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About The Bend bulletin. (Bend, Or.) 1903-1931 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1918)
PAGES nRND nUIJ.KTIN, nRNI) OKKttON, THURSDAY, OUT01IK11 , 1018 Tho ConfeSSi Of a GettM Deserter ' " " - Written by a Prussian Officer! Who Participated in the Ravafm? ting and Pillaging of Belgium. CyW h IWw fit, Phu . - CHAPTER XI. We wore onco raoro aroused nt eleven o'clock Hint night, nntl with the utmost hnstc made ready to resume our march. The night wns pitch dark nnd the rnln continues). At daybreak we passed the city of St,. Menehould. This hnd not been- harmed. From here wo turned to the enst, closely pressed by the French nntl In the afternoon we reached Clermont-cn-Argonne. Once more we managed to pet a rest of sev eral hour. Toward evening we pro ceeded again and maintained n forced march through the whole night. We were now more exhausted than ever, yet could not halt- The rain hnd stopped before ten o'clock In the morning nt which hour wc left the road and mndc camp. There was a general sigh of relief, for this long-continued, wearing retreat had brought our troops Into a state now become unendurable. We began to dig ourselves In. Before our trenches were even half completed a literal hailstorm of shrnpncl felt among us. Our losses were so great that It became Impossible to remain. We received orders to retire at once. We marched over the fields until dark, when wc began once more to dig In. We were now near the village of Cer-nny-en-Dormols. It was pitch dark and a heavy fog Iny over everything. Of the enemy we knew nothing. With the utmost silence nnd speed we dug our selves In deeply, stopping frequently to listen as hostile raiding parties ap proached, only to disappear quickly. Here we received our first re enforcements. They nrrtved In long columns In 'the darkness. All were fresh troops most of them reserves. The majority wore blue uniforms. This s well as the nature of their equip ment, indicated to us that they had been hastily fitted out and transported. None of them had ever heard the whistle of a bullet and many asked anxiously whether It was dangerous here. They brought numerous ma chine guns, and In an instant we had everything prepared for defense. At daylight the French began the at tack. They made several onslaughts throughout the day but without suc cess, for our re-enforcements were large. No one realized nt this stage of the battle that It was the beginning of a murderous, exhausting struggle for po sitions. We were to fight "here from the same trench, month after month, without gaining territory. The wounded, who lay In No Man's Land between the trenches, were left to perish. The French tried to rescue them un der the protection of the Geneva flag, the emblem of the Ked Cross, hut we only sneered at them and shot It to bltfl. The impulse to shoot down the enemy surpassed every human feeling. The Red Cross flag hnd lost nil Its value for us when It was raised by the French. Mistrust was nurtured among us. Wo were told that tho enemy mis used the flag and that we must shoot down the men that bore It Wo repulsed all attacks until they gradually ceased. We were now able to fortify our position, which we did with the greatest care, making It as strong as possible. Half the men re mained on guard while the other half deepened and widened tho trenches. A lively Are was maintained continuous ly by both sides. The losses wcro very large. Most of the men killed were shot through the head, the trench pro tecting the remainder of their bodies. Firing Increased In Intensity as night felL Although nothing could be seen we continued firing oil the time because we thought this would prevent the enemy from making any attacks. Through the nights munitions und ma terial were brought up and new men arrived. Great quantities of sandbags were sent us, which were filled and used as a protection against bullets. The pioneers were relieved toward morning Hnd .gathered la a farmyard We will give you value for your money in what can be procured in the markets and we adhere strictly to all Food Administration Rules Baker s Grocery JT ' Xtf T I j a & ss.- & ,JSr ' Vehlna the firing line. The farm had been spared by the cannon, nnd even nil tho stock remained. This booty was soon to be consumed. Several hundred soldiers came and n wild hunt ensued for ducks, chickens, geese, pig eons, etc. About the hundred of these were caught, after which everybody began cooking. Not far away 60 cows and heifers were seised nnd turned over to the field kitchens. Hay nnd grain were cnrrled away, even the 8trnwstnck8 and barns were torn down nnd tho lumber used for firewood. In a few hours a beautiful farm hnd be come a ruin nnd the proprietor n beg gar. I had seen the owner In the morning, but ho had suddenly disap peared with his wife and children, and nobody knew where he wns. The next night wc were sent Into tho trenches again. There wns little to do, so we talked with the men who had ro-enforced us from the Interior of Germany. They knew absolutely nothing of our retreat from the Marno and were astonished when we pictured to them the events of the Inst few days. The following morning we left the trench