Indian Magazine # 12

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I lay sprawled out on my bunk in a Paris hospital last November, in a position much easier than standing at attention, or at ease either.

I had a regular honest-to-goodness bed, with springs, white sheets and clean blankets and—pillows! I had 17 of 'em—big, fat, fluffy ones, and long, slim ones, and little round ones, and rubber ones, and a little square one for my foot. And every time I thought of the lump that used to come in my back out there on the ground, I'd hit the nurse up for another one. I had 'em under me and over me and around me and sandwiched in between my legs. Oh, I surely made up for those six months on the ground all right.

I repeat, it was better than standing at ease—but I've been doing it now for over four weeks and it was beginning to pall on me. I'd got to where I couldn't find a soft spot in a pillow anymore, and anyway, even if the nurse was a queen, I had to share her with 60 other patients.

Well, I was trying to read, and wishing I was back in the line with the outfit, when in blows a flock of sure-enough American girls—visitors. Gee, they sure did look good, and I immediately changed my mind about going back to the lines.

Some big double-fisted old dame was herding 'em around, but they soon began to scatter out in the ward, sitting on the edge of the bunks, smoothing out the pillows and chewing the fat. Of course there weren't enough to go around. And I guess the reason the old party picked on me (and the jeune filles shied at me) was they thought I was bashful or rude—lying on my face that way.

Well, the old lady opens up with: "Where were you wounded, my boy?" "Champagne, ma'am." "Yes, but where at?" "Blanc Mont, ma'am." "I know, but where were you wounded?" "In the rear, ma'am." "But Blanc Mont isn't in the rear. Where were you wounded, anyway—in the leg?"

Can you beat it? Regular third degree. Well, I am bashful. And I told her I was pretty badly cut up "Oh, you've been operated on?" I admitted it. "Oh you poor boy! Aren't operations just dreadful? I had my tonsils removed just before I came over. But tell me, why don't you sit up? That's such an uncomfortable position."

I looked out the window at that cold drizzling rain—and envied my pals up there who were out in it. "Well, ma'am, I never refused a lady nothing yet, but I made a resolution not to sit down until the Boche is licked, and I couldn't break it, not even by order of General Pershing."

It was about 10 a. m., July 19, 1918, that found the Second Engineers occupying trenches in the vicinity of Vierzy. The assaulting waves of Morrocans [sic] received many casualties in this particular sector. Lying about in the open, and in plain view of the enemy, who was about to launch a counter-attack, some of their badly wounded were under continuous shell and machine gun fire from the Boche.

When the cries of a man reached Pvt. DeWitt H. Thurman, who was engaged as first aid man with Company F, Second Engineers, he crawled over the top and with utter disregard for his own life, immediately set to work rescuing and administering to the brave "Blacks."

After a while he saw that there was much to be done and he called for assistance. One of his comrades joined him and during the trying hour and a half, when death seemed almost inevitable, the comrade, Pvt. John Mendonsa, received two machine gun bullets in the leg. About this time both were nearly exhausted, and Private Thurman, with his last bit of strength, carried and dragged his assistant back to safety.

Private Mendonsa has since received the French "Medaille Militaire" and "Croix de Guerre avec Palm."

-Sgt. Raymond E. Conway, Company F, Second Engineers.

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On the 28th day of January, 1919, a divisional machine gun range detail was formed, consisting of 22 men. These men were taken from the four companies of the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion and sent to Irlich, where the Fourth Machine Gun Battalion was then billeted.

Although we were attached to the Fourth Machine Gun Battalion for rations only, we have been with them these past four months, and have become real pals, having made a number of friends that we shall never forget.

In the first place, let us say something about the cooks. When we are working on the range there are many times we are unable to eat at regular mess, or even send in word to save chow. When we go to the mess hall do we get anything to eat? I'll say we do. If they have nothing prepared for us, they set to work and cook something, and they never growl about it like some mess sergeants and cooks do when men come late.

How about the truck company? These men are always on the move, going to Neuwied or other places with the cars, so it is very seldom that we have to walk when going to Neuwied on leave.

There are a number of other truck drivers who seem to think that if they give a fellow a lift it would break the truck down, but the men in the Fourth are not like this, having never refused a person yet.

In conclusion, we want to say that the officers and men of the companies are as good a bunch of men as can be found in the
A. E. F.

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Now that the Second Division holds such a prominent position in the allied armies from its splendid work during the recent war, probably it would not be amiss for me to give to the division, through the medium of The Indian, a correct history of the origin of the divisional emblem, viz., the star and Indian head.

