Chapter 16

September 30, 1918

My tent blew down about 2 o'clock in the morning because of a heavy rain. My partner and I pulled it over us and despite the rain coming in our hole we go back to sleep. When we awake in the morning we are lying in a puddle of mud and water, our equipment being as wet as we were. I still feel the effects of the gas received while we were carrying the stretcher, but not enough to keep me in bed. All the fellows, with the exception of the three that were killed and a half a dozen wounded, were present at breakfast. After eating breakfast I feel lots better. I move to a trench dug-out about three hundred yards away from the trench the company is in and join in with two Australians. We make our dug-out sightless so when the "Jerries" come over at night we won't have to blow out our candles. The company, with the exception of the fellows that were on stretcher-bearer details, works on the roads that have and are being shelled by the Germans. It is necessary to work on these and keep them in good condition as the artillery must pass over them. The shell holes are the main things to be looked after. They must be filled with rock and other solid things so the heavy artillery and lorries can pass over them. The fellows that stayed in are given a job putting up tents for the officers and making them a kitchen and a place to eat with sheet-iron. About 10 a. m. we watch an air battle between several British and German 'planes several thousand feet in the air. A British 'plane is forced to descend as the aviator in it was stunned by being hit with the butt of his machine gun which had been shot from its resting place in front of him. He gained consciousness just before hitting the ground and managed to avert a disaster. His 'plane stood on its head a few seconds when it hit, but fell back leaving the aviator in his seat unhurt except for a few minor bruises. The tail of his 'plane is riddled with machine gun bullets and also shows evidence of having been hit by shrapnel. At 4 p. m., we watch another air battle in which a German 'plane is shot down, falling direct to the earth one of his wings having been shot away. A few minutes later we see two British observation balloons go down in flames, hit by German airmen. After supper I walk five kilometers to where a Y. M. C. A. canteen had been stationed before the "big stunt," but the canteen is closed now and the "Y" man "gone after supplies." A fellow working in the dressing station nearby says the "Y" secretary beat it the night before the drive. (I do not mean to merely criticise the Y. M. C. A. or to tell something I do not know to be a fact. I believe when asked what the "Y" did for us overseas that we should tell what we know to be facts and not what we heard. Then the folks at home could tell whether or not the "Y" was of any service to us fellows or not. So far I have seen mighty little that the "Y" has done.) It is late in the night when I reach my dug-out, being unable for a while to find it, locating it by calling one of the "Aussies" I am to bunk with by name and being answered. The "Aussies" are sitting around a small fire in front of the dug-out. We talk for nearly two hours before finally turning in. It has been said of the Australian that he would steal from any one he could get anything from, but I have yet to know that an "Aussie" has ever taken anything from me, and I carried several dollars in French money in my pockets while stationed in the dug-out with six of them near Jeancourt. German 'planes come over the lines at night and drop bombs at several places. It looked for a while as if we were going to be bombed, but all we got was a scare.

October 1, 1918

The company works all day on roads, filling up shell holes and getting them in shape for the artillery to pass over. We work in Bellicourt and on the road leading to the right of this town, which runs alongside of the canal that goes under Bellicourt. About a kilometer from Bellicourt are some buildings completely destroyed by shell fire and at this place are two rows of dead lying on the bank of the canal, one row being of dead Germans, and the other being dead Americans. Filling several large shell holes at this place we move on down the road, and as the road leads by the canal we stop a few minutes and go into some of the German dug-outs, which are every-where. At 5 p.m. we are relieved by another party of men from our company and we return to camp. German 'planes come over at night again and bomb.

October 2, 1918

We roll full packs in the morning thinking we were to leave and go back to the rear for a short rest and to get reformed, but we wait all day thus and no orders come. From 3 to 6 p. m. the company works on a nearby railroad track. In the afternoon we watch an air battle over Villeret, but we do not get to see any 'planes shot down. German 'planes do not forget to bomb at night.

October 3, 1918

The company works on the railroad from 6 a. m. to 2 p. m. and then is excused from duties for the remainder of the day. Now instead of expecting orders to go to the rear we are expecting orders any time to return to the lines and continue the fight against the Germans. Upon the order of the first sergeant I move my equipment and "home" from the dug-out over to the trench the company is in and dig a hole and cover it with my shelter-half. I try to fix my new place lightless but it is impossible. I visit some English soldiers stationed below us that are in charge of a couple dozen tanks at night and stay until a late hour. Coming back I lose my way and it takes me over an hour to find my tent. I feel glad to get in my "hole-in-the-ground" for German 'planes are making their nightly trip, giving away bombs as souvenirs. It makes a fellow feel lonesome when the German 'planes get overhead and stop their motors, for we know that bombs will follow.

October 4, 1918

We are still waiting for orders to move forward, but an all day wait fails to find us on the move. The company signs the pay roll in the morning, all the fellows being present at this formation. We haven't anything to do all day, but stay about the trench we are camped in, so in case we get orders to move we can be gotten together immediately. In the afternoon our regimental "Y" secretary sends us enough cigarettes to sell each man two packs, and enough chewing tobacco to sell every two men a small piece. The platoon sergeants sell the cigarettes and chewing tobacco to their platoons. "Jerries" bomb some Australian artillerymen stationed in a hollow below us at night.