WWI

[Roadkill]

Ordered to penetrate the Hun line, Edward Lukert found himself trapped by grenade and pistol fire. Click here to see actual letter.




Letter from Edward Luckert

Monday - July 22 - 18

Dearest: -

Last night for the third night straight I got another order for a patrol. They further ordered that we again penetrate the Hun line as we did Saturday. We all knew that this was quite a dangerous undertaking - but
Anyway, last night we went out as usual, crawling through thru the Boche wire. A' Hearn lead the way, then me, then fifteen men and last, Lt. Brown. Practically all the Officers left in the Company outside of Harris were in the scrap. As we had left quite a few marks behind Saturday, we suspected that Fritz might lay in wait to ambush us, but our fears were set at rest when we arose and leaped into his trench. It was empty. Listening for a few minutes, we filed down his path toward the second line and again halted to listen. We paused here almost five minutes and were just about ready to dash in and start the fuss, when we heard a smothered cough directly in front of us. And then the ground seemed to spring up in one great roar and flame and we knew it had been a trap.

A'Hearn and several other men dropped the first half second and from the scream one of them let out I knew they had been hit. Then I have a faint recollection of another burst of thunder as we threw our grenades and emptied our guns. I also remember shouting orders at the top of my voice. Later one man said I ordered them to climb out and get on a line - to spread out. Another said I ordered them to withdraw, one at a time. Whatever it was, I don't know, but anyway, the only thing to do was back out the way we came in and get into a firing position. All this time they continued to pepper us with grenades and pistols, and finally the man in rear of me pulled me by the coat and I knew it was my time to cease firing and back out. We dragged A'Hearn out with us, and once outside their wire, he staggered to his feet and said he wasn't hurt. So he walked back with us fighting all the time. Once again within our own wire - the firing stopped and I took account of losses. A'Hearn was hit five times all around his hips and thighs. Lt. Brown had his face looking like a piece of beef and four of the men including Williams had been hit in the chest and limbs. It must have been a sorry, bloody-looking bunch that came dragging each other into our own lines. Once inside A'Hearn lost consciousness and we patched them up temporarily as best we could. A half hour later the Surgeon arrived and took them to the Hospital.

rk