Sidney D. Light's WWI Diary, Postcards & Letters, 329th Battery Book Accounts

It was Thursday night when old Battery B put over a nice little barrage, and it sure did look pretty—the flash of the duns in the dark of twilight, the hurrying figures, the firing punch. Just after this our horses arrived—escorted by the best bunch of drivers who ever drew rein and the battery started moving to its second position. As we crossed the bridge at Thiaucourt Jerry put one over and a fragment struck Larson in the knee. He was in considerable pain but refused to go on the escort wagon until we were outside the town. "This is not a healthy place to stop," he said.

Our second position was about a kilo the other side of Thiaucourt and the guns had to be placed along a road that was in full sight of four enemy observation balloons. All around were badly shelled remnants of battery positions. But here again all went well until the horses had been sent back, when bang! bang! bang! bang! four shells struck at regular intervals just the other side of the road where our men were busily engaged erecting camouflage for the pieces. Guisbert, who was resting for a bit, received a wound in the neck from a piece of shell which cut through the collar of his overcoat. Had it struck a scant two inches further back we would have had another game lad to mourn. The same shell played hob with Jarosz’s pack lying near.

Just in the rear of the guns was a ditch which came in very handy as a ducking place when shells came over. Its presence accounted for the periodic disappearance of several members of the gun crews. After this the shells did not come so close but could be heard tearing the air up all night. The following day, after digging in had been completed, the guns were adjusted on Mont Plasir Farm. In the afternoon we received a few more messages from Fritz but no damage was done. The next few days were quiet—except where the Battery Commander and detail were concerned—and then came the World’s Greatest Event. Here is a good place to put in the Gun squads and different Details as they were lined up at the front.

First Gun Squad—Sgt. Seefeld, chief of section; Corp. Ackerman, gunner; Jasper, No.1; Finucan, No. 2; Hughson, No. 3; Sunday, No. 4; Kelly, No. 5; Vickers; Mackie, Chas.

Second Gun Squad—Stg. Balter, chief of station; Corp. Sullivan, gunner; Little, No 1; Lutton, No. 2; Goldberg, No. 3; Frey, No. 4; Mackie, John, No. 5; Steinke; Moore.

Third Gun Squad—Stg. McCarty, chief of section; Corp. Reiger, gunner; McKinnon, No. 1; Wilson, No. 2; Sanford, No. 3; Nelson, No. 4; Saari, No. 5; Sherwood; Kramer.

Fourth Gun Squad—Stg. Gustafson, chief of section; Corp. Ritter, gunner; Vincent, No. 1; Roszmann, No. 2; Kennedy, Roy, No. 3; Shelton, No. 4; Horton, No. 5; Beck.

Instrument Detail—Ins. Sgt. A. R. Daw, G. H. Larson, C. S. Neithercut.

Machine Gun Crews—Corp. Manchester, Corp. Barrett, Hershberger, Lewis, Bulter, Doolen

Telephone Detail—Tel. Sgt. L.F. Armstrong, Corp. Seward, Corp. Herman, Corp. Hartog, Privates 1st Class Wooster, Hall, Guisbert, Brinkman, Coffman, Kobel, Deal, Watling, Dreyfus, Lee, Dale, Nowlen, Geo. Burns.

Reserve Gun Squads

Fifth Gun Squad—Stg. Davey, chief of section; Corp. Guinner, gunner; Kennedy, D. C., No. 1; Roe, No. 2; Vaughn, No. 3; Paavola, No. 4; Eisenberg, No. 5; Kotlier; Creighton.

Sixth Gun Squad—Sgt. Himmelhoch, chief of section; Corp. Honsinger, gunner; Meyers, No. 1; Nankervis, No. 2; Bruner, No. 3; Patrick, No. 4; McCausey, No 5; Aseltine; Chait.

Seventh Gun Squad—Corp. Sharick, chief of section; Cook, gunner; Webber, No. 1; Jackson, No. 2; Olmstead, No. 3; Lutey, No. 4; Ulshafer, No. 5; Steiner, Galesnik.

Eighth Gun Squad—Pvt. Scanlon, chief of section; McDonald, gunner; Johnson, No. 1; Kneeland, No. 2; Marble, No. 3; Vargo, No. 4, Van Spyker, No. 5; Hawkins, Travers.