Loyola University Maryland - Evergreen / Green and Gray Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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hands and laugh. Once when I was in the midst of some of his duties he came to me and said: “Sergeant, how do you feel about going over the top tomorrow?” It was not very respectful, but I told him I would rather go to a part} or a dance, in fact, I thought I could mention, off-hand, a thousand and one places I would rather go. A little later this same “Loot” inquired: “I wonder what the people at home would say if they knew?” To which I replied “One of the advantages of fighting 4000 miles from home.” While I had tried to answer in a light-hearted manner I felt that my questioner had been reading my thoughts. It was not so much a question to me of what would happen as how it would aff ect those whom I loved and by whom I was loved, and my memory breached the miles and returned to the familiar sights and faces. What were they doing at this time? They also were suffering from the anxiety of being in suspense. In all prob- ability they were attending to their daily duties, hoping for the best, yet apprehensive lest they hear the worst at any moment. But now is not the time for reveries, we must form and move off. It had already grown dark. No moon was out and not a light was visible, for the enemy must not become acquainted with our intentions. We moved out in a single column, each man resi)onsible for his place in the line, for we were in a strange country and if the line broke all the men behind the break would be lost. Occasionally we came close to men of other companies in the same division and a few words would be passed, but for the most part the men were silent. Line after line like ours streamed along in various directions. In oim windings we would come close to other columns, but never did one organization interfere with another. Now and then someone would stumble on the uneven ground or fall in a ditch, but except for an oath or two no word was spoken. At length we came to a road occupied by machine gun carriages, also on their way to the front. The voices of the drivers and the rumb- ling of the carriages seemed like a tremendous noise in contrast to the wierd silence we had grown accustomed to. Everything seemed to be an orderly confusion. While skirting along the edge of the road men- tioned above word came back to me at the rear of the platoon that the columns had broken. What was to be done now? I made my way to where the break had occurred and questioned the man in the lead. He said the company had crossed the road and just as he was about to follow, a machine-gun carriage had driven in front of him, preventing him from crossing, and for that matter machine-gun carriages were still preventing him from crossing. I decided to stay where I was in the hope that word would be passed up the column relaying the break and that the captain would send back for me. In a few minutes I heard 23 a

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were issued from the regimental commander, I have a copy of the notes taken then, but I won’t burden you with them. Suffice it to say that a barrage was to commence at midnight and continue until 4.50 A. M., when firing would cease. Again at 4.55 A. M. a creeping barrage would open up and this barrage was to be our protection in the advance. As I said before, this was at noon. Five o’clock the next morning we were to engage in the most risky business in the world. Know- ingly, with full use of reason and under normal conditions we were to expose ourselves to every modern method of slaying. It is only natural that a man should begin to ponder at such a time. While everybody was thinking of himself, there is no doubt that similar thoughts were running through every brain — Will I be killed or not? That, naturally, was the predominating question. And the very in- definiteness of it added to the anxiety. A man to be executed knows his fate, and a person finally deciding on self-destruction is also reason- ably sure of his end, but a soldier going into battle realizes only the great odds against him. After disposing of this question by saying to yourself that you didn’t care (knowing full well that you did) the next fear that seizes you is that of being wounded. “Suppose I lose my sight?” “Suppose I lose my hands?” and so on down the line for every organ and every possible combination of organs. Finally you begin to figure to yourself how you preferred to be wounded, as if it made any difference. Thoughts along these lines eventually brings you to the conclusion that you are a fool for being there. You immediately question yourself why you did not take this or that avenue of escai3e, even going so far as to wish that you had been married. Realizing little comfort from these mental meanderings your next line of thought is in the direction of escape. Making a bold run is impossible, but still you wonder why other things just as impossible do not happen. Why don’t I break a leg? Why don’t I suddenly get very ill? Why don’t somebody change the order and send us back some place? Why don’t the war stop? But the fear of being a quitter and the realization that someone had to do the work filled everyone with a grim determination, consequently the thought of running away was dispelled. Had we not been kej)! busy between the time we received the order and the time we went into action, I suppose things would have been worse. But everybody was kept going, especially the writer. Being the understudy of a second lieutenant, who leaves everything to the understudy, is no soft job, and that is what fell to my lot. I was the senior sergeant in the platoon and the lieutenant commanding gave me the privilege of attending to all the details. Whether he was hysterical or just tickled at the experience he was going to have I never could ascertain, but the main thing he did was dance around, clap his 22

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man inquiring my name and it developed I was right in my conjecture. He liad been sent back to locate us. Shortly after this the lost sheep joined the fold. this time the moon had come out, very dindy, indeed, but it served as a little illumination. A small part of the surrounding country was hazily perceptible, hut what could be seen bore marks of battle. The ground was pitted with large shell-holes, trees had been cut down to stumps, with only one or two short branches projecting, and barbed wire entanglements stood out in relief all over the landscape. All our travel from this time on were across country of the same nature. We encountered a detachment of engineers with cutting tools, who informed us that they had been out in front of the lines cutting wire. Aside from the conversation that passed between the wire cutters no one had spoken since the break in the line had occurred, and still we moved on in silence like a herd of cattle being driven to slaughter. It was near midnight when we came to the large flat hill on top of which about 50 or 60 “baby” tanks were snorting and clanking, the operators getting their information and instructions for the morrow’s battle. Passing these we moved a little further and halted. Receiving word to get as much rest as we could, my “buddy” and I crawled into a shell-hole and took olf our packs. Suddenly a deafening noise was heard and tlie skyline as far as the eye could see was lighted up by a Hash. This announced the opening of the greatest and most expensive barrage in history, when $1,000,000 worth of ammunition was used in slightly over four hours. Half standing and half lying in our shell-holes we could hear the missiles racing through the air, bent on the destruction of an one who miglit be unfortunate enough to get in their way or who happened to be in tlie neighborhood when they landed and exploded. I must admit that I felt some misgivings, but there is a limit to human endurance. It was not long before I was sound asleep in spite of my uncomfortable j)osition and all the noise around me. So soundly did 1 sleep that it was necessary to arouse me. I was astonished that everything was quiet. Looking at my watch I saw it was 4.50 A. M. Before I had replaced my pack and rci)ortcd to tlie captain, who had sent for me, the artillery broke loose again. This time marking the beginning of the drive that would have ended in Berlin had not the Imperial Government seen fit to meet the demands of tlie liead of tliat “contemptible little army.”