Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-10
LISTENING POST
DUTY SUPPLIES
MANY THRILLS
Next to Actual Charge, 1t
Contains Greatest
Dangers
SHUN WOODEN CROSS"
Snipers Always on Alert
Against Guards Who
Watch Enemy
BY ELLEN ADA1R
Written Specially for the EvExiSG LEDGER.
InNnnN- Al, r,t, -.

LONDON, March 20
Perhaps no strain Is greater on the
average soldier that when he takes his
turn, under cover of night, at the "listen-
ing post" For he must Chamber over the
parapet of the fire trench into the hid
den dangers of Ma Mans Land, and creep
cautiously In snake fashion among long
grass and death-smcllng shell holes
where enemy snipcrs and enemy scouts are
sure to be lurking
It means a risk Of being ambushed and
killed silently with cold steel ON the
other hand, II may mean capturing
Teconnoitring enemy and bringing him in
triumphantly, with n possible reward in
the form of a weeks home-leave or the
much coveted d. G. NJ. Though OCCASION
ally we hear of the staleness and monoto-
NY Of trench life, there is nothing in the
least monotonous in the work of the night
outpost. If he regards 1t as merely monot-
onous and let's his wits grow drowsy at
the job, then, as some Tommy or other
pptly puts it, he's liable to get the wooden
cross"
For wits that 20 wool gathering meet
with disaster And enemy snpcrs are ever
watching and waiting for them.
'Golng out to the listening post is the
next best adventure TO n charge" a CHEEKY
lance corporal informed me today. "G shall
never forget one night of il I had A wisp
VI IlOOll was ElllIIllcIlllE III ~ ven OI nllSI
when three of us set out. The Germans
had begun their night-long display of star
shells, lighting up the scene in silvery
radiance Their rifles uttered vicious
whp-cracks continually We heard the
whizz of bullet overhead, or the angry
hum of spinning ricochet. with a
friendly leg up to the parapet we scram
bed over as fast as we could. II would
not do to be seen In the light OF n flare,
for German snipers miss few good targets.
WAIT IN HOLE.
"'Crack- ck-craclS- in breath
less stutter from machine gun. The bull
let's whistle and hit the parapet behind us
with mighty whaclS! Have the Germans
seen us? We lie fiat. holding our breath.
Are you two all right?' whisper to the
men behind.
SLOWLY we creep forward another 90
yards to n hole torn by n shell. This Is
10 be our listening post till close to dawn.
The Germans are not unlikely TO attack.
and our business Is to see that they do not
take us by surprise. We do not expect to
use our rifles. We have to use our eyes
and ears, especially our ears, to detect any
movement Of the enemy. II we see him
advancing, we must report to our COM
Tadcs in the trenches without a seconds
delay.
"Crouching low in our she'll hole, we
strain our eyes to pierce the darkness.
Suddenly my arm is gripped tightly. |
overcome the desire to shout, but cold
perspiration breaks out on my forehead
No need to fear-lt's only johnson. my
companion, and-'See that figure in front
he whispers.
'T strain my eyes again. Yes there's
n dark, motionless shape only few yards
ahead
Tightly l grin my rife ready TO club
the suspect and in tense expectancy we
await his approach. For surely he has
seen us? Then flare goes up, and in
its horrible greenish light a post is re-
vealed, to which remnants of barbed wire.
shattered by shells, still cling. Only that,
and nothing more!
Darkness again. and the wind signing
over our heads. Quickly one realizes how
deceptive the eyes can be for night work
Nerves are at the highest tension. You
see wooden posts move and bend. Some
men will even hear them whispering in
German!
DEAD LIE THICK
after time l press forward, on
through the knee.high grass of No.Man's-
exploring of ground where battles have
been fought for many a long month and
where the dead lie thick. | fall forward
three times over the bodies of slain com.
IRdes! Though the soaring star shells
light up the scene brilliantly, lying Hat
like this, l am not out of sight of the
enemy.
"Now I can hear the Germans distinctly.
] am close to their trenches Some one is
calling names out rapidly-probably a
sergeant distributing the mails. Some one
Is playing mouthorgan. The ring of
spades and the thud thud of pickaXes
come from behind the trench. The enemy