just behind us but so long as they were behind we breathed easier and felt sorry for the support and reserve who caught the brunt of this fire. On the following night a company of the 106th began filing in, our relief. It was daylight before we were all out and the last group-Headquarters, First-Sergeant Ruane, the messengers, orderlies and signalmen—had the pleasure of a mile march in daylight along the road feeling the eyes of the whole German army were watching their progress. On reaching the famous "Corners" they were entertained by a barrage "in their midst.' It didn't last over a minute but was something to be remembered. It was during this relief that Private Ruhl "went West," the first of the company to be killed outright. The section of trench between his post and the road was over waist-deep in mud, so he started over the top, a route we all took in the dark, but at this hour the darkness was breaking. A bullet found the mark. He was buried later at Vimy Siding attended by his comrades. The battalion moved back to the outskirts of Poperinghe, ate, slept, bathed and were freed of vermin and mud at last. A shell took off the roof of the bath house while our battalion were going through by platoons and ended a much needed operation. Working parties were sent forward to plant artillery wires and we reconnoitered a new trench system that would be occupied in case the front lines were broken. While here Colonel Liebman was killed by a shell at our old Support line and Captain Maslin took command of the battalion. Our next move was back to the old farm between Winnezeele and Oudezeele for a week's rest. Rests were short at such times and after a few days of company drill and well cooked meals the battalion moved back into Belgium to take a new position near Ridge Wood. At this time Captain Strong was ordered to the rear through illness and after a week in a British Base hospital in Calais was transferred to an American hospital in England. Captain Kevney O'Connor of the 71st Regiment assumed command of the company. Top: Men of 105th Infantry Receiving Rations at the Front, Mazingheim, Bottom: French, American, English and Australian Soldiers and a German RECOLLECTIONS ODDS AND ENDS SWAPPED AT EASY CHAIR At Camp Wadsworth two men on guard, one 18 years of age and one who later proved to be but 17, went to sleep while on post. They knew little of the punishment sleeping on guard called for or the seriousness of guard duty. Their captain instead of having them court-martialed and sentenced to a year in prison ordered them to write to their mothers what poor soldiers they were and to hand the letters to him addressed but unsealed. In each letter, unknown to the youth, he wrote the mother not to worry about her son; that he was in good health and was not going to be punished. The Captain never had another man asleep on post. When the Captain returned wounded to the United States, he received a letter from one of these boys signed "Guilfoyle," which read: "Dear Captain: I am sorry you are wounded. I am one of the boys who you should have given a year's imprisonment for being asleep on post. My mother got me out of the army because I was only seventeen years of age. If anybody ever says a word against you, I'll knock his block off." Shortly before Christmas ten per cent. of the men were allowed furloughs. All naturally wanted to go home to see their folks. In one company suggestions were asked of the men as to a fair method of settling the problem and when no suggestions were received all names were put in a hat and the men were furloughed as drawn. This company did not have a single A. W. O. L. but another company reported 33 men absent. The furlough forms were typewritten and the men made copies enough for all, filling in the names of the commanding officers and their own. At Beauval, General O'Ryan paid a great compliment to the 71st by selecting Company D to put on a show for General Pershing who was shortly expected. General O'Ryan had seen old Company G give an exhibition drill at a review in the Armory at 34th St. and Park Avenue and at Madison Square Garden, and had remembered the excellent showing made. Without consulting the superior regimental officer, he selected the Captain of old Company G suggesting that they put on the British Athletic exercises. The exhibition did not take place, however, as the company was ordered to entrain. When the drill was given in New York, Captains Hart, Strong, Firth, Robertson and Orsenigo were in the ranks of Company G as privates and corporals. One day as Company D was on the range all company commanders were ordered to report at the Major's tent. One of the captains returning said he had been asked what supplies his company needed and when he replied he could not tell until he consulted his supply-sergeant he got "bawled out." The tip was sufficient for the resourceful commander of Company D and when his turn came for the question, he said "200 pairs of socks, 100 undershirts, 150 pairs of drawers and 50 pairs of shoes." He was commended and the other captains informed that they should have been as able to answer. As a matter of fact, Captain had bluffed the whole thing and gotten away with it. Stand-to was perhaps the most trying on the nerves. Standing in the trenches all night with every sense on edge for any indications of approaching danger is not an amusement. Things sometimes were distorted and you saw things you didn't see. The results were often ludicrous as was this particular case. It's on me so it can be told without fear of offending. During Stand-to one night Corporal Moore of Company C and myself were lying upon the parapet intently watching and listening for signs of the enemy. Snipers on the other side of No-man's Land were busy. They kept mowing the weeds in front or ringing up bull's-eyes on a bit of "elephant iron" over on the corporal's left, or whizzing a few through the wire tangle in front of us, |