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diff --git a/old/68324-0.txt b/old/68324-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9790489..0000000 --- a/old/68324-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1513 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The 151st Field Artillery Brigade, by -Richard M. Russell - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The 151st Field Artillery Brigade - -Author: Richard M. Russell - -Release Date: June 15, 2022 [eBook #68324] - -Language: English - -Produced by: David E. Brown and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 151ST FIELD ARTILLERY -BRIGADE *** - - - - - -THE 151st FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE - - - - -[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL WM. S. MCNAIR] - - - - - THE - 151st FIELD ARTILLERY - BRIGADE - - BY - - RICHARD M. RUSSELL - - [Illustration] - - THE CORNHILL COMPANY - - BOSTON - - - - - Copyright, 1919, by - THE CORNHILL COMPANY - - - - -TO MY OLD COMRADES - - -If you find in the pages that follow anything to amuse or interest -you and yours, thank Mrs. William S. McNair, Major Swift, Captain -Converse and Lieutenant Clement, to whom the author is indebted for the -information herein contained. - - R. M. R. - - _Boston, April 25, 1919._ - - - - -THE 151st FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE - - - - -The 151st Field Artillery Brigade - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -In writing this brief sketch of the Brigade from its inception to its -final mustering out of the service, it has not been my aim to account -in any way for all the days and nights which have elapsed during that -period. Memories fond or hateful to some of us would not be very -interesting to the rest. Looking backward from the point of view of -the Brigade as a unit, many of those days were so monotonously alike -that an attempt to account for all would lead to idle repetition. Well -I realize that every one of them stands for something important in -the career of some one man; perhaps his first tour of guard duty, or -his first ride, a close call, a bawling out, something accomplished, -something learnt. But I have not time, space nor knowledge to write -these details. If, however, by my generalities I can so picture our -life at Devens and after that this little book will recall to its -readers those things I have omitted, it will have served its purpose. - - - - -THE 151st BRIGADE - - - - -I. CAMP DEVENS - - -In April, 1917, the United States declared war against Germany. It was -no surprise, but what did it mean? For it is one thing to declare war -and another to wage it. We had no army and no ships and three thousand -miles of ocean lay between the Yankee and the Hun. We would of course -lend money to our allies. Would we give them our men? The answer, thank -God, was the draft law which put into being the greatest democratic -institution of our country,--the National Army. - -Early in the fall of 1917, men from every walk of life, from every -corner of every state, thronged to the huge, ugly, but business-like -cantonments which had grown up, like the mushroom over night. These -men, scientifically chosen, for their physique, mentality, character -and patriotism, were as diversified in their civil life and occupations -as men can be, but they had one thing in common: ignorance of the -military. This and the single purpose that brought them there, welded -them together. If Germany scorned our declaration of war, she must have -sung another tune as she watched us prepare to wage it. - -Camp Devens, Massachusetts, was the rendez-vous for New England’s -Yankees. They were the personnel of the first of the National Army -Divisions, the Seventy-Sixth. - -The Divisional Artillery was to consist of the 301st, the 302nd, and -303rd regiments, Colonels Brooke, Craig and Conklin respectively -commanding. Thus it was that the 151st Field Artillery Brigade was -born, and with what promise! Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and -Massachusetts furnished the quota, with many a generation of fighting -ancestors behind them and traditions of battles won, not only in war -but in every field of human endeavor. - -Was it strange then that Major-General William S. McNair, then -Brigadier-General, shortly after he took command in December of that -year said that he felt as proud as the young mother when she sees her -first born take its first four steps? - -Those early months found us awkward and nearly as helpless as the -infant to which the General referred, but men and officers alike were -using this time to advantage; both had to adapt themselves to new -ways of thinking and living, and even the language of the army was as -strange to us then as was French when we finally got to France. - -It was perhaps at this time more than any other, that we had cause to -be thankful to the General, Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels for their -able and generous assistance in getting the younger officers over those -first hurdles. Let us here extend our utmost appreciation to Lieutenant -Colonels Rehkopf, Danforth and Stopford whose loss to the Brigade we -have had many an occasion to regret. But they like many others of our -best were called upon to take bigger jobs where they could be of even -greater value to the country all were now serving. - -In many respects those days were the hardest of all; everything -was strange. For a time, standing in line hour after hour was an -interesting novelty and gave the ever-present jester an opportunity to -exercise his wit; so with the drills. But human beings, particularly -the Yankee variety, adapt themselves quickly to their surroundings. -Standing in line a couple of hours for a pair of shoes or a cup of soup -ceases eventually to be an interesting novelty. And when the soup so -acquired is knocked from your hand by an over zealous companion and -soils the uniform you must keep clean, you may perhaps forgive him -and laugh; but all that is funny therein is almost sure to occur to -your fertile mind and keen sense of humor the first time it happens. -Repetition is superfluous. - -Being herded together, seeing the same man on either side of you every -day and all day, having to do what you are told day and night, has -but limited charms for the independent citizen of America. Thoughts -were turned, first backward, to the days when we had been individuals -instead of a mite of a cog in a great machine, and then forward, with -the inevitable question: how long was it all to last? We would have -been homesick, desperately so, but there was no time. A bugle broke our -sleep when it was still dark. Another summoned us to a formation before -it was physically possible to get dressed, from which we were marched -to breakfast. A whistle, followed by the First Sergeant’s “Fall Out”, -arrested the first mouthful and told us we would not have time to wash -mess kits before policing. Policing was followed by inspection, where -the Captain would bawl us out for the condition of those same wretched -mess kits. Inspection was followed by physical exercises; physical -exercises by foot drill, foot drill by a hike, the hike by mess. In the -afternoon we rehearsed the events of the morning. Supper was followed -by school, then taps, then bed, then reveille. To-day is a repetition -of yesterday, to-morrow will be a repetition of to-day. But to-day we -are not going to be bawled out for dirty mess kits, we wash them and -are late for policing; the First Sergeant puts us in the kitchen for -a week and we learn the meaning of K. P.