TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DAILY ARKANSAS GAZETTE MARCH 16, 1919 P. 16
On New Year’s Day, 1918, we took over the Toul sector, relieving the French. My first real experience in fighting started here. After several days of instruction, a party of about 180 men found themselves in the front line trenches waiting for the zero hour to go over the top. After a successful barrage, which swept the German front trenches, the whistle blew and we were over the top with a yell. Upon reaching the German front line trenches we found that, with the exception of a few machine gun emplacements, the Huns deserted. This was our first raid and proved successful. Our loses were very slight. A few nights later the Germans retaliated and raided our trenches. We met them with grim determination to hold our own, and there were only a handful of the Boches that returned to their trenches to tell their tale. The casualties on both sides were very heavy, the Germans having a much larger number than ours.
After three weeks of maneuvers, we were again ready to tackle the Hun and any of his diabolical work. This time we took over the Cantigny sector, on the Somme front. The action here was on a larger scale. We suffered severe casualties rom aeroplanes and artillery bombardments. We were isolated for a time from the rear, for the German bombardment had cut off communication. For four days and nights we were without water or food, the emergency rations we carried with us having been eaten in the first few meals. The only water we could obtain was filthy and from shell holes. When assistance was brought us, they found us pale and ghostly. Our lips gasped a fearful tale of our experience. We devoured the food ravenously. Shortly after we were sent back of the lines for a rest, preparatory to a proposed attack on Cantigny. It was very difficult for us to get the rest we so badly needed, for there was a continual bombardment from shrapnel and gas shells, which made it quite uncomfortable for us. The only possible protection we had was a few old shacks of a ruined village.
We filled up the gaps in the companies and were all prepared for battle again. Our entire battalion was assigned to the front line trenches in the Cantigny sector. We remained here for 21 days. During most of this time I was on patrol duty at nights, I well remember the night a party of 10, including myself, were ordered to capture a machine gun emplacement located in No Man’s Land. This was used as a sniper’s post, and proved very troublesome to us. At 2:30 a.m., we started out toward our objective, crawling quietly and without confusion. After reaching the emplacement successfully, a German flare shell was sent soaring through the air and we found ourselves cut off from our front lines by a German patrol party of about 25 men. The only possible way we could get back was by having each man fight his way back. The Germans showered us with hand grenades and pistol shots. The machine gun we set out to capture aided them considerably in their effort to disperse us. They made a general onslaught and rushed violently at us. We met them bravely, determined to fight to a finish in preference to being taken prisoners. We threw our grenades and opened fire on them with our pistols. This cut them up to such an extent that it was quite easy for us to get back to our lines. I am quite sure I got my part of them. We suffered no losses, although we were outnumbered two to one. Two of our men were wounded slightly. I was fortunate enough to return without even a scratch.
A few days later we were sent to the second line trenches to act as support to the 16th and 28th Infantry. We played a fine part in the capture of Cantigny, which was the bloodiest battle the Americans fought in up to that time.
After the capture of this strategic position, we were assigned to its front line positions.
The Germans used every endeavor to regain this stronghold and launched numerous counter-attacks. They sent over many gas attacks, one of which that lasted seven hours. All of this, however, proved unsuccessful.
It was during this seven-hour gas attack that I was gassed. The inlet value in the respirator of my gas mask was dislodged, which proved my undoing. I was extremely tired and weak because of the loss and sleep and little eating during the last few days of fighting. When I inhaled the gas, it brought about a nauseated feeling and weakened me physically. I was hurriedly taken to the first aid station, where I was unconscious for several hours. I was removed to the field hospital and then to a French hospital.
It felt like heaven to me to be put into a soft bed with white smooth sheets, which I had not seen for many months. The treatment and medical attention given me was the very best. I was the only American in the ward and the French woman that nursed me treated me like a mother. I shall never forget her. The Red Cross sent dainties of all kinds to me and books to read. I could not read them for my eyes were weakened b ythe poison gas.
I was resting very comfortably for several days. It was 2 o’clock one morning when the Strombos horn blew the alarm that indicated an air raid. A few minutes later we could hear the bombs exploding in and around the town and then---CRASH! a side wall of the hospital was torn down and the windows were shattered. As many of the patients as were able hurried to the cellars. I was in a sort of subconscious state as I lay quietly in my bed, hardly realizing the dangers. They repeated their attacks for several nights in succession, doing considerable damage to the town and the hospital. I remained in this hospital for several months, until I was able to walku. I was transferred to a classification board at St. Aignan, where I was in hopes of being pronounced cured and then returned to my company and given another chance at the Hun. Unfortunately, I was put in a class unfit for further service on the front. Light duty behind the lines was recommended.
