The copper era and Morenci leader. [volume] (Clifton, Ariz.) 1911-1929, 1915-05-21

to give the most meagre cover .Inere
they lay like logs and slept Like
children, while 1 and one or two of
the officers kept lonely sentinels.
Again the grey dawn crept in, and
the men reused, cold, stiff, and feel
ing rotten" 1 rolled into a hole
and slept. About $50 a. m. 1 awoke
feeling like nothing on earth, and
caring not what happened-an orderly
from the Colonel. Down 1 went and
discussed the situation over cup of
cold tea end biscuit. Never enjoy
ed anything more in wy life-would
it had been hot Then back 1 went
to my half batillion and issued my
orders. We were to be ready to
start the attack at 7:30 a. m. At
Ia perfect hail of bullets swept us,
and a few found their billets. Then
the Colonel came out-over anxious
i cannot blame him. The next
thing 1 heard he was hit, and the COM
mand fell on me. 1 tried to get 70
him, but it was impossible. Then
we got back part of what we gave
the day before, and we lay out in
the open in a miserably imperfect
trench in a perfect inferno of bullets
and shell-it beggars description.
Then rose the continual cry of
"stretcher bearers" We were suf-
fering heavily; one of my companies
seemed mot to my liking" so work
ed down to see the officers; it was
jumpy work. Now 1 know what a
wretched white hare feels like madly
racing down a line of guns. l. just
left poor Findlay when a shell burst,
knocking me over with the shock and
killing him, and just by a miracle
Jim Cameron. l then went
back to my post, sent for my maxim
nd with hn od inf nt G
giving him my instructions, when
I remembered no more. 1 was
only knocked out for a minute, but
when l came to 1 was bleeding badly
from a nasty scalp wound on my
and my shoulder frightfully
painful, but luckily only bruised Poor
Mcmillan was as good as dead, but |
the adjutant unhurt. Then came !
the order to advance-for a bit 1 dio |
not think could face it-when luck
lily l heard that Bulge and Truelove, |
my two senior captains were knocked |
out. This bucked me up. Little |
Brook came and tied up my head |
and assured me it was not very bad. !
He had hardly finished, when down |
he went, shot through the arm. This |
settled it, and off 1 went and took on |
my men. We had to cross a field as |
flat as a billiard table without any |
cover and through a terrible hail Of |
rife bullets and cross maxim fire.
We did it, but God knows how, but we |
paid dearly. We arrived there, and |
with the trench here we took
'breather," recognized and prepared |
was hung up, and again we could not |
push it through. We had been fight
ing all day, and once more the shades |
Of night fell on US, all badly hit, but |
still game. Darkness set in, and then |
the order retire on your trenches" |
Sick at heart we did it, and did it !
we'll. Then came scene that Is |
burned into my brain and will never |
be effaced-the gathering Of our |
wounded. All night we worked, the |
stretcher bearers working with q |
super4human vftality-magnifcen he |
roes all of them in the truest sense |
midst the low means of the dying |
and the groans of the wounded, and !
the pitiful cry of Tstretcher bearer"
stretcher bearer, water, water" ano |
from some poor devil In his death |
agony, for Gods sake put me out |
Of pain" May you never see or hear |
anything approaching it. It was
in it's tense ghastliness
We finished about dawn, and were
starting to gather in our dead, when |
we had to leave them where they fell, |
poor Findlay amongst them. Then |
came word we were to be relieved,
and in the breaking of the shadows |
we left that valley of death-dead-
beat, heartsore men. We had three |
miles Of trail back, two under |
which we were shelled for all we were |
worth. It was awful, but we were |
TOO sick and weary to care 80. our |
only consolation is that we did our
duty and did 1t we'll.
This Is q brief sketch of our share |
In the great battle Of Neuve ChapeIle. |
Our toll 8 officers. a killed and 4 |
rank and 616 ITO (S7 killed |
md 123 wounded); but. 'how can man |
die better?" There was not an on |
Ger who had not his Uniform cut by /
bullets. many Of. the men had mira |
;ulous escapes. They all did magnf- |
icently. and upheld the splendid repu-
sation OF the Regiment they belong to |
and the honour Of Ross-Shire. Off, |
,ers and men behaved one and all |
3plendidly and the .Stretcher Bearers |
we're beyond all praise. This will Just |
give you slight idea of our little |
share In the memorable 10th. and 18th
March, 1915. >.
Your affectionate brother.
---- - TOM"