[A] We are soon repentant and -resolve to be on time to formation. This is the school of the Rookie -and this is how he learns the impossible. “Take therefore no thought -for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of -itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” - -The next quota of men come into camp; we have graduated; they are the -rookies; we are the soldiers; we laugh; they look puzzled. - -Then came the winter, and what a winter! Arthur Mometer said it was -zero hour all the time. Of course he did not know. He was a Rookie, -but somehow it didn’t make it any warmer nor the snow less deep. We -shovelled snow and froze doing it, we had exercises and we froze doing -that, we drilled with the same result. Live horses took the place of -those ever-to-be-remembered wooden monstrosities. We groomed them and -they bit us. We exercised them and they kicked us. But we got hard and -we got health and we became soldiers. Individuality was superseded by -discipline. - -About this time a touch of war and Hun Hellishness was brought home to -us. William S. McNair, Colonel of the 6th Field Artillery was promoted -in France and ordered to America to command our Brigade. Accordingly he -left France on the U. S. S. “Antilles”. At about 6.45 in the morning -of October 17th a German submarine succeeded in torpedoing his boat. -She sank immediately with the loss of about 65 lives. The General -was in the water for some three quarters of an hour, when he was -taken into a life boat. Six hours later one of the convoy, the Morgan -yacht “Corsair” returned from trying to find the submarine and took -aboard all the survivors. They returned to France and two weeks later -the General again sailed for home on the transport “Tenadores”. The -“Tenadores” has since been sunk by a mine, but happily for the Brigade -it was not on this voyage. - -Christmas came and with it the joy of home for a few, but the majority -of the men must stay in camp. It was all part of the great task we had -undertaken. We accepted it as such. Transportation was not available to -move our now vast army to its homes. We made merry, or rather, we did -better than that; we pretended to make merry. We sang the songs we had -rehearsed for the occasion. It was a holiday. There were no drills. We -had time to think. We can be honest now. Our thoughts were not those of -the schoolboy on his holiday with his plans for stockings and Christmas -tree, dinner and stomach ache. They were far-away thoughts of things, -once commonplace and taken for granted, now suddenly and forever dearer -than life itself; things which in fact made life worth while. Home, -loved, of course, but so much a part of us that we had grown to accept -it as a matter of right. But strangely enough our thoughts carried -us farther. We found that we were longing for the little individual -problems of our daily routine in the past,--problems that had once -perplexed and annoyed us we now craved as a hungry man craves food. - -Months slipped by, and with them the winter. Spring rumors of France -took the place of winter rumors, but the warm weather and a few guns -found us ready for the real work of artillerymen. Reveille was an hour -earlier and retreat an hour later. But we were up hours before reveille -with a call to stables followed by boots and saddles. We hitched the -horses to the guns in the darkness, that we might get all the daylight -on the range. A runaway was not an unusual diversion. But as we had -become fit, so did the horses. Every day saw men and horses in better -condition and better trained. Team work and order was taking the place -of individual endeavor and chaos. A machine with intelligence was in -the making, and results were beginning to assert themselves. Each cog -was finding its place and taking hold with a will. A sharp command in -the crisp air put the works instantly in motion, where a month before -explanations, demonstrations, repeated attempts and failures had only -succeeded in getting parts of our engine to function. Now the gears -were adjusted, we needed but to limber them up and oil the parts. An -occasional “Well Done” would take the place of continuous reprimand. -We became proud of ourselves and our organization. A healthy spirit -of rivalry stalked abroad. We were the _best_ section in the _best_ -battery, and of course our regiment was the _best_ in the Brigade, if -not in the army! Officers were proud of their men, and the men were -proud of the officers. Each began to know the other, his powers and his -limitations. Sympathy took the place of misunderstanding and surliness. - -[Illustration: COLONEL GEO. M. BROOKE] - -So on the range, the officers acquired the theoretical elements of -artillery firing. They learnt to figure their data with accuracy and -to convey it to their batteries in terse and comprehensive commands. -The men in their turn were seeing the purpose of the monotonous daily -drills of the six months past and the value of team work. They acquired -an intimate knowledge of the pieces they were serving; the delicacy -of the mechanism and the consequent necessity for accurate laying. They -responded with alacrity to the orders of their superiors, and the guns -responded to the slightest touch of the crews. All were alert, smart, -prompt,--officers and men alike, fascinated with the possibilities of -the game they were rapidly learning to play. Even the details, after -months of labor, became proficient at the wig wag, semaphore, buzzer, -map-making and sketching; in short, all of those things which we -discovered later, played such an important part in winning the war. - -So when the government inspectors began to look us over and rumors flew -faster, we were not found wanting. The wheels were oiled and the spirit -was there. - -But here I am rudely stopped by the adjutant of the 301st who says -we can’t leave Devens without a Horse Show. Of course he is right. -It can’t be done, although it does seem tough after having oiled the -wheels to such perfection. However what must be done shall be done -gracefully; so thought Captain Page at the second hurdle where he -decided to make the rest of the trip on his ear. - -And the horses, too, grasped the spirit. Like many people they enjoyed -the show from without the ring better than within it. Some came on the -scene with dignity, only to bolt the next minute, not to reappear. Some -merely confounded their riders by refusing jumps, while others were -unmannered enough to refuse to show. For all that, it was a Horse Show -and one of which to be proud. - -Since ceremonies are in order, let us not forget the prayer which took -place one memorable day on the Parade Ground with the entire Division -drawn up for the occasion. Here a horse also figured,--the Division -Adjutant’s. As the parson began to pray, the horse started to jump and -those who were nearest insisted that the adjutant outdid the parson. I -will not say, for I could hear the adjutant and I could not hear the -parson. This was the last time the Division was together as a unit. - -One day toward the end of June a long train was spotted in the -quartermaster yards. Trucks were soon busy carrying officers, men and -their baggage in that direction. Of course, nobody knew that an advance -party of some hundred officers and three hundred men had been secretly -ordered to report to the Commanding General, Port of Embarkation, New -York, for transportation overseas. On June 27th they sailed on the -British liner “Justicia”, which was sunk on her return trip. But the -American soldier is no