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

Page 138

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four hours a day work, spirit and nerve alone were all that was carrying the men forward.

                The drivers were having almost as bad a time, always on the move, and hauling ammunition or supplies night and day. The horses were wonderful. Often their harness would be on for several days at a time. Their meals were uncertain and irregular, yet they almost seemed to catch the spirit of the men! Nothing was too hard for them! The forward echelon was in the woods near Preaux Farm. Here was the kitchen also. All food for the firing battery had to be brought up from here, since any smoke at the battery itself would give away the position.

                Up to this time the drivers had been very lucky. Joe Zwinge, who had been killed in April, was their only casualty. They had not really been shaken by the death of their intimate friends as had the cannoneers. On July 29, the blow fell when a 150 exploded among them. Raymond Howland, Charley Ellis and Ed Hooper were instantly killed.

                The rear echelon, in the meantime, had been moving forward by slower jumps. On July 25, it moved up to Epieds where it stayed for several days. Then it moved to Beuvardes. Here some fine new French horses were received which solved the problem of hauling the park-wagons.

                On August 2 the Germans were dislodged from their strong positions and were thrown back towards the Vesle River. Late in the afternoon we moved down towards the Ourcq and crossed it near Sergy. We expected to find a good sized river, but in reality it more closely resembled a small brook. We estab­

 

 

 

 

 

 

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