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BEING THE NARRATIVE OF BATTERY A OF THE 101st FIELD ARTILLERY

Page 103

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much difference, as they were both shelled about equally. The French assured us that it was a "tres bon secteur" and "tres calme". Nevertheless we began to doubt their word the very next night when the Germans launched a Coup de Main against the 101st Infantry. They tried to neutralize us by deluging us with everything in their repertoire: 77's, 88's, 150's, chlorine, and phosgene gas, interspersed with plenty of high explosives. Their efforts at neutralization did not accomplish their purpose, but Sergeant Newell Ripley, while running to his post at the third piece was killed by a gas shell. Stevens, Fowler, McCann and Ricker were slightly wounded, and Williams, Kennedy, and Horn were slightly gassed. Goodwin and McCann both did splendid work in holding matches out in front of their guns after their aiming stick lights had been smashed by the Boche shells; early in the attack McCann had been painfully wounded but he kept on with his work without a word about it until all the firing was over. The Battery was extremely lucky to escape as easily as it did. No less than 37 shell splinters were picked up in the first section gun pit, yet Stevens was the only man touched.

                The biggest addition to the Battery at Bernecourt were two old French 90 millimeter pieces. It was almost worth charging admission to watch Corporal Rowan and his crew of Macgregor, Forzato, Loyal Foley, Lawrence, Edgar Bowers and Thurston fire them. The guns had no recoil, and when they fired, the muzzles would bang down and the wheels and trails would run back up an inclined plane amidst

 

 

 

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