USA > Illinois > Fayette County > Fayette County in the World War > Part 4
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1 Spoon
1 U. S. Rifle Cal. 30.
1 Intrenching tool
QUARTERMASTER
1 Razor, Safety
1 Shelter Half
1 Tent pole
5 Tent pins
1
2 Blankets, W. O. D.
1 Iron Rations
1 Soap, cake
1 Towel, face
1 Comb
ENGINEER PROPERTY
Compass, watch, 1 to each liaison man.
SIGNAL PROPERTY
Field Glasses type EE
Flag kits, Infantry
1 to each Sergeant. 1 to each bugler.
This equipment when properly disposed of made a very compact roll and weighed from 80 to 100 lbs. After once becoming accustomed to carrying them they were not so bad as would be supposed. But the sol- dier never liked them and every opportunity to lighten them was taken.
All equipment lost in the United States was to be paid for at the end of each month by the soldier losing it. All equipment lost in France was supposed to be lost in action and no charge was made for it.
The Trip Across
About 9:00 a. m., May 16th, the Company boarded the U. S. Transport Agamemnon which was formerly
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a German ship named "Kaiser Wilhelm the 2nd." The writer was the first member of Co. I on board the ship and the only one that was permitted to land again after the ship had been loaded. The ship lay at anchor all day within sight of the Statue of Liberty. About 5:00 P. M., after a short blast of the whistle the ship was towed out into deeper water and cut loose.
A long blast of the whistle and she slowly swung around and made for the east with her sister ship the Mt. Vernon on the starboard side. This relative posi- tion was held all the way across.
As it neared sunset of a beautiful day the Statue of Liberty disappeared on the western horizon. All realized more keenly than ever before the gigantic task which lay before them and that its accomplishment must be full or we would never have the pleasure of see- ing the fair United States again.
Fortunately the ship was a large one and did not rock much so there was very little seasickness and everything progressed nicely. No lights of any de- scription were allowed after dusk. A strict night watch was kept. During the day the gun crews were at the guns continuously and everything that looked suspic- ious, even to a floating board, was fired at. Only once was it thought that a submarine was near. About day- break May 23rd a loud blast from the whistle of the Mt. Vernon answered by one from the Agememnon brought everybody on board. Five destroyers came into view, and were quickly along side. It was hard to conceive how anything so small could be so speedy. These destroyers could cut circles around the larger ships. These destroyers conveyed the two transports to port.
France
About 10:00 A. M., on May 24th, land was sighted. It was a welcome sight for several times during the voy- age it had been remarked that "if we ever get on dry land we will stay there." The anchor was dropped about 11:00 A. M. There were several transports in the harbor with an aggregate of 50,000 troops. With the exception of a small detail which landed May 25th, the Company did not land until the morning of the 26th. After landing we began a long hill climb to the rest
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IN THE WORLD WAR
Camp. This hill must have been at least three kilome- ters long. Most of the boys expected to find some sort of Camp as the place we were to stop was designated as "Rest Camp." When we arrived we found that it was nothing but an open field. This was nothing new though and pup tents were soon pitched and a Camp was made.
Almost immediately an old French lady appeared at the fence not far distant with some Vin Rouge. Busi- ness picked up right away, and in the next few days that passed the boys became pretty well acquainted with the "Vin Sisters," Vin Rouge and Vin Blanc. Most of the time at the rest camp was spent in cleaning clothes and equipment and getting rid of wine and Ur.ited States money.
The French were very glad to see us. We were all struck by the absence of men of military age. The smaller boys had a passion for American cigarettes. About the first English they learned was "cigarette" and "chewing gum." Decoration Day, 1918, was spent in Brest and several of the boys wondered what the folks back home were doing.
The Regiment broke camp on May 31st, and start- ed for Oismont by train. About 11:00 A. M. we board- ed and began the first lap of the long trip to the front. It was our first experience in riding in the famous "8 Chevaux, 40 Hommes" French side door pullman. The car was supposed to hold 8 horses or 40 men. On this trip about 36 men were placed in each car. This made it very crowded even with the maximum number of legs and feet hanging out the door.