About the 25th of March, 1918, when the division was occupying the trenches in the Toulon-Troyon sectors, Lieut. Samuel T. Swift, Second Supply Trains, was ordered by the then motor transport officer, Second Division, and commanding officer of the Second Supply Train (Lieutenant Colonel William F. Herringshaw) to proceed to the sector then occupied by the Twenty-sixth Division, for the purpose of bringing back to the Division a large convoy of Ford light delivery trucks. In reporting his observations of what he had seen in other motor organizations during his trip, he suggested that the Second Supply Trains had not an official design, such as all of the similar organizations of allied armies had. Colonel Herringshaw immediately issued the following order:

HEADQUARTERS SECOND SUPPLY TRAIN
France, March 28, 1918.

MEMORANDUM:

A design is desired for use on our trucks similar to those used on the truck trains of other armies. Designs should be simple, easily distinguishable, and should not be liable of confusion with other markings, and should have some special significance. Only one design will be used but there will be three prizes awarded, as follows:

1st Prize-40 Francs
2nd Prize-25 Francs
3rd Prize-10 Francs

Designs will be passed on by a board appointed later. Suggestions, with a rough sketch, should be submitted to Headquarters by noon, March 31.

By order of Lieut. Col. Herringshaw.

2nd Lieutenant,C. A. C.
George F. A. Mulcahy,
Adjutant.

Designs were submitted from the companies as stated in the order, and also from M. S. T. U. No. 303, with the result that the judges chose an Indian head for their first prize, and a five-pointed white star for the second prize. Colonel Herringshaw laid the star and Indian head upon separate parts of his desk, and after a few minutes hesitation, he placed the separate Indian head over the star, and announced that the star and Indian head combined, as he had placed them, would hereafter be the official design of the Second Supply Train. It continued to be such until one day during the early part of June, 1918, the then divisional commander, Major General Bundy, had occasion to bring his automobile to the shops for some repairs, and ordered that the star and Indian head should be painted on his automobile. He also remarked that he was proud to have his car wearing the design of an organization within his division, that was functioning so brilliantly as the Second Supply Train was during the present (Chateau-Thierry) drive.

In due time, later on, came the divisional order, authorizing it as the official divisional insignia for all motor and animal drawn vehicles in the division. Then came the additional order designating the various shields and backgrounds upon which the star and Indian head is superimposed, thus designating the various units of the division, and adopting it with these additional backgrounds as the divisional shoulder insignia, to be worn by the officers and men of the division.

I know that the division will welcome through the columns of your breezy magazine the fact that Colonel William F. Herringshaw, now the assistant chief motor transport corps officer, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C., and at that time commanding officer of the Second Supply Train and the motor transport corps officer of the Second Division, is the originator of the divisional emblem, viz., the star and Indian head.

DANIEL J. CANTY,

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During October, 1918, while the Second Engineers were attached to the Thirty-sixth Division, we were ordered to prepare to bridge the canal and River Aisne near Attigny. We held the shore of the canal and the enemy held the strip of land between the canal and river.

It was very important that we obtain all possible information concerning the river and canal. On October 22nd reconnoitering patrols were sent out.

Corporal Earl P. Sooy of Company E was in charge of one patrol.

On October 23rd, leaving the others on our bank of the river to cover him, he made his way out on a demolished bridge and took soundings and measurements of the river and canal at the site of the old bridge. While well out on the old bridge, and as he was making his way back to our bank, he was discovered by the enemy, who opened fire on him with machine guns. They also attacked the covering party.

The covering party withdrew, thinking that Corporal Sooy had made his escape. Such was not the case; Corporal Sooy, so far as is known, is still carried as missing in action. In making his measurements and soundings he had transmitted it back to the others. Although he was lost, practically all the information he obtained was brought back by the others.

—Lieut. Samuel C. Watkins,
Company E, Second Engineers

"NIGHT AT THE FRONT"
Night at the front and the rockets glarin'; Lighting up No-man's Land;
Mutter of men and the "big boys" roarin', Back where the gunners stand;
Squelch of mud for the skies are pourin'; Rotten—but aint it grand.
Night at the front and the rockets glarin'; Signals, I guess, and now
Up through the dark our planes are tearin'; There goes a gas shell, "pow!"
Look where the night barrage is flarin', Making a fearful row.
Night at the front and you slip and tumble, Huntin' the place you're bound; Jerry's batteries roll and rumble, Searching our hiding ground; Archie chatters and "bumble, bumble," Gothas are dronin' around.
Night at the front and the front is seethin', Bubblin with death and hate;
Stretched along like a dragon breathin' Blames of a fiery hate,
Or that old Moloch god that's heathen, Cruel and fierce, but great.
Night at the front and machine guns drummin',
Spatterin' mud; lay low,—
Wow! Can't you hear that big one hummin';
Lord, what a gorgeous show.
Night at the front; our relief is comin';
Pick up your pack—Let's go!
—Cpl. Leonard Smiyth, Co. H, 23rd Inf.

