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

Page 172

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just behind a big road hung with rafia screens and called the Ost Tranchee. While the guns were being put in the pits, several shrapnel burst directly over our heads. The balls spattered in the woods behind us, hurting no one, but Lt. MacNamee thought it wiser to take cover in case the range should be decreased. As it happened he was right. No sooner had the men reached a nearby battery position, than the bursts began to cover the very place we had been working. We stayed in the dugouts until the Boche got tired playing, and then finished the routine work of camouflaging and laying in the guns. The living quarters proved to be tar-paper shacks such as we had in the "swamp position", proof against nothing but light rain. They were, however, taken on trust, and no one suffered for it.

                This was a reserve position,—no firing except in an emergency, and so we lived a pleasant life. In this position our food reached the highest degree of excellence yet attained; sleep was plentiful, telephone lines short. In fact, things were altogether too good!

                Sure enough, on October 5 the blow fell; Captain MacNamee (he had just been promoted) received orders to leave the Battery and report as an instructor at Coetquidan. After he had said goodbye and gone away, nobody seemed to have much to say. The life was gone out of the Battery. The command fell on Lt. Storer, who took charge until Captain Huntington should return from Coetquidan. We next heard that we were to be relieved by the 113th F. A. on October 9.

                When the guns had moved back to the Ost Tran-

 

 

 

 

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