corn\nnearly every man had a foaf of bread,\nwillie would have tasted like chicken\nthat night\nMe never did feed for water when the time\nHuas always a puzzle to me why\nrame. threemed as the the hikes were\nmade as long and as hard on the men\nhike could have been made in tuo days\nand horses as possible. To prove the latter\n& Suigneulles for about nine days.\ninsted of one, we stayedin the village\nwithout events but was occupied with\nOur staly in Seigneulles was\ngrock. drill. Instead of a restlure got more\nfoot drill and cannoneers post and\nThere were a few French canteens\nhere which kept us well supplied with\njam, cookies and chocolate at ixorbitant\nprices. Jam was $ V.OOa can, cookies fifty\ncents and only 20% sugar. It was nothing\ncents for a dogen. Chocolate was eighty\nbut better chocolate and small bars at that.\nKOFC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n62\nGrapes cost a dollor for a hand full 191\nmuch in the states. Where ever there were\nand ten cents would have bought turee as\nsoldiers the price its was worth fiked But tin when and one\ntwenty times place where american soldiers\nhave never been, thus are about the\nsame in the States that except\nfats We always of\ncut instead of a dollar!\nfive franco being about twenty five\nafter funding several days here we\nhiked overland to Kruth taking our\nonly as we hadso many horses \"Teick\noff here, that trucks had to bring our\ncaussous and other equipment.\nnight of October 16 th. Here we spent\nroad where ivj pulledinto knith on the\nWe were about two days on the\ntwenty four hours steeping.\nOn the next ahight we kiked all\nnight to a position near Verdun.\n63\nthat we pulled into prepared fontions.\nIt was about five in the morning\nIt was a hard night spent in\nthe guns in made by hand. When the guys\nthe raine and then having Full\nwere and in we a due for the disgoub\nshipt untilnoon the next day.\nmade, after we were assigned a sector.\nlayed and data for a yorkal farrage\nIn the afternoon the guns were\nplace until Wonday hught Oct. 21 st\nnothing of importance took\nwhen we were getting ready for d bed\none funy men, Purce, remarked that he\nevery night and now that the hada a\nhad been on guard or carrying ammuntion\ncharice to sheep, he felt something just\nsaid it than the call \"barrage\" came.\nmust happen. no sooner had he\nThe guard at the gun had the first\nrounds in twenty minutes as the barrage\nshot on the way. put outlig hty\ncalled for \"repeat\". We did. We keptit\nschedule called for and the rocket signals\nup then as long as our ammunition\nlasted, as did the other batteries near us.\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n64\nbut it all proud to be a Hun trick. Then\nthwas confirmed over the prone, 191\nmust have taken an O.P. and discovered our\nsignal for barrage. We burned if only\nmore shells, which had be carried about a\nrest of the night was spent in carry ying\n$ 65,000. worth of finel that juight. The\nmile. The next day was also spent in the\nsame way.\ndeimp with planty\nWe soon found air old engineers\na track to haul our ammunition which\nand small cars! us\nmade it much easier.\ndown in no mans mans-land and our Captain\nTo day there was a plane shot\nwent forward to shoot it up before dark.\nBut before we got to shoot we were stopped\nby orders from There has headquarters.ned been aireal\nBooke plane, real desperate, flue only\nactivity the last few days infact some\n65 65 above the tops of the trus trying to\nmaybe her moved at two oclock\nlocate our position maybe he did and\na. m the nixt morning and moved to\nanother sector about eight kilos away.\nthwas a moonlight night and every\nthing was almost as visible as this it\nupon us that up willnever forget.\nsaw that might made an impression\nwere daylight. The ghostly scenessive\nwas completed flowed and re -plowed\nThe ground being ofa white rocky nature,\nby shells making a touraine that\nwas almost impossible to walk over\nHere and there were tall stumps of trees\nstanding like black ghosts with a\nthris our minds that this must have\nwhite Mackground There was a flank\nbeen a hell possome one, sometime.\nItwas such a looking place that\nwe went into position on the early morning\nthat is what was fift of old prepared gun\nof Oct. 24 th we wenkinto prepared poutions,\npito. There was old decayed camouflage\nto blend with rocks, the sufforts were\ncharred by powder fire, which was\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n66\nchamber adjoining the pit. (Third section\na result of a direct hit upon a magazine 191\npit.) Just a few yards the the rear of the\npets of rock were covering dougouts them. with about eight feet\nto inbox and carry the magazinis.