the telephone men, for the distances were great, wire was pitifully scarce, and the positions kept moving. The lines also ran over ground which was continually under fire, and afforded no shelter to the men repairing the wires.

                On September 26, with our 3rd and 4th pieces out on the plain and the 1st and 2nd in Herbeuville, we were notified that we would back up the 102nd Infantry in an attack on Marcheville and Riaville, which was to act as a diversion for a big attack west of Verdun. The idea was to capture the towns, maintain a footing in them all day, and fall back to the old front line under cover of darkness, creating the greatest possible disturbance with the least possible loss.

                The artillery preparation was scheduled to start at 1 A. M., but our Battery was not to fire until 6.30 A. M. We started promptly and fired 55 minutes, then repeated the same barrage. Our Infantry had no sooner started than the Boche laid down a terrific defensive fire. At about 10.30 A. M. the report came in that the Infantry had gained their 5 kilo­ meter objective with heavy losses. In the course of the day we fired a box barrage around Marcheville four or five times to break up the tremendous Boche counterattacks. The towns changed hands several times, but remained with the 102nd. We fired at intervals until 7.15 A. M. It was really direct fire, for we could plainly see the Boche and the white smoke of our shells from our position in Herbeuville. The wounded doughboys straggled back singly and in small groups, discouraged at the evident uselessness of their attacks, for they had received orders to re­

CONTENTS
INDEX