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diff --git a/77797-0.txt b/77797-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2116418 --- /dev/null +++ b/77797-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4195 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77797 *** + + + + + TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE + + Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. + Small caps in the text is denoted by UPPERCASE. + + Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. + + + + + AMBULANCING ON THE + FRENCH FRONT + +[Illustration: ON THE JOB, DAY AND NIGHT. + +A picture of the author, one of the first Americans to serve as an +ambulance man on the French front.] + + + + + AMBULANCING ON + THE FRENCH FRONT + + + BY + + EDWARD R. COYLE + + + _Illustrated_ + + + [Illustration] + + + NEW YORK + BRITTON PUBLISHING COMPANY + + + + + Copyright, 1918 + BRITTON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. + + Made in U. S. A. All rights reserved. + + + + +TO MY MOTHER + + +Whose parting gift was a miniature photograph of her own dear self upon +which she had inscribed these words: + +My only child who is given to the Cause of Liberty and Freedom. May God +guide him safely so that he may help those who are unfortunate. + + HIS MOTHER’S PRAYER. + + + + +AUTHOR’S PREFACE + + +When I went to France there was no thought in my mind that I should +ever write a book on the subject of my experiences over there. On my +return, however, many friends besieged me for details of the great war, +which had come under my observation while serving in the Ambulance +Corps on the French front. It was easy to infer from the eagerness +of all that real news was in demand, none seeming to tire of asking +questions and listening to what I had to say in reply. From these +impromptu conversations occurring day after day, I began to realize +how much I had really experienced during my stay abroad. Consequently, +when urged to write a book for the benefit of the general public, I +consented on the theory that the more we Americans know about true +conditions in the War Zone the surer we are to win victory from the +most ruthless enemy ever known to mankind. I make no pretense of being +a writer, but I know what I saw and I hope to make myself understood +on the subject of war as it is to-day on the firing line. Much in the +way of rumor has passed for fact in America. Propaganda has confused +the public mind. The more fact that leaks through, not calculated to +send aid and comfort to the foe, the better for all of us. In this, my +first attempt at writing, and possibly my last, I intend to give facts. +Matters that should not be disclosed for military reasons will, of +course, be reserved for historians of another day. + + EDWARD R. COYLE. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I HOW I CAME TO GO 15 + + II AMBULANCE WORK 24 + + III SANDRICOURT 31 + + IV MEDICAL CARE 43 + + V A LESSON I LEARNED 49 + + VI A VISIT TO PARIS 54 + + VII “THE FRONT” 61 + + VIII MASSING BEFORE VERDUN 67 + + IX THE SIEGE OF VERDUN 77 + + X A VISIT TO BACCARAT 104 + + XI HOMELESS CHILDREN 109 + + XII AFTERNOON TEA 115 + + XIII “PETIT POST” 122 + + XIV BADONVILLER THE MARTYR 126 + + XV “SNIPERS” AT WORK 135 + + XVI “KAMERAD!” 141 + + XVII THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE 151 + + XVIII SPIES AND THEIR WORK 159 + + XIX LETTERS FROM THE FRONT 174 + + XX EYES OF THE ARMY 190 + + XXI ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES 199 + + XXII HAND GRENADE WORK 205 + + XXIII THE AMERICAN Y. M. C. A. 215 + + XXIV REAR-LINE DIVERSIONS 225 + + XXV “FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR” 229 + + XXVI HOMEWARD BOUND 235 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Picture of Author—_Frontispiece_ + The Wagon of Mercy Loading Up + A Camouflage Road Made to Order + A Natural Camouflage Road + A “Load-Up and Getaway”—Wounded for the Hospital + The Bivouac of the Dead + Where the Souls of Men Are Calling + A French Gun Much Respected by Fritz + German Sacrilege—Christ’s Figure Decapitated + Ruins of the Church Containing the Figures + Sacked and Burned + Badonviller Destroyed by the Germans + Sixty Feet from a German Front-Line Trench + Trying on the Gas Masks + Badonviller Barricaded for Street Fighting + Awaiting Orders Behind the Front + Bombing the Hun + French Infantry En Route to the Trenches + A Small “Persuader” at Verdun + Field Telephone Station Controlling the Shell Fire + Ruins Along the Lorraine Front + A Quick Lunch at the Front + First Aid Dug-Out—Waiting for a Call + + + + + AMBULANCING ON THE + FRENCH FRONT + + + + +Ambulancing on the French Front + + + + +CHAPTER I + +HOW I CAME TO GO + + +If you like excitement I’d say take a steamer for France—and join the +Ambulance Corps on the French front overlooking Verdun. A few steps +forward to the front-line trenches and you’re in the zone of what the +lamented Charles Frohman described as “The Great Adventure.” + +I was there and I bless my lucky stars that I’m home again for a while +with a whole skin and a large and growing appetite that I brought back +with me. I served as an ambulance man, a sort of scene-shifter in the +wings of the greatest tragedy ever staged. Now, as I write, it is +running in its fourth year. My duties required me to bring back from +the battlefield the maimed and dying, and deposit them in places of +comparative safety. Also to the sheltered huts, further back, where +first aid could be given. + +If anyone had told me, on January 1, 1917, that in less than sixty days +I would be over there on the French front, taking a minor part in the +biggest show on earth, I probably would have slammed back at him, “Quit +your kidding.” Nevertheless, it all happened—I went, and of my own +volition, joined the Ambulance section of the French Army, and stayed +in the game until my own country took over that service. Then I came +home for a visit, having served practically nine months, but I am going +back soon, this time with Uncle Sam—I have already enlisted. + +[Illustration: A Quick Lunch at the Front] + +[Illustration: First Aid Dug-Out—Waiting for a Call] + +Just how I made up my mind to go in the first place is yet something +of a mystery. Here I was in New York, holding down a good position at +generous pay. New York is always entertaining, and at intervals my +work took me out over the country to other cities, under first-class +conditions. Therefore, it was not from lack of novelty or interest in +my own affairs that I went forth in search of trouble. + +As I think back upon it I presume I must have talked myself into going. +Notwithstanding that we, over here, were seemingly out of the war, +everybody I knew, at home or on my travels, talked war, and I did also. + +While dining with a friend one evening in a New York restaurant we got +into the war talk game rather earnestly. He was sure he would go over +were it not that he couldn’t possibly pass the test. + +“If it was Uncle Sam that was fighting I might try to go anyway,” said +he. + +It was at this point in our conversation that I heard myself say: + +“Well, I think I’ll go and help France; she was always good to us.” + +My voice sounded strange to my own ears as I said this, and the next +instant our eyes met. Bing! I realized that I had started something +down deep within me. Also that a hand reached forth across the table +which I took into my own. It was the hand of James A. Gilmore, +“Fighting Jim,” as he is affectionately known to millions of baseball +fans all over the world. + +“Bully for you!” he shouted. “What part of the service will you go in +for? Army—Navy—Red Cross?” There was a wistful look in his eyes. + +“Red Cross, I think.” + +I heard myself say this, but, as a matter of fact, I had no thought +whatever of what I would do. To tell the honest truth, I felt as if I +had jumped off of the Brooklyn Bridge. Not that the idea frightened me. +Nothing like that. If I had made a real decision, and I began to feel +that I had, it didn’t seem to disturb me unduly. There was no reason +why I shouldn’t go. If there was a reluctant feeling it was on account +of my Mother—but I knew her too well to believe that she would hold me +back from such a righteous cause. As to my Father, why he’d boost the +game. I was sure of that. Anyhow the conviction grew that I had cast +the die, and by the look on the face of my friend I knew that I had +committed myself. + +For the next half hour I sat quietly munching my food and listening +the while to my good friend opposite. It was during this time that he +showed his loyalty to the great cause. I was told to outfit myself +and spare no expense—he would help foot the bill. A few days later, +when I was all but on the point of sailing away toward the great +whirlpool of disaster, he and other good friends presented me with an +auto-ambulance, fully equipped. + +Proud! grateful! I thought I’d drop dead with joy before the day came +to walk the gangway of the big ship that was to bear me away from +peace to war. + +Recalling my sudden decision to enter the war, on many occasions I have +asked other Americans why they volunteered. In no instance did any of +them give a solid reason right off the reel. I believe the answer +given by a young Philadelphian, who was a member of our party on board +ship, fairly sums up most cases of volunteer enlistment. + +“Damifino,” said he, with a shrug of his well-set shoulders and a merry +twinkle in his eyes. + +Same here—his answer is mine. I don’t know why I went, but I am glad I +did. I’ve seen things that horrified me—that terrified me. I have been +within arm’s length of the Grim Reaper many times, but I got used to it +all. It became a part of the day’s work, but never to the point where I +failed to shoot the gas into my motor in order to get out of reach of +the “big ones” that flew my way. + +But I’m getting ahead of my story. After making my decision to go I +did as everyone else had to do—saw Eliot Norton, a New York lawyer +who contributed his time in passing upon the qualifications of the men +desiring to enter this branch of service in connection with the Red +Cross. He seemed glad to have me go; therefore, I soon found myself +busily engaged in purchasing supplies and equipment generally. I also +started to “pulling the strings” for my passport. In fact, I went to +Washington in order to get quick action, so that I could sail on a +French liner, along with forty other volunteers. My auto was to follow +on another boat. + +On shipboard all hands fraternized at once. It was a gay party +withal, and democratic in spirit. Big family names didn’t count +for a cent, much to the relief of the fine fellows who bore them. +There was a general realization that we were bound on a serious +mission and that there was no better time possible in which to get +acquainted. Therefore, the time passed quickly enough on our way to +the port of Bordeaux, our gateway to Paris. A surprise awaited us +there—third-class coaches, instead of luxurious Pullmans, to which +we all were accustomed. Bare wooden seats for an all-night ride were +not so soft as a feather-bed, but at that we were lucky, for we were +told that this long ride was usually made in freight cars. It was a +mighty rocky ride, though. There was compensation in the fact, however, +that we journeyed through the celebrated Jardin de France, the most +beautiful landscape in all that beautiful land. But our legs and bodies +ached, almost unbearably, as we came to the end of the journey. + +Arriving in Paris we went straight to headquarters, No. 7 Rue +Francois Premier, French Headquarters of the American Red Cross in +Paris. There we signed up for voluntary service with the French Army, +and then started out to complete our equipment and obtain uniforms. +Four glorious days followed, for Paris is great, even in war times, and +we realized that we would not get back there for at least six months. + +Then came preliminary training at Sandricourt. This took ten days, and +from thence we were hurried forward to our Division assignment for +training near the Eastern front. No use to go into detail concerning +the red tape necessary to enlistment. It is enough to say that there +is plenty of it. After every little thing had been attended to I found +myself tagged for identification as follows: + + VIII Army + 9th Corp + 17th Division + French Army + Edward R. Coyle. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +AMBULANCE WORK + + +Ambulance work in the French Army comes under the heading of what is +known as the Sanitary Service. To each division there is attached a +Sanitary Section which serves that division only. Although subject +to the orders of the Staff Officers, it is looked upon as a part of +the Medical Department, and is directly under the supervision of the +Medical Staff. The Service, like everything else in the war to-day, has +undergone radical changes. + +In the early days of the war, the Sanitary Section of the French Army +proved most inefficient. It could not cope with new conditions. Speed +in conveying the wounded soldier to the proper hospital was vital; +so also was the transfer of cases from the front-line trenches and +dressing stations to hospitals where complete service and attention +could be given. To facilitate development in this all-important work +took time and careful thought to determine just which course would meet +the increased demands with greatest efficiency. + +While the reorganization was being evolved in the minds of the men +who had these matters in charge for the French Government, the German +Armies were most actively engaging the French all along their frontier, +and it was necessary, for the time being, to meet the situation +in whatever make-shift way it might be possible until the desired +perfection in this branch of service could finally be attained. + +The French were fortunate with the sanitary sections they had organized +up to that time and which formed a regular part of their medical +service in connection with the army. In order to take care of a great +portion of the extra work that was thrown upon them, it must be +acknowledged that, with the equipment they had, they carried on the +work in a wonderful way. + +In Paris lived many people who were able to render service to the +French Government during these days, and among them was Mr. Harjes +of Morgan & Harjes Company, Bankers. Quick to see the need of expert +ambulance work in connection with the army, he equipped his own +automobile and donated it to the French Government. + +Through his example other people in Paris were induced to make +donations of a similar character, and thus, through the generosity of +a small group of Mr. Harjes’ immediate friends, Sanitary Section, Unit +Five, was formed and became a permanent and famous feature in ambulance +work, setting the pace followed later on by the French Government. Mr. +Harjes became responsible for the efficiency of this service, spending +most of his time in the field personally conducting the operations, +and, by his untiring efforts, made it the standard of all other units. +About this time Mr. Richard Norton also realized the ever-increasing +demand upon the sanitary section service of the French Army. He got +into communication with his very close friend, Mr. Arthur Kemp, who +was at that time residing in England, and induced him to equip his own +private car and bring it over and enter the work with him. Mr. Norton +formed Sanitary Section Unit Seven, and himself went into the field as +its head. He drove one of the cars himself and lived with the boys at +the front, as also did Mr. Kemp. + +The wonderful work that was carried on by the volunteer ambulance +services quickly attracted the attention of the French authorities. +Letters written by the boys of these sections, describing in detail +to friends in America the work they were carrying on, resulted in a +large number of requests for a chance to serve as volunteers. These +enthusiasts proposed not only to donate automobiles equipped for +ambulance work, but also to drive them themselves without cost to the +French Government. Soon there were enough of these applicants to +form Sanitary Section Number Eleven, and, at the termination of the +Volunteer Ambulance Work in October, 1917, these volunteer sections +constituted the finest and most efficient ambulance service in the +world. + +By this time recognition had been given to this service from all +corners of the globe, and the American Red Cross now became the +principal financial support of the service, which enabled it to expand +into a vitally important factor of the French Army. Equipment and funds +in abundance were placed at the disposal of the organization. + +Eliot Norton, a lawyer in New York City, and a brother of Richard +Norton, played a large part in the success of that organization. It +was he who personally supervised the enlistment of men for service in +France as ambulance drivers. No one was permitted to enter this service +without having first satisfied Mr. Norton that he would be unafraid, +under any conditions, to carry the work of the American Red Cross to +the battlefields of France in a creditable way. + +Untiring was his devotion and unerring his judgment. A very high +official in the Medical Corps in the English Army is quoted as having +said: “I have never seen a cleaner, more intelligent crowd of boys than +the ones who are serving with the Norton-Harjes Ambulance Corps in the +French Army.” + +The organization was now taking on such proportions that it was +necessary to establish central headquarters. This was done at No. 7 +Rue Francois Premier in Paris. Messrs. Norton, Kemp and Havemeyer were +compelled to give up the active work in the field and take charge of +the offices. Other sections were equipped and sent out; section leaders +and assistants called chef and sous-chef, respectively, were chosen +from the older men that had been on active duty in the field. + +This organization was now continually attracting prominent people +to it, one of these being Mr. Robert Goelet, who turned over his +estate at Sandricourt, twenty miles outside of Paris, to be used as a +cantonment for the American Red Cross, and as a base for training men. +Twenty automobiles were donated to this section, which became known as +the “Goelet Section.” + + + + +CHAPTER III + +SANDRICOURT + + +Sandricourt, as a base for training and instructions, was a happy +choice, for it became the stepping-stone to efficiency. It must be +remembered that all the men who had joined the service were youngsters +and of good families, and most of them had had some business experience. + +In the French Army there is no such thing as luxury, and it is very +hard for a person who has been used to butter, sugar and cream to +be deprived of them all at once. In addition to extremely plain +food, sleeping out of doors was a very necessary preparation for the +hardships to be endured, when one might be called to sleep in any old +place and under unknown conditions. + +In the meantime, means were found to divert the minds of the weary +by such activities as military drills, lectures on the care of cars, +instructions on temporary repairs, and the like. In due time there were +also established, under Y. M. C. A. supervision, classes in French, a +working knowledge of which was very necessary, for at the front the men +had to take orders from doctors, who spoke that language exclusively. + +When Sandricourt was first taken over it had to undergo a thorough +overhauling. Mr. Goelet had not occupied it from the inception of the +war and, of course, things were in bad shape. The barns, which had been +used for the housing of cattle and stock, were to form the sleeping +quarters for the men, and it was necessary to give them a most rigid +cleaning before they could be occupied. + +[Illustration: A French Gun Much Respected by Fritz] + +Some of the barns were over a hundred years old and in an awful +state of repair, but a hundred men of the Ambulance Service were +dispatched to start the work and they pitched in with such eagerness +that within four weeks’ time Mr. Goelet himself would hardly have +recognized the place. + +As sections left Sandricourt for the front, others came to take +their places and carry on the work. During their stay they received +instructions in preparation for their own departure for the front. + +The fatigue work in our service consists of such tasks as carrying +water, chopping wood for the kitchen, and waiting on table. Everyone +had to take his turn at these different duties. It was amusing to +look in on the various groups of inexperienced boys of the different +fatigues. Many of them had never washed a dish in their lives, but no +one was exempt, and each day brought different men to duty on different +fatigues, in accordance with a well-planned schedule. + +Details were dispatched each day to help the farmers in the vicinity +with their work, all of which was good for the appetite, and hardened +the boys. Army food was so different, it seemed impossible to eat at +first, but it had the appearance of a banquet at Delmonico’s after one +had been out on a haystack all day or feeding a thrasher. + +Such was Sandricourt, the tempering forge of the ambulance corp—the +place where everyone got down to bed rock and exchanged luxury for the +essentials; bloat and fat for muscle, and irregular life for a rigid +routine. Complaints flew thick and fast at first, but, after all, +these seeming hardships were mild, indeed, compared with what came +afterward. When enemy shell fire kept food from coming up, and service +demanded that men should sleep in their clothes for days at a time in +preparation for an immediate call, I often wondered if there were not +a great many fellows who longed for Sandricourt, with its vigorous, +enforced rules and discipline. + +In preparation for the assignment of a section to a division, forty +men were chosen from Sandricourt and placed under the leadership of +a chef and sous-chef. Two men on a car and twenty cars constituted a +section. This section, when completed, would then be sent out to one +of the large automobile parks located somewhere along the front where +cars were supplied. Two mechanics were assigned, as well as clerks and +cooks. There was a French lieutenant who, with the chef, took command +of the section when all the equipment necessary for field duty was +supplied. When the section left to join the division it was assigned to +whatever position that division then occupied. + +After arriving at its destination the first thing the section has to +do is to establish a cantonment. This is generally an old barn or a +demolished house eight to twelve kilometers behind the line, and it +must be central to all the portion of the front that the division is to +occupy. In all instances these quarters are within easy range of the +enemy cannon, for it would be impractical, for numerous reasons, to +have this cantonment or field base too far in the rear. The greater +the distance the greater the time required to answer emergency calls. +Instant service is the watchword of the ambulance man, for he can never +tell what a few minutes’ loss or gain may mean in the saving or the +losing of a life. + +Located at different intervals all along the front, just behind the +first-line trenches, are _abris_, in charge of which there is a +doctor. When a man is shot or otherwise injured, he is taken to one of +these dressing stations where he receives his first treatment. If he +is slightly wounded he is kept there until night, in the event that +the nature of the terrain does not afford security to an ambulance in +coming up to take him to the rear. If he is badly wounded he is put in +a cart and wheeled to the nearest point back of the front line where +an ambulance can approach without becoming a target for enemy guns. At +night it is the duty of the ambulance man to advance under the cover of +darkness up to these dressing stations, and convey all wounded men to +the hospitals in the rear. + +As many cars as there are stations to be served at the front leave the +cantonment at noon every day for twenty-four hours’ service at the +front. The remaining cars then become an Emergency Division. All the +clearing must be done at night. No lights are permitted on cars. This +prevents them from becoming marks for the enemy guns. + +If a road is being shelled it makes passage extremely difficult for +cars without light. Shell holes are “hell holes” to get out of, not to +speak of the likelihood of a broken axle. It is often necessary for +one of the men on the car to get out and walk in front of it with a +handkerchief behind his back so the man at the wheel can find his way +along what is left of the road, in and out between the shell holes. + +Many of the posts or dressing stations where first treatment is given +are located as close up as 500 yards from the German front-line +trenches, which is within easy range of machine guns, so that, during +the day, it is impossible for the ambulances to approach these advanced +posts if compelled to go over ground that might be visible to the +enemy. But at night this can be done with comparative safety. + +It is an erroneous idea that the ambulance man goes into “No Man’s +Land” to pick up the injured. There have been instances of where the +boys have done this sort of thing, but it is not a part of their +required work. + +This branch of the service is done by the brancardier, or +stretcher-bearer. In most instances in the French Army this service +is made up of musicians. The injured are conveyed back through the +trenches and placed in the waiting cars, which take them to the rear. + +The trips to the hospital with emergency cases are sometimes very +trying to a sensitive driver. A man on a stretcher, shot through the +abdomen and suffering unbearable agony, shouting “_tout doucement, +mon Dieu, tout doucement!