The diamond drill., 1914-10-03
HOW MEN FEEL ON
BATTLE FIELD
Continued from page onel

4
soldiers They shoot without anger,
but simply because they are fired
upon. One fights because one. is on
the battlefield and cannot do any
different. The terrible thing is that
often you are shot at without being
able TO return the fire. But this Is
not as fear-Inspiring as il is discour-
aging You learn 10 know what fear
is when you begin to realize that you
might be killed without killing some.
body first.
"Of course, | have been scared.
That was after | had been wounded.
We had been firing long time and
when next we advanced we came into
deep sandy road, out of which we
could not get because of the enemy's
terrible fire. We had to lie perfectly
still while bullets simply poured over
us. That was awful. "
The officer omitted TO state that
while in this position he was shot
three times in the arm. but continued
10 lead his troops throughout the
action.
1T is a well known fact that the
soldier sees very little of the battle.
On Aug "a early in the morning we
received orders to occupy hill at the
edge of track covered with bru sh
/ wood Forming part of the reserve,
we were expected to remain under
cover. In front of us was large open
battlefield. To each side of us were
batteries which had Numbered away
since early morning. This result of this
was that many of the enemy's shells
dropped right in front of us. /
remember noticing that while the
smoke of our shells had a lilac color
that Of the enemys was white.
$50 far we had not been disquieted
by the shells at all. On the edge of
the brush wood had been planted
yellow black flag, showing that some
where i'm that vicinity was TO be found
our general staff. Our colonel left us
and walked towards il, possibly TO get
orders, but just as he got there a
shrapnel exploded little ahead of him
in the air ana we saw our commanding
officer. in whom we placed all our
confidence go down. After that it
was terrible feeling TO lie still.
From that moment on, too, veritable
hail OF shells began to come. Some
sappers, who had been busy digging a
trench for the protection of the general
staff, started TO run. feared that my
oldiers would follow the example, and
began to make fun of the poor sappers,
scolding them at he same time. Thank
God. my battalion found that funny
and began TO laugh. They lived
through n terrible snrspnel fire with
not care and even found occasion for
laughter.
"A major took com mand of the
regiment and we received orders to
retalIe hill which the enemy had
taken under heavy fire But of the
enemy nothing at all was TO be seen
as we neared the position, though the
hail Of shells and shrspnel incre ased
in fury. The flag bearer marched
about 300 PAGES off my side. BY
accident 1 looked in his direction,
saw the white cloud OF smoke of a
Russian she'll and where the flag
bearer had been there was nothing
more to be- seen.
"The enemy meanwhile had taken
TO flight and later we saw the Russians
wading through swamp. Then they
got TO the river Por, and crossed it,
we after them shooting wading, out OF
breath. OF sudden village behind
us went up in flames, the fight falling
on us like the rays of huge reflector.
Then and there we received raio Of
fire and saw the enemy had taken
possession in good order OF the other
bank. We had TO fall back, not be-
canse we were afraid, but because
those were the orders. The sensation
of being in danger of death we did
not nave.
1.-THE phlegma Of the Slovac is
possibly the result of the circum-
stances that he has little feeling lie
always goes as far as his officer goes
no farther, but he follows his officer
were the goal hell itself. II is different
with the Hungarian and the Bosnian,
whose officers find il difficult TO hold
them back in it's firing line. They
always want TO break ahead to get at
the enemy.
"Flags and drums are useless things
in warfare. What Is the use OF Mag
hich by is bright colors reveals your
position, which as the brown paint on
by sabre shows IL has been intended 10
concealg In the one case even the
slightest reflection Of light is guarded