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

          The battery received its orders to move for the front on October 23 and about noon we moved out on our way to Guer.  From there we loaded on our train and departed for an unknown place.   Traveling this time was somewhat better, as only ten men occupied the 2X4 cars.  It is to be noted that the train was an up to date one owing to the telephone connections thereon, which were installed by the telephone gang before pulling out.  October 25th we detrained at Humberville and marched about two miles to our barracks in a valley.  Here we made ourselves at home for the next week by cleaning up in general and getting ready for the next move, which came on October 30th.  We left Humberville at about noon and detrained at Rimaucourt the following day, from where we marched to Toul and billeted for the night, a very cold one.   After the horses were cared for, and hot coffee served, the men were told to get their blankets and get under cover.  Most of the men had blankets and were under covers in a few minutes, but some were without cover.  Here we saw the American cemetery just outside Toul, which brought us to our senses once again.

        From Toul we marched to Lagney, arriving there about 6:00 p.m., October 31st.  Here we found good billets and the evening was spent in sound sleeping.   The next day, November 1st, we marched to the Woods of Bois Fliery, where we put up for the night and early in the morning pulled into the woods proper and laid under cover, as we were near the front and could hear the big guns singing their direful tunes.

        About 4:00 p.m the battery was divided into two parts, the Firing Battery, including the gun crews and part of the B. C. section, and the other, the remainder of the battery, known as the echelon or relief.  When all were assigned their proper duties the battery moved on its way to the front.  About 10:00 p.mp the part of the battery designated for the echelon left us in the woods west of Nonsard to take up their duties and the remainder kept on traveling towards their position.  About midnight we arrived at Beney, an old shot-up village which was once in the hands of the Germans, where twe took up our position and immediately started to get our guns under cover and everything ready for the following day.  It surely was a busy night for us, as nothing could be left undone.  When day broke everything was in order and we were all told to keep under cover and rest.  Some could sleep and some couldn't, owing to the guns sending their compliments over to Fritz with the battles.  On the 5th the battery moved from its position at Beney to the woods southwest of Benoit on the banks of a beautiful lake in the woods.  On our march to this
place we were fired upon for the first time.  If Fritz had loaded his guns with good shells instead of duds the writer might have had a a different or no story at all to tell, as 60 per cent of the shells sent over to us were "M. P. finish."

        The following day we received orders to move back to our former position at Beney, which move was made in the evening under fire and above plenty of mud.  Once more we made our position at Beney a comfortable living place and the following day began sending our calling cards over to Fritz by the hundreds.   On the late afternoon of the 9th Fritz located us and immediately started shelling us.  Again late in the evening Fritz was short and again we emerged all O.K.  Of course while the Germans were sending us shells we sent back ours, which, from the observers' standpoint took effect.  The morning of the 11th found the whole front booming until 10:59 a.m., when the order came to cease firing.  The remainder of the day and the following day were spent visiting the front lines on both sides.