before daybreak and went Into qunrtcrs at Cerony-en-Dormols. We were billeted In the middle of the vil lage In nn nbandoned house. Our field kitchens failed to arrive, so we pre pared ourselves a -meal of fowl and whatever else we discovered. When ever unyone est) led a chicken there The Red Crow Flag Had Lost All Its Value. were twenty men racing for It. Toward evening long provision trains nrrlved, as well (in fresh troops. They went to the front In long columns und re lieved the exhausted men. Soon tho whole village was crowded with soldiers. After n rest of two days the regular nightly pioneer service wns resumed. Every night wc were sent to the front-line trenches to build wire obstacles. The French found us out by the noise required to set up the posu, so that we had fresh losses almost every night We completed the task of setting up barbed wire entan glements In the sector usslgned to us in about fourteen dnvs. Durintr this period we rested by day, but nt night we went out regulnrly. But our rest had many Interruptions, for Iho cuerny artillery bombarded tho village regu larly. This always happened nt cer tain hours, for Instance, In tho begin ning, every noon from twelrc to two o'clock, fifty to eighty shells fell In the village. Sometimes they were shrnp ncl, sent over by the field artillery, Wa u. mmuv. . trJVL k l-1 1TF bJVMI 2a vBh V Llb nfuin' i )uySS v v ' KmJ4&w" 'zjHS' BBiBf v?5sV Kooh grew" HceTRomOn To TUTS, TTTtfTt3 the fact thnt soldiers of other detach ments wero killed or wounded dally. Onco or twice during this nnon bom bardment n shrapnel shell fell Into our room nnd hurst without doing much damage. Tho room would be filled with dust und smoke, yet no one would think of leaving. This firing was re pented dally with cvor-lnereusluK violence. CHAPTER XII. The Inhabitants of Cernny who hnd remained, mostly old people, were all gathered In a tmru because of the fear of spies. Here they were guarded by soldiers. As the enemy bombardment nlways occurred nt a certain hour, our commander thought that somebody In tho village wns In coinintiulontlou with the enemy by menus of u concealed telephone. It wns even discovered thnt the hands of tho church clock hnd been turned nnd at one time stood at six anil shortly after at live o'clock. The spy who signaled the enemy by means of this clock was not discov ered, neither anyone using a concealed telcphonu Instrument In order to catch tho right one all tho clvlllnns were interned In tho ham. These civilian prisoners wero supplied In the snmo way the soldiers were, with food and drink, but were nlso exposed, like tho soldiers, to the dally bombard ments, which In time destroyed the whole vlllnge. Two women nnd one child hnd been killed In this manner and yet the people were not removed. Almost dally houses cnught tire In the village and burned down. Tho shells wero now fnlllng regulnrly at eight o'clock In the evening. They wero of heavy caliber. At eight o'clock prompt ly, when the first shell arrived, wo left '.ho t,ovn. There followed. In short In tervals, fourteen to fifteen shells, the lron ration." We believed thnt the French cannon sending theso shells nrero brought up somewhere nt night. When we returned from our prome nade, as we called the nightly excttr lion, wo were sent to our places in the trenches. There we were used for ev iry kind of duty. One evening we ivere called up to fortify a farm taken from the French the previous day. Wo had to build machine guns nnd place tlfera. Our camp at Cerony-en-Dormols was rontlnunlly under heavy bombnrdment. Finally rest became Impossible. The beavy-callber shells struck tho roofs f the houses and penetrated to the :ellnrs. The civilians were taken nwny iftcr several had been killed by shells. After about ten weeks In this country we were sent to nnother pnrt of the front Our destination was kept from as. At tho depot nt Chnllerange wo en tered n train waiting for us. It con sisted of second nnd third class conches. Tho train rolled slnwlv through the benutlful country, nnd for tho first time since the wnr began we inw the light behind the front All the lepots, crossings nnd bridges were oc cupied by tho military. Everywhere was activity. I.ong trains loaded with agricultural machinery of every vari ety stood at the larger stations. Tho crew of our train consisted of olllctnls of tho Prussian stnto railways. They hnd traversed this country often nnd (old us thnt there wns no agricultural machine In nil occupied territory. The tame thing happened with all machin ery of Industry that could be spared. Everywhere we saw the finest kind of mnchlnery en route to Germnny. In the evening wo passed Sedan. Early the next morning wo arrived at Montmedy. Here wc hnd to lenvo the train nnd were permitted to go to tho city for several hours Montmedy I the prlnclpnl base of the Fifth army, commanded by tho crown prince. Enor mous stores of war mnterlals were gathered here. Added to this there was the army field tost institute nnd the executlvo olllces of the railways ns well as n number of hospitals. It was very lively In Montmedy. Mnny wounded men were seen strol ling through tho city nnd an especially largo number of o Ulcers all at homo wero attached to single etnpes. In faultless uniform, carrying riding whips, they strolled around. This point was about thlrty-fivo kilometers behind Verdun nnd one hundred kilo meters from our former position. As we marched nwny shortly nfter nnon we suspected thnt wo were being taken to tho neighborhood of Verdun. CHAPTER XIII. After n march of 15 kilometers wo reached tho town of Jnmetz. Hero everything was offered ux by the In hnbltunts. We were treated with cof fee, milk and meat. We went on early tho next morning "id In the ieulng arrived at DamvllleiH. wIi-mi- v heiird that wo were nhout five kilometers be hind the firing line. The same evening we advanced to tho little village of Wavrllle, which was our destination. Wo took up our quarters in u houso which had been ubundoned by Its In habitants. Wo wero uttached to tho Ninth reserve division nnd tho ui-1 morning went to our position. Fifteen of us wero usslgned to duty with un Infantry company. On the entire line, us fur as we could see, there wits no musketry fire. Only tho artillery on both sides kept up a weak action. Wo wero not accustomed to this quietude In tho trenches, but the men who had been thero for somo time told us that frequently not u single shot was tired for days and thut no uctlvlty wus shown. Enormous forces of artillery were being mobilized. New guns continued to urrlvo every day and wero listulled without going Into action. The trans portation of munitions und material wus also very brisk. We did not sus pect at this time that this was tho first preparation for a great offensive. TVrior rolir Week's in lliTs Tcltitly w wero sent to nnother pnrt of tho from onco more without bolng told our del tlnntlon, We marchud nwny and In th nfternoon wo urrlved at Duu-sui Mouse, Hardly had we entered tho towt when the German crown prince, aceoin pnnled by several ollleers and u lurgi pack of hunting dogs rodo by. "Good morning, pioneers I" ho culle out to us. Then ho Inspected our unit closely lie epoko to our captnln. nfter whlcl one of the olllccrs of his stuff took ut Only the Artillery Kept Up a Weak Action. to a Red Cross establishment where we were banqueted and given wine. Tho hendquarters of tho Hohenznl Ivrn heir were located nt Dun-sur-Metise. Tho ladles of the Red Cross treated us cordially. Wo asked them If nil passing troops were as well treat ed as wc had been. "Oh, yes," it young woman nnswered. "hut only n few como here.' The crown prince, however, has uu especial at tachment for the pioneers." Wo wcro qunrtered ovt night Sol dlers told us that I)un-ur-Meusa wns the headquarters of tho Fifth army. There were gay times In the town, with nn open-air concert every day. The olll ccrs often received women visitors from Germany. After n hnrd march wo arrived nt the front positions. In n veritable labyrinth of trenches, filled with wntcr, we hnd the utmost difficulty finding 111 inT-about. -EHialir-we. nrrlved nf the very front Hie French were only ten meters nwny and before we had been thero two days we took part In a hand grenade encounter. Somo distance back we established n pioneer depot Twenty-five of our men did nothing but nsscinhlo hnnd gre nades. Wo wero soon settled und reaay for nn emergency. In enmp we were divided among rnrlous troops. They showed us how tho warfare waged at this front re quired every Imaginable kind of light ing. Theru wns mining, snpplug, baud grenade throwing, mine throwing nnd light patrol battles. This went on day nfter dny nnd night nfter night, with 18 hours In the trench nnd u 12-hour rest. Tho shortage of men mndu less strenuous schedule Impossible. (To Bo Continued.) A Woman's Hourly Recommendation. Worry nnd overwork causo kidney trouble, and woman suffer equally with men, Miss Sara Weston, Iiolvl doro, III., writes: "I could not stoop and when down I had to crawl up by a chair. I was so lamo I suffered aoiiy. Now I foul like a now per son, strongor and hotter In every way. I heartily recommend Foley KIdnoy Plllo." Sold ovurywhoro. Adv. If YOU KNOW OF A VUItor A Departure- A Birth -A Death An Accident Aa lllneu OR- Any New Building Social Function Meeting, A Real Ettate Traniaclion Any Improvement! OR- Any thing that it of Interctt IT'S NEWS! Phone it to The Bulletin 501 HVUPIafami IP W We will win this war Nothing else really matters until we do I The Flavor Lasts RED CROSS TO COLLECT PITS (From Thursday's Dally.) Tho Rod Cross Is collecting tho following nut pits nnd shells: Poach stones or seeds, apricot pits, prune pits, plum pits, ollvo pits, dnto In every war time menu there's use for Crescent Belter . Extracts They Jo not bake out the flavor remains in the fooJ as it ilioulJ. All stnndurt) tlavors. (-y) Tiie RucilTkactoh BUILT IN RUSSELL BEAN AND PEATHWE5HCRS CLOVER HULLERS CALL OR WRITE TO PARTICULARS rwi A IT f H fi I A .W, The Owl Pharmacy seeds, cherry'' tips, Ilraill nut shells, walnut, hickory or butternut shells. Bring theso to tho central depot of tho Bed Cross. All nuts nnd pits, should bo thoroughly dried In ovens or In tho sun. Two hundred peach stones or soveii pounds of nut shells, will protect ono soldier from German gas. Don't waste uny. ft your Krocrr ALL SIZES1 ENGINES BOILERS SAWMILLS THRESHERS (TRACTORS FOR SALE BY SOLU AOKNTS r