As I Saw It in the Trenches

“Now that the United States has declared war upon the German Empire, and that men will more than likely be conscripted into the service, I shall feel embarrassed should I fail to be among the first to go to the training camp,” wrote Dae Hinson of Leesville, Louisiana, in April 1917. His World War I memoir gives a compelling account of a young man’s induction into the army, basic training, friendships formed and frontline combat in France with the 156th Infantry. Hinson vividly records his daily struggles for survival in the trenches amid gas attacks, exploding shells and the constant “rattle and fuss” of machine-gun fire.

The late Dae Hinson taught in Louisiana schools for 38 years. He lived in Vernon Parish in Leesville, Louisiana.

Dae Hinson
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 188
Bibliographic Info: index
Copyright Date: 2015
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9873-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2002-2
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments  v
1. Introduction: “As I Saw It in the Trenches”  1
2. Getting Accustomed to Camp Life  5
3. Camp Beauregard  7
4. Off to France  11
5. Off to the Front  13
6. Our Assignment  17
7. Constructing Dugouts and Trenches  20
8. First Bombardment  22
9. Occupying France  31
10. Night of the 15th  36
11. Awaiting Orders  39
12. The Barrier  43
13. Crezancy  50
14. Forced to Lie Under Fire  61
15. Crossing the Marne  67
16. Witnessing the Aerial Fights  72
17. The ­Machine-Gun Engagements  80
18. My Personal Machine Encounter  96
19. Passing the Night  101
20. Almost Surrounded  105
21. Turning the Tide  114
22. Return to Crezancy  118
23. Mixing It on the Vesle [River]  121
24. The St. Mihiel Surprise  131
25. Waiting in Reserve  137
26. Visitation to Hell  143
27. A Few Incidentals  150
28. In Hell Again  155
29. Caught Napping  162
30. Growing More and More Disgusted  170
Index  179

“valuable…an authentic reflection of Hinson’s experiences…very descriptive and frank…a very good job describing the indescribable…a vivid insight into combat and soldiering in the First World War…highly recommended”—Military Review.