ght might possibly be the
last ones. We learned that the greatest offensive of the war was about
to take place, extending from the North Sea to the Moselle river. Also,
and what was more to the point, that on that part of the front to be
taken by the American Army the position assigned to the 35th Division to
reduce was expected to be the most difficult to take. Our division had
the honor positions on the whole front.

MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE

Our part in the offensive began the night of the 25th of September.
Orders were received to move up to Bourelles as soon as it should become
dark. Camp was struck and supplies were stacked along side the road
before dark so that we would be able to find them when the time came.

A vast sense of relief settled down over every one as we realized that
the time which we had enlisted for, trained for, worked and waited for
was finally at hand, and that by morning we would be doing our work over
in the Boche trenches instead of on our own side of the line.

As soon as it was dark we got our stuff packed into the trucks and
packed ourselves in on top, mud and all, and started for Germany. The
roads were muddy and slippery and often the convoy was held up until a
truck could be pulled out of the ditch. No lights were allowed--the
roads were under shell fire and no chances were taken in showing troop
movements to the ever vigilant enemy aeroplanes. Several times we were
led astray, but finally, about midnight we arrived at Bourelles.

Here we unloaded the trucks behind the protection of a steep bank and
the men settled down on the rocks and grass for a few hours' rest, while
the cooks borrowed a fire and began to prepare soup for breakfast. We
did not secure much sleep. Jerry was sending over a few in search of
some of our "heavies," but it was these same heavy guns that most
disturbed our rest. The crack of these guns whipped across the valley
with such a force that the hills fairly shook. They were not firing very
fast but what they lacked in speed they made up in noise.

At 2:30 A. M. our fire opened up in earnest and the thought of being on
the receiving end of that terrific rain of steel was almost enough to
cause a little pity for the Germans--almost. With the coming of dawn the
artillery seemed to slacken and at 6:05 the doughboys went over the top.
Little could be seen through the haze and smoke by those who waited. We
could see the groups of airplanes go sailing overh