\nafter our guns were in, we had\nempty loxes. Inever will forget when\n2500 rounds and then camouflage the\nwe looked at those boxes, they looked\nlike a mountain but the seven\nmen in each section jumped in with\nthe view of getting it all away before\ndaylight. The fact that the position\nwas registered and there ware no trees\nto provide areal cover for us, only had\na tendency to urge us ow,\nsleep allday, which was a great\nour dugouts and we were permitted to\nDaylight found us asleep in\nseveral days and nights.\n67 relief as we had had no rest for\nguns layed and we had a chance to squint\nThe afternoon found us withour\njust a jurfect gauge front a rock road, and a\nat our Surroundings. We found we were\nnarrow across the gage track a few hundred feet\ntwo batteries of 155's and a lattery of\nroad, a lattery of French 75's,\nrear and on the same hill with us, on\nanti-aircraft. all of these were to our\nminute our right walk was Fort from Tavannes, our position just a five\nThis ground was the most hard\nVerdun lying just down the ffo valley\nfought for ground in the drive for Verdum,\nfrom our position. amillion shells a day\nsector. Fort Diamont Fort Vaux and\nfor seventy two days, were firedin this\na few others were all within view.\nEvery night of our stay here the Huns\nseldom failed to open up about eight octock\nrear and atsp the fort on our right. They\nwere shelting the French positions to our\nevery night with H.E. shrapnet and gas.\nWe were annoyed a fee nights with gas\nbut no harm done.\nThere was constant afforts, by\nKOFC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nTO\nWar ACTIVITIES\n68\n191\nthose French position shots\nthe Boche planes, to get imbrmation on\nwent over us\nJohat didn't yorry us as muchas the\nKlaxon that sounded the gas warning.\nThere is an awful fuling when\none is asvakened in the early morning\nhours, by the alarm. There is\nright by our contain ratched\nare unually, with special care, layed\na that of wheres my mark.\" But they\nimportened. a second that is how\nlong has the alarm been going and\nmade apoint abouse\nis there regas in the data -Lalways\nman to his mark was on.\nall day long, ab almostrigular\nintervals, long range guns would shill\nus. We called them 'rolling citchens.\"\nVerdun, and the shill passed directly over\n69/9\nThe Captain made daily trips\nto the foruard O.P. I obtained his\nconsent to take me with him, sometime.\nTwo Captains, the Major and myulf\nthe trip one afternoon. We intered a\nalong with another sergeant suade\nrailway turnel (Perdun - metz Ry)\nand traveled perhaks two Kilos, three\nwhat had duce been usedas quarters\nfor French troops during the selge of\ntime, was also used by 16 inch naval\nVerden in 1916. This tunnel, ab this\nlong range shilling at mets.\nrailway gune as protection after\nravine on the left\nfound ourselves with in a deep in narrow\nat the end of the tunnel we\nand front with Fort Tavanne to\nright front. Here we intered the\nour rear and Fort Duamout oupur\ncomunication trenches and soon.\nbase of as chain of hillo that faced\nintered the front lines, just at the\na great swamp and plain\nwas metz continuous for forty Kilos to\nWith our glassed wemade a\nKOFC\nKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n70 search of no-mans-land suingouly 191\nsaw the remains of Dieffe, about\none Merman. just to the front the\na kelo away. The Hun\ntrenches was about away\nThen it turned an, atdiss lines\nin one place, on account of a swamp.\neach other.\ncame within a hundredmetres\nthese lines at this time. (35th Div.\")\nOur our infantry was holding\nOne night we were called ubon\nto \"stand by and be ready to pub to a\n\"box larrage \"wound Dieppe\nprotect our troops, in care raid of necessity. here\nto get some prisoners. wanted But with our\nas they were making a big\nout the calling on us so, up didn't\ninfantry gob they\nhave to fire.\nget information, In fattery positions, about a\n71/ after repeated efforts by the Huns to\nhundred metres to our rear Some of us\nBocher plane was brot down two\ntook our pictols and made run for him.\nWe got there, along with Some Frenchmen best\n(Frogs) and found they had made the\nof the fall, being practially mhart,\naside bruises. and made a\nmarch for weakons but found mone.\nTo see our men strip them of their clothing\none would have that the american armu\nwas an army of souvenir hunters. Hates\nwint to which the plane and broke off and\nThe wings and propeller were badly smashid,\nouters was on a wing of plane.\nbut engine affeared to be in good\nshape. Then a Fruch offecer casse uf and\nmaho and photo plates. The menior\ntook charge, taking machine give, camera,\nmade by the officer showed that had he\nthe positions had been successfully polted.