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The first few days of September, 1918, found Company B, Second Engineers, quietly enjoying life in some French barracks south of Toul. These barracks were located on the top of a chain of hills, from which one could see several towns in the distance, and the beautiful Moselle, as it wended its way towards the German border. But life was too easy here, and on September 3 we rolled packs, and at 8:30 o'clock, through a drizzling rain, started forward on a road that seemed to have no end.

After eight hours on the road, we stopped in a wooded valley for rest, as orders were against moving in the daylight. The following night found us again on the road, making the usual number of kilometers. Just as dawn was creeping over the eastern sky, we passed Manoncourt, and located in the beautiful woods to the northwest. With pup tents all in a row, we waited the great drive that was to come. On the nearby railroad we could see great quantities of ammunition and guns being unloaded, and preparations coming to a head. We picked our way out past the railhead and hidden supplies across a field, to that ever-winding streak of white.

Next morning found us in a narrow stretch of woods behind a heavy barbed-wire entanglement. For three days we were kept hidden and not allowed to leave cover. Rain had made the ground soft, as well as life miserable in the small pup tents. Here, too, a varge [sic] number of our comrades were [c]hosen to cut the enemy wire, and one night as darkness crept over the land, they went forward to take up life with our brother fighters, the marines.

Rain set in and everything was wet and damp, but regardless of conditions, at an hour past midnight, hell broke loose. Our guns belched forth death and destruction to all humanity that lay in their path. For four hours these monsters sent missies of steel and gas at the enemy, and just as the gray streaks of dawn were appearing in the east, the Second Division went over the top.

Company B was assigned to road work, and as the first sounds of the barrage were heard, orders came to move forward. We reached the main road in the early dawn, passed by the roaring guns across No Man's Land, and into the home of the Hun. Stopping to fill the holes in the road and to prepare it for the advance of the artillery, we worked our way towards Remenauville.

The following day we reached Thiaucourt, and about 4 o'clock our kitchen pulled into the shell-torn town to cook us a hot dinner. With a full stomach we returned about three kilometers to an engineer dump, which we took over and made into a home for the next few days. Stray shells would drop into the woods and gas alarms would sound during the night, but men of Company B only drew their blankets closer about them and slept until morning.

The pretty town of Thiaucourt, located on a little stream that flows into the Moselle was not entirely destroyed, although during the drive many shells were thrown into it. The little stone bridge which had been damaged was repaired by Company B men. A narrow-gauge railroad followed the stream, and one could see its entire equipment standing in the yards, just as they had left it.

On September 15, when the Second Division was relieved, Company B went to the rear, making a 20-kilometer hike, and pitched tents in the Bois de la Reine. For the next two days we took a much-needed rest. The boys that went over the top with the marines and infantry came back, and we heard many weird tales of the taking of towns and woods, and the capture of many prisoners. A few days later we donned our packs again, and by daylight set out, on that never-ending streak of white. At noon we took a rest while the kitchen made coffee. Late in the evening we entered the quiet town of Pagney. Billets were assigned, and for the next ten days we did "squads right and left."

The Second Engineers Band went "over the top," surrounding and taking possession of everything in sight, on Wednesday, June 11. The occasion was a banquet given by the members of the band at the K. of C. garden, at Engers.

In the forenoon, two teams of the band, the "Boiler­makers" and the "Adagies," fought for supremacy of the diamond, the victory being won by the "Boiler­makers." In the afternoon a number of the men enjoyed a dip in the Rhine.

The main event was, of course, in the evening, when the banquet was staged. All assembled and were seated promptly at 7 o'clock at one long table in the large beer garden overlooking the Rhine. Several Germans catered to the men in first class style.

Among the guests of the evening were Col. S. C. Godfrey, commanding officer; Lieut. Col. E. R. Covell, of G-3, formerly commanding the regiment, and officers and enlisted men of Headquarters Detachment.

The committee, all band men, are due much praise and the thanks of all present for the fine way in which everything was planned and carried out, in spite of prevailing conditions in regard to food, etc. H. J. Schaettgen, who had charge of the serving, deserves a share of the credit; also Mess Sergeant H . W. Martin, who arranged the following excellent menu: Tomato soup, cold roast beef, pickles, lettuce salad, new onions, Vienna meat loaf, apple sauce, browned potatoes, creamed corn, sliced cucumbers, cheese, martin biscuits, preserves, radishes, ice cream, cake, bread, coffee, wines, beer, butter, cigars, cigarettes, candy.

Impromptu speeches were made by Colonel Godfrey and Lieutenant Colonel Covell. Musical selections were rendered by Taylor and Arthur, harmonica and guitar; Pistacchio and Capursi, mandolin and guitar, and Morenzoni, accordion. Lieutenant Krulee, leader of the band, acted as master of ceremonies.

The events and the place go to make it one of the most pleasant happenings in the history of the band, and one never to be forgotten by anyone present.