With The British
We arrived at Oismont about 5:00 A. M., and de- trained immediately. We hiked 4 kilometers to an encampment of Engineers. Remaining here until June 3rd, we hiked to Doudelainville. Here we became pretty well acquainted with the word billet. It meant anything from a room in a house to a fairly dry spot in a pig sty. Food was scarce and money more so. The boys learned their first lessons in fatiguing and salvag- ing. Due to the fact that our supply base had not been established army rations were scarce and hard to get,
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but within a few days supplies reached us in quanti- ties. We were quartered and rationed the same as the English Army at that time and our rations had an abundance of cheese, tea and jam in it. Coffee was almost impossible to get. June 7th the Company turned in all extra equipment that they were so particular about giving us in the United States. The officers bade goodbye to their trunks and extra equipment includng the six pairs of white cuffs that they had been com- pelled to take as equipment. This was done in order that moving might be more easily accomplished. Each Company was allowed one rolling kitchen and two limbers. This means of transportation could not carry one-third of what the Company had so it was necessary to dispose of some of the property even though it was hard to take.
June 9th, the Company hiked to Embreville ar- riving there the same afternoon. At this place we were under orders to move at a moment's notice. June 14th, we drew gas masks, Lewis automatic rifles and the English Enfield rifle to replace our U.S. Springfield rifle. It was hard to give up the Springfield rifles that we had been carrying ever since we had been in the service, and take a greasy clumsy rifle such as we considered the English rifle at that time. However, after constant use it became more easily handled than the Springfield, but they never seemed to inspire the confidence that the Springfield did. Most of our training was under the direction of British Officers and was of an intensive nature consisting of gas drills, and maneuvers in com- bat formation. At 11:00 o'clock on the night of June 17th "Call to Arms" was blown and the entire Com- pany including the kitchens was ready to move with- in 45 mintues. Recall was blown, however, and after a rather profuse expenditure of profanity, we all turned in
June 21st, we began a 2-days hike to Bellancourt. True to form the aBttalion Commander became lost twice and marched us a few extra kilometers, he being mounted without a pack and the boys dismounted with about 80 pounds on their back caused him to become the object of some criticism. An instance occurred on this hike that illustrates the disregard of rank by the
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IN THE WORLD WAR
American Soldier. We had halted for a short rest when an English Staff Officer with his Aide-de-Camp appeared. The first one that saw him should have called "Attention," but due to the fact that there were no officers present these formalities were omitted. He came up to the kitchen and talked to the cooks who did not even take the trouble to salute. He passed on down the road. It was found out later that it was Gen- eral Sir Henry Rawlinson of the British Staff. When the Major appeared we were given a few moments curt instructions on military conduct, and resumed the march.
We marched steadily for the balance of the day with only thirty minutes halt for dinner. We arrived at the Camp about 5:00 P. M. The second day of the hike was very much the same as the first only that we became lost once. The white horse that the Major was riding was showing a decided limp and appeared about ready for the repair shop. One of the sergeants was carrying an extra pack in addition to his own. Other- wise every one seemed to be able to keep going. At the top of the Pont Remy hill, a hill of about 11% kilometers in length, some of the boys began to tire. We arrived at Bellancourt about 4:00 P. M. The Major turned in his white horse for another and we did not see it any more. This is only one of the examples that a man can tire out a horse.
More intensive training was scheduled including firing the Lewis guns, and the British rifles. It did not take long to find out that the British rifle would not compare with the U. S. Springfield rifle. Either from a standpoint of accuracy or mechanical construction. The Lewis guns were found to be very effective, however, and the boys were anxious to get a chance to use them in actual service.
Company I received its first casualty here at this place. The Company was firing rifle grenades when a defective cartridge caused a grenade to explode pre- maturely and wounded Pvt. Ernest Erickson severely.
Here within hearing of the big guns of the Royal Field Artillery firing on the Germans, Co. I spent July 4th, 1918. The afternoon was spent in athletic games by the majority. The minority went A. W. O. L. to
1
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Abbeville and became soused with cognac and rum and had their 4th of July on the 5th.
The entire Battalion comprised of Companies I, K, L, and M looked forward with misgiving to the day of departure. Every soldier in the Battalion seemed to like this place. But all things must come to an end and despite the fact that we had just been paid and had lots of money to spend we were compelled to leave. We left July 18th.