_” (“Go slow, my God, go slow!”), while +another man, with both hands off at the wrist, and realizing that +only a quick trip can save his life, screams “_Viet, Conducteur, +viet_,” meaning “Fast, driver, fast,” will tax one’s powers and +sympathy to the limit. Another screams incoherently from sheer pain. +It is the desire, of course, for the man at the wheel to do each man’s +bidding, but, under such conditions, the pleadings of the unfortunate +must be disregarded. This might seem harsh, but when one realizes that +he is doing his very best, he becomes, after a while, hardened to the +work and automatically carries out his orders. + +Each car, as it goes to the front for its twenty-four hours’ service, +is allotted food enough for the two men, which they cook on any such +improvised fireplace as conditions permit; but, of course, during any +extensive operation, food and sleep are two things that one learns to +do without. + +It is necessary for all forms of motor vehicles in the zone of +the armies to be supplied with what is known as an _Ordre de +Mouvement_, which shows just which position of the front each +must occupy, and what towns and _Post du Succors_ each must +serve. No one is permitted on the road without this order, and, if +one is apprehended by a sentinel, the “order” must be produced for +identification. It’s a case of “show me” or “skedaddle” back for the +permit. + +If he sees fit, the sentinel can send the driver to the rear under +guard. There is seldom any occasion for this procedure, because every +man knows it is necessary to have his order and would not think of +going up front without it. + +During the day, when no runs are to be made, the time is spent at the +post, within easy calling distance in case of emergency. If one happens +to be stationed where the Boche is shelling, the time is spent in an +_abri_ or dug-out down underground, and, in all instances, men who +have gone through these bombardments are very glad that such places +exist. + +In the cantonment the men held in reserve are required to make minor +repairs to their cars in order to insure their being able to depart +for the front at a moment’s notice. Otherwise, their time is their own +and can be spent as they like, provided it is known at the bureau where +they can be reached in the case of an emergency. + +While traversing a road that is under shell fire, it is a very strict +regulation with the French Government that no car be permitted to stop +for any reason whatever as long as it is able to run under its own +power. Irrespective of the fact that it might not have a tire left this +regulation still holds good and the driver must proceed to a place of +safety before any consideration can be given to the matter of changing +tires or stopping for minor repairs. + +Whenever a road is being shelled it generally gives the men on the car +something to think about, and only actual experience under such shell +fire enables them to become expert in their judgment as to slowing +down or shooting in the gas when this condition is met with. It is +not the most pleasant of experiences to be driving along and have a +shell break alongside of the road and cover everything with mud. But +all conditions are met in a more or less matter-of-fact way when one +is continually forced to accept them. Life seems a matter of fate and +little attention is paid to bursting shells. + +As the cars are relieved at the front at the end of twenty-four hours’ +service, they return to the base, making calls at the different +_Posts du Succor_ on the way back, picking up the _mallade_ +(sick), for everyone carried in ambulances is not always wounded. With +large armies in the trenches there are a great many cases of sickness +that must be taken back to the hospitals in the rear for treatment. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +MEDICAL CARE + + +When a man is wounded he receives the very best care, for experience +has taught France that for the conservation of man power this is of +the highest importance. No matter how slight an injury may be, it is +mandatory that a man receive the proper medical or surgical treatment, +for it is the small and seemingly inconsequential wounds that develop +blood poisoning, which means the amputation of arms and legs or even +death itself. Consequently, the moment a man is injured he must present +himself to the doctor for examination, thereby eliminating, as far as +possible, any chance of complications. + +The small percentage of infections in the army is surprising, in view +of the conditions that exist, which are not always the very cleanest +and best. These small wounds, to men who live in damp dug-outs, stand +watch in wet trenches, suffer from irregularity of meals, insufficient +rest and exposure, are all things that tend to lessen their resisting +power and render them just that much more susceptible to the +development of infection. + +During the first year of the war the frequency of infection from deep +wounds was alarmingly high and all efforts of the medical staff to +cut it down seemed in vain. At this time Doctor Alexis Carrel of the +Rockefeller Institute, after consultation with some of the heads of the +French Medical Staff, made a study of this vexing problem and with the +backing of this wonderful institution with its ample funds, working +without the red tape that in most instances goes hand in hand with an +endeavor of this kind, after a surprisingly short time, developed a +treatment known as Irrigation Intermittent Carrel. The apparatus used +consists principally of a reservoir or container attached to the bed of +the injured at the proper elevation to insure a flow of the fluid. + +Connected with this and inserted in the wound itself is a rubber tube +by which the fluid is conducted to the field of injury. At regular, +determined periods during the day and night the fluid is released from +the container and allowed to flow through the wound, carrying off +poisonous matter or arresting any infectious condition. + +As it was soon seen that this was the best method for handling deep +wounds, they set out to perfect the treatment. The fluid used was very +costly, particularly as such large quantities had to be employed in +this intermittent irrigation, consequently there followed a great deal +of experimenting, which, however, did result in the perfection of the +treatment, but Dr. Carrel went farther. He and his associates compiled +a chart or card, which recorded the age of the patient, the square +inches or area of the wound, and such other facts as enabled them, +through the handling of so many cases, to establish and chart lines of +healing showing the progress of the wound from day to day in its course +of treatment, and giving such other information as the proper time of +closing the wound and the discontinuing of irrigation, etc. + +So accurate did this chart work out that it enabled them to control all +cases by its use. Thus, in the event that a wound had not progressed +properly in its healing by a certain day to the requirement shown on +the chart, the deduction was that the case required special treatment +and so it was immediately given the requisite attention. One can see +the far-reaching effects from a military viewpoint of such a system. + +With these charts to govern them, the doctors at the different base +hospitals could compute very readily just how many beds in their +hospitals were occupied by cases of this particular kind and with +this method of treatment estimate very closely two to three weeks in +advance how many patients would be released and the number of beds that +would be available for new cases at any given time. + +Still another forward step in military medication is in the treatment +of burns. I saw in France a man who had been working with powder which +in some way becoming ignited, burned one side of his face very badly. +He was taken to the hospital and treated by the new method of spraying +paraffin over the burn and allowing it to heal from the bottom—a +method which eliminated all the scar tissue with the result that it was +almost impossible to tell that he had ever been burned. + +We see so many cases in this country of people whose faces are covered +with scar tissue caused by burns because they had been treated by +such methods as allowed the air to get at the field of injury, +causing a scar tissue to form, which nothing will ever remove. But +by healing from the bottom and developing toward the surface the +natural functioning of the healthy tissue leaves the exterior +appearance practically without a blemish. This in itself is a wonderful +development. For if a person is burned and treatment is necessary, +there is some consolation in knowing that he will not be forced to +go through life with hideous scar tissue marrying his +appearance for the want of proper treatment. In addition to the “M. +D.,” there is, in each division, the Dental Corps. + +[Illustration: German Sacrilege—Christ’s Figure Decapitated] + +[Illustration: Ruins of the Church Containing the Figures] + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A LESSON I LEARNED + + +Shortly after leaving for the front there came an order that our +section was to be inspected by one of the captains from one of the +large auto parks at the front. This meant that the general cleaning day +was at hand. Naturally, we all started brushing and polishing motors +and revolving parts to make as good a showing as possible. + +When we were given our cars we were allotted certain equipment in +tools, extra tires, etc., all of which we had to inventory and sign +for, as each driver was held responsible for the equipment that was +distributed. I noticed, while taking stock of what was on our car, a +little paint brush that looked as if it had the “mange,” but I listed +one brush and threw it into the tool chest and soon forgot that I had +ever seen it. + +This particular day the happy thought came to me that with the +assistance of some petrol (kerosene) and my little mangy brush I would +be able to get at some parts of my car that I could not clean or reach +by hand. After a few minutes’ search the brush was found and I began +work. I had not gone very far when I noticed that the few straggly +brisks that were in the brush when I commenced had disappeared and that +nothing remained but the handle. + +In true American fashion, without any thought, I tossed the handle into +a rubbish heap and dismissed it from my mind. The boys on the next car +to me were using a brush in the same manner as I employed mine and were +getting good results. I said to one of them: + +“Have you got another brush?” to which I received a negative answer, +but one of the boys said: “I saw some little brushes in the Bureau” +(office). As it was close at hand I walked over and asked one of the +sergeants on duty for a brush. He asked: “Is there not a brush on your +car?” I told him that there had been about a quarter of a brush, but +that when I used it all the brisks had come out of the handle. He then +demanded the handle. + +“Oh! I threw that away,” I replied. + +“Well, I’m sorry but you will have to get along without a brush,” said +he brusquely. + +There before me lay a small bundle of brushes; mine was worn out, no +good for further use to anyone, and discarded, yet I could not have a +brush. I pressed my point a little farther in a most persuasive style, +but met with not the slightest encouragement, and I soon saw the reason +for the refusal. + +When a new brush is issued the old one must be turned in. There is +no trouble in getting new equipment, if needed, but the old must be +exchanged for the new, even though it were just the handle of a brush. +Any part of returned equipment that can be used saves just that much +in the making over of the article. This is the thrift of the thrifty +French. What American would ever do otherwise than I did? When a thing +wears out with us it is discarded—but not with them. + +Well, I set out at once for the rubbish pile to reclaim the handle that +I might get a new brush. It so happened that at the time I discarded +the handle another of our sergeants, standing close by, after I left +for the Bureau, walked over, picked it up, and put it under the +cushion on my car. Of course, when I returned the handle was gone. We +looked high and low but in vain. We finished cleaning our car minus a +brush. But a day or so later I happened to look under the cushion for +something and there was the handle. I returned it to the Bureau and the +sergeant who had picked it up was on duty. + +“Well,” said he, “I thought you would be around for a new brush, and +to get it you would have to turn in the old handle, so I picked it up +after you left and put it back on the car.” + +This was my lesson. Learned early, I never threw anything away after +that. This regulation held good on everything,—tires, tubes and all. +If you lost a spare tire enroute, it was your funeral when you needed +it for a change. Without some part of the old one, you could not +obtain a new one. It was amusing, in a sense, to note the effect this +regulation produced when, for example, we would change an inner tube +on the road. Before we would think of starting again, we would check +up all the lugs, valves, nuts and caps, for we knew full well we would +get no new inner tube for the old one unless we turned in all the parts +when we desired an exchange. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A VISIT TO PARIS + + +To one who visited Paris before the war, Paris of to-day presents a +strikingly different aspect—and why shouldn’t it? When we stop to +think that there is hardly a family which has not been deprived of +some member in the terrible toll of death. The courage of the women +has been marvelous through it all. To some it has meant the loss of +a husband and to others, sons, while to countless it has meant both, +and yet, with this sorrow to bear, they are ever ready to make further +sacrifices in order that the outcome might be as the dear ones they +have lost would have had it. Is it any wonder there is sadness in their +faces? And such a calm sadness it is, too. No hysteria whatsoever, +never a demonstration, but the look on their faces portrays very +vividly what is in their hearts. Even the children, who are too small +to appreciate what their loss has been, absorb from their mothers this +characteristic composure that is appalling. + +In little villages still within reach of the big German guns, one grows +familiar with the night bombing raids of the Huns. They know that the +bombs are for the women and children that are left, and at any moment +may come the knock on the door, the gathering of what few earthly +belongings they have, and escape into the night before an attack. + +I have never seen children like these before, and I never want to +see any again. Some little tots seven and eight years of age truly +look like old men and women. They reminded me of the little men of +the mountains in the story of Rip Van Winkle. They never smile, but +wear the same emotionless expression at all times. Games seem to be +unknown to them as they sit around on the doorsteps of their homes +(where there are homes), and sad is their lot if anything happens to +their mothers, for no one else in the community has anything for them. +Everyone has his own to look out for, and it’s hard enough to do that. +This is why there are so many urchins following the armies. There is no +one to provide for them. They have to shift for themselves. + +The Mont Martre, the artists’ quarters, are familiar to all for the +frivolity which has always characterized this section of Paris. It now +bears a close resemblance to a graveyard and it would be very hard for +anyone to imagine that La Vie Boheme (the life bohemian) ever existed +here. + +The Boulevard Exterior, which before the war was a blaze of white +lights that seemed to come to life about the time Paris was retiring, +has taken on the appearance of a main street in one of our country +towns at 2 a. m. Such places as the Moulin Rouge (Red Mill), Rat-Mort +(Dead Rat), have long since ceased to operate as centers of life. +Other familiar places to people who knew Paris before the war and +had a world-wide reputation are the Latin Quarters and all along the +Boulevard St. Michel, where the students held forth and where one could +find almost any form of excitement, all have passed into oblivion like +a dream. The boys are all with the colors and thousands of them had +already paid the price. + +Paris is very sad. The mailed fist has fallen and left its mark +everywhere. + +To-day the theaters are still running; such places as the Follies +Bergere, Olympia, Café Ambassadeurs have their evening performances, +but it is more for the diversion of the men on leave from the front +than for any other reason. Long will these performances be remembered +by the men gathered there nights to throw off the thoughts of war. I +have seen almost every uniform of the Allied armies at these places +in an evening, the men fraternizing, and absorbing what gaiety there +was, trying to forget what they had left behind at the front, enjoying +their leisure as best they could. + +But the show is over each night at eleven and once outside the doors +in the dark streets of cold, sad Paris you find no place to go. With +dancing unheard of and all cafés closed at that hour, Paris has locked +itself within doors to brood quietly over the happiness that seems +forever lost. + +Never fear that the French will forget America after this war,—no more +than America has forgotten the French. I was in Paris on that memorable +Fourth day of July, 1917, when the first contingent of American Oversea +forces marched through the city to the music of great military bands, +which played the martial airs of both France and America. The whole +population was mad with joy. Persons of all ages, from tiny children to +men and women old and bent, singing and shouting, surged back and forth. + +Every nook and corner along the line of march was occupied. Balconies, +windows, and even roofs were filled to capacity, and the words, “The +Americans have come to help us,” were shouted over and over again. Boys +and girls, carrying small American flags, waved them continuously, +while their elders looked on through tears of appreciation. + +The procession under way, women along the line of march showered +our boys with roses, and almost immediately a long-stemmed American +Beauty rose protruded from the muzzle of every Springfield rifle in +the parade. Some of the men had wreaths around their necks, flowers on +their broad-brimmed hats and in their belts, while they fairly marched +upon a bed of roses. No words can express the full significance of this +parade as it affected the hearts and minds of the war-stricken people +along the line of march. It will go down in history as the feature of a +glorious day for two glorious nations. + +Here was to be seen the real test of friendship, the concrete proof +that the greatest of Republics had finally cast its lot with those +who had helped to make that Republic possible. The whole affair was +wonderfully inspiring, and the blood rushed through my veins in burning +gratitude, for those boys marching out there were our boys and I was an +American like them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +“THE FRONT” + + +The average person in this country has a different idea of what the +term “Front” means to those who have been “Over there.” “The Front” +from this point of view consists of a series of long trenches, filled +with infantry, and their personal equipment, such as barbed-wire, for +they know that exists, and back of the trenches some cannon; but little +does the layman know about the component parts necessary to make up +a “front” and all the branches of service that are utilized, each an +individual cog in an efficient fighting machine. I shall enumerate some +of the departments that are not only necessary but vitally essential. + +In addition to the countless thousands who labor in the mills, +factories, foundries and machine shops, there must be supply depots, +where all this equipment goes for storage when it is completed. +These are not unlike our warehouses. From the warehouses, supplies +are requisitioned for the different portions or sectors of the front +where they may be needed. There are what we might term sub-warehouse +stations, generally located back of the front near a railroad siding, +where supplies remain until needed by the army. Here a great number +of men are required for the clerical work, stock-keeping, loading and +unloading. After this the material and equipment must be delivered +to different parts of the battle front. This constitutes another big +branch of service in which countless auto trucks and men are used, +known in the French Army as the Camion Service, and most of the success +of an army in either offensive or defensive operations depends largely +on this organization and its ability to “deliver the goods.” + +Then there are the supply departments for food; for the army has to +have meals regularly. It is difficult to realize what it means in the +way of supplies to feed an army. Each section of the front has its base +of supplies from which the transportation department obtains them. +This is where the meat is prepared and weighed out to the different +departments of the army. + +Other supplies in food stuff are measured out the same way. After this +is done, the supplies are transported to the front, or near the front, +where the field kitchens are located. Here it is again apportioned and +distributed, for the cooks have just so much with which to feed so +many. The cooking and serving requires still more men. + +Next comes the bakery department. The raw materials are delivered to +the bakery and the finished product taken away. One can appreciate +the size of some of these army bakeries when you know that their +capacity is 180,000 loaves of bread a day. This was the capacity of +the one from which our bread came, which I visited. When you consider +the output of such a bakery you realize that a great number of men +are necessary who don’t fire a shot and yet are a vital factor in a +military organization. + +The telegraphic and telephone departments constitute still another +important element in the system. They employ a great many men, who are +continually putting up new equipment and repairing the old, for the +lines of communication must be ready at any instant, as they control +the movements of the troops and the fire of the artillery. + +Then there are the Dressing Stations with their corps, who attend +the injured; the brancardiers (stretcher-bearers) and, somewhat +removed from the first lines are the _Post du Succors_, with +their attendants and doctors. Still farther to the rear are the base +hospitals, and after that the Army hospitals, each with its corp of +doctors, nurses and attendants, to say nothing of the ambulances, +drivers, laboratories and attendants. + +[Illustration: A “Load-up and Getaway”—Wounded for the Hospital] + +There are the auto parks along different sections of the front, where +there are hundreds of mechanics busy on cars of every description +undergoing repairs of all sorts, for without these what would become of +the camion service when new parts were needed for the auto truck? What +would become of the supplies that they convey, and what of the army +that needed the supplies? + +Think of the number of men necessary for the ground work only around +the hangars to serve, say, 3,000 planes (between 30 and 40 thousand +men). What a part, for instance, of our soldiers concentrated at +the Mexican border two years ago would be used up for just this one +seemingly small branch of the army of to-day. + +There are other departments, such as Observation, Dispatch Riders, +Blacksmiths, Mechanical, Camouflage, Road Gangs, Clerical Forces for +each division, Horseshoers, Artillery Supply Caissons, which must be +utilized; for many times guns are located off the roads and the auto +trucks cannot get through the fields and mud, and so the caissons have +to be used, as they are horse-drawn. + +Last but not least is the very large and important department—that +of the engineers who make and repair the bridges, railroads, gun +placements, roadways, and new buildings. + +All are most necessary for the success of the army for each has just as +an important part as the other, and without the thousand upon thousand +of non-combatant men behind the lines the ones at the front would count +for naught. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +MASSING BEFORE VERDUN + + +In the month of February, 1916, the German Army initiated a drive +against the fortress city of Verdun, which in time developed into the +greatest battle that the world has ever known. The Crown Prince was +given command of the huge forces concentrated here, and offered the +opportunity to vindicate himself in the eyes of the people, after +having signally failed to occupy Paris eighteen months before. + +Men, guns, equipment, and every possible aid were at his disposal and +service, with which to make victory certain. The cost in men killed was +not to be considered. Vindication after his tremendous blunders was +a paramount necessity, and to be purchased at any cost. This policy +became manifest at the very outset by the way he hurled great masses of +men forward to certain death. It is all now a matter of history. + +It has been held by many reliable military authorities that this battle +was the turning point of the war, for, with everything in his favor, +the Crown Prince had been unable to win. In the first days of the +attack on Verdun the success of the Germans was very marked. The reason +for this partial success is no secret now—France was not prepared. +Regarding the condition of affairs at Verdun on the day of the attack, +I have most reliable information from two officers of high rank in the +French Army. + +The Germans had been massing supplies and men before this city for +weeks, in systematic preparation for the attack. They had artillery and +shells in plenty. It was not for some time after this concentration had +been under way that it attracted the attention of the French—so busy +were they on other fronts adjusting the army as a whole to prevailing +conditions. When it was discovered that there was undue enemy +concentration in front of Verdun, steps were at once taken to combat +it, but it was too late for extensive preparations. + +That is why Verdun, supposedly the most formidable fortress in France, +was gutted and its brave defenders forced back. They were unprepared +for the onslaughts and masses of a trained and brutal foe. Under the +conditions it is not surprising that the German Army made such great +progress. + +One of my informants, who is a thoroughly capable military authority, +told me just in a few words how he viewed the situation at the time and +how most French officers felt when the German attack was in full swing. +It was impossible for the French to take the offensive. In the wake of +their superior artillery fire, vast waves of German infantry came on. +They arrived in droves and congregated in swarms. As far as could be +seen in front of the French position the ground was covered with men +in German uniforms. + +They came so fast and so thick it was impossible for the French to kill +them all, though the slaughter was terrible. Yet on they came, and so +it was that the French retirement began. Even during the retreat, the +rear guard continued raking the German masses with machine guns and +tearing holes in the lines of the oncoming infantry. The French fell +back to safer ground. These tactics continued throughout the first day, +the defenders in each instance holding out just as long as it was safe, +but always having to give ground. + +Late in the afternoon my informant, who had been from one point to +another along the line, reached the town of Verdun itself. There he +received orders from the General Staff to take all money from the bank +and proceed with it to Bar Le Duc, far away in the rear. This order, so +he told me, confirmed his expectations as to what was about to happen. +Apparently the city was doomed. The Germans were fast closing in on +the city and defeat was in the air. The injured were pouring in so fast +it was impossible to attend them or give them quarters. They were laid +out in cellars, barns, wherever room could be found, until they could +get attention and be carried to the rear. + +In leaving town after obtaining the money the officer started to the +rear on the main road, but the oncoming traffic was so heavy that +the road had to be abandoned. Camions, artillery, trucks, wagons and +men filled the road—all bound for Verdun. As they went by he said +to himself, “They have come too late.” Unending was this stream of +supplies, and the order was that nothing was to stop them. If a motor +refused to run, camion and all were toppled over into the roadside +ditch and the procession continued uninterrupted. After a few days +of this unending stream, ever moving up, the ditches on either side +were filled for miles with every sort of conveyance and all kinds of +supplies. + +Arriving at Bar Le Duc that night he delivered the money and securities +safely. At dawn orders came to return to Verdun. He and his companion +officer were more than surprised, for it seemed impossible that the +city had not fallen, and even then he felt that it would be only a +question of time and long before they could arrive. But they started +back as ordered. As they proceeded they expected momentarily to be +stopped by word that Verdun had fallen—but that word never came. + +Much to their joy, upon arriving, they learned that the French +had delivered a terrific counter attack and that great numbers of +reinforcements had arrived and had been hurled against the enemy. For +the immediate present they were holding their own against the Boche. +Prospects brightened. News came that further reinforcements would +arrive before night, with supplies in plenty. Things began to look more +“rosey.” The Germans had captured one position after another, but after +being checked for a moment the necessary breathing spell was afforded +to the French. + +Although the enemy did continue to hammer away there came a time after +a while when conditions became equalized between the offense and +defense. The French forced the Boche to settle down into siege warfare. +If Verdun was to be taken at all it would have to be by a siege and not +by storm. Thus did the French wrest victory from defeat, for as each +day went by without Verdun falling one more dagger was driven into the +heart of the German campaign. + +Each day the French held on brought renewed vigor and determination +to hold on forever. Every known trick was applied to the situation +by the enemy. The “nibbling” process netted the Germans a gain here +and there but always the French exacted heavy toll for such advances. +Under ordinary conditions the Germans would have given up the Verdun +job as hopeless, but it is not an ordinary thing to vindicate a Crown +Prince. The House of Hohenzollern cared not how many men were sent to +unnecessary death so long as absolute defeat could be obviated. + +The great siege of Verdun was well upon its second year when I struck +French soil, and it was on its scarred front that my work began, and +where I saw my first battle. It was one of the battles that completed +the final rolling back that I shall describe, and it was the most +spectacular event I ever hope to see. The action was on the front +between Ft. Vaux and Ft. Douaumont, which no doubt all are familiar +with, on account of the terrific fighting that has never ceased along +these particular points. Both sides captured and recaptured each +other’s positions many times, as has been told in detail by the press +from the viewpoint of many special writers. + +When I arrived at Verdun I was immediately ordered up to Flurey. The +only thing left to mark the remains of this town was a bell tower, +which had been tumbled over, but some fifteen feet of it still stood +above the ground. The bell had tumbled into the debris. We were +quartered in an _abri_ about twenty feet underground. I was at +once attracted by the unusual _aerial_ activity, there being a +large number of French and German planes in the air most of the time. +These I watched with great interest, particularly one Frenchman who was +jockeying for a position of advantage, from which to attack a two-man +Boche plane. Finally he dove for it, but missed. At this instant a +fighting plane came to the aid of the Boches, but the Frenchman, by +clever manipulation, looped the loop, and soon was on the tail of the +newcomer. With his machine gun he soon got in the shot that sent the +Boche plane tumbling to earth. + +Then began a battle royal with the two-man machine. The French plane +was smaller and a great deal faster. It could dodge up and down and +sideways so quickly that it avoided the machine-gun fire of the big +flyer. Discouraged, the two-man machine turned tail for home; the +Frenchman followed. The Germans dived toward their own lines, but a +well-directed shot hit their gas tank, and to earth they went in a +cloud of flame and smoke. + +The victory was complete for the moment, but disaster came quickly on +its heels, for when the French plane was almost back in our lines, +there came swooping down from a cloud another Boche. My heart fluttered +at the sight, for it was plain that the Frenchman was unaware of the +new danger. He had slowed up and was leisurely picking his way home. +There was no way to warn him of his danger. At the last second he must +have discovered his plight for he seemed to turn, but it was too late. +The German gun was singing and the next instant saw this brilliant +aviator tumbling earthward. I shut my eyes and gasped for breath. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE SIEGE OF VERDUN + + +It was now six p.m. and, although the German shells had been coming in +at regular intervals all day, they increased the intensity of their +fire now and things were pretty hot, for they were putting lots of big +ones over. We felt quite secure in our _abri_, and after an hour +the bombardment ceased. + +That night we got little sleep, for the French preparatory fire, in +view of the big offensive planned for the next day, had increased to +such violence it sounded like Hell let loose and running wild. + +We were up at three a.m., ready to start at break of day. If possible, +the French fire seemed to increase each moment. So fast were the +big guns discharging their deadly missiles that it was impossible to +distinguish one report from another. It was one vast rumble. However, +we did not get away, as word came that the Boches were putting over gas +along the road on which we were to travel, and so orders came for us to +wait. That gave us time to get a good meal tucked away. It is always +good judgment to eat when one has an opportunity, for the chances are +that during an attack the rarest thing that one will experience is an +opportunity to eat. + +It was nearly eight o’clock before we got under way. The road over +which we were going was controlled by Boche batteries back of Pepper +Hill, and even now we were noticing the shells landing in the roadside +ahead and behind us. Camions, dead horses and soup kitchens were in +evidence, toppled over into the ditches, but we were not hampered and +kept right on going. + +In a few minutes we were stopped by a French sentry and warned not to +try to go ahead as the Boches were shelling the road in advance quite +heavily. We could hear the shells breaking about half a kilometer +further on, so we pulled up and stopped here for about thirty minutes. +There seemed to be a lull at the end of this time, when we again +started forward, but had not proceeded very far when we came to an +artillery caisson turned over in a ditch and three horses lying dead in +the road. Two of the men attached to the caisson had been killed by the +same shell and were lying at the roadside, partly covered with canvas. + +We were held up here for a couple of moments until the Frenchmen pulled +the last horse that blocked the road out of the way. Five minutes more +travel brought us to a sharp turn in the road, but just before we +reached it a shell exploded near us with a sound that convulsed us. A +quick application of the brakes was necessary, for we found that the +shell had landed in the road just in front of a camion. The three men +who were on the camion heard it coming and jumped to safety, but the +explosion had torn their motor and the front of their car into bits. + +It so happened that this truck occupied the very middle of the road +and it was impossible for us to pass on either side of it. Bang! a +shell broke at this moment on the hillside about one hundred feet away. +Hasty examination and inquiry soon convinced us that we would be held +up here for some time. It appeared like a most uncomfortable place to +be stuck in, and the developments of the next few moments justified +the impression. Bang! Bang! two shells exploded one on one side of the +road and the other just ahead. We decided to turn our car around and +get away from this spot until the damaged truck was removed. This was +finally accomplished, but no sooner had we turned than the shells began +bursting in and around the road in the direction we were traveling. + +A Frenchman at this moment pointed out the location of an _abri_ +by the roadside where we were and into which we could crawl until +the shelling stopped. Ahead of us some two hundred feet the road passed +through a sort of a cut, where the banks came up on both sides high +enough partially to protect the car from being damaged, except by a +direct hit. + +[Illustration: The Bivouac of the Dead] + +[Illustration: Where the Souls of Men Are Calling] + +The _abri_ was a very welcome place and as long as we had started +for it we lost no time in getting there. We had hardly descended +the stairs when two Frenchmen came down supporting a third between +them. I recognized him as one of the men who had been on the camion. +His trousers were red and the blood was trickling to the floor. His +clothing was removed at once and a gaping wound was found in his +stomach. He screamed with agony. + +A doctor, who was present, stepped forward at this moment to examine +the man, but quickly shook his head. We knew that meant the wounded +soldier did not have a chance. At this instant a shell landed about +twenty feet from the entrance to our retreat, and the vibration was +so violent that it almost shook our teeth out. A great deal of loose +dirt between the beams above our heads fell—some of it into the gaping +wound of the unfortunate man lying on the floor. I was horrified and +called the doctor’s attention to the matter, but he said that it was of +no consequence; the man was doomed. + +Naturally I began to feel very nervous, for the place in which we were +quartered did not impress me as any too safe, being only about fifteen +feet below the surface, and should a shell land on it I felt that we +would stay there a long, long time. + +And the shells did come, one after another. It appeared that they were +shooting at the dug-out instead of the road now. The place fairly +trembled. The doctor fell to his knees and started praying a sort of +chant—“My God, my God. I have always tried to serve thee well,” etc. +I must confess that I was not enjoying myself any too well, for I +remember having picked up an old newspaper which I tried to read, but +merely turned the pages over and over and whistled nervously, wondering +where the next one would land. + +The doctor turned sharply and addressed me. “You fool, have you +no reverence, to whistle while a man is praying?” He upbraided me +severely. Such experiences, together with the agonized cries from +wounded men screaming with pain, were not pleasant. I expected +momentarily to see the nose of a Boche 105 come poking through the roof +and bury us like rats, but Dame Fortune smiled with favor upon us, for +the expected never came. But the cries of the man who had been so badly +wounded had now ceased. He had passed away. + +After the bombardment lifted we ventured forth, expecting the worst. +But there was our car, untouched, just where we had left it. A few +moments’ work by some Frenchmen got the auto truck off to the side +of the road far enough to enable us to pass. I do not ever remember +experiencing such profound relief at leaving a place as I was to get +away from this bend of the road. + +Soon we came to where the French cannon were putting over the usual +preparatory fire before the attack. We parked our car in a sort of a +gravel pit, which afforded good protection. By this time we had passed +several large Howitzer batteries, also some large Marine pieces, and +when these guns would fire we could hear their big shells go screaming +over our heads on their way to the front. One cannot help wondering how +any living thing could exist within the confines of such an inferno. + +After about ten minutes we came up before a field telegraphic +headquarters, and adjoining was the telephone exchange for this +sector of the front. Needless to say, this was a busy place. Here all +impending movements shaped themselves, and communications from the +General Staff were relayed to the army both by wire and ’phone. All the +big guns throwing shells over our heads were controlled by this bureau. + +A captain informed us that an attack was to be launched at twelve +noon sharp. During the time that we were here I noticed undue aerial +activity on the part of the Germans, for there were some twelve or +fifteen of their machines in the air over the French lines, and at the +same time I noticed six observation balloons floating behind their +lines with lookouts alert. It impressed me as rather irregular that the +French had not sent up machines to drive the Boche planes back over +their own lines in such times as these, for it was now ten-thirty, +and, with an attack coming off at noon, they might gather a lot of +information regarding the concentrations of the French and take steps +to counter the move. + +Almost at the moment that these thoughts were running through my +mind the captain was called to the telephone, and after a short time +returned with the information that the call was an order for the French +aviators to proceed against the German observation balloons, regardless +of cost, and to destroy them. I asked if they were going after the +planes, too, to which he replied: + +“No—they are instructed to pay no attention to the aeroplanes until +they have completed the destruction of the observation balloons. The +planes are to be left entirely to our anti-aircraft batteries.” + +Turning toward the rear, I noticed the result of the orders just +issued, for one after another of the French planes ascended, until +I had counted nineteen. All started to maneuver for positions of +advantage. The battle-planes ascended to elevations where they +could protect the planes that were going after the balloons. Over +to the right of our position, within two minutes of each other, the +anti-aircraft batteries scored direct hits, and brought two Boche +planes tumbling to earth, while overhead a German attacked a French +plane and forced it to descend behind our lines. + +Time was drawing closer now when we must go forward to take up the +position we would occupy during the attack. Already the French fire +was deafening, mingled with the terrible roar of German shells. In +about twenty minutes we gained the summit of an elevation from which we +could see the German trenches that were to be attacked, about twelve +hundred yards in front of us, but considerably lower, excepting one +slope on the left, where there was a steep incline leading to the top +of a small hill, on which was located the second line defense of the +Germans, the first being at the bottom. + +We could see very plainly the effect of the French fire, for there +were shells of all sizes breaking over the German positions—a mass +of shrapnel explosives. With the aid of powerful glasses I could +distinguish that while there was some barbed wire standing before the +German trenches the accuracy of the French artillery had resulted in +reducing it so much that there would be easy access for the infantry. + +At eleven-forty-five exactly there was not a German observation balloon +in the sky. French aviators were now free to engage the Boche planes. +In the next few moments two German machines were brought to earth and +with them one French plane in combat. Immediately thereafter a German +machine fell in flames, brought down by the aircraft batteries. I could +not help but think how wonderfully accurate the calculations of the +Headquarters Staff had been in planning the aerial operations. + +Located in pits on the hill on which I stood were the French 75’s, +about forty pieces all told, that had been placed there the night +before. Not a single shot had been fired from them. Afterwards I +learned more in detail the part these guns were to play and the reason +for their temporary inactivity. + +At twelve sharp, as if by magic, out of the ground arose wave upon wave +of French infantry. So spectacular, and so inspiring, was the sight +that we stood motionless, our eyes fixed upon the advancing lines of +blue. For several minutes I did not see a man fall. This was due to +the fact that the Germans were still in their dug-outs on account of +the intensity of the French preparatory fire, still falling on their +position. + +This did not last long, however. The curtain fire raised quickly and we +could observe the shells breaking in the rear of the German front-line +trenches, instead of on them, as they had been a moment before. The +same instant German machine-gun fire opened, and, just as the French +reached the wire in front of the enemy position, I could see blue +figures falling all along the front, and while the buzz of the machine +guns was inaudible, due to the terrible din of the cannon, I knew by +the way the men dropped that the machine guns were doing the mischief. + +Notwithstanding the slaughter, more men jumped into the gaps and on +they swept. They had now reached the parapet of the German front-line +trench and we could see them fighting with grenades and hand to hand. A +short while thereafter the supporting columns of the French surged on +over the first line in an attack upon the secondary defense. Supporting +columns still filed out of the French trenches below. How so many could +come from that source was enough to mystify one, but here they were +before our eyes, streaming forward in surging waves. I noticed now that +the French fire had again been lifted and was being thrown even farther +to the rear than heretofore. + +The shells, as we now observed them, broke in a clearing that seemed +about five hundred yards wide, back of the secondary defense of the +Germans. It was on this stretch of ground that all the French artillery +on our hill was trained, but as yet not a shell had been fired from +them. We could see very clearly that the first line had been captured, +for even now the French had started back with groups of prisoners taken +from it. We could discern quite clearly at times that they were making +good progress against the secondary defense, although the smoke and +bursting shells in the area between were very heavy and obscured the +view. I glanced toward my left and saw caissons going up on the run +with cartridges and hand grenades to repel the counter attack. + +The Germans must have anticipated this move, for they put over +a terrific fire on the road over which these supplies had to be +transported. Just about this time word came back that all objectives +had been captured and consolidation started. Instantaneously another +rush of caissons went forward with additional supplies, and every gun +behind us seemed to be throwing a barrage fire back of the positions +captured. There was no lull. The French infantry had captured all that +they had started out for,—in fact, all that there was. + +An under officer of the battery beside me exclaimed, “Hurrah!” and I +turned my head in the direction in which he was looking, to see three +regiments of “Blue Devils” charging with bayonets fixed up the steep +slope that had until now defied all thrusts. The casualties seemed to +be remarkably few for such an exposed position, and before we could +realize what had happened the French had gained the crest, and, in the +next few moments, had thrown the Boches off the hill. + +Orders were now given for every man to take his position. At first I +could not understand why these orders caused such activity among the +batteries that, up to now, had shown no signs of being in the fight +at all—but I was soon to learn. Everyone seemed breathless with +impatience, but stood cool and rigid. Finally I heard a shout, “Here +they come!” + +I shall never be able adequately to describe the sight. Masses of +Boches surge forward in counter attack; closer and closer they drew +toward the French positions until there was an earth-rending crash and +forty sheets of flame burst from the mouths of the cannon beside me. + +I was too stupefied to realize what had taken place for the moment, but +soon regained control of myself. The guns never stopped a second. Each +piece was throwing shrapnel at the rate of twenty-two to twenty-five +shots a minute into the oncoming ranks. We could observe quite +clearly the shells landing among them and over them, and with each +explosion could see gaps torn in their lines and men mowed down like +so many weeds. Finally they faltered, and the next instant fell back +in disorder to the positions they had left. The ground was literally +strewn with their dead when the cannon ceased. + +It was not long that we enjoyed this lull for the German batteries +started shelling our positions furiously. Hitherto we had not come in +for much attention, a shell every now and then was our lot, but now +their fire was directed straight at us, and from what we received I +imagined that every gun made in Germany was trained on this hill. + +Five French guns were completely destroyed, while eight more had to +re-locate positions so that they would not be wiped out. Shells of all +sizes broke around us, but after a few minutes the shelling subsided. + +Notice was now transmitted along the position that the Boches were +forming for a second counter attack. Everyone was again in place and in +a couple of moments again I heard, “Here they come!” And they did come, +and also with them came a renewal of shell-fire on our position, when +two more guns were hit. But they were paying a terrible toll for their +advance, for their ranks were torn to bits by the French machine guns. + +Nor did this stop them—they came on and on until they gained the +parapet of the French position, and here fought hand-to-hand for it. +But the defenders were the most tenacious. They refused to budge an +inch, until, due to superior numbers, they had to give ground. But the +Headquarters Staff had been watching for these very conditions, so, +like a flash, two attacks were started simultaneously from the right +and left, and before the Germans knew what had happened both bodies of +the French converged in their rear, and all Germans not killed were +taken prisoners. + +It is difficult to analyze and describe one’s feelings in going through +such an attack, and what surprised me most, after it was all over, was +the way in which I had lost all consciousness of what was taking place +right around me, so intense was my desire to see everything that was +transpiring out in front of our position. Even when the shells were +coming in close, and particularly during the time when the batteries +beside me were being shelled, and even hit, I do not remember paying +much attention to what might happen to me, for I felt that all was in +the hands of fate. + +On our way to the rear we came across batches of prisoners. There +appeared to be two distinct classes of soldiers, the first not one +of whom seemed to be over twenty, while some here were mere boys +and wore looks of terror and dread. I saw one youngster, surely not +over seventeen, with his hand tied up, evidently wounded, the tears +streaming down his cheeks. I was informed later that these boys were +told by their officers that in the event of their being captured they +would be tortured, and all manner of things would be done to them by +the French. From their expressions one could see that they believed +this to be a fact. + +The other class consisted of men who appeared to be over forty years +of age. Some of them had beards in which gray hairs were largely in +evidence. All of them looked very poor and the rations that they had +been given surely did not nourish them to any marked degree. The class +that was lacking was the strapping young fellow of twenty-two to +twenty-eight, the connecting link between mere boys and middle-aged men. + +After all these came the wounded. Brancardiers and soldiers were now +assisting at the dressing stations. All kinds and shapes of humanity +lay in rows, one after another, awaiting the attention of the doctors +who pass along the line examining and administering to those who have a +chance for life. To one who is not used to such sights it would appear +that the doctors are a hard-hearted lot, as they make their rounds, +passing by those who have no chance. But here one must realize that +the time and attention that a vitally injured man requires, should he +have died on the way to the hospital, might have been the means of +saving the life of the one who had a chance. Never shall I forget the +expression on the faces of men when the doctors passed on to the next. +They realized that it was only a question of moments before they made +their supreme sacrifice. What must that feeling be? Of course, there +are some that lose control of themselves because of intense pain from +wounds, but on the whole the patience of these unfortunates is most +remarkable. + +[Illustration: The Wagon of Mercy Loading Up] + +After a heavy action all such men as can possibly get to the rear by +themselves, or with the assistance of comrades, are forced to make the +struggle, for the ambulance is taxed to its utmost in bringing back +those who are unable to help themselves. + +After the lull came, with the French holding all of their gains, +I had the opportunity of going over the whole area of the Verdun +battlefield, and the only expression that I can use to fit the scene +is that it was a mess. Where, before the attack, there were beautiful +trees, nothing now remained. It was impossible to tell or distinguish +one shell hole from another, so raked and torn was the ground, now +turned into chalk dust. First a shell lands here and throws the ground +one way, then a shell lands there and throws it back—a continual +churning process—and when the heavy rains come it turns it all into a +quagmire of so much mud. There have been any number of instances where +French soldiers had gotten into such places and gradually sunk almost +out of sight before their comrades came to their rescue. In some cases +they were too late to pull the victims