In Their Own Words...

"The Englishman has a reserve that's very hard to break through, but when it is done, he is very much a human being."

Lieutenant Gow, 107th Infantry

"The future peace of the world depends upon the American and British peoples understanding one another, and the best hope of such an understanding grows out of the intermingling of the soldiers of the two armies."

British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George

"They were some of the most splendid men I have ever seen… and very well drilled."

Sir Douglas Haig

"The American is quicker witted than the average British soldier, and men from the country districts are undoubtedly of very fine physique."

British Tommy

"Nights were bitterly cold, but the sun would be scorching hot during the day."

Pvt. William F. Clarke, 104th Machine-Gun Battalion

"I knew how a man felt who was condemned to die, for we all thought it was our last night. We thought of our families and the ones we loved."

Sgt. Edward Graham Melvin, 117th Infantry Regiment

"I feel pretty happy about the prospects as a whole, for even if the Americans are inexperienced, they are keen as mustard and splendid men."

General Sir Henry Rawlinson

"The trip over the top was terrifying, yet exhilarating, but I believe most of the boys were in a trance. I know I was."

Sgt. Edward Graham Melvin, 117th Infantry Regiment

"There is a sharp pain when you are hit, and a shock that leaves you faint. This lasts about 15 minutes, then the pain is gone, but a raging thirst sets in."

Corp. James Toole, 108th Infantry Regiment

"The officers and men of the 27th Division did all that was humanly possible for brave men to do, and their gallantry in this action must stand out through all time in American history

Lieutenant Colonel Murray, Commander of the 4th Australian Machine Gun Battalion."

"Four minutes after the starting signal, the air was a hell of torturing sound… the scream of bursting shrapnel, the whistle of bullets, the splintering explosions of grenades, the staccato bark of countless machine guns… that all helped to build up a direful symphony of battle."

Maj. Gen. Edward M. Lewis

"The smoke barrage laid down by the Allied artillery proved very confusing to our troops. The direction of the march was hard to maintain, and due to some as yet unexplained phenomena, our marching compasses were so unstable as to be practically useless."

Col. James M. Andrews, Commander, 105th Infantry Regiment

"We were “cuffed and shoved about by the Germans, and fed only a slice of sour black bread as thick as tissue paper. Then we were given a bowl of coffee made from burnt barley."

Pvt. James W. Walker, 106th Infantry Regiment.

"So great was the demand for help that mechanics, wagoners, horses-shoers and cooks were used. Splintered vehicles and dead horses blocked the way. Such work was also dangerous. A bomb dropped by a German aeroplane killed one soldier while he directed traffic."

Pvt. Charles L. Campbell, 102nd Military Police Company

"The constant firing of machine guns sounded as though it were popcorn popping."

Pvt. Marvin Islen, Company L, 117th Infantry Regiment

"The British had given us a big half tumbler of rum before the charge, and Thank God for that."

Sgt. Merritt D. Cutler, 107th Infantry

"It was the saddest thing I ever encountered. The machine-gun fire was thicker than flies in summer."

Corp. Norman Stone, 108th Infantry

"German troops picked apart the New York soldiers with such ease that it reminded one historian of Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg, when advancing Confederates were struck down by Union artillery fire."

Frederick Palmer, Our Greatest Battle

"It was just a solid line of vehicles going to the front. My chauffer, who has driven on Fifth Avenue, stated that the road we were passing over was harder to drive than a New York street and there seemed to be more vehicles."

Col. Joseph Hyde Pratt, Commander, 105th Engineer Regiment