M. and Mme. Bernard, at whose home the Serg- eants had their meals, felt the departure keenly and with tears in their eyes bade the boys goodbye.
In Action
The night of July 18th was spent on the outskirts of Vignecourt. Resuming the march July 19th, we ar- rived at Allenville Wood about 5:00 P. M. We were instructed to clean up and get ready for the front. Leaving Allenville Wood about 10:00 A. M., we ar- rived at Pont Noyelle about 4:00 P. M. Here we wait- ed cover of darkness to go into the support trenches, near Lakoussoye where we were in support of the Aus- tralians. Here we experienced shellfire under "Jer- ry's" fastest shell. The shell was so fast that the noise from the explosion would occur simultaneously with the whine it made in passing through the air. Ordinarily the heavier shells would whine in the air for a few sec- onds before it arrived. Here we received instructions from some of the best soldiers that ever carried a rifle, the Australians. The Aussies, as they were called, seemed to take a liking to the Americans from the first and the liking became mutual.
It was at this place that we saw an illustration of the cheek and daring of the German aviator. Four English observation balloons were up in the air at the same time, in the immediate vicinity of our position. A German plane circled and brought down one of the balloons. He was soon pursued by four or five planes. Evading these he came back and brought down another balloon as it was being hauled down. With at least ten English planes after him he put up a running fight and fell in flames within the German lines.
Company I was relieved under cover of darkness
.
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IN THE WORLD WAR
July 24th and returned to Allenville wood, where it remained until July 29th. We again took up a sector near Corbie July 29th in support of the Australians. The entire Company went to the front line in detach- ments. Harold J. Lyman and John Ackland were wounded and several of the boys had close calls, Sergeant Bush probably having the closest. He and two Australians were occupying a small "bivvy" cut in the trench wall when a shell exploded near, throwing dirt all over them. They left immediately and no sooner had they disappeared around a firing bay when their "bivvy" received a direct hit, tearing it complete- ly to splinters, and ruining nearly all of their equip- ment.
During a downpour of rain we received order to withdraw from this sector to Allenville wood. We marched all night in the rain but with the exception of getting lost again nothing of consequence happened. Upon arrival at the wood the ground was found to be muddy and much difficulty was had in getting a place to sleep. Some of the boys were so tired that they made no attempt to pitch their tents but lay down on the ground and went to sleep. Leaving Allenville wood in the afternoon of August 6th we arrived at Moulin Au Bois the same day.
The Supply Sergeant drew some Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers here, which were to be issued to the Sergeants and buglers. One of the Sergeants had load- ed his revolver and was ready for action. Some one asked to see it, whereupon the Sergeant drew it from the holster and accidentally discharged it. The bullet passed through the breeches leg of one of the me- chanics, making three holes in his breeches, went through a newspaper that one of the boys was reading and struck another member of Co. I in the arm. It was only a flesh wound but it was necessary to send him to the hospital.
The Third Battalion leaving Molliens au Bois the night of the 7th of August was ordered into the trench near Albert relieving part of the eighteenth British Di- vision in the line between the Ancre and Somme rivers at Borlancourt. This was the Company's first exper- ience at night marching. We were then so close to the
.
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FAYETTE COUNTY
German lines that it was necessary to march at night and in combat formation. After having marched until past midnight we began to pass the large guns of the British Field Artillery. The roars of these field pieces were deafening. It was a new experience to many of the boys. About three o'clock in the morning we ar- rived at the trenches we were assigned to take over. The company was placed early in the morning so there was nothing much to do the following day except establishing liaison between Company I and neighbor- ing units. We were in support of the 129th Infantry at that time.
On. August 17th, the Company advanced to take over a sector of the front line trench on the old Arras- Amiens railway which was within the battlefield of Morlancourt, so well known to the British and Aus- tralians in the Somme defensive march of 1918. The ruins here were beyond description. Bodies were lying exposed that had been there since March and the sight will never be forgotten by the men of Company I.
On the night of August the 20th, word was sent to Company I that much activity had been going on behind the German lines and that we might expect an attack by the Germans. After much debate at Battal- ion headquarters, as to the best course to follow, it was decided to sand fast. Outposts were thrown out. One was in the village of Dernen Court. About eleven P. M., the British machine gun units on our right were heard warming up their guns. The rhythmtic staccato of the machine guns reverberating on the clear night was making an impression that will never be forgot- ten. Everybody was up on his toes expecting an at- tack but nothing came of it. During the night an at- tempt was made to get rations to this outpost which was in charge of Sergeant Bush. This attempt later fol- lowed in the death of Ernest Beth, one of the members of Company I. This was the first death in Company I.