out without pulling their arms +from their sockets. All that could be done under such circumstances was +to shake hands with the unfortunate—before he was swallowed up and +sank from view in the lake of mud. + +This has happened to horses and even to the light field batteries. It +is impossible for one who has not witnessed these scenes to have even a +vague conception of such conditions. + + * * * * * + +Following is an interesting letter portraying an action at Verdun:— + + Verdun, —— + + To-night I am sitting in the small underground cellar of one of + the public buildings of the town, acting as a sort of timekeeper + or starter for the cars going up to our most dangerous post, and + handling the reserve cars for the wounded in the town itself. I wish + I could describe the scene as I see it,—for a strange world is + passing before me—Frenchmen, living, wounded and dying. + + A long, heavily arched corridor, with stone steps leading down to + it; two compartments off to one side lined with wine bins, where + our reserve men and a few French brancardiers (stretcher-bearers) + are lying on their stained stretchers, some snoring; beyond, a door + that leads to a small operating room, and to the left another door + that admits to a little sick ward with four beds of different sizes + and make on one side and six on the other, taken evidently from the + ruined houses nearby—and one tired infirmier (hospital attendant) to + tend and soothe the wounded and dying. + + In the bed nearest the door, a French priest, shot through the + lungs—with pneumonia setting in—his black beard pointing straight + up, whispers for water. Next to him, a little German lad, hardly + nineteen, with about six hours to live, calling, sometimes screaming, + for his mother, and then for water. Next to him, a French captain + of infantry, with his arm shot off at the shoulder and his head + lacerated, weak, dying, but smiling; and next to him a tirailleur in + delirium calling on his colonel to charge the Germans. The Infirmier + is going from one to the other, soothing one and waiting on another, + each in turn. He asks me what the German is saying, and I tell him he + is calling for his mother. “Ah, this is a sad war,” he says, as he + goes over to hold the poor lad’s hand. + + A brancardier comes in with a telephone message,—“a _blessé_ + (wounded man), at Belleville—very serious.” This is a reserve car + call. So one slides out and is gone like a gray ghost down the ruined + street, making all the speed its driver can—no easy matter,—with no + lights. In twenty minutes he is back. The brancardiers go out—they + come in again, bearing the wounded man on a stretcher and place it + on the floor beside the little stove. One of them, who is a priest, + leans over him and asks him his name and town;—then, in answer to + what his wife’s name is, he murmurs: “Alice;” while on the other + side another brancardier is slitting the clothes from his body and I + shiver with pity at the sight. + + The surgeon comes out of his little operating room. Weary with the + night’s tragic work—after so many, many other tragic nights, he + doused his head in a bucket of water, then turned to the wounded + man. He looked long at him, gently felt his nose and lifted up his + closed eyelid. Then, at his nod, the stretcher is again lifted and + the wounded man carried into the operating room, and soon after that, + into the little room of sorrows. + + In answer to my eager question the surgeon shakes his head. Not a + chance! + + A brancardier and I gather the soldier’s belongings from his clothes + to be sent to his wife, but even we have to stop for a few moments + after we see the photograph of his wife and their two little children. + + An hour later, as our night’s work was slacking down and several + cars had driven up and been unloaded, the infirmier came in from the + little room and said something to the brancardiers. Two of them got + a stretcher and in a moment “The _blessé_ from Belleville” came + past us with a sheet over him. They laid him down at the other end of + the room and another brancardier commenced rolling and tying him in + burlap for burial. As you looked he changed to a shapeless log. Then + out to the dead wagon. + + Shortly after I went into the little ward again to see how the + others were coming through the night, and was glad to see them all + quieted down; even the little German seemed less in pain, though his + breathing still shook the heavy little bed he lay on. + + Through a window I saw that day was beginning to break, and, as I + noticed it, I heard the Chief’s car coming in from the “Sap,” and + knew the night’s work was over. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A VISIT TO BACCARAT + + +One day I went into a little general store in Baccarat to make a +few purchases. Having just arrived at this sector, and not knowing +anything about the place, I engaged the woman who owned the store in +conversation regarding the occupation of the town by the Germans. My +interest was due chiefly to the fact that this particular store, while +located in a devastated village, had, from all outward appearances, +escaped damage. + +It seems that just after the Boches occupied the town word was given +out that Paris had fallen and was then in the hands of the Germans. The +telephone and telegraph stations were all controlled by the enemy, and, +of course, the statement was accepted as a fact, for no information +could be obtained other than that which the Germans wished to give. + +On the fifth day of the occupation a German captain, speaking perfect +French, entered the store and inquired for the proprietor. When +informed that he was speaking to her, he demanded: + +“Madam, do you speak German?” + +“No,” replied the woman. “I do not speak German, but I understand it +quite well.” The officer then asked if she spoke English, to which she +answered “No.” + +“Well, if you do not speak it, you surely understand it?” he persisted, +but she replied in the negative. The officer thanked her, and, without +further comment, turned and left the place. The woman thought this a +most unusual occurrence, especially as, without explanation, he left +as abruptly as he had entered. Later she learned that he did the same +thing all through this district, asking people precisely the same +questions and leaving without comment, no matter what their answers +were. + +In due course the reason for the officer’s visit came to light. The +German command had learned that on the day of their defeat in the +battle of the Marne, one of the causes therefor had been the flanking +movement of the English. This information produced such an intense +feeling of hatred that this officer was sent around town to find out +if there were any people who spoke English or even understood it. If +such were found their location was set down and reported to the German +command. + +The pressure on the town, however, soon took on such proportions that +it was seen that it would have to be given up by the Germans. So the +compiled information of the officer’s investigation was reviewed and +those people who spoke or understood English were visited by the Torch +Squad and everything they owned was burned. + +Baccarat was by no means the only place that received this sort of +treatment, for one has only to take a trip along the eastern front of +France to see a great many similar instances of just what took place +at Baccarat. Wanton destruction seemed to be the idea of the German +command. Fruit trees were cut down because it would be years before +France could grow them again. + +Houses were blown to pieces by the artillery when the civil population +had left Baccarat. The churches seemed always to be the first thing +razed to the ground by enemy fire. Of what military advantage this +could be, I have never been able to see, but I have heard a theory +advanced that seems plausible. The German command knew that the +peasants of France were a hard-working people, occupied with their +farms constantly; that they are also a home people and _know_ very +little of the outside world. Sunday they believed should be set aside +for worship and rest. Brought up in this religious way, men, women and +children attend church on Sunday with unfailing regularity. + +I saw the church in the village of H—— completely demolished by shell +fire, with the exception of the altar and the three life-size statues +behind it on the wall. The figures of the Mother Mary and Joseph and +that of the Christ in the center were intact with the exception that +some German Hun had decapitated the figure of Christ. The destruction +of houses of worship was intended to produce in the minds of these +peasants the thought—“God is not with us,”—for if He were, they +reasoned, “He surely would not permit the Germans to raze our homes +and devastate our farms.” This would cause unrest and dissatisfaction +in general with the Government, perhaps produce a cry for peace at any +price, and that is what the Germans had hoped for. But what a mistake +they have made, for the French peasant will make every sacrifice, even +to death, for their country. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +HOMELESS CHILDREN + + +At Saint Nicholas du Port we rested, waiting for our division to go to +the trenches. Almost every night we were visited by Boche aviators who +would come over and drop a few bombs to add to our comfort. It was one +of the nicest little spots one could find, for we were quartered in +an old cow barn from which we had to shovel about two wagon loads of +manure before we could put up beds, and when we did not have the Boche +flying over us we were busy with the “cooties” round about us. + +If ever conditions existed that were cootie producing, we certainly +found them here. There was an old tile roof that was perfectly +watertight, except when it rained, and evidently intended for +astronomical observation. At other times our anti-aircraft batteries, +located across the road, when they shot at the Boches caused shell +fragments to drop on our none-too-solid roof, and thereby add to the +access of small rivulets, to say nothing of the danger of our losing +about a yard and a half of hide. But we were visited so many times by +the Boches that we ceased to pay any attention to them. With practice +one can get used to anything. + +One night a little boy came up out of the darkness and asked if he +could sleep in the driveway. He said he was very tired and had no +place to go. He had been ordered back, for when a regiment goes into +the fighting zone no one that is not attached to it is permitted to go +along. There are hundreds of these urchins in France that follow the +armies and live with them when they are not in the trenches. + +This is just what had happened to Lombard, for that was his name. +We questioned him very closely and he finally convinced us of his +truthfulness, and so we made him comfortable for the night on a +stretcher in one of the cars. In a short time he was in slumberland. +About an hour later the Boche aviators came over and things were soon +humming. The batteries were going full blast when I thought of that +poor child out in the car without protection, and unable to get out. + +I put on my steel helmet and went out to release our guest. I brought +him into the barn and felt much better to know that he was at least +sharing the protection we were afforded. The air raid soon ended and +all was still. In the morning our guest was given his breakfast and a +few francs, the net result of an impromptu collection, but he seemed +to like American hospitality and started in to cut wood and carry +water for our cook. Someone suggested that we keep him with us to do +errands and help generally, but before this was to be considered it was +necessary to learn more about the youngster, as we all had valuables +that we did not wish to lose, and coming to us as he did no one cared +to take chances. + +We decided to question the lad and learned that for over two years he +had been wandering about from one regiment to another. His home was at +a place called Pont a Meusson, and when the place had been attacked by +the Boches, his father had been killed and his mother carried off. He +had two older brothers in the French Army, but did not know where they +were. Thus, after the cross-examining, we decided to let him stay. We +felt sure that as long as he was to help the cook and handle food, we +might just as well have him clean. + +On account of the particular interest I had shown in him, I was +allotted the job of seeing that he was cleaned up. After taking up +another collection I bought him underwear, a clean shirt, and socks. +There were miscellaneous donations like handkerchiefs, ties, towels +and soap, so our guest was now ready for the bath. We had some water +heated, into which we put a disinfectant to help matters along, +for I don’t think he had had a bath since he left home. It is hardly +necessary to say that the bath was, at least, a partial success. + +[Illustration: A Camouflage Road Made to Order] + +[Illustration: A Natural Camouflage Road] + +He seemed more than grateful for what we had done for him and all +went well until we were ordered to the front with our division. Then +it looked dark for Lombard, for we must go into the fighting zone and +he would not be permitted to follow. But he seemed so distressed and +forlorn that we tucked him away in a camion and took him with us. +We bought him a little uniform, and, when we left our division, the +American boys who came to take our places gladly took him in charge. We +were sorry to leave this little fellow, for he had become a part of our +daily life. + +It is unfortunate that all the little children that follow the armies +can not be taken care of in some such way. There are thousands of them +straggling in the wake of the troops over there and they have no one +to consider their comfort or safety. What will become of them, beaten +from pillar to post day after day, with no one to put out a helping +hand. This is a problem for the women to solve, since the men are +occupied with other things and have no time to adjust the matter. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +AFTERNOON TEA + + +One day in my turn I went out on service to the small town of B——. +The front-line trenches were located just outside the village. Upon our +arrival, shortly after noon, in this town we obtained our meal from +a soup kitchen that was tucked away in a sort of a driveway between +two demolished houses. It was an ideal location for a soup kitchen, +for, from all outward appearances, no one would ever think that this +desolate spot would be picked out or utilized by anyone for any purpose +whatsoever. After eating we started out for the post. This was the +first time we had gone up to the front-line trenches covering this +particular sector of the front. + +After we had proceeded some three hundred yards, we came to a place +where the trenches passed through a small clump of woods, in which was +located one of our advanced artillery observation posts. Here we were +met by a sergeant major, who informed us that we had better exercise +a great deal of caution in our advance of the next hundred yards, +which was the distance that separated us from our front line. It was +necessary to pass through a gulley and the trench we were in was only +shoulder high. The Boche trenches were so close to our front line that +the enemy, by posting men in the trees behind their lines, were in a +position to observe what transpired in the gulley, we were about to +enter. + +We climbed out of the trench, and, with the aid of field glasses, +carefully scrutinized the taller trees to ascertain whether or not the +Boche at this time was on the lookout. As we did not see anything that +attracted undue attention, we decided to take a chance and proceed. + +Crouching, we advanced some fifty yards. In passing one place that was +particularly low, we were observed and the next second brought a hail +of machine-gun bullets which kicked up the dust all about us. In front +of us, some fifteen or twenty feet away, I noticed another spot where +the side walls of the trench did not afford much protection and at the +same instant, or just long enough for a man to proceed from one opening +to another, came a stream of machine-gun bullets in front of us. + +It was a case of being between the devil and the deep sea; all we could +do was to remain in the position where we were protected. We finally +decided that by crawling on our hands and knees we could get past the +second opening. This we did without being observed and the last we +heard of our sniping Boche friend was a few shots intermittently fired +in the hope of picking us off. + +Arriving at the front line, we proceeded along the machine-gun +positions, and, finally, entered a small communicating trench which +led into the lieutenant’s dug-out. We descended and found our friend +seated at a table, pondering over military maps and familiarizing +himself with this particular sector which our division had just taken +over. While we were conversing, one of the under officers reported the +completion of a “_Petit Post_” (listening post). The lieutenant +inquired if I would care to accompany him in looking it over. Of course +I would. + +The general direction we took immediately impressed me as being toward +the location of our Boche friend, who was planted in a tree based upon +the angle that the machine-gun bullets came from. But we did not have +to give much consideration to him, as the side wall of our trench +nearest to his position was over six feet high and afforded complete +cover. We soon arrived at our destination—sixty feet from the Boche +front line. + +The instruction completed, two soldiers were stationed here and became +a part of the defense for this sector. We were soon on our way to the +rear. We passed through the gulley where we had been held up on the way +out without attracting any attention. Arriving at the town of B——, we +obtained our tinned meat with four large potatoes, sought a quiet spot +and built a fire to prepare our evening meal. + +Suddenly we were startled by the hum of a shell, as it passed over +us and burst in a field just beyond. Then came a second, which burst +closer; then a third. My companion and I looked at each other in +amazement—then, thinking that the smoke from our fire was the cause of +the shelling, we quickly stamped it out and poured water on the spot +where our spoiled dinner had been sending up delightful odors only a +moment before. We ran as fast as good legs could carry us into an old +house near by that afforded better protection in the event of a shell +breaking near us. + +The shells kept coming for about ten minutes, then stopped. Cautiously, +we returned to where our fire had been and were considering the +possible salvage when the hum of a motor attracted our attention to a +Boche aviator flying directly over our heads. We were only about five +hundred yards back of our first-line trench, toward which the Boche +plane proceeded. It went directly over the trench, swooped down and +raked it from one end to the other with machine-gun fire. Circling +back, he returned as far in the rear as we were and then again made a +run for the front line to open up with his machine gun as he dived for +it. + +In the open we afforded him a fine mark, but each time as he flew +back toward us we saw to it that there was a brick wall between him +and ourselves. By this time he had attracted the attention of our +anti-aircraft guns and they began shooting shrapnel at him as he +circled, and the machine guns in our front-line trenches also shot in +our direction as they followed the flyer to the rear. As the shrapnel +and pieces of the exploded shells fell like rain around us, we decided +to give up our supper as a bad job, and went to sleep hungry that +night. + +We walked up the street and passed the _Post du Succors_. The +stretcher-bearers had begun to bring in the wounded. One man had lost +most of his head. Accustomed as I was to such scenes, the sight of this +man’s condition was the last straw in the way of gruesome experiences, +and I was glad to get away and to bed. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +“PETIT POST” + + +Out where the night seems the blackest, where one is unable to see +his hands before his face, and where, in many instances, due to close +proximity of the enemy trenches, one is compelled to be as quiet as a +mouse, there is located in a shell-hole or the like is the _Petit +Post_ (or listening post), which is employed by all armies engaged +in carrying on modern trench warfare. + +Out in front of even your own barb wire, with no form of protection +from the enemy, two men must be constantly on watch, in order to send +up signals in the event that Fritz decides to come over with his +nippers for the purpose of slashing a passage in the wire that his +men may come through quickly in order to prevent the machine guns from +collecting too much toll. It is necessary for the men at the post to +lie flat and listen for the nip of the wire clippers. If this comes, it +is their duty to signal the front-line trench, and, with star shells, +the machine-gunners can discern the enemy and put the finishing touches +on the wire-clipping party. + +The end generally comes before they even get started. As soon as these +men know that the enemy are over, in addition to sending up their +signals, they throw out six or eight hand grenades, and then run back +to their trenches as best they can and assist in the defense in the +case of an attack. But the thing to imagine is lying out there in +the rain and mud with absolutely no protection, the wind cutting to +the marrow and moaning mournfully as it sweeps over “No Man’s Land,” +whistling through the barb-wire entanglements. The night seems just +that much blacker after the star shell dies out, for such is the +blinding effect on the eyes. + +There have been many instances where enemy patrols have stumbled right +into these little listening posts while they are on patrol duty in “No +Man’s Land,” and other instances have been known where one patrol would +be walking side by side with an enemy patrol until someone would happen +to discover the fact and then there was always a fight. A few exchanges +of shots, a few thuds from the swinging of butt ends of guns and all +was over in a few moments. + +Picture yourself on such duty where even a whisper will bring you +a present in the form of a hand grenade, and when there are no +wire-cutting operations on, or enemy patrols to bother you, it rains, +and you wallow in mud like an animal with your knees knocking together, +and your clothing so wet that it sticks to your body. But this is very +important work and must be performed. Two lives out there may mean the +saving of hundreds in the trenches. + +All such operations as cutting the wire and patrol duty are carried +on under the cover of darkness, with only the intermittent star shell, +which is sent up like a rocket to impede the work. When these are in +the sky it is necessary for everyone between the trenches to lie flat +on the ground because a man standing with this light on him would be a +mark for the enemy sniper. + +I have known of instances where men on patrol duty have been shot early +in the morning while inspecting the wire, and, falling over, hung there +entangled in utter helplessness. The light coming on prevented their +comrades from rescuing them and they lay there for days at a time +with the German machine guns trained on them. Once in a life time on +_Petit post_ is enough—an abundant sufficiency. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +BADONVILLER THE MARTYR + + +In the foothills of the Vosges Mountains just inside the Lorraine +border is the site of what was once a peaceful village. This village +suffered the most terrible devastation of any along the eastern front +in France. Not only the town but also the civil population received +such treatment at the hands of the Boches that it is beyond my powers +to describe the atrocities that were committed. But I shall endeavor to +set forth some of the outstanding facts in order that the reader may +understand why this village is now known as “Badonviller the Martyr.” + +When the German Army invaded France from Lorraine this peaceful little +village lay in its path, and, after sharp fighting, was occupied by +advance troops of this army. + +The enemy entered the town at three o’clock in the morning and marched +five abreast all through the day and long into the night—a continuous +stream of men that never paused. On they went to the next village, Roan +L’Etape, and in its turn that village suffered even a worse fate than +had Badonviller, as the resistance by the French here was greater, +hence the destruction was to be greater. At this point, the German +command allowed free sacking, and applied the torch. The homes of +the inhabitants were burned and destruction of things and pillage in +general permitted, even though of no military value whatever. + +In this town the German officers caused to be written all over the +altars of churches, public buildings and store fronts the words “Capute +Ramberviller,” the name of the next village in the path of this army. +This meant that not a stone should be left unturned and the torch +applied to every home, store, church or building of any kind. There was +a reason for this, a German reason. + +During the Franco-Prussian War, over fifty years ago, the civil +population in this village of Ramberviller turned out to assist +a handful of French soldiers in holding back some crack Prussian +regiments until the French reserves could come up and defeat them. +Fifty years of grievance, and this was their opportunity for revenge. + +Think of revenge on a people most of whom were unborn at the time +because their grandfathers defended their homes from pillage a half +century before! But the stories of atrocity that had been handed down +were borne out by the new generation of German soldiery, the flower of +the German Army of to-day. + +Now this village happened to be the next in the line of march, but the +French had anticipated what was in the heart of the Hun and the French +Headquarters Staff, knowing what would happen to this town if captured, +decided to make a stand against the invader between Roan L’Etape and +Ramberviller. And here history repeated itself, for the glorious poilu +of France administered a smashing defeat to the invading army, and +Ramberviller was again spared. But not without the toll that always +attends heavy fighting. + +[Illustration: Bombing the Hun] + +To-day the fields and the woods are filled with crosses, black for the +Allamand and the Tri-color for the French. Thirty-five thousand men +fell in the fighting before this village. From this point the French +kept pushing the Boche back until they got them out of Roan L’Etape and +finally back to Pexonne, just outside of Badonviller. + +As the Germans were falling back they used the upper part of a house +in this town as a hospital for officers—one large room, and a smaller +one adjoining. The smaller of the two rooms was used as an operating +room, while the larger one became a ward where the stretchers were +placed on the floor. In the small room was a window looking out on +to a little courtyard, and, as the arms and legs and hands and feet +were amputated, they were thrown out of this window into a pile on +the ground floor. The woman who owned the house was forced to assist +wherever her services might be required. After the elapse of several +days, she requested the privilege of cleaning up the little courtyard +of its human debris. For reply she was told by a German surgeon to mind +her own business, or she might ornament the pile also with her “filthy +French carcass.” + +The brancardiers, or stretcher-bearers, of the German Army were +bringing in officers in numbers as the fighting increased, and it so +happened that in the ward to which I have alluded there was no more +room, being filled to its capacity, except in one corner where a young +French boy was stretched out, his leg amputated at the thigh. As the +last German officer was brought in and it was found there was no room +for him, two Boche stretcher-bearers lifted the French boy up and +threw him out of the second-story window into the street below, where, +needless to say, he died very shortly. + +To give you the history of just one of the families here it will be +necessary for me to go back to the first attack by the Boches on this +village. A young boy nineteen years old, the son of the mayor of this +town, was shot and mortally wounded while defending the village from +attack. He was carried to his home and laid at his mother’s feet, where +he soon died. (Number 1.) + +The following morning, with her son dead in the house, the mother stood +at her gate weeping. The Boches were filing through the streets in +front of her home when a German officer took notice of her. He stepped +out of the ranks, and, as he approached, inquired why a woman should +feel so badly at seeing the glorious soldiers of the Kaiser marching +by triumphantly, and when she replied, “You have killed my boy,” the +officer drew a revolver and shot her dead. (Number 2.) + +In the house we have described as used for a temporary hospital, on +the first floor was located a large room used by some of the German +officers as a Headquarters. This room had two large windows looking out +upon the street. A little boy nine years old, walking down the road, +was called by one of the officers sitting at one of the windows and +given a pitcher in which to bring some beer from a neighboring café. +The child returned in a few moments with the beer, which he handed to +the officer, and, for some unknown reason, the officer lifted him by +the collar into the room and shot him. + +As the child fell mortally wounded, he was picked up bodily and placed +on a red-hot stove used for heating the water for the operating room +upstairs. The odor issuing from the burning clothing and flesh soon +brought the doctor to the head of a small staircase on the second +floor. “What is that smell?” he demanded, and the officer who had +placed the child on the stove replied, “Doctor, we are preparing your +dinner.” Whereupon, the doctor shouted, “Take that damn stinking thing +off of there, as the smell is coming upstairs and it will make somebody +sick.” Thereupon, the body of the boy, now dead, was taken from the +stove and thrown out of the kitchen window onto the pile of arms and +legs in the courtyard. (Number 3.) + +Four days later a young girl was carried off by the Boches, as they +were evacuating the city through pressure from the French, who had, by +this time, so increased in number that the Germans saw that it would +be impossible to hold the village. What became of this girl no one can +say, but from what I know of a great many other cases I believe it +would have been much better for her had she been killed in the streets +than to have suffered the fate that I am sure must have been hers. +(Number 4.) + +Her father, who was the mayor of the town, protested to the German +command regarding the treatment his family, as well as the women and +children of the town generally, had received, whereupon he was tied +hand and foot and mutilated, being told at the same time that this +would refresh his memory whenever he had any thought of interfering +with the supreme command of that particular army. (Number 5.) The total +of the family. + +The French pressure now becoming too heavy, the Boches were unable to +withstand it, and started a systematic sacking and demolition of the +village. Barricades were thrown up in preparation for street fighting; +not even the dead were held in reverence, for trenches were dug through +the cemetery and the bodies and skeletons were thrown up to become a +part of the embankments and the headstones lined the parapets, behind +which the barbarians would fight. + +I have related the happenings that have taken place in only one home +and in one village. I have occupied the room described herein as the +officers headquarters and prepared meals on the same stove. There were +many such families, there were many such operating rooms, and there +were many women known to be alive that were carried off by the Boches. +It is hard to understand how such things are possible, but that is why +this little town is now known as “Badonviller the Martyr.” + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +“SNIPERS” AT WORK + + +The “sniper” of the present war would have been called a “sharpshooter” +during the war of the rebellion. Such men are most expert in the use +of the rifle and seldom miss their mark. Many of them have now become +proficient in the use of the modern machine gun for the same class of +work, that of picking off the “lookouts” on the firing platforms of the +opposing trenches. + +Most everyone has heard of the game bird known as the snipe. They +are very small and hard to see, usually blending with the landscape +and shrubbery. When it is said of a man that he can “hit a snipe +with a rifle at two hundred yards,” the last word in praise of his +markmanship has been said. Thus the term “sharpshooter” has been +displaced by the word “sniper” by reason of the American love of +brevity. + +The “sniper” of to-day is no less than a picked marksman whose trained +eye is both keen and tireless. The “lookouts” of the trenches may +well be wary of him. They know he is always on the job and that +his far-seeing eye, with the aid of the globe-sights through which +he constantly peers in search of his prey, is ever on the lookout. +He knows the hatred in which he is held and that once captured no +punishment is held too cruel for infliction upon him. + +There was one place in our front line where the trench was shallow and +a man of ordinary height would have been exposed from his shoulders +up had it not been for two boards twelve inches wide that had been +placed there. The two ends that came together were not sawed straight +and left a V shape where they joined. Some sand bags were placed in +front of the opening between the two boards, but the V was left partly +uncovered, which enabled the Boche to peer through. The opening was so +small that it was impossible to see a man and get a shot at him before +he had passed. + +In front of the German trenches at this point was a willow tree that +had been pruned for the willow industry. This means that when the tree +grows up to the required height the main trunk is cut away and the +stump sealed. Then the dwarfed tree starts sprouting, “shoots.” This +keeps it short and bushy. Such was this tree. From within it a man +could observe the top of a helmet in our trench on either side of the +V-shaped “peep hole.” + +This was just the knowledge that the Boche wanted in order to make use +of the bad joint between the boards. A man was placed in the willow +with a machine gun, which was strapped securely into the fork of the +tree so it would not shake. It was trained on the V hole between the +two boards. The gun was so fastened that it did not have to be aimed, +for each time it was fired the ball would go straight through the V. + +One of the boys in the French trench unknowingly exposed himself and +was found dead with a bullet through his brain. There was nothing to +cause any other thought than that he had carelessly looked over the top. + +Later that afternoon a sergeant, in line of duty, was going along +the same trench inspecting the machine-gun positions. Three or four +shots were heard and he was found dead with a bullet through his head. +While mystifying, this second death did not reveal the truth. The +sergeant was tall and his death was laid to this fact. However, the +French lieutenant did know that whoever was doing the shooting was no +amateur, and gave orders to his men to be especially cautious, and it +so happened that no one else was hit that day. + +Next morning, nevertheless, brought renewed activities, and among +the first casualties was the death of a French boy who was killed at +the same spot by a bullet through his head. This brought about an +investigation, which disclosed the V-shaped opening between the two +boards. A sand bag ended further trouble from this source, but the +location of the “sniper” was yet in order. A Frenchman at a machine-gun +position thought that he had noticed smoke issuing from the willow +tree. It was decided to keep careful watch on it and send a scouting +patrol out that night. As soon as it was dark enough the men started +out and soon found the Boche tucked away in the tree with his gun. +Needless to say, no time was wasted on him, several bayonet thrusts +serving to end his activities as a machine-gun sniper. + +In another location there was a little brook just behind the line, +and, during the summer, the boys would go back about thirty yards and +fill their canteens with fresh, cool water—and sometimes they failed +to return. When found they would be lying dead in the brook, which was +only a few inches deep. + +The roadway on the side nearest the Boches was eight feet above the +brook and everywhere else perfect covering was afforded, yet every +once in a while someone was bagged here. Finally a young fellow, who +was preparing to fill his canteen, before doing so dropped to his knees +to take a drink from the stream. Just as he did this he heard three +bullets whistle over his head and splash in the brook some distance +ahead, which disclosed the fact that the Boches were shooting from a +position over five hundred yards away through a culvert in the road. +When the target showed through this culvert several bullets sped on +their way. The act of stooping over had saved the young man’s life. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +“KAMERAD!” + + +The word _Kamerad_ has come to possess a significance not at all +in keeping with its original meaning. On the western front the French +and English have probably solved the problem of what to say and do +when greeted by this well-known form of Boche salutation. Picture to +yourself two trenches filled with soldiers, a barbed wire in front of +each and “No Man’s Land” stretching out endless between the two. French +cannons in the rear are hammering away with remarkable precision, +dropping deadly shells into the German lines, and all machine guns on +the French front-line parapets manned and ready for business. At the +same instant hands go up in the German trenches and soldiers climb +out on top with the shout of “_Kamerad_” on their lips. Their +arms are extended over their heads in token of surrender. They have +no rifles and no side arms, nothing with which to attack and only the +expression of joy upon their faces. + +At this moment a battery of machine guns are trained upon them and +ready to wipe out the handful of Germans in less than five seconds, but +not a shot is fired as they advance. Men in the French trenches go so +far as to expose themselves in order to assist the surrendering enemy +on their way to the rear as prisoners of war. + +Suddenly, at a distance of twenty feet, the hands of the Germans dive +into their pockets and each man cracks the cap on two hand grenades, +and, at this distance, throws them with deadly accuracy all along the +machine-gun positions in the French trench, killing or wounding all the +occupants and disabling their guns, thus allowing their own infantry to +cross “No Man’s Land” without danger. + +Does not an episode of this nature afford us some substance for a +moment’s reflection? Suppose you had been one of the occupants of the +French trench and had escaped injury, and the following week you were +again detailed for duty in the front-line trench. Also, suppose you +were at the trigger of a machine gun when a handful of men climbed out +of a German trench yelling “_Kamerad_.” Now what do you think you +would do? You bet you would. + +On a certain night when one could hardly see six feet away, a French +patrol was sent through our wire into “No Man’s Land.” Headquarters +had information to the effect that the German division in the lines +opposite our position had been changed, and the patrol was to learn +just what division had taken its place. To do this it was necessary to +capture a prisoner and search him, for all men carry numerals on their +uniforms as well as certain papers, which, even though they be of a +personal nature, serve to identify them. I might here point out to what +extent such data is of military importance. + +French, English and German troops in their three years of war know from +direct contact on different sectors of the front just which regiments +of any army are “shocking” or attacking troops, and which are what we +term “holding troops,”—used merely to defend trenches after they are +captured. If a man is identified as belonging to a division of “shock +troops,” great precaution is taken by the different commands against +what may be considered a certainty. Prepare for an attack—that’s the +rule. If he is merely of a “holding” division, there is not so much to +worry about. + +This is what happened that night. The patrol was instructed to capture +a prisoner if possible and bring him in. Just after dark two young +French boys were posted in a shell hole in “No Man’s Land” in front of +the French barbed wire to await events. They felt quite secure of being +observed from the enemy parapet, when star shells were sent up. They +stayed in this position for quite a while. + +[Illustration: French Infantry Enroute to the Trenches] + +At the expiration of a half hour three figures appeared in front of +them, all walking cautiously. Suddenly they stopped, talked very low +for a few moments, then separated. Two men went one way and the third +in exactly the opposite direction, which was toward the position that +the boys occupied. This man was instantly covered and could have been +shot down had either of the French boys so desired, but he was allowed +to proceed, and, at the proper time, was challenged and commanded to +halt. The German, knowing full well that rifles were trained upon him, +and that he had not the slightest chance to escape, called out clearly: + +“_Kamerad, Kamerad._” + +He was commanded to throw up his hands and advance, which he did. It +was impossible to note that slung behind his uplifted hand was a Leuger +revolver. On he came until he could discern both figures very clearly, +and, at six spaces, fired pointblank at each. + +One was wounded so badly that he died soon after, but the other so +slightly that he was able to get in one good smash with the butt end +of his gun, which laid the Hun low—then dragged him into a French +trench. + +The prisoner proved to be a German lieutenant, and, under pressure, +gave out some valuable information. This goes to show that the code of +surrender is violated by German officers, as well as by their men, and, +while the two Frenchmen were instructed not to shoot, but to bring in +a prisoner, no man is expected to take the least chance with an enemy. +No bullets are fired nowadays just to wound an opponent. They are all +fired for one purpose only, that is—to kill. + +Another incident which impressed me as being a very sad one happened +during an attack in the Somme, to a young lieutenant attached to the +same division as I. He became noted for his fearlessness and daring. He +was found in the very hottest of everything and always at the head of +his troops in a charge across “No Man’s Land.” Not only did he enjoy +the confidence of his men, but also the confidence of the government, +which, in recognition of his bravery, decorated him with the _Croix +de Guerre_ (French War Cross) and the _Medaille Militaire_ +(Military Medal), two of the highest honors that can be conferred upon +a soldier. + +One day, after a very brilliant charge, his company captured the Boche +front-line trench, and, as he was jumping down into the trench, he +saw a German officer lying prostrate, his head and face covered with +blood. At this instant a French poilu ran up and was just about to +put the finishing touches on the German when the latter began yelling +“_Kamerad! Kamerad!_” The lieutenant waved the poilu aside as +the man seemed very badly wounded. He then asked the German if there +were any men in a certain dug-out, pointing to one leading off from +the front-line trench. The officer replied “No, but there are some in +that one,” indicating another located down a small communicating trench +toward which the lieutenant forthwith started, revolver in hand. But +he had no sooner turned his back when the Boche officer rolled over +on his side, whipped out a revolver, and shot him through the back, +killing him instantly. + +Bravery had brought this French lieutenant the highest honors in the +army, and human consideration for a dying man brought about his own +death. + +_Kamerad!_—how I loathe that word in its German significance. + +In another attack the French Infantry went forward and captured all +the front-line Boche trenches on a certain sector. The artillery fire +that had been directed against their trenches and the lines behind them +rendered it impossible to deliver rations to their men in the front +line for over two days before the attack. + +This situation, coupled with the terrific strain of the intense +artillery fire, had turned them into a pitiful-looking crowd. Finally, +two Frenchmen started to bring the German prisoners back to their own +lines and at this particular point the German trench was very deep +and hard to climb out of. So they foolishly marched them along through +their front-line to a place where they could crawl out more easily. + +All along in a front-line are boxes filled with hand grenades with +which to repel attack quickly. The line of march along the trench was +zigzag, making it impossible for the front of the line to be viewed +from the rear or _vice versa_, and, as they turned a corner in +their line of march, a couple of the Boches dug into one of these +grenade stations and killed nine infantrymen before they themselves +could be laid low. + +Take another instance, one that occurred during the recent invasion of +Italy. The Austrian command instructed their troops to do everything +in their power to gain the confidence of the Italians, in the hope +of fraternizing with them, and when they had succeeded, the command +secretly pulled out the supposedly friendly Austrian troops and put in +their places German “shock troops,” which fell upon the Italians like +a stroke of lightning, and murdered them without mercy. + +The same thing occurred in Russia, and, therefore, I hope that my +countrymen will never make the same mistake. Never take your eye off +the Boches. They are not to be trusted under any circumstances. I know +that this is a very difficult attitude to assume, but chances should +never be taken with men whose officers misuse _Kamerad_, and the +terms of surrender. When I read that Germans are made prisoners I +wonder why. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE + + +The word camouflage has come into common use both here and abroad and +I think it might be interesting to devote a little time to a brief +discussion of the different uses of camouflage, or low-vision painting, +and to tell you how extensively it is used and where it is most +effective. + +At the front there are many roads that pass over hills to the +rear of the lines, over which supplies have to pass on their way +forward,—roads that are within sight of the enemy observation posts, +and would prove easy targets for their guns should they be left clearly +exposed to view. Many people believe that just because a road is +camouflaged the enemy does not know the road exists. + +This notion is erroneous in most cases, for they do know that the road +is there behind the camouflage, but the object is to obscure from their +view whatever is passing a given point. Otherwise it would be easy +for the watchful enemy, with glasses, to see whether men were moving +forward, or whether shells were being transported for the artillery. +With the use of camouflage they are deprived of this data and the +knowledge of just when or where on a road to put a shell so as to have +it reap a plentiful harvest. Do not misunderstand me when I say that +just because a convoy is passing along a camouflaged road that they are +safe. Traffic moves along this avenue of supply with some degree of +safety. + +In some places the road will have camouflage on just one side. In other +places it is necessary, in order to provide the proper protection, to +put it up on both sides, and in other instances lines of brush are +strung on wires every fifty feet or so to break the continuous stretch +of road as it appears to an aviator from above. + +The method that is employed is that of placing upright, twelve to +fourteen feet high along the sides of a road, something not unlike a +regular fence around a farm. Along these are strung wires, on which +brush and weeds are hung and fastened at top and bottom so that the +wind will not blow them down or to one side. + +Under ordinary conditions at the front, this form of camouflage affords +effective protection, for without it the enemy could shoot at convoys, +etc., with some positive knowledge of just what was passing along the +roads. One sees the camouflage roads of both sides on a front, knowing +full well that men and supplies move along them, but just where they +are at the time a shot is to be fired is problematical, and, with this +uncertainty before them, only in time of undue activities on the part +of either side is any attention paid to them, and then waste or no +waste they are raked from one end to the other with shell fire. + +Back of the lines at various distances are the batteries, and it is +not always possible to locate them where they can enjoy the shelter +or obscurity of clumps of woods, so often they have to be located in +fields or in other open places. However, a battery is always located so +that when firing the flash is obscured to the enemy, preferably behind +some little hillock or rise in the ground, so there is never much +chance to locate a battery by other means than observation balloons or +aeroplanes. + +Camouflage is employed here also and covers are so constructed that +they hide entirely the location of the battery, leaving no opportunity +for the gun to be seen. If a photograph is taken by an enemy aviator, +when developed the battery takes on the appearance of an ordinary clump +of brush in the picture, and surrounding it are so many just such +clumps of brush that there is nothing showing at any particular place +to give any information as to just which is a battery. + +If a battery is being searched out and great uncertainty exists here, +the enemy do take chances in shooting at the different clumps in the +hope of getting a hit on a battery. This is where the anti-aircraft +guns play an important part in keeping the observation plane up at +altitudes where photographs do not give enough detail to reveal too +much information, for, should they be permitted to get down close +enough, they might be able to distinguish too readily the camouflage +from the real. + +Low-vision painting is another form used extensively. It is unusual to +see a camion (auto truck) or any form of vehicle on the road that is +not painted up so that, at a distance, it blends into its surroundings. +Whereas, if it were not painted up, it would stand out clearly and the +contrast to surrounding conditions would make it a target for the enemy +guns. + +The same condition exists on water as well as on land. Hence we see so +many boats painted up for low vision. This does not mean that they are +always obscure to the submarine, but with the mass broken and with the +absence of defined contrast with the sky and water, they do not afford +such a target to the enemy observing through a periscope. + +In the rear of the lines at the front are little huts, in which are +stored cartridges and shells. They are built very small so as not to +be conspicuous. In all instances the additional precaution is taken +by painting these huts so that it is practically impossible for enemy +aviators to distinguish them at ordinary heights. One sees back of the +lines in many places, in some instances fifteen or twenty of these huts +one after the other like a little row of workmen’s dwellings, and one +might be struck at first with the thought that they could be seen, but +the low-vision painting obviates all of this and they are quite safe. + +An interesting experience took place at the front recently when two +French artists conceived the idea of having some sport with Fritz. Some +old canvas, such as had been used to cover wagons, was located and cut +up in strips and joined so that they could be rolled up on a pole. +Then, with a bucket of paint and several brushes, they set to work +painting a railroad track with the ties, rails, etc., as it would look +from above. It was painted with the purpose of attracting attention. + +After working for some time, they completed quite a stretch of +“railroad.” When enough was finished they carried their railroad out on +a pole and unrolled it, always running it from one small clump of woods +to another, so that it would have the appearance of a battery location. +It would be left here long enough to attract the attention of some +Boche aviator and when he started back in his machine to report the +existence of a railroad at this particular location the Frenchmen would +roll up their “railroad” and put it away. + +In a little while the shells would start coming in right where +the “railroad” was. After a short time, or when they imagined the +destruction complete, they would stop, then the Frenchmen would quickly +unroll the “railroad” again and soon the Boche aviator would be seen +flying over the lines to observe the destruction, but it must have +been much to his surprise to see it there in the same place untouched. +He would then fly back again and as soon as he turned his tail homeward +in would come the “railroad”—shortly more shells. This unusual +railroad could be shifted from one location to the other at will, and, +whenever the Boche were in the air, it always came in for its share of +attention, but, unlike most railroads at the front, this one was never +hit. