The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1915-07-30
HIS FIRST CHARGE
Britisher's Experience OF the
Realities OF War.
Hsslsatsa In Thick cf aa.tls q Firvt
uFpertGnlsy 70 rake human Life
---~saw Red" When His Com
rads Was Shot Down.

patis.---Lying. In hospital here .
young british soldier who had been
London broker q few months ago. told
the story OF his hrst bayonet charge
II will he his last. too, for he win
never be well enough again TO be sent
back TO the front
We had gone Into the trenches
round Ypres Only a few days before"
hs said. "and my hrst experience Of
tho realities OF war was 10 lie patiently
suffering an awful Inactivity while the
artillery on both sides belched de-
struction on the men facing each
other 10 the trenches.
"As dawn broke | felt an uncon
trollable desire 20 climb out OF the
trench into the open. but knew II
was counting death. as ! saw the next
moment The man nearest me raised
his head above the paapet. aud 10 an
instant was bagged by sniper lie
rolled over with a stifed murmur. and
lay quite still with HIS face buried In
the soft red earth. turned him over
and spoke 10 him. but he vas dead.
with hole In his forehead,
THE day passed fairly quiet until
dusk, when We received the order that
In an hours time we were to storm
one OF the enemy's advanced positions.
The next hour seemed lifetime. The
noise OF the bomhardment sweiled
louder and louder. hut hardly no
ticed H. The men around me showed
their emotions In their faces. Some
were excited and showed nm almost
exaggerated enthusiasm for the work
In hand The majority were strangely
silent can honestly say felt no
actual fear. but could not help ~.
membering that in q short time our
numbers would probably be reduced
by half and was prepared for tho
worst.
In Ave minutes tho order would 30
given and the thought OK what vas
coming made my blood boil I. too.
became impatient TO get out into that
stretch OF open ground which separated
us from our goal II Was dark now.
and the enemy's searchlight began to
sweep our positions. Two more min
uics and We should leap from our
trenches
The bombardment reached its
height and with Wild. vicious fnal
roar which seemed 10 open the
heavens il ceased The moment had
arrived. The order was given. and.
scrambling over the parapct, We
emerged into the shell-swopt zone. The
euemy's guns began 10 spit fire. among
our ranks, bat no one wav"red. II we
had felt any fear II had now left On,
Men fell on all hands, but with yell
we rushed forward with barred steel
towards the raised ground
oar artillery had done It's work
well. for we found tho wire dafenses
almost completely blown away We
reached the enetnsa front trenches.
and | raised my bayonet an a biz Ba.
varian made to FIRE Mt me.
Then something within me made
mo hesitate, and comrsde laid the
man out just In time. In the thick OF
the fight II had Just dawned on mo
that was about 10 take human life
for the first time. and had felt a
monentary repugnance.
The next instant. however. one oi
our men next 10 mo fell In q heap and
bullet whirzed past my face. Then
! knew what II was to see red. With
. yell | bayonesed the German who
had shot the man, and bad soon 90
counted for three more. The place vss
Hike o shanh! The German front
line trenches we're flled Eith \ heap
Of torn and bloody corpses and VIC
were nov attacking the rear trenches.
Their Suddenly felt a pain In my
shoulder. but | rushed on. tried 10
raise my rife. but found could not.
and the next moment was hit aimnl.
tane0usIr In the arm and the Jaw. The
pain was terrible. but 40 lay on the
ground tried to shout for Joy. | ~ss
infacted with the fever Of our succesn.
TOR ! kneS that the position was won.
Then lest CONSEQUENCES and 1 woks
1a s. Al