In the evening of August 21st, we were relieved by a British unit and ordered back to Molliens au Bois woods. Here much to our pleasure we received word that we were soon to join the American forces. The Bri- tish rifles and machine guns were turned in and were replaced with U. S. Springfield rifles. It was like meet-
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IN THE WORLD WAR
ing an old friend to get the Springfield back again.
Good-bye Tommy-Back With The Yanks
About five o'clock on the evening of August 24th, we bade good-bye to British and Australians and board- ed the train for the American sector arriving at the lit- tle French village of Tannois about five o'clock in the morning of August 26th. We were the first American troops to be stationed at this place. It was a small vil- lage of perhaps eight or nine hundred inhabitants but contained many fine chateaus and had an electric light and power plant and several other modern improve- ments not found in some of the larger villages. It seemed to the boys that the battlefield was a thousand miles away. The training consisted mostly of maneu- vers and the new combat formation. Some of the boys even found time to help one of the neighbors thresh. One old lady was putting up the hay crop by herself. She would go into the field, get the cart full of hay and return to the barn and throw some hay up into the mow and go up and drag it back, but some of the boys helped her and they soon got the hay crop in. Leaving this place about dusk on August 31st, we arrived at Naucois-LaGrand September first, after a long hike in which the Major, true to form, lost us twice. Brigade maneuvers were held at this place. Leaving this place on Sept. 6th, the Company was loaded on trucks and taken to Rampont. The place was known to the Amer- icans as Camp Suds. They remained here until Sept. 16th. During this time much time was spent on the rifle range firing the new French Chau chaut rifles of which we had sixteen. These rifles might be all right for the French but no American soldier that ever used one ever considered it anything but a nuisance. They were hard to handle and easily broken.
On September 15th, we were given a talk by the Battalion Commander stating that we were about to engage in a great offensive and that in all probability this offensive would end the war. Little did we be- lieve at that time that this statement would be true. Rumors were afloat to the effect that the Germans were almost out of ammunition but the occasional explosion of large shells near-by seemed to imply that the con-
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FAYETTE COUNTY
trary was true. Accordingly we left camp Suds on the night of Sept. 16th, arrived at a woods just out of Beth- elainville where the time was spent in drawing the necessary combat equipment and getting ready for the big drive. Leaving here Sept. 21st, we hiked to Baley- court where we were near the base of supplies where the regiment consolidated and had everything in read- iness.
In The Meuse-Argonne Drive
On the night of Sept. 25th, we were ordered for- ward, none of the men knew where. The night was damp and foggy. We arrived at Germonville at 11:45 P. M., and waited. Promptly at midnight there be- gan one of the greatest barrages that has ever been fired. The earth fairly rocked and it seemed to us that no living creature could withstand the severe shelling that the Germans must be undergoing. The 130th In- fantry at first was ordered to make the attack but the orders were changed and the 131st and 132nd made it instead, and we were placed in support. These two regiments went over the top in the morning of the 26th, and advanced steadily taking their objective in every case. The 130th was ordered to advance to Bethin- court, the town immediately in front of Dead Man's Hill, and an attempt was made to march along Chat- tancourt-Esnes-Bethencourt road but at Esnes the vol- ume of travel was such that traffic was impossible, transport trains, artillery and amunition filled the road. The regiment was counter-marched back to the west- ern edge of "Dead Man's Hill," then proceeded in single file and slowly worked their way across the bat- tle field where hundreds of thousands were slain in 1916.
Bethincourt was reached at ten A. M., and the reg- iment stayed here until the following morning, Sep- tember 27th. Shortly before our arrival three truck loads of bread had been dumped in a pile and guards had not yet been placed about it. It was presumably for the Field Artillery of the 80th Division. Nearly every man of the third battalion in passing this bread helped himself to a couple of loaves, consequently after the battalion had passed there was not much bread left. After the battalion located, a feast was in-
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IN THE WORLD WAR
dulged in and the boys made everything of this bread from French toast to "jam sandwiches" (two pieces of bread jammed together) and it was well that they got plenty on this occasion because it was several days be- fore they had plenty again. During the night an ex- plosion was heard and the gas alarm was set off. Every boy put on his gas mask, but no gas was found. It developed later that the explosion was due to the cur- iosity of a mule. A mule team had been tied to the rear end of a limber containing hand grenades and true to tradition the mule chewed upon one of the box- es of grenades and caused one to explode; this in turn caused the whole box to explode. The mule went West. The brakeman of the limber, who was a member of Company I, was sleeping below. The helmet that he wore was riddle with fragments of grenade. The boy was thought to be killed. He was taken to the first aid station and reported dead. However, it developed later that he did not die. It put one eye out; fourteen pieces of grenade were taken out of his face and he carries one yet in the back of his head which can not be re- moved.
The officers of the Third Battalion were ordered to make a reconnaissance of the front line then occu- pied by the 80th Division.
In the evening of September 29th, the Company ad- vanced towards the Sector stopping near the Bois de'en Dela with absolutely no protection from the heavy rain which fell throughout the night. Some of the men hung in trees, others laid down in the open fields which was nothing but a mud hole. It was the most miserable night the Company had yet spent. The wood was un- der shell fire all of the time throughout the night but fortunately the shells fell in the heart of the woods. Early in the morning a rumor was sent back to the kitchen with orders for the Mess Sergeant to bring up a hot meal. In compliance he brought up a meal. It was hot. But it was only hot water, as there were ab- solutely no rations available. About break of day we received orders to relieve the 320th Infantry of the 80th Division. The relief was made in broad day light, in plain sight of the German observation balloons and under severe shell fire from three sides. The 320th
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FAYETTE COUNTY
Infantry which had advanced the day before without artillery support were so badly demoralized that they did not know where their position was. Company I and Company M being directed to relieve these men, made a two kilometer advance but found no infantry . to relieve. It developed later that they were in woods that we had already passed through. The underbrush was so thick one could hardly see one hundred yards in any direction. A raking shell fire from three sides was now falling and nineteen men of Company M were killed or wounded in less than fifteen minutes. Com- pany I did not have a single casualty. Even today it seems a miracle that we escaped, as the shells exploded in such rapid succession that it was a continuous roar. This post was a salient in the line and could be fired on from three sides making a raking cross fire which was very destructive. This sector was held for more than three weeks by the 130th Infantry. Twenty-sev- en men were killed and nine officers and 135 men were wounded during the period, but the 130th Infantry held the line. Six trench mortars, twenty machine guns and large guns, ammunition and signal property was captured from the Germans. The Third Battalion still under the command of Major Edward Bittle was now attached to the 129th Infantry and took part in an at- tack directly, on the morning of October 10th. The Battalion crossed the Meuse on October 9th, and on the following morning October 10th, they leap- frogged through the 131st Infantry in an attack north of Consenvoye in Bois du Plat Chene and the Bois de Chaume.
The advance began at 6:30 A. M., without artil- lery support, and with nothing but a machine gun bar- rage for support. They met with fierce resistance. Ad- vancing over the crest of a hill about 2 kilometers, which was being swept with German machine gun fire, they met with such severe losses that it was necessary to halt the advance and dig in.
The Germans were so close that they could be plainly seen manipulating their machine guns but it was impossible for Co. I, to get the automatic rifles or grenades to bear on the machine gun nest as it covered so much territory and their fire was so intense.
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IN THE WORLD WAR
Liaison could not be established between platoons. Lieut. Harlan Kilborn, the Commander of the 1st pla- toon was down with a wound and Sgt. Guy Kile was left in command of the platoon. After the 5th attempt to get a runner through, he succeeded and the Com- pany fell back behind the crest of the hill. The machine gun nest was flanked and captured from the rear later. This was the bitterest engagement of the war in which Co. I was engaged and it cost the Company 18 killed and 38 wounded. This ground was held until the en- tire regiment was relieved October 20th by the 2nd. French Colonial Infantry. After nearly one month of severe fighting without rest they withdrew to Rupt-en- Worre, 22 miles away. This was a forced march. The officers and men were worn out, but were revived by a promise of ten days rest.
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