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +SPIES AND THEIR WORK + + +For years we have heard of the efficiency of the Wilhelmstrasse, +or Secret Service Police of Germany, and everything we have heard +regarding them has proved fairly accurate, sometimes even beyond our +wildest expectations. The Spy System of the German Government is a +wonderful organization, any way we look at it. Since 1870 it has been +in the making. Its agents are everywhere, they speak all languages +fluently. This enables them to carry on their systematic work of +uncovering every fact, rumor, or suspicion that may be of importance to +the German Government. + +England and France particularly, and all countries in general, have had +convincing demonstrations of the thoroughness of German Secret Service +activity for many years. Since the war broke out, they have been doing +everything in their power to cope with the situation. + +Now that we are at war with Germany, it is well to remember that in +this country, as well as in those of our Allies, secret agents of +the German Government are constantly seeking information. Therefore, +one of the greatest injustices the people of this country can do our +Government is to impart any information to anyone except a government +representative. Our friends who may be inclined to talk too much +should be warned in a friendly way to say nothing. We can never tell +who is sitting next to us in a train, car, boat, or any other public +conveyance, and the little remark seemingly of no consequence, that +passes your unsuspecting lips, may be the nucleus around which the +spider may weave his web. + +There is no reason in the world why your friends or relatives in the +American Expeditionary Forces over seas should not be permitted to +write you in detail all those things that form part of their daily +experience. Moreover, there is no reason for maintaining such a thing +as a censor. + +[Illustration: Sacked and Burned] + +[Illustration: Badonviller Destroyed by the Germans] + +If all mail and information could be delivered into the hands of the +ones they are meant for, I am sure there would be no reason for such +strict regulations, but there is no assurance that letters will not +go astray and information fall into the hands of our enemies. And, +besides, there are a lot of people who unconsciously reveal things that +are written to them, and in this way information gets out broadcast, +which, in many instances, proves most harmful to proposed military +operations. Therefore, we have the censor who keeps these matters under +control and thereby eliminates a very fruitful source of information +from falling into the hands of our enemies. + +In France one is particularly attracted by placards on cars, station +platforms, and streets, flashing these words, “_Teshez Vous_,” +which mean “Close your mouth.” In other words, “The enemy is +everywhere.” + +The sooner the people of this country “_Teshez Vous_,” the sooner +they will begin to deprive the people who are seeking information of +one of their richest sources. Remember the enemy is everywhere. + +It is most surprising to find by what dark and devious paths one may be +approached when one’s information is valuable enough to be required, +and the only sure way to keep from dropping threads of such information +is to know nothing, and to discuss nothing with people one does not +know—we cannot rely even on friends. We all have fool friends. + +Just before leaving Paris, for example, I became acquainted with a man +whom I remember very clearly as frequenting a certain café, posing +always as a Hollander, but for a great many years past a resident of +New York City. He manifested a great interest in American soldiers, and +I have heard him ask the boys such questions as “How many Americans do +you suppose there are now in France?” “How many boys in your camp?” +“Where are you located?” “Are you specializing in any particular branch +of fighting?” and a great many other questions along the same lines. +As a demonstration of his sincere friendship for the American boys, he +would say “Let me pay for this check.” “Let’s have another one for dear +old America.” + +Suddenly he disappeared. I afterwards learned that he had been quietly +camouflaged by the police and that he would not be around again soon +manifesting so much interest in what America might be going to do. + +It is very clear now to most people what took place in the case of a +female German spy, a conspicuous figure in Paris, always seen in the +characteristic garb of a South American lady. She was never known to +wear a hat, and was seldom seen without the typical mantilla, thrown +over her straight, black hair. She had plenty of money, a Rolls-Royce +always at her command, and everything that would allay the slightest +suspicion that she might be an agent of the German Government. + +Her game was meeting officers and seeking information from them. +Working as agents with her were charming chorus girls from one of the +most noted theaters in Paris. It was she who obtained the information +regarding the extensive building program of English tanks and forwarded +it to Germany. From her jaunty appearance, she was the last one to be +suspected, but she turned out to be one of France’s most dangerous +enemies, and paid the price with her life before a firing squad in a +French prison during the early part of last October. + +When the Germans advanced on Paris in the early stages of the war, +located in the department of the Oise some thirty kilometers from that +city was the old chateau Bornel Bon Eglise, where was stationed a +French garrison to resist the invader at that point. As the German Army +advanced, the French garrison retired to this chateau, in preparation +for the stand to be made when protected by its walls. + +Everything was in readiness for the attack, when, at the psychological +moment, the gates of this castle were suddenly thrown open and +the Boches captured the chateau with very little trouble. Upon +investigation it was afterwards found that the gatekeeper, a trusted +employee for many years, had been planted here for just such a service +should the occasion ever arise when it would be necessary for someone +to accomplish just the thing he did. + +Such conditions can, without stretching one’s imagination very far, be +laid at the door of German Secret Service Agents. That is the kind of +preparedness the Germans had been fostering for forty years. + +In a little village on the eastern front of France this year two +soldiers on observation duty in a front-line trench noticed a small +white dog roaming about “No Man’s Land.” They followed his trail with +much interest, and the last seen of him he was going under the French +barbed wire toward the rear of the lines. + +Nothing was thought of the wanderings of this dog until two nights +later, when the same two men who happened to be on duty again observed +the same dog crossing “No Man’s Land” and crawling under the German +wire. This aroused their suspicion, and, as they came off watch, the +incident was reported to the lieutenant, but he thought nothing of +it, as with all armies there are mongrel pets belonging to soldiers. +However, a few nights later the same dog was again seen back in the +French lines. This caused enough curiosity to bring him under closer +observation, as it was quite unusual that a dog should frequent “No +Man’s Land” with such regularity. + +That same night, in the glow of a star shell, our canine friend was +seen wending his way toward the German trenches, and so orders were +immediately issued to all the front line not to shoot the dog, as the +command wished to investigate the haunts of the animal that seemed to +choose “No Man’s Land” as his favorite playground. + +A few nights later our canine friend again appeared, and was seen +crawling under the French wire and jumping over the front-line +trenches, on his way back toward a little French village behind the +lines. A couple of soldiers were detailed to follow him, which they +did at a distance not calculated to alarm the dog, who walked along +at a business-like gait until the outskirts of the town was reached. +Then, with the suddenness of chain lightning, the dog bolted around +a demolished wall down a side street and was lost to the view of his +observers. It was impossible for his pursuers to give any information +as to what had become of him. + +It happened that he was again seen that same night, returning under +the wires and disappearing behind the German line. These facts called +for carefully laid plans by the Division Headquarters to intercept the +dog in order to know more about his peculiar movements. After waiting +a few nights he was seen coming for the French lines and was allowed +to pass unmolested, several men having been secreted along the line +that he was now known to travel up to a certain point. On came the dog +in his business-like way until, again reaching the outskirts of the +city, he broke into a run at top speed, dodged around tumbled-down +dwellings, side streets, over walls, and again was lost to view. But on +his return he was caught, and tucked away in his collar was a map drawn +very small, but showing in detail the positions of some of the French +batteries behind the lines at a certain point. + +The paper was put back in his collar and the dog allowed to proceed +on his way, for if he returned to the German lines minus this paper +it would immediately cause suspicion that he had been interfered with +and might end his visits before the one sending the information could +be caught. Orders were immediately dispatched to the battery mentioned +in the communication to change its position. The next day brought the +German shells to the exact location where the paper in the dog’s collar +had indicated this battery to be, but, of course, no damage was done, +as the battery had been moved during the night. + +A very careful watch was now kept for this dog, and, a few nights +later, he was captured and a very fine thread tied to his collar in +the hopes that it might be traced to the place where the information +originated. The dog was permitted to proceed as soon as the thread was +securely fastened to him, but when he felt the weight of the thread +pulling on his collar he turned and retraced his steps. The thread was +broken and the dog released in the hope that he would return for the +information, but he balked and was soon back in the German lines. + +The return of the dog without information must have caused a change +of plans, as the dog did not appear again for several days. Finally +he appeared, and in readiness for him was a French police dog, which +was immediately put on his trail. The police dog, being allowed to +go a little too soon, caught up with the German dog at the edge of +the village. Here the German dog had always broken into a run, and, +of course, the police dog became excited and downed the German dog in +his tracks. Before they could be interfered with, the spy dog was very +badly mutilated. Thus ended his visits. + +Although merely a dumb animal he seemed to possess almost human +intelligence, winning the respect of the French army men. It was not +their intention that harm should befall him and they were much grieved +that he went back to his own a cripple for life. + +Carrier pigeons are employed as messengers in the spy service of the +German Army. While in Paris I was with a captain of English artillery +who became a very close friend. He related to me the following account +of how his battery was sent into action on a certain sector which I +know will prove of interest. + +On a certain day orders were received from his Division Headquarters to +take up a position near the village of R——. The battery responded +quickly and occupied the location for two days. It was most noticeable +that very few shells came that way. On the morning of the third day +quite a little aerial activity was evident, but nothing much was +thought of it. The position seemed to be very secure, as it was in +quite a heavy clump of woods. But shortly after noon the shells began +breaking closer and closer until they got so hot that the position +became untenable. Consequently the battery was moved to another clump +of woods quite a distance away, where again all was quiet. + +Next morning the captain was much surprised to see a peasant with two +horses ploughing in the field just back of the new position and also +that the Boche aviators were again hovering over the lines. Shortly +after noon, as on the day previous, shells began to drop around the new +location and in the field behind. It appeared to the Captain that it +must be a pretty hot place for a farmer to be ploughing so serenely, +therefore, he stepped out of the woods to investigate, but found the +farmer had gone. The shells were coming in so close to the battery +position that it was again found necessary to move, this time to a very +heavily wooded location further on to the right. After the move was +completed all became quiet again. + +The following morning the Captain observed the same peasant ploughing +again in the field and also that an unusual aerial activity had opened +near his new location. It seemed necessary to investigate so he went +back to the location first occupied by his battery and found a double +furrow ploughed behind the old battery position. Further observation +disclosed the same double furrow directly behind the second location, +and now the third furrow was being run. Sure enough these furrows were +signals to the sky pilots, for shortly afterwards shells began to land +around the new location, but the peasant was nowhere to be found. +On orders quickly given the battery was at once moved back into the +original position. + +With the morning came the same peasant with his two horses and plough, +but he had run his last furrow on this earth the day before. A blow +with an iron wrench ended his activities forever. That afternoon enemy +aeroplanes hovered overhead, awaiting the new furrow that was never +ploughed. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +LETTERS FROM THE FRONT + + + MORT HOMME, + August 25th, 1917. + +DEAR ED:— + +You no doubt think ill of me not to have answered your letter, but I +know you will overlook my seeming neglect after you have read this. + +Have you ever experienced a feeling of complete disaster when suddenly +everything changed and you saw a decent place to get some sleep, and a +good hot meal in the bargain? Well, that is what just happened to us +after we left “Hell” behind, but, even now, when anyone drops anything, +or yells, I find myself taking to cover. No, I haven’t shell shock. I +simply cannot fully collect myself. + +No doubt by this time you are acquainted with the details of the recent +attack at the Bois d’Avicourt, where the French just naturally kicked +the stuffings out of the Boches and walked away with such positions as +Hill “304,” Avicourt, and Mort Homme (Dead Man). But, even if you are, +I know you will enjoy some of my experiences during that fight—so here +goes. + +After leaving Paris we took the train to Chalons and there we got our +cars. The whole section is made up of little Fiats, and so you see we +got a good start. We were on our way across country passing through Bar +le Duc and on up to a little town called Erize La Petite, about fifteen +miles from Verdun. The town was misnamed by someone, for I think they +meant to call it “La Petite Dump.” However unfortunate that may be, we +remained there for two weeks, sleeping in an old barn, until one night +it rained so hard that we swam to our cars and finished our rest, +soaking wet. We were all as disgusted as could be when orders came that +we had been assigned to the 25th Division and were to move up to join +it the following day for the attack, which was to take place three days +later. The following day found us crawling up to the town of Brocourt, +where the hospital is located. The Boches shelled this village with +high explosives that night. A doctor informed me that they did this +systematically every night at the same hour. + +Morning came and we were ordered up farther front. From the way the +shells were coming down on us I thought we were joining the German Army +instead of the French. We halted in the village of Reciecourt. I want +to state right here that I was perfectly satisfied with the place we +had left, and La Petite Dump seemed to me like “Paradise Lost,” for, on +our way up to Reciecourt, we stopped four times to wait for the Huns to +quit shelling the road ahead of us. Upon our arrival we began hunting +for a house to use as a base, but the best we could do was to find +one with two shell holes through the roof. We took it just the same. + +[Illustration: Sixty Feet From a German Front-Line Trench] + +That afternoon Singer, who is our chief, and Paul Hughes, our +sous-chief, took two ambulances and drove with one man from each car up +to the different posts we were to serve during the attack. Joe Widner, +you remember him, is my teammate on our car, and I flipped a coin to +see which of us would take the ride. I won the toss. + +Ten of us got into one ambulance and ten into another. I went with +Singer, and as I got in I remember Singer threw the latch down on the +back of the car and we could not get out, for it could be opened only +from the outside. + +Now this was my first experience under heavy shell fire, and I did not +relish the thought of being sewed up in this ambulance, unable to get +out if I wanted to, for I always have been a pretty good sprinter and I +felt if it got too hot I might be able to beat a couple of shells down +the road; but, with the door locked, what a chance! As we went forward, +we passed several large French batteries beside the road, all of them +hammering away at Fritz. The farther forward we went the more numerous +the guns, all more or less concealed. The front of the car was open +and right ahead of us there came a terrific crash. I heard Singer say, +“That one sure came close.” + +“That what?” I yelled back. + +“That shell,” he replied. + +Then I realized what a cute little place we were locked in, and, +believe me, I got sick all over. I felt that my feet were shrinking +and my shoes were falling off. My thoughts took on some speed. How +gladly I would have changed this dirty shell-riddled ambulance for a +Broadway subway. I kept my eyes glued on the floor of the car, with no +idea of where we were or where we were going until we jolted around a +sharp turn in the road and ran into a fallen tree. Naturally, the car +stopped, and Singer opened up the exit and said, “This is the first +post.” + +My release from that car gave me a new lease on life, and I began to +take notice of the environment, after making sure that I was still +intact. There were five or six dugouts here; in front of one were +two men seated at a table. In front of them was a little plot of +ground containing some newly made graves. Over to the right was a +gang of men digging a long ditch about eight feet wide and eight feet +deep. I thought it was a trench. Mills Averill, however, suggested +it was to bury garbage. So we asked, in our sign language mixed with +Franco-American French. One of the men looked up from his writing long +enough to say, “_Pour l’attack_” (For the attack). Good God, +Eddie, it was a grave big enough for a regiment, and just to think +that it was for men who at that very moment were alive and in perfect +health! I cannot tell you my feelings at this gruesome sight. + +At this moment a wagon drove up. The diggers laid down their tools +and went over to it. I am sure it was a dead man they lifted out, for +I saw his feet on the stretcher, but the rest of the poor devil was in +a burlap bag. I did not try to see the rest of the human debris that +came out of this death cart. The men at the tables wrote some records, +and the ditch received the mass. This was anything but a pleasant +experience for green men, and only our first post at that. + +We climbed into the car and visited each of the other posts, and as +we went along the sights that met our eyes were always worse than at +the previous place. As we pulled up in front of what we thought was +our last post Singer said there was one more, but we couldn’t go up in +the car except under cover of darkness. So we started out on our shoe +leather, and it was some walk. The mud was knee deep and clingingly +affectionate. + +Nothing ever seemed quite so good as when we turned our faces toward +the rear. That night, in my dreams, there seemed to be all sorts of +little mistakes being made, such as planting me in the hole at Post No. +1, with the dead men. Tough stuff to dream about,—you can imagine how +much rest I had. + +The next day Joe and I went on duty. We had to stay through the entire +morning of the attack, for all twenty cars were in use. Our post began +in order from Reciecourt. Going out were P4, P2, PJ left, PJ right, +P3 and R4. There were four cars at P4 and two at PJ right. If a car +came down with wounded from PJ, left post, it would stop at P4, and a +car would be dispatched from here to take its place. P2 and PJ right +were on the same road, so when a car came down from PJ, right, a car +would go up from P2. The car coming in always continued on to the +hospital. P3 and R4 were worked only on calls, and R4 only at night, +for in daylight they would have been blown off the road. It was a sort +of muddled schedule, but the shell fire was so heavy that no telephone +wires could stand for a half hour. So we made the best of a bad +situation. + +The French were bringing up guns continuously, all sizes from 37’s +to large-caliber Marine pieces. They would take up firing positions +alongside the roads and fire over our heads. When they let loose the +ambulance would rock with the concussion. + +We had two runs in from P4 during the night, and at three-thirty a. m. +the barrage fire began and it was terrible. We could not hear the Boche +shells break. It was all one great uninterrupted roar, made by four +thousand cannons. Can you imagine such a thing in that small sector? +Joe and I went up to PJ right about four a. m. As we turned a corner we +found an artillery caisson that had been hit. The horses lay dead in +the road. What had become of the men I do not know, and we did not try +to find out, for when we saw that we could just barely get by we kept +on going. + +As we neared a crossroad we found the shells falling so thick we had to +pull up and wait for an opportunity to dash by. It soon came. We did +not have to listen for the Boche shells for we could see them break +very plainly. Ahead of us was another sharp turn leading down into a +little valley at the other end of which was the post. Suddenly a car +appeared, running towards us like mad. As it approached we recognized +Bud Riley and Eddie Doyle. Bud was driving, his eyes bulging out of his +head as he leaned over the steering wheel watching the road. He never +even glanced at us. His car was full of wounded and Eddie Doyle had to +stand on the running board. As we passed he yelled, “God be good to you +fellows for you are going into Hell!” + +Joe was driving, and on receiving this news he let up on the speed a +bit, for, if we were going where Eddie said, Joe thought we had better +take our time about it. + +He looked at me and I looked at him. I finally ventured to say, +“Cheerful, isn’t it?” but Joe must have been thinking of Flatbush. +Then we turned the corner and we discovered that Doyle was right. The +whole gully was a mass of dead horses and wrecked wagons and parts +of human bodies. The Germans had put over gas and caught the wagon +train in the valley. The horses were harnessed and could not get away. +Evidently some of the drivers stayed too long. Paul Hughes, Singer, +Armstrong, Halverson, Woodell and Colledge had gone up ahead of us, and +were cutting harness and releasing some horses that were yet alive, and +driving them up to higher ground out of the gas. They saved a great +many by a little head work, and the Government rewarded them all with +the _Croix de Guerre_. + +We stopped, as there wasn’t room to get by, but soon Hughes came up +and told us to go on over the heads of horses that could not be saved, +which we did, and were soon at the post. All day we ran to and from the +front, with our car full of wounded and dying. For twenty-four hours +the twenty cars never had a rest. And, remember, we carried only bad +cases. The others walked. + +The attack lasted five days, the German prisoners pouring in over +all the roads. Frank Carleton was also hit by shell splinters in the +leg. He also got the War Cross pinned on his chest. The whole attack +was rotten, many suffering from chlorine and tear gas. Singer is in +bad shape from it and I guess we all show the strain. But we are lucky +with it all, for there was not a car in the whole lot that did not have +shell marks on it. + +The old Twenty-fifth Division suffered pretty badly, but the struggle +was not without success, for Mort Homme, Avicourt and Hill “304” are in +our hands, and I hope they will stay there. Besides, we have plenty of +German prisoners. + +As this is the way I have been spending my time, you know I did not +have much of an opportunity to write letters. I must stop now and get a +little sleep. If they shell us here to-night I hope they choke. + +Good luck. Ed Harding, Jim Baker, Baldwin, Creigier, Doyle, Riley, Joe, +Tom and Armey are all O. K. and join me in sending you their best. +Remember me to the bunch with you. + + “GUS” EDWARDS, + Section 60. + + +A LETTER FROM SALONIKA + +DEAR ED: + +I have just returned here from the front, and learned from your letter +that you are in France. You don’t know how glad I was to hear from you. +My prompt reply will bear me out, for you know I am not much of a hand +at writing letters. Let me commence by saying that if they ever want +you to come down here, don’t you do it, for, if there is one place that +the Lord forgot to fix up just enough to be decent it’s this Bulgarian +front, and, from what I have seen, all the Balkan States are no better. + +Once in a while we get some papers which show pictures of the hardships +the British Tommies are enduring with artillery, etc., in the Flanders +mud. If they have anything on us they must surely be in a bad way, +because ninety-nine per cent of our front is mud. The remainder +is—also mud. They have a roadway here and there at least. We never see +what one would call a clearly defined path. It’s just one big field of +mud. + +The Monastir road is the main artery of travel out toward our front, +and this has been so cut up by the never-ending traffic and through +lack of other parallel roads that it is about as bad as you can imagine +it. At the end of the road (this end) conditions are barely tolerable. + +The town Salonika itself is located on the sea in a sort of hollow, and +around us like sentinels are the hills, which guard every approach to +the city proper for miles. Members high on the staff say the city could +never be taken from the land side, and from the supplies stored here I +am sure they believe this to be a fact. I do not think it will be long +before we will come in for our share of attention in the columns of the +newspapers, for we have been expecting the development of military +activity for some little time past. + +The sanitary conditions are much improved here and everything is done +to counteract disease. All kinds of improvements have been made, but +the poor devils at the front are the ones that come in for their share. +Men contract diseases here unknown to medical science, besides those +that are known. Nearly everything reeks with malaria. I have taken +enough quinine to run a drug store in the States six months, and while +I, like many others, pride myself on the good fortune we are having, +I am sure, in the days to come, we will see the effects which always +follow. + +No doubt you are familiar with the Venizelos régime. I see him +about quite often. The men that are with him are all bright, smart, +up-to-date fellows, and with the Allies hammer and tongs, and they +are far more loyal to Greece than the King’s party, who follow the +instructions of Kaiser Bill. + +Write me a long letter, for it helps a great deal in such a place as +this, and if you ever get some American newspapers you might send them +on when you are through with them. Keep in touch with me, but don’t +ever think of coming here unless they tie you hand and foot and send +you. + +Take good care of yourself and hand those wooden-headed Germans some +hot ones. + + Your pal, + + JOE. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +EYES OF THE ARMY + + +All military observation balloons are practically “the eyes of the +army.” They are generally captive—always out of reach of enemy +artillery fire. Of course, they may become the victims of surprise +attacks from enemy aviators. + +These sausage-shaped craft are very important adjuncts to the fighting +forces, and they have regular habits. They go up every morning and +come down every night. In this they are aided by the engine of some +large auto-truck, which hauls them in or lets them go up, according +to orders from the officer in charge. Their efficiency as posts of +observation may be readily appreciated. There is nothing going on below +for miles upon miles that cannot be distinguished through the use of +powerful glasses in the hands of skilled lookout men. + +With these fellows on watch very little can transpire that they are not +likely to discover in a jiffy. The enemy tries to send a wagon train of +ammunition to some point of advantage, when, bingo! some shells explode +in their path—then it’s a case of jumping and running for their lives. +Troop movements are subject to the same kind of attack, in fact, +everything is an open book to the trained observers, lolling about in +the high altitude breezes, alert, however, to every little thing going +on. + +It is most interesting to watch the work of the observation balloon, +which always anchors close enough to the front to give it the advantage +of seeing everything, yet far enough to the rear to protect it from +being shot at by the enemy anti-aircraft batteries. It depends upon +the contour and character of the ground, and at just what elevation +the balloon officials can best observe. The great bag is held in place +by a steel cable, and has direct telephone communication with the +artillery field station. + +This station is located so that all wires from the observation posts +lead into it, as do also the wires from the field batteries along +certain parts of the front. When anything transpires that seems of +enough consequence to deserve a few shells, the observer phones the +location as it appears on his chart, and a corresponding chart at +the artillery bureau furnishes correct information to the officers +in charge, as though they were looking at the very spot themselves. +The range is computed and phoned to the battery that commands the +particular location of the objective. The range is soon found and the +firing begins. + +It is then the duty of the gas-bag observers to inform the bureau +the moment a shell explodes, setting forth the information that is +necessary for corrections in the event that the shell missed; also +whether it exploded before reaching the object or passed beyond. The +moment this information is secured corrections in the range are +immediately made, phoned to the battery, and the second shell is sent +screaming on its way. After which corrections are again given, until +finally the observer comes back with the word “hit.” They then have the +range and can hammer away at the position until they have completed the +necessary destruction. + +[Illustration: Trying on the Gas Masks] + +[Illustration: Badonviller Barricaded for Street Fighting] + +So accurate has this system become that, with an observation balloon to +govern and observe, artillery fire, after the second and third shot, +will come uncomfortably close to its objective, if it does not make a +direct hit. The accuracy of cannon-fire nowadays is remarkable, and, +although batteries may be located in clumps of trees or even hidden by +hills, they have reached a perfection almost beyond belief. Thus it may +be readily seen that the observation balloon plays an important part in +modern warfare. Because of these observation balloons, there has seldom +been, if ever, such a thing as concentrations of large bodies of +troops for attacking purposes, or unending streams of caissons bringing +up shells or supplies without coming under the eye of the observer. + +One day on the eastern front an artillery commander in our division +started out on a tour of inspection. He arrived at a certain position, +where a new battery was being located in a clump of woods just off the +roadside. In preparation for the new battery some concrete work was +being done on foundations. + +Pulling up on the road in a clearing, the officer and his aide stepped +out of the car, followed by the chauffeur, and entered the woods to +review the work. At a distance, so small that it could scarcely be +seen, was a German observation balloon. The party had no sooner entered +the woods when they were attracted by the explosion of a shell in close +proximity. This was soon followed by a second, which landed in the +road, and then a third, which struck beside the front end of the auto +they had just left and blew it into fragments. + +One thing that comes under the eye of a person traveling along the +military roads in France is the large number of soup kitchens that lie +toppled over along the roadside. The reason for this is that there are +always so many of these soup kitchens going to and from the front along +roads that can be seen from enemy observation balloons, and they can be +shelled with deadly and unerring accuracy. + +It is a most rare occurrence for the drivers of these soup kitchens to +be injured or wounded, for they can hear the shell coming and dive off +of the kitchens into the roadside or run for their lives. Meanwhile +the shell will make a direct hit and blow the soup kitchen to pieces. + +Observation balloons are a hindrance to operations that the enemy +desire to be unobserved; therefore aviators are dispatched against +them and instructed to clear them from the skies. Of course, there is +no means by which an observation balloon can resist successfully an +attack by an aviator, even if equipped with a machine gun, because the +aviator will always attack it from above. + +The best opportunity to destroy observation balloons always comes on +cloudy days, when an aviator can circle around in the clouds until +he gets directly over the balloon, and drop, unobserved, upon it. +Then, with a machine gun, or an incendiary bomb, he can put it out +of existence. When the observers see that they cannot get away from +the enemy aviator their only chance is to jump from the basket with a +parachute, as the moment the bomb strikes the gas bag and the contents +ignite, it becomes an “inferno.” + +Two interesting incidents took place at Verdun in connection with +observers and enemy aeroplanes after their gas bags had been struck and +destroyed. In the first instance, the observer jumped from the basket, +and was descending toward the earth suspended and swinging at the end +of a parachute, like the pendulum of a clock. + +The enemy aviator, for additional exercise and excitement, circled +around and descended along with the parachute, shooting at the observer +as he swung through the air, with his machine gun, until he got his +man. But in so doing he descended closer to the ground than he had +contemplated doing, and a well-directed shot from an anti-aircraft +battery brought both himself and his plane tumbling to the earth. + +The second instance was where a Boche aviator had dropped out of the +clouds and an observer, seeing there was no chance to get away from +him, quickly jumped from the basket of his balloon with a parachute. +The bag was struck shortly after and burst into flames. + +It must have been the intention of the Boche to have some machine-gun +exercise with this observer, for he circled around and tried to get +into a position to fire. Before he could accomplish this the observer, +swinging through the air, drew an automatic revolver, and with a +well-directed shot hit the aviator and killed him. + +Observation balloon work is considered a very dangerous branch of the +service, inasmuch as observers do not have an opportunity to protect +themselves from enemy aviators and must rely chiefly on anti-aircraft +batteries for protection. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES + + +Located all along the front are batteries, which consist principally of +French cannon that we have heard so much about, known to the world as +75’s. While this type is most frequently used, there are some aircraft +batteries of larger caliber, known as the 105’s. The reason that these +two types of guns are used exclusively is due to their flexibility. +They can be changed to different angles and elevations and be fired +with the rapidity so necessary in following an aeroplane in flight. + +Aircraft batteries are always located where protection is necessary +from aviators in the rear of the lines, also in the event of the enemy +aviator being able to get by the batteries up front. + +The guns are mounted over a pit on a revolving platform that can +complete a circle. Counterweights are attached to the gun for elevation +so that it can be changed quickly from the horizontal to very near +a 90-degree angle, the direction, of course, being obtained by the +shifting of the revolving platform. + +Some very novel contrivances have been developed for computing ranges, +and each aircraft battery uses every available device that is likely to +assist them in making flying uncomfortable for the Boches. Where there +are two or more of these batteries they are connected up with each +other by telephone, and, as an enemy flyer comes within range of their +guns, the angles are phoned back and forth, and with this knowledge +they can make the location untenable, even if they do not bring the +flyer down. I have seen many an enemy flyer get into these pockets and +rejoice at the moment he discovered the trap that there were some +clouds close by into which he could dodge and get away with his skin +intact. + +These planes are, in most instances, observation planes, either to see +what is transpiring behind the lines or to take photographs of enemy +positions. The bombing planes work mostly under cover of darkness, +which enables them to come down much closer to earth. + +To meet this condition there is located at each aircraft battery a +device known as an audiphone. It is a large box-shaped affair, made of +sheet metal about thirty-six inches square. Inside are fastened four +small cones, in appearance much like victrola horns. These are in turn +connected with a vibrator similar to that in an ordinary telephone +receiver. To this are attached two rubber tubes, identical with the +instrument used by doctors called a stethoscope, for listening to the +heart. + +This equipment is fastened to a post, and can be turned in any +direction. The box-shaped device, working on a common axle, can be +elevated or lowered at will. When an aviator is in the air a lookout +places the two hard rubber tubes to his ears and turns the equipment in +the general direction of the supposed location. + +He then elevates and lowers the box-shaped device until he arrives at +a position where the clearest motor vibrations are received, the post +being marked off in degrees, like the revolving gun-platform. The arrow +on the audiphone points to the degree indicated on the post, and thus +the direction is obtained and the gun trained at the same degree. + +Then there is a second arrow with a scale corresponding to the one upon +which the gun is elevated. When the clearest vibrations come in, the +angle at which the box rests is indicated, and this in turn is copied +by the gun. The distance is estimated by the strength of the vibrations +coming in on the receiving instrument. The general location is phoned +to the searchlight stations and the light is projected to afford +the batteries observation in the event that the aviator changes the +direction of his flight after the first shot is fired. + +These projectors in many instances depend, of course, upon the +locations where the greatest aerial activities take place, run up +as high as four and a half feet in size, and with three or four +searchlights playing into the heavens it is very easy to discern an +aeroplane, unless it is flying very high. + +The French 75’s make a wonderful anti-aircraft gun that, with the +remarkable perfection that gunners have attained, insures an enemy +aeroplane quite a warm reception. But, at best, machines brought down +by either side by anti-aircraft guns are very few, for no matter how +good the marksmanship the aeroplane always has the advantage. He can +take to higher levels quickly and the higher his elevation the greater +his security. + +When a shot is fired at him in a certain position he knows that it will +be from eight to eighteen seconds before the projectile will reach his +elevation. By merely changing his course in a fast machine, four or +five seconds will take him three or four hundred feet away from the +bursting shell. But the frequency of direct hits in lower altitudes +does not warrant aviators taking chances. They’d better be on their way. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +HAND GRENADE WORK + + +There are two kinds of hand grenades, offensive and defensive. The +first is employed in all offensive operations and to explain its use +more clearly it is well to start with the bombers, popularly known as +the suicide club. + +Before an attack is made, in most instances, a barrage fire is put +over on the enemy trenches and the length of this preparation depends +on the extent of the offensive and on the area over which it spreads. +The purpose of this barrage fire is to blast out of existence all of +the enemy machine guns on the parapet of the trenches that are to be +attacked. + +It must be understood that with a heavy barrage fire on their +front-line positions the enemy would be unable to keep many men +in readiness at the guns, and the machine guns themselves would be +endangered if they were left exposed. Therefore they take to the +dug-outs with guns and all other equipment. + +Chosen from the regiments, there are certain men known as bombers, +who are ready, at a specified time, with another kind of equipment—a +large basket-shaped pocket swinging at their waists filled with hand +grenades. They are always ready in the front-line trench to go over at +the time set by the command. The barrage fire still plays on the enemy +lines when the bombers charge across “No Man’s Land.” It is their task +to keep the enemy and their machine guns in their dug-outs so that they +cannot drag them to the parapets of the trenches for use against the +infantry, which invariably follows the bombers “over the top.” + +The grenade used by the bombers in an offensive of this kind is a +trifle larger than a good-sized lemon; projecting from one end is a +pin, on which there is a touch button. + +Touch the button and the pin does the rest. It ignites a fuse on the +end of which is an explosive cap, similar in design to the caps we use +in this country for dynamite blasting. The cap sets off the charge +which is supposed to be one of the most powerful and deadliest of +explosives. + +The shell of the grenade is corrugated into little squares that break +up and fly in all directions when the charge is exploded, and covers +a large area on its mission of destruction. Much care and skill is +required of the bomber, since he must be able to throw a grenade with +great accuracy and always far enough to keep himself from being injured. + +There is a common notion abroad that bombs are thrown like baseballs, +but this idea is erroneous. The method employed is radically different. +Grenades are timed so that they go off quickly after reaching their +objective and within five seconds of the time when the first throwing +motion is made and the time fuse is going. + +During the early part of the war the moment a grenade was started +fusing it was the desire of the bomber to get it on its way as quickly +as possible. The Germans noticed that the grenades did not go off for +several seconds after they landed, and, in many instances, picked them +up and hurled them back. Many of our men were killed in this way before +they learned to measure the time accurately. + +All along the front, in back of the lines, are fields where one may +see companies of men practicing daily with grenades. Their work is a +most important factor in modern warfare, as the defenders of a trench +rely chiefly on their machine guns to resist infantry attacks. Should +the bombers contrive to hold the enemy in their dug-outs, their own +infantry can cross over without having to face a death-dealing stream +of bullets that would be poured into them by three or four machine guns. + +[Illustration: Awaiting Orders Behind the Front] + +Strange to say, of all the men making up the different branches of +service around base and army hospitals one rarely ever sees a maimed +bomber. It is one thing or the other with these fellows. They come back +whole or not at all. A most dangerous work is that of the bomber, as he +is always the first to go over, and, of course, offers a tempting mark +for whatever machine guns are not in the dug-outs but remain on the +parapets of an enemy trench. + +Defensive grenades have a different classification and are employed in +a distinctive way. Any or all infantrymen of an army may be equipped +with this form of grenade. They are made on a principle diametrically +opposite to that of the offensive grenade. The best of these are +manufactured by an English concern and are very reliable. The element +of danger in its operation is very slight. They are used principally +for the destruction of barbed-wire entanglements, in order that +infantrymen may make a quick passage over “No Man’s Land.” + +Should one of these grenades land alongside of a post supporting the +enemy barbed wire, the explosion which follows is so tremendous that it +will shatter that post into bits, causing all of the wire to drop to +the ground. This will afford enough gaps to make passage free and easy. + +The defensive grenade is vastly different in structure and function, as +the jacket containing the charge is a tin composition, very light in +construction, so that every particle of force will be effective at a +given point, without the necessity of having to break through a heavy +iron shell. Just enough weight is used in the body of this type; it is +devoid of the pin and the button, but has a handle held in place by +a cotter pin on the end of which is a ring. When the ring is pulled +it draws the cotter pin from the locking device on the body of the +grenade, which holds the handle in a safe position. + +Before the pin is pulled the bomber must have the handle clamped down +securely in the palm of his hand with the grenade, for the moment +the handle is allowed to fly up the grenade begins fusing and must be +thrown. + +As long as the handle is held securely in its original position, even +though the pin be drawn, it is harmless. It is, however, ready for +service in the fraction of a second, and makes an ideal defensive +weapon for instant use. It can be thrown directly in front of a man +rushing at you with a bayonet, and it will blow him into fragments. At +the same time there will be perfect security to the one who launches +it, but, at five times the distance, an offensive grenade would prove +a boomerang. For cutting down enemy barbed wire, there is nothing so +effective, except heavy artillery, which can compare with this high +explosive hand grenade for terrific power of destruction. + +There is a newer form of grenade now in use, which is fired from a +regular rifle. An attachment like a cylinder is fastened to the barrel +of the rifle and a regulation cartridge inserted into the cartridge +chamber, as when it is to be ordinarily fired. Then a grenade is +placed in the cylinder and the gun is discharged while held at +the height of the waist line, the muzzle being elevated or lowered +according to the distance the grenade is to be thrown. There is a gauge +showing where the grenades will approximately strike at different +elevations of the muzzle, and it is surprising with what accuracy they +will reach their objective. This method is used where the distance +is too great for throwing by hand. The ball, when fired, passes down +the rifle barrel and through the grenade, striking a contact spring, +which starts it fusing. The gas from the explosion of the powder in the +chamber forms the propelling power. + +A great many other contrivances are used for the launching of grenades, +such as various forms of spring traps. The French have a pneumatic +device,—a cylinder in which the grenade is placed, and the pressure +for launching it is produced by means of a pump, not unlike in design +that of the automobile tire pump. All these different devices, while +serving a purpose, do not meet all requirements as effectively as does +the grenade which is launched by hand. It is a most dangerous missile +and hard to get away from. + +One serious danger to which consideration must be given and into +which Americans are apt to be tempted is the collection of souvenirs +of war. All along the front one sees many things that are of +interest,—unexploded shells, hand grenades, and the like. The +inexperienced, unsuspecting the danger of such things, are tempted to +pick them up and examine them. + +This has caused many a death. It is a risk that should never be +taken, for it is only another way of courting death. Not every shell +or grenade that is sent over explodes, and many actually lie intact +for days only to explode at some slight disturbance. One only needs +to observe the French, who are familiar with all angles of the game +through their three and a half years’ experience, to learn what they +think about tampering with shell heads. + +A regular corps of men, appointed generally from some artillery +battery, make it their duty to look after unexploded shells, either by +setting them off, or by carting them away and burying them,—likewise +unexploded hand grenades. These are collected and buried, but many +an experienced man has come to his death while clearing up roads and +fields of these unexploded missiles. + +There have been instances known on different fronts where the Germans +have “fixed” everything they leave on the field, allowing shells and +grenades to lie there for someone to pick them up. An attractive +officer’s helmet might catch one’s eye and appear to be just about the +most harmless thing in the world. But to touch it more than likely +means death. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE AMERICAN Y. M. C. A. + + +An honest confession is said to be good for what ails you, mentally +and physically, so here goes with reference to my erstwhile ignorance +concerning that great and growing organization known to all the world +as the Young Men’s Christian Association. I’ll admit my prejudice. It +goes back to the days when I invented every possible excuse to keep +from going to Sunday-school, and so when I arrived at maturity I found +myself shying toward the outer curbing every time. I used to pass +quickly these quiet, orderly buildings, fearful that someone would rush +out and thrust a lesson leaflet into my hand. + +Once I had a friend who, when in earnest conversation, would halt +occasionally to point his long forefinger and say, “Listen to the +truth!”