\nreturned it would have been hot for us as\nour except when we\npresoners yuelded readity to\ntook bron bross, but\nKofC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n72\nhis protests were in vain. G\nI9L\nfrom the shock and\nex atiment they seemed glad that the\nwar had finished for them, But at a\nof soft had hose found on the\nquestioning given but them and the finding\nofficer, they became very much desturbed\nor kill them then and there.\nas the Freuchmen wanted to lynch\ndepartment The take came them and\ntheir plane away, inding a day of\nadventure you us.\nBrigade Headquarters Thand a special\nmission Lovers to the started at three\na.m. on the morning of Nov. 2 nd.\nfronth lines while other latter fired\nOur firing was destructing the Hun's\nEach gim of our battery fired 500 rdo\nat Hum batteres to keep them silences.\nmust he remembered as it was cold,\nthe firing at 7:30 a. m. This morning\nwith perfict regularity, completing\nin fact freezing our water used for\nweeds and sticks were all coated with\ncooling and suabling the gim. The\nfrost The morning was fogging and\nfor ours firing. Hun not one shot was\nfreezing making it an morning\nTharsh message.\nthered by in return for our\nIt was on Sunday the third that\nthe Boche found \"E\" battery's position\nmery causing them to change their\nand run them out, Killing five of their\nposition. For several days the Hun\nI no avail.\ncontinued to shell their old position, but\naride from areal activity, daily\nmo ex citiment up to Nov. th. when\nsearching out fere by the Him, we had\nour infantry was relieved by the 81sh\nDivisions the \"Wild lats\". Then were we\nattached to the 8111.\nat an early hour up were ayakused\nby a stiff larrage to our right and\nleft the continuous Sere of\nKOFC\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n14\n191\nheard machnu guns, which were He flainly\nfrom our position.\nup on the roads. It only brot the\ninfantry, artillery supplied lined\nWe got up to find Frunch\nnews that there was am other drive ow,\nwe being the on the offensive.\nout in front of the fits and open fice\nWeivere ordered to feell our gime\n7:30 A.M. Here we fered larrdgesaled fered\nlong range.\non batteries and firedom Terman tourls, at\nOur lattery along with the Truch\nwere left to hold a pinot, while the\nand our Brigade moved to another point\n(81r) infantry another paint\nto admadrance punching off this\nthank they\nthus avoiding drumming thru\nFrom the reports we received\n75 75 the \"Hild lats\" were making good\nheld up big a frie machine guys.\nprogress for several kilos. But were\nreturning the remarked they were\nHaving talked to one if their men\nhim how many causalties they\nfight, with three machine gims l ask\nheld up for five hours, in a \"bloody\"\nhad in his company. He said \"light\".\nI said, \"go on fool, you airit done\nnothin yet\"\nwhen our in the wood and\nI that of the drive in the argonne\ncaptured and how of machines\nprintis became sergiants and how\nnothing stop them. and how\nto they would ruch them, gims allowing\nSergequents and how took Majors.\nI that of the contrast in the fighting\nspirit between the men who\nindusted to fight and the men who\nmarked difference between the\nwere drafted to fight I that of the\ninfantry of the 35th as they marched\nKOF C\nKnights OF COLUMBUS\nWar ACTIVITIES\n76\n191\nshowed on some of the faces of the sich\nand how deferenced and the show of fear\nto the front lines, in the firgonne,\ninfantry as they filed part in, while\npositions. we were firing from the Verdenn\nThe next day Battery 'E' of our\nmin of the girt and took up position\narginent went found with the infantry-\neverything put layouts on the\nmachine gimy nexts They did\nrightwith Jhon formg point thank on\nmugzled The the nixt day brot. the war to\na close with the order to class\nfiring at eleven oclock. Every gim,\nupota the last minute.\nFrunch and american twere firing\nThe Fruch, thour rear,\n11/valibrated the event with cheering.\ndrinking and playing like children.\nby night. Daylight actevities followed\ndiscipline, no more troop movements\nThere was no more camouflage.\nfrom then on. star shells and Dario\neleventh, in of event.\nwere sent up onthe might the the\nThousands of were working\non the Verdun - metz railuary\na very importunate accident\nhappened the afterding of the eleventh,\nwhen eight severey injured and\nthree were killed by the explosion Units\n\"Dud \"underia Log fill butt\nsitting occured. around it that the explosion\nbug shell hole and a dozen min your\nengineers I kies a year suilt ina a"
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