fool. He has learnt to keep his eyes open and -his mouth shut, to believe about half he sees and nothing he hears. He -was more sure now that the Division was about to sail for France than -if he had read it in every newspaper in the United States. - -In another two weeks rumors were forgotten. On July 10th the Division -was ordered overseas. This was fact. The air was charged with -excitement, which however found its expression in orderly and untiring -hustle and bustle. Men, animals and transportation were all worked -overtime, but even balky army trucks seemed to go for once with a will. -The labors of the last ten months were not to be in vain. We were to -have a chance to practise what we had learnt and perhaps to show the -Hun a few tricks of his own game. - -The Artillery were the last to leave. It was not a difficult task. -We were to receive our materiel in France. Individual equipment only -was to accompany the troops, for we had nothing else. The few guns we -drilled with were out of date and not used abroad. The 302nd, and 303rd -regiments were already motorized on paper, so horses were no longer -needed for them, but the 301st must have shed bitter tears for the -beautiful animals they had spent so much time and energy to condition -and train. - -Twenty-eight lieutenants of the 302nd left ahead of their regiment and -sailed from Boston on the “Katoomba” which touched at Halifax on its -way to Liverpool. - - - - -II. OVERSEAS - - -Of that last journey from Devens to Boston on July 15th there is -nothing to chronicle. We were again for that brief period of time -individuals. Thought and not action crowded the hour. And what a -curious collection of thoughts they were. Each was absorbed with the -things nearest and dearest, soon to be far away. But there were other, -exciting thoughts. We were on our way! What boats were to carry us? The -sea! What were we going to accomplish? And that far-away France,--what -was it like? And war, what was it like? Would we come back? - -The train stopped. “Fall out”. There was a scramble for one’s -possessions, followed by another for our places on the platform. We -were marched on board and to our bunks, where we left our belongings -and hastened on deck. All was again hustle and excitement. The gang -planks were lowered, the hawsers dropped. The whistles were blowing and -we were off for France,--off for the war, July 16th, 1918. - -Our boat was the “Winifredian”. Soon we were absorbed in our -surroundings. There were twenty-three ships in our convoy, curious -in their camouflage, but then all was strange to most of us, who -were not used to ocean liners. And the harbor had its fascinations. -Comparatively speaking we were men of leisure. Jest once more asserted -itself. Our quarters while not altogether to our taste, like most other -things in the army would have to do, since there was no alternative. We -turned in and strangely enough we slept. - -Then sounded that good old familiar bugle with the good old familiar: - - “_We can’t get ’em up, - We can’t get ’em up, - We can’t get ’em up in the morning; - We can’t get ’em up, - We can’t get ’em up, - We can’t get ’em up at all._” - -Where were we? Oh yes! On our way to France. We dressed hurriedly and -got up on deck. The convoy was still there but not all of it. Four -ships had disappeared and various theories were propounded. But just -as the official dopster had got them well sunk by a submarine and -was counting the casualties, it was announced that they had put into -Halifax. Apparently the convoy was too large and unwieldy, so four -boats had to drop out, one of which was the “Novara” with the 301st on -board. However the other two regiments were still in the convoy and we -proceeded on our way. We had boat drill and we wore life preservers, -and we got rather bored with both. As for guard duty and setting up -exercises they bored us eight months before. Seasickness is preferable -to either, and there were a good many of us sick. - -While we were sailing merrily across the North Atlantic, the 301st had -disembarked at Halifax and was playing with the Canadian troops there -and thereabouts. But it was only for a week, when they were again on -their way, this time on the “Abinsi”. - -As the 301st left Canada, the other two regiments landed in England, -one at Liverpool, another at Bristol, and Brigade Headquarters at -Avonmouth on July 31st. - -The next novelty was the English railway carriage or coach, as they -call it. It was the latest model limousine with side entrances -and compartments. We tried them and landed at Camp Mornhill near -Winchester, where we found the twenty-eight officers of the 302nd who -had sailed from Boston just ahead of us. A week later the 301st came -to Winchester, but they had become somewhat exclusive in Canada and so -on August eighth they went to Romsey instead of our camp. Winchester -apparently produces a good deal of mud and a lot of rain. At any rate -it was not sufficiently alluring to detain us for long. We proceeded to -Southampton. “I say does it always rain here?” But before our British -friend got around to answering us we were again on the move,--this time -to a Channel steamer, and France. So we were really going to France and -the war, and not for a tour of the world. - -On August 3rd the steamer that took Brigade Headquarters and the 303rd -across the English Channel, or La Manche as the French call it, was -one of our own,--and hence, a good boat. She used to run between Boston -and New York, and her name used to be “The Yale”. Than which there is -but one better: “The Harvard”. The 302nd crossed on her the next day. - -The 301st was still about a week behind the rest of the Brigade. They -sailed from Southampton on August 14th and also landed at Le Havre. - -“So this is Frogland! Look at the frogs,--wooden shoes and all! Even -the little children speak French here.” But they did not give us time -to get acquainted. Again we were off, this time on a French train. -They have them like the British, but this one looked like the variety -we used to play with as kids, only each car says on the outside “40 -Hommes, 8 Chevaux.” We knew not what it meant but the stench was -indicative. - -Two days got us to Bordeaux. We arrived on August 6th and Brigade -Headquarters was established on August 7th at Gradignan in a very -attractive villa with beautiful grounds. The 301st also established -Headquarters at Gradignan, on August 17th, and billeted their men in -the village. You will notice that here they were more than a week -behind us. They account for this by an aeroplane attack at Rouen. The -302nd was billeted in two little villages, Ville Nave and Pont de la -Maye, a few kilometres from Brigade Headquarters. The 301st Ammunition -Train was at Cadaujac. - -We seemed doomed to lose a regiment. At Havre the 303rd was ordered to -Clermont Ferrand for its training. - -While the regiments were en route from the United States to France, -the Advance Schools Detachment of the Brigade were wandering over -Europe. From Liverpool they went to Southampton and Le Havre, then to -Le Valdahon near the Swiss border. There they spent a couple of weeks -and saw some American artillery training and a few Hun planes. From Le -Valdahon the contingent from the 303rd went to Clermont and those of -the other two regiments went to Souge, near Bordeaux. - -It was about this time that we were informed that we were no longer a -part of the 76th Division, but were to be a Brigade of Corps Artillery. -It did not cause many tears as the 76th was already doing duty as a -replacement division with