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The Big War Series
FIGHTING IN FRANCE
by
ROSS KAY
Author of "The Search for the Spy," "With Joffre on the Battle Line,"
"The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave," "The Go Ahead Boys on
Smuggler's Island," "The Go Ahead Boys in the Island Camp," etc., etc.
Illustrated by Charles L. Wrenn
[Frontispiece: "Forward!" shouted the captain in a loud, clear voice.]
New York
Barse & Hopkins
Publishers
Copyright, 1916, by
Barse & Hopkins
_Fighting in France_
PREFACE
When the greatest war in the history of mankind rages in Europe it is
not only natural but right that every one should be interested.
History is being made every day and heroism is displayed, unrivalled in
any previous conflict. In this book the author has striven to
chronicle some of the valorous deeds and to relate some of the
incidents and events that are part of the everyday life of the soldier
who is fighting in France. It has been his aim to present the story
devoid of sensationalism and to weave nothing of the impossible into
the tale. Most of the episodes are founded on fact and while the book
is not historical it has its inspiration from actual happenings.
Ross Kay.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I A DUEL IN THE AIR
II PREPARATIONS
III THE ATTACK
IV UNDERGROUND
V HAND TO HAND
VI UNDER FIRE
VII IN THE DITCH
VIII A MIDNIGHT SALLY
IX A CAPTURED TRENCH
X A BALL OF TWINE
XI RELIEVED
XII IN REVIEW
XIII A VOLUNTEER
XIV IN THE CHATEAU
XV THE FIGHT FOR THE TOWER
XVI THE DUG-OUT
XVII LIPPEN BREAKS
XVIII AN ASSIGNMENT
XIX OVER THE TRENCHES
XX AT FLAMBEAU
XXI DISABLED
XXII IN THE CLEARING
XXIII IN THE DARK
XXIV THE RETURN
XXV BACK AGAIN
XXVI THE BIG WAR
XXVII CONCLUSION
ILLUSTRATIONS
"Forward!" shouted the captain in a loud, clear voice . . . . . . . . .
_Frontispiece_
Leon whirled swiftly in time to see a big-helmeted German with the butt
end of his rifle upraised preparing to strike
The air was filled with smoke and dust from the crumbling plaster
"Let 'em have it!" cried Leon and the three automatic guns spoke almost
as if they were one piece
FIGHTING IN FRANCE
CHAPTER I
A DUEL IN THE AIR
"Well, Leon, it looks as if there was going to be a fight around here
pretty soon."
"Right you are, Earl. That suits me all right though and from the way
the rest of the men are acting it seems to suit them too."
Earl and Leon Platt, two American boys in the army of the French
Republic, were seated outside their quarters behind the fighting line.
The scene was in Champagne, one of the provinces of France that already
had witnessed some of the heaviest fighting of the Big War.
At the outbreak of the great European struggle these twin brothers had
been traveling in Europe. Earl was in England with friends and Leon
was visiting his aunt and uncle in a suburb just outside of Paris. At
the earliest possible moment Leon had enlisted in the French army.
Assigned to the aviation corps he had taken part in the great retreat
from Belgium to the gates of the French capital. Slightly wounded at
Charleroi, he had been in one of the hospitals for a few days.
When his wound had healed he had made his way south, arriving in time
to take part in the battle of the Marne which rolled back the tide of
German invasion and saved France. Through all these varying
experiences and hardships Jacques Dineau, a young Frenchman, had been
his inseparable companion. These two boys, for they were nothing more
than that, had more than once distinguished themselves for bravery and
daring until they had become the favorites of their regiment. Now they
were stationed in Champagne, in the trenches, where for weeks and
months both sides had been deadlocked, neither able to push the other
back.
With the declaration of war Leon's parents had naturally been anxious
as to his safety and not hearing from him had instructed Earl to find
his missing brother at all hazards. This Earl had endeavored to do and
after many kinds of adventures had finally been successful. The lure
of further adventure however had attracted him and he too had enlisted.
Now all three boys were in the same company of the same regiment.
"Yes, sir," exclaimed Jacques, who spoke English with only the
slightest suspicion of an accent, "there will certainly be some real
fighting soon. It will seem good after all these months of quiet."
"I shouldn't describe them as especially quiet," laughed Earl grimly.
"I mean," explained Jacques, "that we have been in the trenches all the
time. Now we will have a chance to get out of them; perhaps for good."
"If we can break the German lines," suggested Leon.
"We will give them an awful bump anyway," laughed Jacques.
"And we'll lose half our men," added Leon soberly.
"We do not think of that," exclaimed Jacques proudly. "We are assigned
to the front line, the post of honor. We will lead the charge and I
think we are very lucky."
"The other regiments are jealous of us anyway," said Earl. "When does
the attack start?"
"To-morrow morning at nine-fifteen sharp."
"And we'll move into the first line trenches tonight I suppose."
"Exactly."
"That's it," exclaimed Leon. "Pierre Garemont told me not thirty
minutes ago that he had just been talking with Captain Le Blanc and
that was the information he received."
"I suppose everything is arranged," said Earl.
"You may be sure of that," said Jacques heartily. "Our officers are
not the kind to send us into a battle without doing everything that is
possible."
"Think of the artillery support we'll have," cried Leon
enthusiastically. "I don't see how they can stop us."
"How much will we have?" demanded Earl.
"Our guns will drop four shells every minute in every yard of German
trenches. Think of that."
