TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ARKANSAS GAZETTE FEBRUARY 2, 1919 P. 4.
Dear Ones at Home:
As the censorship is now only a matter of form, I will tell about some of the incidents which before I could not tell.
On landing at Brest, France, we were sent to a village near Tours. I took a course in hand grenades and was sent up near Belfast, on the Swiss border as an instructor. Then came the German drive between Soissons and Rheims.
The best French division failed to stem the tide, and the Second Division (American) was taken from the trenches around Verdun and transported by camions to Meaux, and took positions about 10 miles north. The French retreated to our lines, and beat it to the rear. The Germans hit the line June 20, and you know the results.
Then came the call for all available marines, and the camp where I was moved by train to Meaux and were transported by camions to a point near Marigny, and entered the lines the night of June 6, in time to take part in an attack. I was so scared that I was not afraid. After their machine guns were put out of commission they gave the password and surrendered very rapidly.
The next day, after escorting some prisoners to regimental headquarters, was put in charge of the ammunition detail of about 15 men, as the sergeant in charge had been taken to the hospital wounded. Our business is to take small arms and ammunition up as near the lines as possible in wagons and trucks. We supply the regiment and I am still serving in that capacity.
We were relieved July 4 by the 26th division and dropped back along the Marne in reserve.
We moved up to the front again and went over at 4:35 a. m. July 18, near Soissons. The artillery preparation lasted only 10 minutes, but it was the most terrific that we had ever seen. We were relieved July 20 after advancing about 12 miles.
We rested until August 8, on which date we relieved a French division around ‘Post of Morison.’ This was a quiet sector, and a regular old soldiers’ home. We were relieved in a few days by the 79th Division, a National Army outfit.
We were in training for the St. Mihiel affair until the offensive began, September 12. The barrage started at 1 a.m., and continued until 5 a.m., when the infantry went over, supported by tanks. Were relieved the 15th by the 89th, a National Army division, after taking an objective.
Rested until we were sent up in the campaign to aid the French. The barrage started at 3 a.m. October 2, and the infantry went over at daylight. Blanc Mont Ridge was taken by the Marines on the 3rd, and we were not relieved until the 10th, when the 36th Division, an outfit from Texas, relieved us.
We were out on the lines until the beginning of ‘the last drive,’ November 1. The barrage started at 3 a.m. The infantry went over at 5 a.m. The drive continued steadily until we reached the river Meuse at Beaumont. The Second Engineers built pontoon bridges, and we crossed about 3 a.m. November 11, and advanced until 11 a.m., when the armistice was signed.
In about a week we began the follow-up, crossing a corner of Belgium. We passed through Luxemburg, about 10 miles northeast of the city of Luxemburg, and thence into Germany, in a general direction of Coblenz. We are at present about 20 miles from Coblenz, and just across the Rhine, and today is January 4, 1919.
The Second Division has been shock troops since July 4. There has been only two regiments of Marines in the lines, the Fifth and Sixth. They compose the Fourth brigade.
They are batting a 1.000, as they have never failed to take their objective.
I hope we make our last objective soon.
NOTES: This letter was written by Corporal Wayne Clark to his parents Mr. and Mrs. Baker Clark of Little Rock, Arkansas. Wayne enlisted in the Marines July 1917 and reached France in February 1918. He was born September 21, 1892 and died November 13, 1972, at Santa Clara, California.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Dear Ones at Home:
As the censorship is now only a matter of form, I will tell about some of the incidents which before I could not tell.
On landing at Brest, France, we were sent to a village near Tours. I took a course in hand grenades and was sent up near Belfast, on the Swiss border as an instructor. Then came the German drive between Soissons and Rheims.
The best French division failed to stem the tide, and the Second Division (American) was taken from the trenches around Verdun and transported by camions to Meaux, and took positions about 10 miles north. The French retreated to our lines, and beat it to the rear. The Germans hit the line June 20, and you know the results.
Then came the call for all available marines, and the camp where I was moved by train to Meaux and were transported by camions to a point near Marigny, and entered the lines the night of June 6, in time to take part in an attack. I was so scared that I was not afraid. After their machine guns were put out of commission they gave the password and surrendered very rapidly.
The next day, after escorting some prisoners to regimental headquarters, was put in charge of the ammunition detail of about 15 men, as the sergeant in charge had been taken to the hospital wounded. Our business is to take small arms and ammunition up as near the lines as possible in wagons and trucks. We supply the regiment and I am still serving in that capacity.
We were relieved July 4 by the 26th division and dropped back along the Marne in reserve.
We moved up to the front again and went over at 4:35 a. m. July 18, near Soissons. The artillery preparation lasted only 10 minutes, but it was the most terrific that we had ever seen. We were relieved July 20 after advancing about 12 miles.
We rested until August 8, on which date we relieved a French division around ‘Post of Morison.’ This was a quiet sector, and a regular old soldiers’ home. We were relieved in a few days by the 79th Division, a National Army outfit.
We were in training for the St. Mihiel affair until the offensive began, September 12. The barrage started at 1 a.m., and continued until 5 a.m., when the infantry went over, supported by tanks. Were relieved the 15th by the 89th, a National Army division, after taking an objective.
Rested until we were sent up in the campaign to aid the French. The barrage started at 3 a.m. October 2, and the infantry went over at daylight. Blanc Mont Ridge was taken by the Marines on the 3rd, and we were not relieved until the 10th, when the 36th Division, an outfit from Texas, relieved us.
We were out on the lines until the beginning of ‘the last drive,’ November 1. The barrage started at 3 a.m. The infantry went over at 5 a.m. The drive continued steadily until we reached the river Meuse at Beaumont. The Second Engineers built pontoon bridges, and we crossed about 3 a.m. November 11, and advanced until 11 a.m., when the armistice was signed.
In about a week we began the follow-up, crossing a corner of Belgium. We passed through Luxemburg, about 10 miles northeast of the city of Luxemburg, and thence into Germany, in a general direction of Coblenz. We are at present about 20 miles from Coblenz, and just across the Rhine, and today is January 4, 1919.
The Second Division has been shock troops since July 4. There has been only two regiments of Marines in the lines, the Fifth and Sixth. They compose the Fourth brigade.
They are batting a 1.000, as they have never failed to take their objective.
I hope we make our last objective soon.
NOTES: This letter was written by Corporal Wayne Clark to his parents Mr. and Mrs. Baker Clark of Little Rock, Arkansas. Wayne enlisted in the Marines July 1917 and reached France in February 1918. He was born September 21, 1892 and died November 13, 1972, at Santa Clara, California.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT