The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-14
KEEP YOUR HEAD LOW
AND COURAGE HIGH
That Is the Program the Fighting Line According to Fred
erck Palmer, Who Tells His Experience
in Interesting Fashion.
tBy FREDERICK PALMER,

tBy FREDERICK PAIlMER.)
British headquarters in France,
March 9.---"There you are. and keep
your head down. Its a fair target at
that distance" said an officer who
had come out OF his shelter to meet
us.
We were in the defenses at the edge
OF q hard wood grove called Pioeg-
steert wood. The British had fought
fiercely in order to get possession of
this grove. for that meant cover. Oc-
casionally bullets whistled overhead
and We heard the swish of German
shells aimed at something In the rear
passed higher UP, while a hidden Brit
ish battery was sending its shells In
the opposite direction.
At intervals in the defenses men
were waiting with rifle laid ready to
plug any moving thing that looked
like "Gerboy"
III a Gerboy helmet appears can
You put a hole through it," / asked
1T looks as though they don't put
them up very often, sir was the
answer.
Two hundred and fifty yards away.
was n wall OF sandbags The bare
field between the two lines was "A
lifeless as a desert, and for all one
could see the German breastworks
our side. sharpshooters were awaiting,
and officers watching through refract-
ing mirrors of the perisCope, For
three months the trenches have re-
manned in the same positions. and
never in all that aime--here as else
where on the line-was there mo
ment when someone was not on the
lookout. with reserves ready for an
attack.
Here we will be till the big push
comes say the men. BY the big
push they refer to the movement
when the new British army Is In the
field.
Each Watch Other
At night the German patrol creep
out to see II the British are I'D to
anything, and the British go out to
see II the Germans are. and some.
times some of the patrols get killed.
The men not on watch lounge the
beds OF straw under the timber roofs
To the rear are many more shelters
where the officers and men are quar-
tered. One old South African veteran
mas planted primroses on the roof
OF his house
It's getting primrose time at home
in England" he said.
Except the thresh OF shells and the
bang OF guns the scene is most peace
ful. When the Germans let loose with
some trills of rapid firing, or begin
smelling, the men take to their
trenches until the storm is over AL
ways In danger of shipping. and likely
TO be called at any moment to suf-
fer heavy losses In repelling an at
tack, they are veterans who have
ceased to think about possibilities
IF you are killed. why you are
killed" says Tommy Atkins, and
what's the use OF worrying about H.
Fhe more you worry the better II
pleases the Germans
Familiar With Death.
| From Mons to Ypres the British
regulars have learned to be familiar
with death. All the men who stuck
1T through from the first Iandlnr of
British troops until now are very
proud Of distinction. When I asked
one Of them about It he said
Just luck. that's ALL Maybe I'll
get 1t from sniper when I go back
ITO the trench tomorrow
Ploensteert Is our show place" re-
marked the officer who was plotting
us Its one OF the few places where
you may 20 into the front trench by
day. Wait until You strike a muddy
one In the dark then you win roe
what trench warfare in the mud Is like
and what we endured this winter"
AT night all the work in the trenches
| IL done. Across the fire zone behind
the trenches food. timbers. every
! thing needed in the dugoute is car
rfed up by hand in a wallow OF mud.
You hear nobody growing or swear
ing when II would seem that human
irritation must have An escape valve.
profanity comes too high" said
soldier. The Gerhoy may hear you
and they will turn loose. And IL may
not only cost Your life. but your pals.
too
Anyone who has been much with
our army on campaign has heard the
same remark and spoken In the same
language. 1t had a peculiar appeal.
With the darkness falling over the
flat country. and the buildings be-
coming shaacwy, we walked away
from the cover of the village with the
commanding officers of that section
of the battle front, with the rattle OF
the machine guns growing louder
whenever yo1 go near the front you
/ are bound 10 hear machine guns, even
at this quiet period on the British
/ front
| They can't be firing at any defi-
mite object In the dark ?" / asked
I Perhaps. Perhaps not. Its laid
for the top Of their trench. We do
not hold down the fire too much, we
want the Germans to know we are
oh ueNh, Was tne reply.
/ And are we in bullet range vet ."
Rather BY 500 yeards. That's
why we don't walk up in day time
| Inc flames you see are going up from
the German trenches"
Watch Day and Night
/ THESE flames. like Fourth of .yuly
rockets. threw glare over the sod
den fields and revealed our faces and
outlined our figures.
! In that way they keep watch and
see II We are not creeping up for an
attack continued our informant.
| Another 400 yards OF plunging in
mud and we descended into the wet
earth behind the tiers Of sandbags and
were walking on boards at the bot
tom of a great ditch. If you step
off that You sink in above your ankles
The commanding officer pulled aside
curtain, and lieutenant came out
! Of his cellar, looking neat enough !
| for parade. Seatness under any con
| dlttons Is point or honor with the
| British officer, and he keeps his men
up to it.
/ II Is amazing how Private Thomas
Atkins In sea OF mud keeps clear
| of 1t.
III the men get rarelaas In, xha,~ a -