The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-02-01


dull monotony was rudely broken by
the sudden appearance of swarms Of =
French colonial troops, Singhalese and /
Zouaves, rushing in from the front /
trenches, clutching at their throats,
holding their sides. rolling on the /
ground, gasping for breath. eyes blood (
shot and staring. many of them bleed
ing at the mouth. but most OF them
unable to explain the cause OF their
peculiar actions.
AsphyxiatinQ Gas Cloud.
Along with them came scores of
refugees, men, women and children,
bearing with them all they could take
from their burning and wrecked
homes At that time we had never
heard OF asphyxiating gas and were at
a loss to make out what it all meant.
The order stand to your arms was
quickly passed along to the reserves
The Montreal Highlanders were the
first to get on the move. IL takes
longer to get artillery wagons on the
move, and while we were working at
feverish haste the Highlanders went
by, each man singing and smiling,
although they must have known that
many of them would never return.
AT seven o'clock the artillery
forces were all ready and waiting
for the order to move forward. ] shall
never forget the scene at the moment.
From the city OF Ypres there arose
high in the heavens huge Jets OF
flames, while overhead shells burst
by the hundreds, and in our ears was
the din OF falling walls and all sorts
OF indescribable noises.
when the order came to move for
ward we urged our horses with a
cheer and a song. 1t was necessary
for as to make detour south Of Ypres
in order TO get to the main road lead
ing to our damaged front. 1t also
was necessary to cross the User canal,
about half mile south OF the town,
on pontoon bridge. The first gun
: got over safely. when along came a
} German shell and destroyed it.
} Under a deadly fire. for the Ger
mans had the range. we waited while
z the engineers worked to construct an
: other bridge Two long thick polei
y were placed across the narrow cana
0 and crossways on them timbers ant
l. logs were piled. The second gun
8 went across precariously, but tn
j. third was upset by rolling log, tn
a cannon carriage falling on one side o
8 the narrow bridge and the six horse
O on the other. While the cannon an
y horses seemed to be seesawing thi
O way and that across the bridge she
l. put an end to all the trouble.
Into Hurricane Of Fire.
Then a third bridge was construc
Ie ed. and my gun went across. BY thi
n time the glare from the burned tow
At was dying down. and was wonderin
r. Just what was ahead OF US when a
IN aeroplane high above dropped sta
g. shell. This was followed by b perfe'
r. hurricane of shells, and the last gu
III TO attempt the crossing went into Il
water. Emerging from a wood, v
10 ran into a murderous gunirs fro
re German infantry and machine gun
~ My gun and others OF our batter
IN were hurled into this open fire-swe
IN field, swung around and in less this
IN two minutes opened fire on the &c
d. mans.
a Each of our shells contained 3
in bullets, and at a range OF $50 var
d, one can readily imagine how the &c
n, mans fell Finally we halted thel
nd but the German infantry remained hi
den behind a deep fringe of tire
Sc with their own dead piled up again
ut them. Our guns could not do eifecti
Id work because OF the trees. Thereto
in we were ordered to use high explosi
cd shells.
A Il shall never forget how tho
ed Shells were brought to us The hors
lie, on the ammunition supply wagon
on came crazed and ran away. TIL
Mt dashed within few yards OF the G.
~ man lines, and one brave rider
one ever knew who he was-shot t
m first two horses dead. The wag
ny rolled over them and him. TIL
to there was an explosion, for the wage
in. hit by a shell, was blown to bits. I
me explosion wrought havoc among
vie Germans and our infantry. quickly
ult lowing up the advantage. drove
Use Teutons out of the woods.
led Meantime our line was bst
ant pressed near St. Julien, and after
all arrival OF fresh British and Canadia
our battery was ordered there.
went right into the town. But on q
ent on came the German infantry, and
Sc retreat was sounded.
ON Spying 10 Dangerous.
vas Spying at the front is the m
vas dangerous OF all occupations"
vas Trusler continued.
at THE Germans are very clever at
on and one method Of sending news
IAN tween the lines is by trained dc
in One night one of our sentries saw
les dog dart past him He called to
Who animal. thinking the dog would mi
out an excellent mascot for the bate
The dog came back and wagged
ted tail and the sentry took him to