"You mean," exclaimed Earl, "that in every space three feet long a
shell will explode every fifteen seconds?"
"I certainly do."
"It seems incredible," muttered Earl. "Why, there'll be nothing left
of them."
"That is just what we want," cried Jacques. "When we smash their
trenches to pieces then we can drive them out of our country and France
will be free once more."
"I suppose our batteries will all have the exact range," said Earl.
"You need not worry about that," smiled Jacques. "The exact location
of every German trench is marked to the inch on our officers' maps.
What do you think our aviators are for? Don't you know that they take
pictures of the enemy's fortifications from their machines and that all
the pictures are developed and enlarged? Oh, they'll have the range
all right. You'll see."
"Look!" cried Leon suddenly. "Here comes one of our aerial scouts now."
Far away in the eastern sky a tiny speck appeared. It approached
rapidly and increased in size as it came nearer. At least four
thousand feet above the trenches the great mechanical bird flew and the
three young soldiers watched it in silent admiration.
Suddenly a puff of white smoke appeared below the aeroplane.
"The Germans are firing at it," cried Earl.
"And there goes one of their machines up after it," exclaimed Jacques
as another speck appeared against the horizon. It was lower than the
French machine but rose in great circles with amazing speed until it
had reached a point above its enemy. At this point it headed west and
sped in pursuit of the French aeroplane.
"One of those new _fokkers_," remarked Jacques quickly.
"The German machine, you mean?" queried Leon.
"Yes. They are very fast too."
"He'll never come over our line though," said Earl. "He'll turn back
soon."
"There goes another of our machines up to help," exclaimed Leon.
From the aviation field in the rear of their quarters came a great
clatter and noise. A moment later a big monoplane came into view and
rising rapidly higher and higher set out to the aid of its companion.
Meanwhile the first aviator, pursued by the German _fokker_, had
evidently determined to give battle. He dipped suddenly and shot
downward at incredible speed. All about him the bombs from the
high-angle guns of the enemy were exploding and it did not seem
possible that he could escape. The cheering of their comrades in the
trenches came faintly to the ears of the three watching boys.
"He'll be hit," cried Leon tensely.
"Wait," cautioned Jacques.
The aeroplane still raced towards the earth. Suddenly it began to rise
and up, up, it soared. Higher and higher it went, describing huge
circles in its flight. The little white clouds all about told with
what zeal its destruction was sought, but still it kept on. Now it had
reached a level as high as the giant _fokker_. Meanwhile the other
French machine raced to its aid.
"You'll see the German turn back now," predicted Jacques.
"Why shouldn't he?" demanded Earl. "It's two to one."
"His only hope is to disable the first machine before the other comes
up," said Jacques. "Otherwise he'll have to run for it."
"How high do you suppose they are now?" asked Earl.
"Five thousand feet," said Leon. "Is that about right, Jacques?"
"I should think so; just about," replied the young Frenchman.
Almost every soldier in the great camp was standing, gazing skyward at
the combat going on among the clouds over their heads. These duels in
the air were not infrequent but they never lost their power to thrill.
To see two huge mechanical birds each maneuvering for a chance to
strike a death blow to its rival was a sight to stir the blood of any
man, no matter how often he had seen its duplicate before.
"What did I tell you?" demanded Jacques suddenly.
The _fokker_ turned at the approach of its second enemy and in full
retreat made for the German lines. The two French machines did not
attempt a pursuit, but after one or two triumphant circles were headed
for home. A few moments later they passed directly over the spot where
the three young soldiers were seated, on their way to their respective
hangars.
"Why didn't they chase that fellow?" exclaimed Leon. "They were two to
one and it seems to me they had a great chance to bring him down."
"You must remember this," Jacques reminded him. "He had a good start
on them and, if anything, had a faster machine than theirs. Then that
scout of ours may have very important news for headquarters as a result
of his observations. He probably wants to report as soon as he can."
"That's true," said Leon. "I had almost forgotten this attack
to-morrow I got so excited watching the aeroplanes."
"You started to tell what Captain Le Blanc said," Earl reminded his
brother. "Go ahead and finish what you heard."
"Well," said Leon, "he said that everything was ready. He even knew
the number of German batteries that will be opposed to us; he also knew
just what regiments hold the line opposite. He said that along the
whole length of our front line steps had been cut in the trenches so
that we can climb out easily. The barbed-wire entanglements have had
little lanes cut through them every few feet so we can get through
without any trouble."
"Whew," whistled Earl. "It looks as if we meant business all right."
"We surely do," agreed Leon. "We're to carry along bridging to form
pathways across the German trenches so we can bring up our guns and
supplies quickly. All shoes and extra clothes and blankets are to be
turned into the quartermaster; every man is to put on clean
underclothes so that if he is wounded he won't be infected. You're to
have your gas-masks ready and every one will receive one hundred and
thirty extra rounds, making two hundred and fifty in all."
"When do we move into the trenches?" asked Jacques.
"Ten o'clock to-night."
"And final inspection is when?"
"One hour before that."
"We'd better get ready," exclaimed Jacques. "It's almost supper-time
now and we've got lots to do."
Every man who passed their tent seemed, to be unusually business-like.
No one seemed nervous or worried, but perhaps a little more serious
than usual. But there was not a man among all those thousands who was
not glad that on the morrow he was to come up out of his hole in the
ground and meet his enemy face to face. An air of quiet confidence
pervaded the camp; the air was full of it and one glance at these
grim-visaged warriors of France was enough to convince any observer
that they were eager for the battle to come.