Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-12-02
GUN FIRE IS AWFUL
British Officer Describes Deadli-
ness of Artillery.
Tells of Narrowing Experience Facing
German Lines to Rescue Wounded
Captain-Has Sword Hilt
Shot Away.

London-The awfulness of modern
artillery fire is described in thrilling
story told by British officer just re-
turning from Flanders. He says:
II took eight men to find out what
happened to Captain B. and platoon
who were sent to support the firing
line. Three hundred yards out saw
the line of our infantry lying fat on
the ground and made toward them.
Il shall never forget traversing
those three hundred yards. The Ger
man guns, which were only 800 yards
away, fired with extreme accuracy.
1t seemed impossible that my little
party could escape. Three were hit
almost Immediately, but we others
kept on and reached the line.
ITO my horror found all dead or
wounded except three men, who were
keeping perfectly still. I found a
subaltern on his knee with one hand
resting on the ground just in the at
titude of a runner who is waiting for
the signal for the start of a race.
He was stone dead. A shrapnel bullet
had pierced his head. ! again crept
forward another hundred yards, where
l found our firing line under Captain
B. They were lying, every man killed
or wounded within about four hundred
yards of the German guns, which we
could not even see.
I'm the center a bunch of Is men
lay in a heap, having massed as they
advanced for mutual protection. I
never have seen such wounds at this
short range.
II found Captain B. still alive with
his thigh shattered and another wound
in his neck.
CAS- long as we lay quiet the Ger
man guns did not fire, but directly
any one moved we got another shell
right on top of us.
Il saw that unless Captain B. re-
ceived speedy attention he would die.
l took two rifles and made a stretch
er out of a great coat. We carried
Captain B. almost to the edge of
wood before the Germans noticed us.
Then they opened fire, but we reached
cover.
Il got some more volunteers from
my platoon and four stretchers, and
these brave fellows crawled up to
the firing line and carried the others
out under heavy fire. Several of the
wounded were again hit on the way.
Il was on the extreme right of the
line to cut a pack from a man who
was badly wounded. l heard a shell
coming and instinctively put up my
arm to guard my face and tried to
throw myself on the ground. But it
was too late. / felt terrific blow,
just as if some one had hit me with
a giant red hot poker. was spun
around and seemed to go on spinning
and then fell to the ground.
II thought / had been killed, as /
felt a violent blow in the abdomen.
then discovered my right arm was
broken and useless. 1t was bleeding
freely. / looked at my stomach,
where / felt the greatest pain, but
to my great relief saw no blood. Then
found the bullet had cut the ring
on my belt and carried away the hilt
of my sword.
II lay on the ground a few min
utes; then the Germans commenced
to shell us again. Finally we reached
the field hospital, where we were
given morphine, then put in train
with hundreds of other wounded.
This is all know of war, and / have
not the least idea whether we won or
were beaten on the day l was hit