Many were the narrow escapes that our drivers had. Yet not one of them was hit. The echelons at Montreuil were shelled a number of different times but A Battery never lost a horse or a man. The water cart driver probably experienced more thrilling moments than anybody. The water cart was always kept at the battery position, but the water had to be hauled from Paris Farms. Paris Farms was a very ticklish place. It stood right at an important cross road and everyone took especial care to avoid it, if possible. The water cart driver would wait until the Boche harassment had let up for a short time and then he would gallop in and try to get away before another burst came over. Twice he got caught in concentrations of 150's, but by some mysterious luck, neither he nor his two old horses were touched.

                By July 15 there seemed to be "something in the air." Rumors began to float around of expected offensives, some having it that we were going to at­ tack, others that the Boches were. The drivers were working doubly hard hauling ammunition. We had over five thousand rounds in our position. About midnight on July 15, a runner from Battalion Head­ quarters rushed over with a startling order. "Information is at hand that the enemy will attack at dawn. Figure and be ready to fire your emergency line of resistance barrages." We were all prepared for the worst; the cannoneers worked desperately cleaning up the ammunition, the machine gunners stood by their guns. The thermite grenades were got out, to destroy the guns in case we should be forced to retreat.

CONTENTS
INDEX