Cpl. Doyle’s War Story of Soissons Fray.
Cpl. William J.
Doyle, battery C, 12th Field artillery, Second Division. U. S. A., Now
at new weld on the Rhine with the American forces recently one sixth prize to a
competition among 2000 competitors who wrote for a Philadelphian newspaper. The
gallant Cpl. is a son of the Shenandoah labor news editor and naturally his
townsman and the people of the county are interested in his achievement. It is
a thrilling story describing events in which he participated during the counter
offensive ordered by general spoke and purging at soy sans, and indicates the
splendid exploits of the regulars.
Superb artillery work
Neuweld, Germany, February 27, 1919 second Field artillery brigade second
division army of occupation Germany.
To the editor of war
letters there were two American divisions the first and second summoned by
general spoke for his counter offensive blow of July 18 upon Soissins. Being a
member the 12th Field artillery of the latter division. It will to
my lot to be one of those fortunate participating in the great stroke dealt the
Bosche.
Our division was
lying in support of the 26th division on the Château Thierry a front
when the hurry up call came, and with the least display of any movement, that
might appraise the enemy, we slipped away in the early morning of the 15th.
We were well on our way when daylight came and night coming on so is still
traveling in a line parallel with the front. We had stopped for a brief time,
in which to feed both men and horses, traveling steadily all the night of the 15th
and the morning of the 16th the result was that 10 A. M. Of the
latter they saw the finish of one of the most remarkable marches ever affected
by an army.
One piece (Canon)
from each battery throughout the entire brigade was ordered into position for
the night of the 16th with orders to adjust on the morning of the 17th.
After these orders had been carried out, and they were of an extremely
difficult nature, the remaining pieces from each of the batteries together with
the ammunition trains, arrived and were placed in position. The result of the
long march and sleepless nights was shown by the terror firing barraged the
Allied artillery “put over” for their doughboys.
About 10 AM of the 18th
we advanced 8 km. On our new position our regiment of batteries was lined up,
hub to hub with the 17th heavy artillery, just across the road. We
remained in this position until the night of the 21st without
suffering any casualties although the Bosche Avion’s seem to have the supremacy
of the air. The operators of enemy planes made matters quite interesting in the
daytime by flying low overhead and shooting off their machine guns, and at
night dropping bombs whenever they surmise our soldiers might be.
Well anyway during
the evening of the 21st our battery commander gathered us around him
in a rather fatherly sort of manner and confided to us the orders he had received.
Our commander, Lieut. Mehl (he was killed on the same mission), told us that
our work that night would be hazardous and in going about it we might keep
absolute quiet. Every man in the outfit showed by the unruffled manner in which
he received the news us stuff each was made of and they fully lived up to the
my expectations during the trying hours of the next day. We had great
difficulty in getting to the destination set by our regimental commander, on
account of the extremely narrow road we traversed, with traffic trying to
affect passage in an opposite direction.
After great delay (it
had taken us almost 8 hours to travel a little over 2 km) we finally pulled
into a field a little to the left of Bell Fontaine farm. Set up our guns and
were given quiet orders to catch a little sleep. The men threw themselves down
wherever there were shell holes so as to afford some protected from the cold
win and drizzling rain that had set in. We were awakened in the morning by our
battery commander, who gave orders for the lenders to come up. This signified
that we were to advance. The morning began to clear up an observation was very
good. The Dutchman’s observation post, presumably on the knoll of hills in
front, would loose no time in getting an end just went on us. By this time our
entire battalion of 75’s was ready to move forward.
Our battery being
nearest the road received orders to regain the main road fork and proceed in
the direction of the enemy. Fritz sent in a few, well to our rear, and we were
counted counting ourselves lucky on his poor adjustment, when suddenly he began
to adjust on the road over which we had orders to travel. His adjustment was
perfect, and he opened up with a battery of 77’s, putting a barrage across the
road.
During this time we
were moving forward in an orderly manner, when the range of an enemy fire was
extended to our very line of march. Lieut. Mehl calmly gave a left about, and
on the execution of the order one of the poles of the first section limber was
broken. Men rushed to the assistance of the drivers, unhitched the horses and
pulled the case onto the rear of the Bell Fontaine farm. Lieut. Mel had in the
meantime confided to the battalion commander that it would be fatal to attempt
the passage over the showed road. Receiving orders to the contrary, he
commanded his battery to again move forward, placing himself so some 50 yards
in its lead. The shells were coming over pretty steadily now with a mixture of
gas, high explosives and some shrapnel.
On account of the open
nature of the country, the observation was perfect, and it seemed to me that an
act of Providence was all that kept us from being annihilated. One of the
shelves made a perfect hit on the road, just in front, and the flying pieces
played a tattoo on the sides of the leading caissons. One of the noncoms, Sgt.
James broth, took command and gave a left about knowing that by so doing he
would save the command. Our battery, arriving at Bell Fontaine farm took the
road to the right again moving forward but this time protected by an
installation. The shell that caused the orderly retreat of the battery was also
responsible for the brave commander’s death.
To return to the
battery; the command fell upon a young Lieut. Wood by name who assumed charge
and led the organization in its charge “over the top” the battery travel
slightly to the right following the road and seemed from enemy view by the
woods on both sides of the road. But now comes again and open space in the
final – for a supreme position on the hill overlooking Parsy Tigny. The battery
was, divided into sections with orders to Gallup, the Canon years cleaning for
their lives to whatever they might lay their hands on during a wild ride. It
was all over in a few minutes: the show was gained and the guns once more
placed in position
Each piece had fired
50 rounds on the town from the new commander, Lieut. early, a ride with orders
to retire. We had once more to Gallup in plain view of the enemy. All went well
until we had gained the wooded road. The enemy, timing is sent his murderous
shells over, killing one man and wounding another; one of the drivers had a
horse killed underneath his while he escaped uninjured. Bringing along what
material we could, we again set up in position in the road of Belle Fontaine
farm. We curtailed all unnecessary movement, but the Bosch over Avalon’s,
flying low, discerned our position and flew over the enemy lines with the news.
About midday, while half the battery was eating in the farmhouse, the enemy
opened up with terrific fire on his already adjusted territory, maintaining the
bombardment, for almost an hour.
The men in the
farmhouse ignoring danger rush to the aid of their comrades, performing deeds
of bravery that demanded cool headedness and initiative. Our firing battery
suffered casualties that they to the extent of two officers and six men killed,
and about 25 wounded and gassed. We lost 15 to 20 horses rendering the battery
in mobile for the time being. However, with the few remaining men, and under
great difficulty the guns were removed that night. It was a moonlit night. The
Bosche planes were flying low. These, coupled with the open nature of the
country, rendered the task hazardous, especially so to the already exhausted
and demoralize personnel.
The pieces and
caissons were hauled by hand down a road leading to a wooded section. Many
stops at the meme eight, when the steady hum drum of the Bosche machines was
heard overhead for the enemy bombing planes were on the “warpath” that night.
The men were sent to the ammunition train echelon for a night’s rest, where the
battery was reorganized and sent up to the following night to once more take up
its fight for liberty and democracy.
Such is the simple
story of their heroic and sacrificing work of one battery of American
artillery, and its symbolic of each and every organization in the second
division.
Cpl. William J Doyle
battery C, 12th Field Artillery, Army Of Occupation. Germany.