1918 Yearbook
Source URL
Title
1918 Yearbook
Description
"In France"
We were at once convoyed to the French port of Dunkirk, an important
military depot, from which we were sent with fifty-thousand regulars to
St. Denis, an important training station ninety miles north of Paris, for
six months intensive fire training.
This camp was under the personal direction of General Joffre, retired
head of the general staff and the idol of the French people. We were instructed in the methods of trench warfare and accustomed to artillery fire.
On the first of November I was appointed sergeant of a machine gun crew
and placed in the second line of trenches. It was our duty to reinforce those
in the first line and follow up their advances.
Daily we pressed forward, and daily the distance between us and.the
German borders lessened. Several million Yankees were spread along the
line of advance, fighting like veterans. The Germans realized that they
were involved in a life-and-death struggle, and attacked often but with a
lack of the ardor that had marked their early success.
"Over the Top"
The thrill of going over the top was a grim and trying experience. No
pen could justify the horror of these barbarous attacks in which man becomes an animal in quest of prey.
First the orders are passed along the line to prepare for going over the
top. Instantly the men become silent and expectant, knowing they may
never return. Suddenly sounds the shrill shriek of the lookout's whistle;
the captains order their men forward and the attack begins. A forward
rush, a clash of bayonets, the cracking of pistols, the shrieks and groans
of the wounded and dying, and the battle is at its height, each fighting for
his own existence.
Then sounds the recall, the invaders are sent to the rear and the newly-
taken trench is occupied by fresh troops. The regiment had suffered
heavily, half its men were dead and another fourth out of the fighting.
Thus ever did we press forward towards our goal.
"The Last Stand"
The suffering of the men was terrible; but they bore it all uncomplaining, for they realized that the end was near and soon they would be returning home. In May, 1919, the German forces under Marshall Von Macken-
sen gathered for a final stand. Hindenburg had been cut off and, with his
whole force, was shut up in Munich.
The Crown Prince had fled into Holland, his troops having surrendered
at Hamburg, so that now the mighty army of the Kaiser stood at bay before the city of Berlin, the last unconquered stronghold. The Huns held a line of trenches on the crest of a low ridge of hills, which, with the artificial fortifications of the city, formed an almost immovable line of defense.
Mackensen realized that every day would mean the arrival of more troops
We were at once convoyed to the French port of Dunkirk, an important
military depot, from which we were sent with fifty-thousand regulars to
St. Denis, an important training station ninety miles north of Paris, for
six months intensive fire training.
This camp was under the personal direction of General Joffre, retired
head of the general staff and the idol of the French people. We were instructed in the methods of trench warfare and accustomed to artillery fire.
On the first of November I was appointed sergeant of a machine gun crew
and placed in the second line of trenches. It was our duty to reinforce those
in the first line and follow up their advances.
Daily we pressed forward, and daily the distance between us and.the
German borders lessened. Several million Yankees were spread along the
line of advance, fighting like veterans. The Germans realized that they
were involved in a life-and-death struggle, and attacked often but with a
lack of the ardor that had marked their early success.
"Over the Top"
The thrill of going over the top was a grim and trying experience. No
pen could justify the horror of these barbarous attacks in which man becomes an animal in quest of prey.
First the orders are passed along the line to prepare for going over the
top. Instantly the men become silent and expectant, knowing they may
never return. Suddenly sounds the shrill shriek of the lookout's whistle;
the captains order their men forward and the attack begins. A forward
rush, a clash of bayonets, the cracking of pistols, the shrieks and groans
of the wounded and dying, and the battle is at its height, each fighting for
his own existence.
Then sounds the recall, the invaders are sent to the rear and the newly-
taken trench is occupied by fresh troops. The regiment had suffered
heavily, half its men were dead and another fourth out of the fighting.
Thus ever did we press forward towards our goal.
"The Last Stand"
The suffering of the men was terrible; but they bore it all uncomplaining, for they realized that the end was near and soon they would be returning home. In May, 1919, the German forces under Marshall Von Macken-
sen gathered for a final stand. Hindenburg had been cut off and, with his
whole force, was shut up in Munich.
The Crown Prince had fled into Holland, his troops having surrendered
at Hamburg, so that now the mighty army of the Kaiser stood at bay before the city of Berlin, the last unconquered stronghold. The Huns held a line of trenches on the crest of a low ridge of hills, which, with the artificial fortifications of the city, formed an almost immovable line of defense.
Mackensen realized that every day would mean the arrival of more troops
Publisher
Wagner's Printery
Date
1918
Rights
St. Ambrose University, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport, IA 52803
Identifier
http://cdm16810.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16810coll2/id/6677