no chance of going to the front as a unit. -Our tables of organization were changed accordingly and we were rapidly -equipped for duty in our new capacity. The 303rd regiment was issued -G. P. F.s, the famous French 155 m. m. long rifle with a range of about -17,000 metres. The 301st got the world renowned French 75, the best -known gun of the war, and the 302nd got American 4.7 rifles about which -nothing was known. - -While in Gradignan and vicinity our days consisted largely in getting -acquainted with our new guns. We also learnt French and paraded. Some -of our number were detailed to join the Advanced Schools Detachment at -Camp de Souge, August 14th. - -On August 25th the London Evening Mail published the news of General -NcNair’s promotion. We were of course glad of the obviously merited -reward, but selfishly would rather have had it otherwise, for of course -he would cease to be our Brigade commander. However, at the time we -consoled ourselves with the thought that he might command the Corps -artillery of which we would be a part. That night there was a dinner -and celebration at Brigade Headquarters. The scene was picturesque -and one to be remembered. The French Mayors of the villages where our -troops were billeted were invited and came. The meal was served on the -lawn under a huge tree in those beautiful gardens. A hundred yards down -the lawn through the trees we could see the 301st band, conducted by -Lieutenant Keller. They played as even they had never played before. -The villagers, hearing the music, flocked to the gates and the General -sent word to the guard that the sentries were to let them in. In they -came and went straight to the music. Sitting on the lawn they made a -huge circle around the band, and gave our Headquarters a very festive -appearance. It was a rare occasion for them. Lovers of music that they -were, it was seldom that they had an opportunity to hear it. Their own -bands had long been busy nearer the front. - -On September 5th and 8th the two regiments, 302nd and 301st -respectively, moved to Souge for the final six weeks firing before -going to the front. We made the trip, some twenty miles, with our own -transportation. Brigade Headquarters was established at the camp on -September 8th and the Ammunition Train moved in the same day. - -Souge is located in the middle of a sand desert at the end of the -world. As far as you can see there is not a landmark to relieve the -monotony. It is as flat as a table all the way to the sea, some -twenty-five miles distant. As Major Hadley of the 301st remarked: “It -is a nice beach but where is the water?” Souge may best be described -as follows,--a camp some two miles long of ramshackle, broken down, -foul smelling barracks in the middle of the desert which was to be our -range. Flies, sand, dust and heat were in abundance, as were dysentery -and the “Flu” at times. The flies were like ours except larger, more -abundant and infinitely more obnoxious. As one of our men wrote home, -he was in the hospital as a result of having been kicked by a fly. - - _Of all the camps in the A. E. F. - Whether S. O. S. or zone of Advance, - You will cuss until you’re out of breath - This Camp de Souge in France._ - -But there we were. We ate the dust, we killed flies and we sweat in the -sweltering heat, as we pulled guns, trucks and tractors through that -damnable sand. - -On September 21st the long dreaded orders for Major-General McNair -arrived and with them Secretary of War Baker, General Tasker Bliss and -a flock of Major Generals and Brigadiers. That same day he relinquished -the command to Brigadier-General Richmond P. Davis and left camp to -take command of the Artillery of the First Army. - -The finishing touches were applied. We were inspected. We passed our -examinations and were ready for the front. When would the orders come? -There were already rumors of peace,--were we to miss the party after -a year and a half of preparation? The thought was nauseating, but we -stuck to our work. We knew our Brigade Commander was a hustler. We -could see it, and General McNair had said so. Confidence ran high. - -We had an abundance of ammunition and General Davis ordered a problem -to cover three days. The guns were to go into position at night and -without lights; they did. We established communication by telephone, -radio and projector, and maintained it. Conversation was in code and -cypher. We were to fire an offensive barrage over the infantry; it was -done. The infantry called for a defensive barrage at 11.40 at night; it -was layed before the rocket burst. - -Altogether in this problem of four regiments the 75s fired about 6,000 -rounds and the 4.7s about 600.[B] - -In the meantime it rained, or rather poured. The heavens were trying to -make good for the past six months of inaction,--they did. Or perhaps -it was the 302nd weeping for the now certain loss of Colonel Craig. He -had received his promotion and it was only a question of time before -his orders would arrive. Loved and respected by all who knew him, he -was to leave a vacancy hard to fill. His officers gave him a dinner in -Bordeaux on October 7th. - - - - -III. THE FRONT - - -It was while our problem was in progress that General Davis and part -of his staff left for the front, October 11th. A few days later, -on October 17th, he was followed by the rest of his staff. So the -regiments polished and oiled their materiel and entrained at the camp -for God-knows-where. One thing was certain and that was we were going -forward and not back, for from Bordeaux it takes a boat to go in the -latter direction. It was at this time that we knew definitely that -the 301st was to leave the Brigade. It was to be army artillery and -received different orders, confirming our fears when it was detached by -telegraphic order of October 2nd. - -Hardly had the General with a few members of his staff arrived at the -front when a stray shell killed his aide, Lieutenant W. B. Dixon, Jr., -October 19th, 1918. He was buried with military honors where he fell -near Bouillonville. He had been with us but a few days, but such was -his personality and charm that he had become as closely identified with -the Brigade as the oldest member of the staff. His death was a personal -loss to every one of us. - -Brigade Headquarters was established at St. Mihiel, Meuse, October -19th, 1918, and the entries in the official War Diary begin. I have -the diary before me as I write, and I feel that I cannot do better -than take the information therein practically word for word as it was -recorded each day from October 19th to November 11th. - -The famous salient of St. Mihiel had been wiped out a month before. -Having held it successfully for four long years, the Germans considered -their lines there impenetrable; but it took the Yankees just two -short days, September 12th and 13th to reduce that four years’ work -to nothing, and on our side of the balance sheet now stood several -thousand prisoners and a few hundred guns. It had happened a month -before, but the battle fields were still fresh with Hun relics and -ruins, and one had but to see to know that Heine and Fritz had lost no -time in their departure. Everywhere ammunition dumps and other stores -were left untouched by the fleeing foe. - -October 19th the 151st Field Artillery Brigade, less one regiment (the -301st) was attached to the 2nd Colonial Corps (French) of the Second -Army, A. E. F., as corps artillery, with its rail head at Sorcy and -its Refilling Point at Woinville. The zones and mission of the Brigade -were assigned. In a general way our sector extended from Bonzee to -Vigneulles. The line in this sector ran roughly northwest to southeast, -the Germans holding the villages of Ville en Woevre, Pintheville, -Riaville, Marcheville, St. Hilaire, Doncourt and Woel. - -October 21st was devoted to reconnaissance. The commanding officer, -Colonel Conklin of the 303rd F. A. and staff arrived. An air raid by -the enemy occurred at 7.00 p. m. They are all alike. This is what -happens. Delicate instruments more sensitive than the human ear detect -the sound of the aeroplane’s engines at a great distance. These -instruments are placed at intervals along the lines at what are known -as listening posts or stations. Directly an enemy plane is detected, -its whereabouts and direction are telephoned to the areas behind. -There, the fact is announced by a bugle call, followed by rattles, -sirens and every other variety of music. This is the first you know -of the “ships that pass in the night.” There is a scramble for the -nearest abri, otherwise known as bomb-proof or dug-out. You stumble -and fall down a flight of steps and find yourself from twenty to forty -feet below ground. It is dark, and the air is damp and smells vilely. -There are from fifty to a hundred other humans in this subterranean -tomb, some lie down, prepared to spend the night, others, half-clad, -shiver and wait. Then out of the distance you hear a faint humming as -of insects in summer. It grows louder. It is the engines of the enemy’s -planes. Suddenly Hell is torn loose. The anti-aircraft guns or Archies, -as the British call them, have opened fire from the ground. The planes -return the compliment with bombs and machine guns. A boiler factory in -your head would not be nearly so bad for your ears as the cracking and -shrieking that takes place. As suddenly as it started it ceases. All -is quiet. We go about our duties or sleep, as the case may be, until -the next raid occurs. If it is a clear night and the planes are likely -to return, there are many who prefer to stay in the dug-out and make a -night of it there rather than spend the time until morning running back -and forth. - -October 22nd the work of reconnaissance for battery positions and P. -C.s[C] continued. More enemy planes were seen over St. Mihiel. But this -time it was broad daylight; they reconnoitered and took photographs, -but there was no battle royal to disturb the peace. Suddenly little -balls of cotton appeared about the plane. They were the bursts of some -distant anti-aircraft battery trying to annoy the aviator. - -October 23rd the commanding officer (Colonel Platt) of the 302nd -F. A. and staff arrived. In the afternoon enemy airplanes made a -reconnaissance. The regimental advanced parties arrived. - -Reconnaissance was the chief work of the next few days. Lieutenant -Colonel McCabe of the 302nd taking the area to the north of Bonzee. The -Germans must have had the same idea, for enemy aircraft continued to -pass over Headquarters. - -On October 28th the 33rd Division relieved the 79th Division in this -sector, the 55th Field Artillery Brigade remaining in place, with its -Headquarters at Troyon (P. C. Kilbreith). - -[Illustration: BRIGADIER-GENERAL DANIEL F. CRAIG] - -By November 1st all the battery positions and P. C.s were located and -billets were obtained for the regiments. Colonel Platt of the 302nd -F. A. chose some old German shelters near the one-time village of St. -Remy for his P. C. His batteries were to be scattered through the Bois -des Eparges, mostly to the north. The 3rd Battalion was to be behind -the hills to the eastward. The country looked like pictures of the -moon sometimes reproduced in scientific magazines because of interest -but never on account of beauty. Once there had been woods; now there -was hardly a tree standing. All vegetation had been killed by gas -and shell,--crater after crater gave mother earth a very diseased -appearance. Here we spent our days and nights while the war lasted. -Colonel Platt chose Rupt for his billets. - -Colonel Conklin in selecting his P. C. showed better taste. He found -an old German Headquarters, built like a Swiss chalet in the heart of -the woods and far away from harm. Here he settled comfortably, two -kilometres to the northeast of Deuxnouds and just South of the Grande -Tranchee de Calonne. He had but two battalions. The first he placed to -the east of his P. C., the second about four kilometres to the north. - -This same day liaison was established with S. R. S. No. 3 American, and -on November 2nd with S. R. O. T. Nos. 58 and 67. - -November 3rd the Brigade Headquarters detachment arrived and was -billeted in St. Mihiel, and information was received that the 302nd -F. A. had detrained at Dugny and was moving into Rupt en Woevre. - -November 4th information was received that the 303rd F. A. had -detrained at Dugny and was moving into Creue. The 3rd Battalion of the -303rd was assigned to the Fourth Army Corps. - -November 5th the Second Battalion of the 302nd reported its guns in -position and ready to open fire. Hardly was this accomplished when -the Huns began to give them a taste of gas, over 3,000 rounds being -reported. One gun of Battery B, 303 F. A. was reported to be in -position. The Brigade was detached from the 2nd C. A. C. (French), and -was put under the command of the 17th C. A. (French). - -November 6th one gun of the 303rd F. A. was ready to fire at midnight -and the other guns were being moved up as fast as the positions were -constructed. - -From 10.00 p. m. November 6th to 2.00 p. m. November 7th, about 3,000 -gas shells, mostly mustard, fell near B and F Batteries of the 302nd -F. A., but though other artillery units nearby had a number of men -gassed, the 302nd F. A. had no casualties, thanks to strict and -effectual gas discipline. - -In the vicinity of P. C. Gross, Second Battalion of the 303d, about two -hundred gas and high explosive shells fell, also without casualties. - -In the afternoon Field Order No. 1 was issued directing the 302nd to -deliver harassing fire during the night on Ville en Woevre and on the -roads from that place to Braquis and Hennemont. The 303rd F. A. was to -fire on Hennemont, Pareid, Maizeray and Moulotte. At 6.10 the orders -were changed by telephone on account of later information, with the -result that the 302nd F. A. took under fire two additional targets, -which were identified only by their coordinates. The 303rd fired at -Pareid and Moulotte and on a battery in the Bois de Harville. - -On the night of November 6th and 7th, in a two company infantry raid -with artillery support against the Chateau d’Ardnois, one German -officer and twenty-two men were captured and from ten to fourteen -killed. Our own casualties were slight. There was very little enemy -artillery fire during the day. At 9.15 however, on the night of -November 7th, the operations officer of the 55th Field Artillery -Brigade at P. C. Kilbreith reported heavy shelling by the enemy of -Fresnes en Woevre. This village was now strongly held by our troops, -and it was thought that the German fire was in retaliation for the -raid. Our Sound Ranging Section S. R. S. No. 3 had located the -enemy batteries that were executing the fire and we were asked for -neutralization at the earliest possible moment. This order was sent -to the 303rd F. A. by courier and telephone. At 11.00 a. m. the enemy -having ceased his fire, the 303rd F. A. was ordered to discontinue -firing. Field Order No. 2 was then issued authorizing the 303rd F. A. -to fire at once for neutralization upon any enemy battery reported in -action beyond Maizeray. In