—and that’s the kind of a gesture and the exact words that +I would use now if I should find it necessary to raise my voice in +defense of the Y. M. C. A. + +I’ll never forget the first one I visited. I was in Paris on leave of +absence, along with another young man in the same service as myself. +He suggested a visit to the Y. M. C. A., and, so far as my pleasure +was concerned, he might just as well have suggested the morgue. The +motion was carried, however, and I found myself being jostled along, +speechless with disgust for having come all the way from the front-line +trenches to waste my time at such a tame sort of a place. Visions of +being met at the door with a bundle of “tracts” and a pocket Bible +came into my mind’s eye, but, on the theory that it never pays to be +a joy-killer, I said nothing. In less time than it takes to tell it I +found myself the worst fooled mortal of my age and weight among all my +numerous friends and acquaintances. + +Our taxicab drew up in front of a palatial building, which I recognized +as our destination, for I did know the triangular flag of the Y. M. +C. A. We entered a large open court, where were several small tables +and chairs, reasons for which we learned afterwards. Ascending a grand +stairway we arrived at the second floor, or Club Room. At once two +gentlemen stepped forward with a cheerful “Hello, Boys,” and invited +us to make ourselves “quite at home.” Almost immediately thereafter we +were taken in tow and escorted around the place. + +At this moment I glanced at the peculiar expression on my friend’s +face. We had been there five minutes, and no one had handed either of +us a Bible—which seemed most surprising to me. There were spacious +lounging rooms, with big easy chairs, and tables heaped with books +and magazines, also writing rooms, smoking rooms, victrolas, pianos, +billiard and pool tables, just as you find them in a genuine American +club. It reminded me of good old New York with all its comforts and +ease. The atmosphere was that of wholesome refinement with a welcome in +every face that beamed our way. + +Our escorts informed us that things were not exactly in shape as yet, +but would be in full running order very shortly. For a place that was +not in working trim I wondered what could be done to make it more +complete. I was soon to learn that its growth since the war began had +been phenomenal. It had become the principal rendezvous for the army +boys, a home, indeed, to which they could come at any time, day or +night, and get good hot baths and clean up. I was completely surprised, +for in Paris, at the finest hotels, such a thing was impossible, except +on Saturdays and Sundays, because of the conservation of fuel. + +Then, too, the Y. M. C. A. had established a Bureau of Tobacco, where +the boys could obtain American cigarettes and cigars at a cost which +was much less than they could be bought even at home. The French +Government would not allow cigarettes to be sent to the boys in +service, unless the duty, which was prohibitive, was paid on them. One +has to have but a single experience with “army issue,” the name applied +by the boys to the tobacco passed out to soldiers, to know what a big +satisfaction it is to be able to walk up to the counter of the Y. M. +C. A. with the feeling of ease one feels in going into one’s home-town +favorite cigar store or club. + +After showing us everything about the premises, our escort finally +capped the climax by announcing, “It’s four o’clock. Ice cream is ready +to be served.” + +Now, say, gentle reader, suppose you had been driving an ambulance for +several months, practically day and night for weeks at a time, and +that all you had known in the way of “eats” was the same old stuff day +in and day out? And, I ask you again, what would you say if suddenly +you were invited to sit down beside a daintily covered table in a +delightful courtyard and found yourself confronted with a heaping +big dish of real ice cream. Never mind your answer. You’d be found +“a-hanging around” the place at four o’clock every afternoon of your +stay in Paris. That’s what we did, and we were welcomed each time in +that same cordial way. + +In the colder season, when it becomes too chilly for ice cream, the +Volunteer Canteen Workers of the Y. M. C. A. established a tea room, +where at four p. m. hot coffee, chocolate and such things as home-made +doughnuts, cakes and pies were served. This place did not go a-begging +for popularity, as may well be surmised, for it was filled to capacity +every day. + +It would be unjust to create the impression that the popularity of the +American Y. M. C. A. is due to the fact that it serves good ice cream. +That was only one of the many things that hit the right spot. + +The biggest attraction, to my mind, was the spirit of sterling good +fellowship which permeated the institution. The welcome was sincere. +There was no snobbishness, no attitude of “look what we’re doing for +these fellows—shouldn’t they be most awfully thankful.” There wasn’t +a bit of that. On the other hand there was plenty of “there’s nothing +too good for you boys who are doing the job out there; we’re going to +serve you!” That is the attitude of the big-minded business men who +have thrown open the doors of this institution in order that the boys +from “out there” might have comfort when on furlough in Paris. It was a +big thought and it has kept many a youngster from going to the devil in +that same big city. + +Before I left France, the Y. M. C. A. was making big strides in the +establishment of Huts and Canteens along the front; also around the +villages where the divisions of the army go for rest. Here the men at +the front can have an opportunity to purchase food and supplies. This +in itself is a wonderful blessing for, in the devastated towns along +the front, it is impossible to buy anything. + +Imagine the undying impression a man will retain of this wonderful +organization when he recalls the day he was sent to the rear, drilled +by a Boche bullet and dragging one foot after the other through the mud +and water of the trenches, chilled to the bone, as he turned a corner +and found tucked away in a hole in a wall a man who handed him a cup +of steaming hot coffee; or, when that same man lies on a hospital cot +in the rear, recovering, there comes a representative of this same +wonderful institution with words of cheer and consolation. Such is the +work that these men are doing and such the wonderful contribution to +humanity it has proved to be! + +While in London I spent most of my time at the Y. M. C. A. huts. There +they serve regular meals at a maximum cost of fourteen cents, which +consist of soup, meat, potatoes, vegetables, bread, butter, dessert +and coffee. It is open to any of the men of the Allied armies. I was +particularly attracted one day to a group of boys sitting around a +piano in the recreation room, singing and playing. An American soldier +played the piano, an American sailor played a violin, a Canadian a +banjo, and an Englishman a mandolin. + +The “choir” was composed of a Belgian, a Scotch Highlander, an +Irishman, a New Zealander, an Australian and a Frenchman—with a dozen +Americans thrown in. I inquired of one of our sailors how he liked +London? He replied, “Well, as much as I have seen of it, it’s fine, but +we boys spend most of the time right here at this piano.” + +I found this to be true, for, no matter what time I would go there, +the same crowd was always present, and the room filled with blue smoke +thick enough to choke a Chinaman. + +The facts set forth are my only experiences with the Y. M. C. A., but +let me commend to everyone the wonderful work that this organization is +doing, for if anything can hearten a man when he is away from all that +is near and dear to him it is the attention paid him by big-minded, +big-hearted men who carry on the field work of the Y. M. C. A. No one +preaches to you when you are under its roof, but there creeps into +one’s heart a new feeling that one longs to hold on to. I’m for the Y. +M. C. A. strong. + +[Illustration: A Small “Persuader” at Verdun] + +[Illustration: Field Telephone Station Controlling the Shell Fire] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +REAR-LINE DIVERSIONS + + +During their leisure hours it is quite necessary for men to have +something of interest to divert their minds; the French military +authorities have been quick to realize the value of the old saying that +all work and no play makes Jack a poor fighter. + +There is with each army corps a regularly established department +devoted to the entertainment of the soldiers. They have also with them +official kinematographers of the French Army, who take pictures of +everything interesting that transpires in the sector. The films of one +army, through a bureau, are exchanged with those of an army operating +in another sector, for the benefit of the men so that they can see +what is going on at the fronts. The shows are generally given in some +little village at the rear, where the men who are not in the trenches +are quartered. The program is changed each day and a sprinkling of +comedies are worked in to give the entertainment the proper flavor. + +Commencing at seven-thirty to eight p. m. the little streets are +generally packed, long before the time the doors are to open, and when +they are thrown back you are generally lifted off your feet by the mad +rush and scramble for seats. After being jostled about like a rubber +ball, you may finally end up inside the theater—and occasionally +outside. It’s a case of come early or you don’t see the show, because +there are no places large enough in these small villages to afford +accommodation for all the men that are quartered there. + +On these occasions there is always music furnished by the regimental +bands, and this is one of the features of the show. Many of these bands +have men who are celebrities known internationally. We had in our +division two grand opera singers and a violinist, who, before the war, +was the leader of the orchestra at Monte Carlo. + +As soon as the performance began the doors were closed to exclude all +light, and the windows covered with heavy drapery. The minute the +soldiers get inside, they light their pipes and cigarettes and settle +down for an evening’s entertainment. In ten minutes the place is filled +with smoke, and an hour after the performance commenced it would seem +impossible that a picture could be thrown on the screen. But no one +seems to mind the smoke barrage so long as they are afforded amusements +to divert their minds. + +Other evenings, at scheduled times, big events would come off in the +form of a drama or a comedy, produced entirely by the soldiers. Some +sketch was always presented where the largest men in the regiments took +the parts of angels or some fellow with a beard portrayed the part of +the ardent young lover. Of course, to complete the performance, it was +necessary to have a few women, and these not being available, someone +had to make-up for the part. + +These were usually picked from among the mule drivers and cooks of the +regiment (or somebody in similar positions, where daintiness in the +execution of their regular work best suited them, in the judgment of +the impresario, for the part). There was always a king who was a very +stern ruler, likewise a fearless warrior. The smallest man with the +squeakiest voice generally fell heir to this rôle. All in all, the cast +was usually very well selected, and it invariably produced just the +effect that the entertainment committee desired. + +But the concerts given by the military bands were the real +entertainments, after all. They were sure to exceed one’s expectation, +for they were classical and sublime. Selections from all of the leading +operas were rendered in a most creditable way, and it was really a +great pleasure to attend them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +“FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR” + + +Upon my return to this country, after having lived as I did abroad, +the billboards with the caption, “Food Will Win the War,” was one of +the first things that caught my eye, and I was deeply impressed with +its significance, but a few days after arriving I was also destined to +learn very soon how little these words seemed to mean to the average +American. I visited, of course, several of the leading cafés and +hotels, and from the menus one could hardly believe that this country +is at war and allied with people and armies that are badly in need of +food. + +No army can fight efficiently, laborers cannot toil in the manufacture +of equipment and supplies for the armies in the field, unless they +have the proper and sufficient food. + +America little realizes what France has accomplished along lines +of conservation. Reflect, for the moment, on the following facts. +Before the war, France depended largely on this country for many +foodstuffs, even when all of her tillers of the soil were following +their agricultural work daily. Upon the outbreak of war, all her +able-bodied men of a military age were called to the colors. There was +no one left to work the farms but women, old men and young boys, and +naturally their domestic production fell off, though the demand for +food was ever greater. Moreover, one must consider the territory that +has been devastated into regions of barren wastes, for, in August, +1914, when the German armies swept through northern France to the very +gates of Paris, all the stock on farms were driven off and confiscated +for their troops. Then in the retreat everything that was productive +was destroyed. + +It is not difficult to understand why the internal production of +France has suffered a material decrease, and she must now lean just +that much more on our assistance in the providing of foodstuffs. With +conservation working in this country we can give them that which is +really unnecessary to us, but vital to them. An order has just been +issued to the French Army from Headquarters to cut down the daily bread +ration of each soldier, and I want to say that I know what this means, +for I have lived on it, and for nourishment, at the best, it is nothing +to brag about. + +Some people think they are making a supreme sacrifice in submitting to +our wheatless day regulation, but they should dwell a moment on the +thought that for over three years the soldiers, to say nothing of the +women and children of France, have not seen a loaf of white bread. +Their wheatless day is seven days a week and fifty-two weeks a year. + +I think I know the American people well enough to feel that they would +not stand aside and selfishly see men, women and children go without +food, especially when they can give it without any great inconvenience +to themselves. I feel it is the lack of a proper understanding that is +the basic cause of food wasting in this country, and not a disregard +for the suffering of others. + +Every time we sit down to a meal, either in the home or in a +restaurant, and order more food than we can consume or need, we are +taking from the reserve which does not morally belong to us and thereby +depriving the man at the front of sufficient food. I think everyone +will agree with me when I say that if there is anyone entitled to a +decent meal once in a while it’s the fellow who is ready to give up his +life for his country—and all we are asked to do is to give up those +habits which are unnecessary and wasteful. + +The great problem of winning this war rests with the American people, +and if each one does his and her part, that will prove the deciding +factor in defeating the Germans. + +A noted statesman of Germany is credited with saying that Germany has +not the slightest fear of the American Army or Navy. But when the +hundred million people rise up as a unit with undivided aim—that day +will be the undoing of Germany. Now, this simply means that it is the +American people that Germany is afraid of. + +It is very difficult to bring the nearness of the war home to each +and every one of us. It is difficult, indeed, for each to realize +that we are just as much a part of this war as the boys who wear the +uniform abroad. The only difference is that they have given everything +they have to give and we can only approach their one hundred per cent +liberality by conserving and rendering every assistance that is within +our power to do by word, deed, and particularly money. + +Everyone should do his part as an individual patriot, so that when +our hundred million are working as a unit, the sledge hammer blows of +our nation will be the undoing of a monster that will be swept from +this earth with such force that it will never again menace liberty and +freedom. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +HOMEWARD BOUND + + +It is said to be something of a job to run over to Europe during these +war times, with so many restrictions in the way of ocean travel, but if +anyone ever found it hard to get there they should try _leaving_ +there. The day we were given our discharge from the French Army we +started to leave. We soon found that if it had not been for taxicabs +we would all be there to-day, for when the offices that control the +routine and formality that one has to go through were finally located, +the only person that was considered was the taxi driver, seemingly in +order that he might come in for his share of your roll before you go +out of the country. + +First it is necessary to go to the American Ambassador’s office with +your passport, and establish the fact that you really are yourself. + +Application must be made in writing for your return passage and all +facts about yourself established. After this is done you get your stamp +of approval, which makes you feel that you are fairly well started. + +The next in order, however, is a visit to the United States Consulate’s +office, and while this is not such a great distance away you feel +that it is far enough. Here you get a second stamp of approval and +are directed to the French Bureau of Military Control. This office is +located out of town, possibly in order to afford the employees the +fresh country air, and while you’re getting there the taximeter does +its share toward making the trip interesting and exciting, and causes +one to lose all interest in the passing scenery no matter how beautiful. + +At the French Bureau you surrender your release from the Army and are +given a third stamp of approval, this time with a paper, which must +be taken to the Prefecture of Police. So again you sit and watch the +centimes turn into francs, until you’re tempted to get out and walk. +But where is this Prefecture of Police Bureau? Well, it’s about the +same distance on the other side of town as was the Bureau of Military +Control on this side. On the theory that nothing from nothing leaves +nothing, it would seem that for a weary soldier the only thing to do +was to curl up on the rear seat and sink into dreamland. It might +have turned out only a bad dream. I have heard shells flying by at a +fast clip, but never did anything go so fast as the figures on that +taximeter. + +From the looks of the records kept at the Police Bureau I am sure they +would know if there was anything in the world to your discredit, but +if you have a clean bill you are quickly O. K.’d and are again on your +way. When I got out of there I glanced at my driver, who was a young +fellow when we started out, but having been gone so long I felt sure by +now he had a beard that he could trip in. + +On going back to America by way of England it is now necessary to pay +a call upon the English Consul in Paris, who will look over the stamps +the various offices have put on your passport in order to determine +whether or not he would care to have you go back that way. This was +my last taxi ride by way of kicking off the shackles that held me on +foreign soil. Much as I loved France I was hungry for home and glad to +feel that I was free to go there. + +The following morning found our crowd on the train bound for Havre. +As we sped along we passed just back of the front held by the English +and, after an eight-hour trip, arrived at our destination. After +transferring our baggage we were greeted with the pleasant information +that there had been a storm on the Channel and many mines had broken +loose. Until the trawlers succeeded in sweeping them back into harness +no boat would leave that port. + +Now the sad part of this news was that if this boat did not leave +during the night we would miss our steamer for America—and the boat +did not leave. So we slept on board, and the next day was spent in the +town. That night we got under way, the storm kept us company and our +steamer did everything but run upside down. It was a messy-looking +crowd that arrived in Southampton the next morning, but we stayed only +long enough to attend a meeting of the customs officials, then we were +off for London. We had missed our boat and must wait four days for a +sailing on another line. + +That night I went to the theater, and after enjoying a good play for +two hours the curtain descended abruptly and a gentleman stepped out +on the stage to announce that there was an air raid on, and anyone +choosing to leave could do so. There were a great many people who got +up and left for the shelters that are provided throughout the city. In +less than five minutes the curtain went up again and the performance +was resumed. When we left the theater autos and police bicycles +plastered with signs, “Take to Cover,” were speeding up and down the +street. Most people went down into the underground railway stations, +but the Boche did not penetrate the outer defenses and were only able +to drop a few bombs on the outskirts of the city. During the four +nights we spent in London there were three air raids. + +A great many American sailors were in London, and it happened that the +Church of Saint Martin held services while we were there. We couldn’t +miss that chance. The King and Queen and Princess were in attendance, +as well as Field Marshall French and Admiral Jellicoe, with other +celebrities. + +After four days in London we left for Liverpool to catch our boat, and +sailed for dear old America on the evening we arrived. Hard luck seemed +to pursue us, for the next morning we found ourselves at anchor at the +mouth of the river with the consoling news that two German submarines +were lying outside the bar awaiting our departure. So we stayed +there all day in a dense fog and also that night, with about twelve +other vessels of various sizes. + +[Illustration: Ruins Along the Lorraine Front] + +The following morning we slipped anchor and in a few hours were well +out into the Irish Sea, the heart of the infested area. If there is +any place where U-boats are thick it is off the Irish coast. Nothing +eventful happened that first day but our boat was heavily armed and all +the men were at their posts every minute. Meals were served to the gun +crews at their posts. + +About seven-thirty that night, after we had come on deck from dinner, +there was a report of a cannon behind us—a U-boat had come up fifteen +hundred yards astern, and, not having a chance to launch a torpedo, +took a shot at us with a small deck gun. It was so dark that the U-boat +could not be seen, but our gunners at the stern could see the flash of +their gun and took that for a target. Of course, we could not see a hit +if one was made, but the U-boat did not fire any more. Probably its +officer did not care to try conclusions with so watchful a foe. + +We did not wait to investigate. Full steam ahead soon put distance +between us. All went well the rest of the night and the following day, +each minute making our travel safer, and soon we were well out to sea +with chances of being attacked growing less all the while. + +On her trip previous the same thing had happened to this vessel, only +their opponent was a little more persistent than ours had been. The +U-boat fired fifty-four shots at her. + +When three days at sea a fire broke out in one of the holds and spread +to the dynamo room. All hands turned out to fight the flames, and, +considering that they were coming out of the upper deck hatches for a +while, things looked pretty bad. But at last, with good work on the +part of the crew, it was under control. It is not very easy to sleep +on a boat in mid-ocean when you know that a fire is smouldering and +likely to break through and spread at any moment. + +Four days later we fell in with the American patrol and the sight of +two American warships was at once a comfort and a delight. + +The only disappointment in store for us was our failure to arrive at +New York early enough to get up the river and land. We missed it by +half an hour and had to lie in the Narrows in sight of home all night +long! Rotten luck. However, bad luck is sometimes good luck, for next +morning as we came on deck there was the Statue of Liberty! I had seen +it hundreds of times but never as I saw it that beautiful morning. And +then, an hour later, wasn’t it fine to scramble up the gangplank to +see who would be first to put foot on good old American soil! Home +again—_home again_. + +What a wonderful feeling! + + + + + Of all the charming books that may come forth this year, none will be + more welcome than + + GEORGINA’S SERVICE STARS + + By Annie Fellows Johnston + + TO BE PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 1st + + +In it will be found a new story of beloved Georgina whose Rainbow +adventures led into her tenth year. Now she is older—sweet sixteen, +if you please—and Richard, her playmate of childhood days, is a grown +man of seventeen—and as devoted as ever. Of course he got into the +great war enough to give Georgina a second star to her service flag; +her father, being a famous surgeon, his star is rightfully at the top. +But watch out for Richard! (Beautifully illustrated. $1.35 net.) AS +USUAL—FOR ALL THE FAMILY + + +--------------------------------------------------- +|GEORGINA of the RAINBOWS | +| | +|Now selling in beautiful popular edition, 60 cts.| +--------------------------------------------------- + +Britton Publishing Company New York + + + + +He has written another one—and it is as good as his famous book +_“Laugh and Live”_ + +MAKING LIFE WORTH WHILE + +—that the title of _Douglas Fairbanks’_ new book to be published in +early autumn + + +It is written in his own inimitable style—another book of inspiration +for people of all ages and either sex—a new vein of optimistic cheer +for us mortals of a war-worn world—another message from the man who +knows how to keep himself happy and well, and who is willing to pass +his recipe on to others. + + _His book makes for Success_ + _Everybody will want it_ + + 12mo.—Beautifully Illustrated with + 16 New Photographic Duotones + + Cloth, $1.00 Khaki, $1.00 + Leather, $2.00 Ooze, $2.50 + + To be published September 1 + +Britton Publishing Company New York + + + + + Over the Seas for Uncle Sam + + By ELAINE STERNE, + + Author of “The Road of Ambition” + + +Miss Sterne is Senior Lieutenant of the Navy League Honor Guard, which +has charge of entertainment and visitation in behalf of sick and +wounded sailors sent home for hospital treatment. Their experiences, +such as may be published at this time, now appear in book form. This +book brings out many thrilling adventures that have occurred in the +war zone of the high seas—and has official sanction. Miss Sterne’s +descriptive powers are equaled by few. She has the dramatic touch which +compels interest. Her book, which contains many photographic scenes, +will be warmly welcomed in navy circles, and particularly by those in +active service. + + +Cloth Illuminated Jacket $1.35 Net + + + + + Ambulancing on the French Front + + By EDWARD P. COYLE + + +Here is a collection of intensely interesting episodes related by a +Young American who served as a volunteer with the French Army—Red +Cross Division. His book is to the field of mercy what those of Empey, +Holmes and Peat have been in describing the vicissitudes of army life. +The author spent ten months in ambulance work on the Verdun firing +line. What he saw and did is recounted with most graphic clearness. +This book contains many illustrations photographed on the spot showing +with vivid exactitude the terrors of rescue work under the fire of the +big guns. + + +Cloth 16 Full page Illustrations $1.35 Net + +Britton Publishing Company New York + + + + + TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE + + Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been + corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within + the text and consultation of external sources. + + Inconsistencies in a.m., a. m., p.m., and p. m. spacing have been + retained. Inconsistent hyphenations have been left as is. + + Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, + and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. + + Page 47. Replaced “parrafin” with “paraffin”. + Page 161. “Teshez Vous” is probably “Taisez Vous”. + Page 162. “Teshez Vous” is probably “Taisez Vous”. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77797 *** |