After completing our training period we got orders that we were going
to go to the Front. One day, before we left to undertake the biggest
job in the world, our general (General Bullard) held an inspection, and
gave us a talk.
He said, "Boys, you are going to tackle a real job tomorrow, and show
the Huns what kind of stuff the Yanks are made of."
All of the boys yelled, "We are with you, general, until the end. We
are going to give them hell! and, we won't go back until it's over,
over here."
The next day we were ready to move to the Front. The colonel gave the
command, and we marched off. We had to walk fifty miles.
As we came nearer and nearer to the front, the guns were roaring and
machine guns rattled away like fire. The first division, consisting
of the 18th Infantry, 26th Infantry, 16th and 18th Infantry, started
to sing, "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here!" At last we arrived at the
Front. Our French comrades hailed us, and were surprised and overjoyed
to see the Yanks coming to relieve them and give them a rest.
Company after company moved in and relieved the French division and as
they moved out they bid us all the luck in the world.
This front was the Lorraine front, Luneville Sector. The next day,
October 14, 1917, our artillery fired the first shells into the German
trenches.
The Germans got kind of restless and wondered who was facing them. They
sent out a patrolling party to gather information. But we boys were a
little too wise and our patrol party captured this German party and
brought them in. When they came in our trenches they asked us who we
were. I spoke up and said, "We are Americans," and the German officer
who spoke a little English said, "No! No! you are not an American. You
are English in American uniforms." But they soon found out that we
_were_ Americans and we did "treat 'em rough!"
I was now transferred to a machine gun company and was on duty one
night about 11.30. It was very cold. My loader Frank Martin and I
were talking quietly about our dear homes across the sea. Suddenly
the German machine guns opened up and we ducked down in our own gun
emplacement and could hear the bullets hissing over our heads. Then it
was silent again. We knew the Huns were getting restless so our signal
captain sent up a "very light" which lights up No Man's Land. And we
saw about 5,000 Prussian guards coming at us with bayonets fixed. I
held fast to my trigger, waiting for orders.
The lieutenant came to me and said, "George, don't get nervous. We are
going to get them in a trap." And I said:
"Lieutenant, do you think I will ever see the Statue of Liberty again?"
He said, "Cheer up, George, I will send the order soon."
So they fired another "very light" and there they were 100 yards from
where I was stationed. All was quiet. We kept still as mice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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