the meantime Major Hadley’s Battalion of -the 302nd F. A. was fired upon by the enemy with gas shells. Captain -Lefferts was the only casualty. - -On November 8th two strong patrols of our infantry, sent early in the -morning to the Bois de Harville and St. Hilaire, brought back three -prisoners. The 33rd Division reported considerable harassing fire about -Les Eparges and Saulx en Woevre, with some interdiction fire on the -villages at the base of the hills. The total was about 3,000 rounds. -This was the first day that the air was clear enough for the G. P. F.s -to register, and Colonel Conklin registered on Joinville. Shortly -after 4.00 o’clock, Balloon No. 22 reported two batteries firing. They -were given to the 303rd F. A. for immediate neutralization. In the -meantime, orders had been sent out for the night’s firing, the targets -assigned to the 303rd F. A. being two batteries of 105 howitzers in -the Bois de Harville and the towns Maizeray and Butgneville. The 302nd -F. A. was given the Pintheville-Maizeray road, the Pintheville-Pareid -road, Maizeray, Butgneville and St. Hilaire, the latter being the most -important. The fire was to stop at 3.00 a. m. to permit an infantry -raid to go into St. Hilaire and the vicinity. These orders, sent by -telephone and courier, were in response to a request for help from -the Divisional Artillery. They were followed by a Memorandum to the -regiments designating the zones in which, after the start of the -infantry raid on November 9th, it would not be safe for them to fire -without express authority. - -On November 9th a change of organization occurred as a result of the -removal of a large part of the French Artillery from the sector. -The two batteries which were left,--one of 120 long and one of 155 -long,--were taken over by General Davis and assigned to the command -of Colonel Platt of the 302nd F. A. in what then became known as the -Groupment Platt. General Davis thus became Commander of the Corps -Artillery of the sector. - -Early in the morning of this same day, a request was received from the -infantry through the Operations Officer of the 55th Field Artillery -Brigade for help in a raid. It appeared that lack of ammunition for -the Divisional artillery threatened to deprive the infantry of much -needed artillery assistance. Orders were issued for concentration fire -between 2.00 and 5.00 a. m. on Maizeray, Butgneville and St. Hilaire -and between 5.00 and 6.45 a. m. on Maizeray and Butgneville. With the -approval of Corps Artillery Headquarters the regiments were permitted -to use ammunition beyond that authorized for daily expenditure. - -The strong reconnoitering patrols sent out by the 33rd Division -executed the raid on Marcheville. It was completely successful and -resulted in the capture of eighty prisoners including three officers. -Patrols near Pintheville and Riaville met strong resistance. At 3.50 p. m. -an enemy barrage of about 4,000 shells was laid down between Fresnes -and Wadonville, probably in retaliation for the raid of the previous -night. Orders were issued that the regiments should fire at once on any -batteries reported in action by the Sound Ranging Section (S. R. S. No. -3) and that every clear day should be utilized for registration. During -the afternoon the 303rd F. A. was directed to fire on two batteries -of 210 howitzers,--one near Labouville and the others northeast of -Joinville,--and on a battery of medium calibre, just south of Moulotte. - -Late in the afternoon we were informed that an infantry raid would -take place at H hour next morning on our front. The Groupment Platt -were ordered to fire on Maizeray and on the road between Pintheville -and Maizeray. The 303rd was to fire on Maizeray, Harville and the same -stretch of road and on batteries reported firing from points back of -Maizeray. The fire of both groups was to last for 105 minutes after H -hour and at 2.20 in the morning, notification was sent by courier to -the commanding officers of the two regiments that H hour would be -5.45 a. m. - -At 8.30 in the evening the General ordered a concentration by the 302nd -F. A. on Riaville, Pintheville and the road connecting them, to be -fired between midnight and 3 a. m. At 8.45, the 303rd F. A. was given -counter-battery work in answer to a call from the Divisional Artillery -Headquarters. - -Upon the change in organization mentioned above, the advanced location -for our Brigade P. C. was fixed at Creue. The regiments were ordered -to reconnoitre to find locations for at least some of their guns out -on the Plain of Woevre where they would be able to reach some of the -German long range artillery which had been bothering us, and also -follow up the advance of our infantry for a long distance without -changing position for a second time. - -On November 10th a general advance was ordered to begin at 7.00 a. m. -but the order did not reach our Brigade. However, this information -was obtained incidentally by the Brigade Commander, and at 10.40 a. m. -orders were issued for the regiments to provide advance telephone -lines, with a view to establishing forward P. C.s. At the same time -the Brigade P. C. was opened at Creue. A series of orders were issued -over the telephone with reference to a change of positions by the 302nd -F. A. and the 303rd F. A. and at 11.48 we received orders from the -corps that the 4.7 regiment must advance as soon as possible. Orders -were sent to them to complete all reconnaissance and prepare to move -immediately. At 1.25 orders were received from the corps to move two -batteries of the 303rd F. A. with 400 rounds of ammunition at the tail -of the main body of the 33rd Division in advance. It was thought that -this was based on the supposition that the enemy was going to retire, -which he had no intention of doing, as later developments showed. - -At 4.00 o’clock in the afternoon, word having been received that the -country to the north and east of Bonzee was occupied by the enemy, an -officer was sent to the 33rd Division occupying our sector and another -to the 81st Division on our left to find out the true state of affairs. -There proved to be no basis whatever for this report, as the 33rd -Division was holding its forward line in great strength with a view to -attacking on the morning of the 11th, and the 81st Division was also -reinforced for a continuation of their attack, begun on the 10th. - -General Bailey, commanding the 81st Division and Colonel Roberts, Chief -of Staff, urgently requested artillery help in their attack on Ville en -Woevre, Hennemont and other points. The Brigade supported these attacks -between 5.00 and 7.00. - -The commanding General of the 33rd Division, having received orders to -advance, called for support from the Corps Artillery on Pintheville, -Harville, Moulotte, Maizeray, Pareid and batteries in the Bois de -Harville and elsewhere. This support was given between 9.25 p. m. -November 10th and 5.00 a. m. November 11th. - -At 7.30 p. m. the 302nd F. A. was ordered to move one battalion into -the advanced positions in the Plain of the Woevre and to have another -battalion in motion so as to reach its advanced position on the 11th -while the guns held in reserve were to continue the firing. One -battalion, in accordance with these instructions, took position on the -Plain of the Woevre near Tresauvaux, well in advance of the main body -of the infantry and of the resistance line. It remained there overnight -and until ordered to withdraw on the morning of the 11th, when news was -received that the armistice had been signed. - -In the meantime, three