NOTES: Sergeant Jack Harvey Hogue to his father, W. R. Hogue, of Bauxite. He served in the Army from April 1, 1917 – August 1, 1919 and then served in the Navy, June 17, 1943 – July 9, 1945 during World War II. He was born on June 15, 1898 in Sardis, Arkansas and died on October 8, 1988 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is buried in the Pine Crest Cemetery in Alexander, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
On New Year’s Day, 1918, we took over the Toul sector, relieving the French. My first real experience in fighting started here. After several days of instruction, a party of about 180 men found themselves in the front line trenches waiting for the zero hour to go over the top. After a successful barrage, which swept the German front trenches, the whistle blew and we were over the top with a yell. Upon reaching the German front line trenches we found that, with the exception of a few machine gun emplacements, the Huns deserted. This was our first raid and proved successful. Our loses were very slight. A few nights later the Germans retaliated and raided our trenches. We met them with grim determination to hold our own, and there were only a handful of the Boches that returned to their trenches to tell their tale. The casualties on both sides were very heavy, the Germans having a much larger number than ours.
After three weeks of maneuvers, we were again ready to tackle the Hun and any of his diabolical work. This time we took over the Cantigny sector, on the Somme front. The action here was on a larger scale. We suffered severe casualties rom aeroplanes and artillery bombardments. We were isolated for a time from the rear, for the German bombardment had cut off communication. For four days and nights we were without water or food, the emergency rations we carried with us having been eaten in the first few meals. The only water we could obtain was filthy and from shell holes. When assistance was brought us, they found us pale and ghostly. Our lips gasped a fearful tale of our experience. We devoured the food ravenously. Shortly after we were sent back of the lines for a rest, preparatory to a proposed attack on Cantigny. It was very difficult for us to get the rest we so badly needed, for there was a continual bombardment from shrapnel and gas shells, which made it quite uncomfortable for us. The only possible protection we had was a few old shacks of a ruined village.
We filled up the gaps in the companies and were all prepared for battle again. Our entire battalion was assigned to the front line trenches in the Cantigny sector. We remained here for 21 days. During most of this time I was on patrol duty at nights, I well remember the night a party of 10, including myself, were ordered to capture a machine gun emplacement located in No Man’s Land. This was used as a sniper’s post, and proved very troublesome to us. At 2:30 a.m., we started out toward our objective, crawling quietly and without confusion. After reaching the emplacement successfully, a German flare shell was sent soaring through the air and we found ourselves cut off from our front lines by a German patrol party of about 25 men. The only possible way we could get back was by having each man fight his way back. The Germans showered us with hand grenades and pistol shots. The machine gun we set out to capture aided them considerably in their effort to disperse us. They made a general onslaught and rushed violently at us. We met them bravely, determined to fight to a finish in preference to being taken prisoners. We threw our grenades and opened fire on them with our pistols. This cut them up to such an extent that it was quite easy for us to get back to our lines. I am quite sure I got my part of them. We suffered no losses, although we were outnumbered two to one. Two of our men were wounded slightly. I was fortunate enough to return without even a scratch.
A few days later we were sent to the second line trenches to act as support to the 16th and 28th Infantry. We played a fine part in the capture of Cantigny, which was the bloodiest battle the Americans fought in up to that time.
After the capture of this strategic position, we were assigned to its front line positions.
The Germans used every endeavor to regain this stronghold and launched numerous counter-attacks. They sent over many gas attacks, one of which that lasted seven hours. All of this, however, proved unsuccessful.
It was during this seven-hour gas attack that I was gassed. The inlet value in the respirator of my gas mask was dislodged, which proved my undoing. I was extremely tired and weak because of the loss and sleep and little eating during the last few days of fighting. When I inhaled the gas, it brought about a nauseated feeling and weakened me physically. I was hurriedly taken to the first aid station, where I was unconscious for several hours. I was removed to the field hospital and then to a French hospital.
It felt like heaven to me to be put into a soft bed with white smooth sheets, which I had not seen for many months. The treatment and medical attention given me was the very best. I was the only American in the ward and the French woman that nursed me treated me like a mother. I shall never forget her. The Red Cross sent dainties of all kinds to me and books to read. I could not read them for my eyes were weakened b ythe poison gas.
I was resting very comfortably for several days. It was 2 o’clock one morning when the Strombos horn blew the alarm that indicated an air raid. A few minutes later we could hear the bombs exploding in and around the town and then---CRASH! a side wall of the hospital was torn down and the windows were shattered. As many of the patients as were able hurried to the cellars. I was in a sort of subconscious state as I lay quietly in my bed, hardly realizing the dangers. They repeated their attacks for several nights in succession, doing considerable damage to the town and the hospital. I remained in this hospital for several months, until I was able to walku. I was transferred to a classification board at St. Aignan, where I was in hopes of being pronounced cured and then returned to my company and given another chance at the Hun. Unfortunately, I was put in a class unfit for further service on the front. Light duty behind the lines was recommended.
NOTES: Sergeant Jack Harvey Hogue to his father, W. R. Hogue, of Bauxite. He served in the Army from April 1, 1917 – August 1, 1919 and then served in the Navy, June 17, 1943 – July 9, 1945 during World War II. He was born on June 15, 1898 in Sardis, Arkansas and died on October 8, 1988 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is buried in the Pine Crest Cemetery in Alexander, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT