March 20, 1918 - Don Martin has thrilling first view of shell fire

Don Martin diary entry for Wednesday, March 20, 1918:

Saw my first shell fire.

Got my first view of shell fire. While I was in village of Domjiron with Junius Wood of Chicago News, Germans opened fire on town – gas and shrapnel. While Wood and I were having dinner with Capt. Hammond, shells were falling continually about 300 yards away, around American batteries. Finally shells began to fall in village and all around. Everyone hurried out and stood in fields and along road for 2 hours while Germans dropped 1,000 shells and big French guns blazed away in return. Was very thrilling. Americans never left their batteries. Four men hurt. No one killed. Was my first glimpse of real war. Wood and I returned by way of Luneville and Toul. Got back at 10:30 p.m. Shells made sound like a buzz saw or zither string breaking. No chance of dodging them. Can’t see them of course. They do comparatively small damage.

Weather wet and cold.

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