guns of the 303rd F. A. were successfully moved -into similar forward positions from which, if fighting had continued, -they might have done highly effective work against some of the distance -long range German guns, especially those that had been bothering St. -Maurice, Thillot and other towns along the base of the hills. The -Brigade fired 736 rounds in the course of the day, against a number of -different targets assigned from time to time by Brigade Headquarters, -or reported direct to the regiments by the S. R. S. - -At about ten o’clock on the night of the 10th the French corps -commander under whom we were serving, said he expected important -news from the Eiffel Tower wireless station before morning. He asked -Brigade Headquarters to notify him should our wireless pick up anything -of interest. Taking the daily communiques from the Eiffel Tower had -been part of our routine work, so the operators knew her[D] voice -intimately. Accordingly they were not unduly surprised when she started -her familiar squeak early on that historic morning. Received at 5.45 -a. m. November 11th, the message that the armistice had been signed -and that hostilities were to cease at 11.00 a. m. was reported at the -Brigade P. C., Creue, by telephone from the St. Mihiel Headquarters. To -the credit of the Brigade let it be known that it was from our station -that the news was given to the entire sector. - -The 33rd Division attacked at 5.00 a. m. Strong patrols sent out along -the front captured three officers and eighty-three men. Infantry lines -were established at the close of hostilities as follows: Chateau -d’Aulnois, Riaville, Marcheville, St. Hilaire, south of Butgneville, -Bois de Harville thence southward to Ferma d’Hautes Journeux. These -towns were taken on the morning of the 11th. It was a glorious piece -of work but hardly worth the price in American life it involved. The -Germans, pushed to the limit, made a last stubborn resistance and from -behind their fortifications and barbed wire delivered a murderous fire -on our troops with rear guard machine gun action from hidden nests. The -battlefield as I saw it that afternoon, I shall not soon forget. There -lay an American sergeant, where he had fallen, and behind him lay his -men, not twenty yards from the German machine gun they were attacking. -My thoughts were first of sorrow that these men should have made the -supreme sacrifice in those last minutes of the great war. In those -fine young faces still shone the joy of life, theirs but yesterday, -when they had thought of home and all it held in store. But I read -another story, that of peace, such as is only experienced after a hard -struggle won and as I looked at the scene I felt a thrill of pride. -What a sacrifice! but God, how gloriously made! - -The plans for the early morning attack contemplated prearranged firing -by the Corps Artillery until 7.00 a. m. Information that the Armistice -had been signed having arrived at 5.45 a. m., the Heavy Artillery -Commander at that hour ordered no more firing, unless urgently called -for by some infantry unit which was in need of help or was being -effectively shelled. The advance Brigade P. C. at Creue was closed at -11.00 a. m. Ammunition had been brought up during the night and the -corps artillery stood ready with some of its guns advanced beyond the -main line of resistance, to support fully a further general infantry -attack. - -At 10.55 on the morning of the Armistice, the 303rd Band at Creue -played taps, then the Marseillaise, then the Star Spangled Banner and -then Reveille. All that morning the artillery thundered and was still -thundering when the music started. When it stopped, all was still. - -On the afternoon of November 12th I walked along our front between the -lines. The stillness of peace was upon the earth where but yesterday -the din of bloody battle reigned. Our lines were held by a series of -sentries walking their posts as if on parade. Over yonder the Germans -were doing likewise. The sun shone in gladness upon the scene. The air -was crisp and the reliefs were gathering wood for their fires. As the -shadows grew longer and the sun set in a blaze of glory, the figures -of the sentries grew dim, but their positions became identified by the -bonfires they had kindled which now alone marked the lines. As I turned -to go, rockets once used to call for a barrage or as a warning of gas -lit the sky. Thus ended the war. - - - - -SUMMARY - - -A resume of the history of the 151st Field Artillery Brigade during -its short term at the front shows a great variety of services and -connections. - -Originally constituting a part of the Artillery of the Second Army, -the Brigade was attached on its arrival in the zone of advance to the -Second Colonial Corps of the French army in the Troyon sector, where -it served under General Blondlat, Corps commander and General Jaquet, -Chief of Artillery. - -The Second Colonial Corps was relieved by the 17th French Corps, -General Hellot commanding, General Walch, Chief of Artillery. On -October 29th, the Brigade came under their command. - -On November 13th the Brigade was assigned to the Fourth American Corps. -When the Fourth Corps moved forward at 5.00 a. m., November 17th, the -Brigade passed into the Second Army Reserve. When the regiments first -came into the St. Mihiel sector, the infantry holding it were the 79th -Division of the American Army, General Joseph E. Kuhn commanding; -the 39th French Infantry Division and the 28th French Regiment of -Dismounted Cavalry. On the 28th of October, however, the 79th was -relieved by the 33rd American Division, General George Bell commanding. - -The 39th French Infantry Division and the 28th regiment of Dismounted -Cavalry were withdrawn and the sector of the 17th Corps was from -Vigneulles to Bonzee. - -The Corps Artillery, 151st Brigade and two batteries of French -Artillery à Pied, covered the entire front of fifteen kilometres. - - * * * * * - -This is the story of our few days at the front before the Armistice, -and this is what we did in the actual fighting. - -I have been obliged for lack of space and knowledge to omit those -things most interesting to the individual--little incidentals, perhaps -from the point of view of the rest of us, but to him they constituted -the war, and always will. For this reason they will remain forever -vivid pictures in his memory and are therefore not necessary to -chronicle. At the same time it will do no harm to recall a few more -facts and feelings that all in one way or another experienced during -that momentous although brief period of our lives. Mud is perhaps the -foremost to the author. But there were others. At night there was not -a light as we stumbled and cursed, feeling our way in those ruined -villages; automobiles and trucks travelled similarly without lights in -the jet blackness, sometimes on the road but more often off it. And -the drivers, let us not forget them and their troubles: the sinking -feeling in the region of the stomach as the truck, laden to its limit -with ammunition, would itself first sink and then stick in that sea of -mud. Tired to the point of exhaustion, they would dig for hours and -get out only to be in again a hundred yards down the road. Or perhaps -Buddy, with his truck, would try to pull us out with the result that -he too got stuck. Then there were the nights spent going into position -where the impossible was often accomplished,--that was work such as -few outside of the army will experience,--but it was exciting and it -was necessary, and that explains how it was done. Following this were -the nights spent in serving the guns,--sleepless nights,--but it was -fun, and the excitement made it interesting. Last but not least, let us -recall for a second, if we can, how it felt to be under fire,--but most -of us were too busy and tired to have any feelings. Such as they were -they were hardly pleasant. - -While most of the Brigade was thus solving its troubles, the 3rd -Battalion of the 303rd was having troubles of its own. Detached from -the Brigade and assigned to the Fourth Corps on November 4th, they -were ordered to take a position a thousand metres in front of the -Seventy-fives and about the same distance behind our own front line. -The terrain assigned them for their guns was a wooded swamp, perhaps a -thousand metres from the road. It was down this road that they brought -their guns under practically continuous enemy fire. Nor did the fire -stop when they reached their positions. Just as regularly as the half -hours came around on the clock so did the Germans go the rounds of -these two batteries and Battalion Headquarters with high explosive and -gas. There were many narrow escapes but no serious casualties. The -dispersion of the German guns and the regularity with which they fired -were alone responsible, so say the Third Battalion. But I am inclined -to think, in spite of German declarations of “Gott mit Uns”, that the -Bon Dieu was on our side; for besides the elements above mentioned, -practically every direct hit or what was so close as to amount to a -direct hit, proved to be a dud. Of the labors involved in taking this -position and the will that delivered the goods we cannot say enough. -The job was done and done gloriously. - -While the Brigade, minus one regiment, was disporting itself in and -about St. Mihiel, that regiment, the 301st F. A. was ordered to another -part of the front, November 2nd. Accordingly they went to Neufchateau -near Chaumont, where they were to become a part of the Army Artillery -for the 1st army. There they were held in reserve and obliged to wait -for further orders, which did not come. Finally it was learnt that they -were to move forward and take up positions about November 12th, but the -Germans also hearing of this, signed the Armistice on the 11th. So it -was that our lost regiment did not get into action. We sympathize with -them, but we do not feel as they do, for we know the goods were there -and given the opportunity, would have been delivered. On November -29th they were ordered to prepare for return to the United States. -Many miserable weeks followed at Brest, but finally, one glorious day, -the Statue of Liberty appeared before them and January 6th, 1919, they -landed in New York from the good ship “Nieuw Amsterdam”. In this the -rest of the Brigade fared not so well. - -[Illustration: COLONEL ARTHUR CONKLIN] - -After the Armistice was signed, the regiments were withdrawn to billets -and the materiel was parked. The 302nd returned to Rupt en Woevre, -where they got busy on the famous show they produced a few weeks -later. The 303rd were not as easily satisfied. They had some troops -still in and about the positions,--some more at Creue, a lot more at -Savannieres, and the 3rd Battalion which had rejoined the regiment was -now at St. Christophe Ferme. Later, the First and Second Battalions -moved to Troyon and the Third Battalion to Ambly, while regimental -Headquarters was established at St. Mihiel. - -While thus in billets there were many rumors, but they were mostly -of “occupation” with the Third Army. The fact was, we were kept busy -policing the villages and a good part of France. The part we got was -not in the very best of order, so we had our hands full. At the same -time it was not all work; the 302nd show took us out of the mud and -gunk of the busted villages of France and dropped us temporarily in -front of the foot-lights of Broadway. There were other bright spots but -they were not the weather. Meantime we waited for we knew not what. We -got to know our French brothers in arms, and we sympathized with them -for all they had lost. But they demanded our admiration even more than -our sympathy. In the face of ruined homes and brothers lost, they could -say: “C’est la guerre” and could sing with us the Marseillaise and -Madelon: - - _Quand Madelon vient nous servir a boire - Sous la tonnelle au frole de son jupon - Et gue chaqu’un lui raconte une histoire, - Une histoire a sa façon - La Madelon pour nous n’est pas sévère - Lorsqu’on lui prend la taille ou le menton, - Elle rit, c’est tous le mal qu’elle sait faire, - Madelon, Madelon, Madelon._ - - - - -IV. HOME - - -On December 20th the order to prepare arrived. Prepare for what? The -United States of America. My God was it possible? Where were they? But -it was so, and a better Christmas present would have been hard to find. -This was our second Christmas in the army, and apparently it was to be -our last. Cheers! The occasion however recalled a remark attributed -to General Pershing in August as follows: “Hell, Heaven or Hoboken by -Christmas.” He was right, and we got seats at the first show on his -list. - -On January 3rd 1919, the Brigade was ordered to Bordeaux for -transportation to the United States, and on January 8th it entrained -at Bannoncourt. It was hoped by all that we would return to our old -billets,--but no, they took us back to that Godforsaken Camp de Souge. -We arrived January 11th. However it would not be for long and we were -on our way home. All were cheerful,--some artificially so. Little did -we realize that it was to be a stay of three long months and that we -would be allowed to amuse ourselves with skinning mules and guard duty. -Looking backwards we can laugh, but I doubt if we could have done so -at the time had we known how long it was to be. On February 4th the -General and some of his staff sailed from Genecart on the “Matsonia”. -This was encouraging; we would follow soon, but we did not. However on -March 18th we moved to Pauillac, about twenty-five miles down the river -from Bordeaux, where there are docks and delousing plants. - -And on April 13th we sailed for Boston on the “Santa Rosa”. And here I -must leave, for it is the author’s desire that this little sketch be -ready when the brigade lands. - -And what has it all amounted to? To many at first thought it has been -but a year and a half taken out of their lives. But let us consider -for a second. Here was every American energy bent for the first time -to the accomplishment of a single purpose. The individual and his -every interest was sacrificed for a great cause. We learned that there -was something bigger than self and more worth while. We learned to -appreciate our vast country as we should have been able to do in no -other way. - - “NOT WHAT WE DID, - BUT WHAT WE WERE WILLING TO DO.” - - - - -INDIVIDUAL SERVICE RECORD - - - - -AUTOGRAPHS - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - - -[A] Kitchen Police. - -[B] The 346th and 347th regiments were temporarily brigaded with us for -administrative purposes. - -[C] Poste de Commande - -[D] The Eiffel Tower was known among the operators as “Ethel”. - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - - -Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - -Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - -Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. - -Archaic or variant spelling has been retained. - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 151ST FIELD ARTILLERY -BRIGADE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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