The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-04-28
Vivid Description Of His Expert
ence Penned BY a French
Lieutenant.
MEMS NERVES SHATTERED
aulet " Day 10 Broken by Terrific
Rombardment That Makes the
Earth Rock Like Snip In
a Storm.


Parist--The Paris Journal prints .
most graphic account written By %
French lieutenant. In simple but vivid
language. Of hls experience during .
heavy bomtnrdment of the French
lines recently by the Germans:
The day was quiet" writes this Of
ncer.
Towards evening va received =
broadside OF rife Ore. which dislodgsd
0 few sandbagy Then everything was
quiet again.
AT nine O'Clock went below TO my
dugout for something TO eat. Our 1T
Ito table was already set. and the
stearning coffee was just placed before
me when suddenly there was an ex'
plosion that shook the earth beneath
our feet and scattered pieces OF rock
and clay In our midst
"its no use. said one OF the men,
7 zee we are not going to be permit
ted to eat
Il climbed back into the trench, and
not sound was heard
where vas the explosion"
ITO the right answered voice In
the dark. Be careful: they are send.
ing us those lb0-millimeter shells.
There's one coming now, ,....
Il crouched down against the wall
and In . twtnkling nifty meters OF the
trench were ground to dust. Sparks
few and dark, gaseous fumes eciipssd
the blackness OF the night. Then
came another shell on It's murderous
mission, tearing UP the earth and &C
compapied by deafening thunder.
"Things began TO look serious Some
one shouted,
Lieutenant. there Is no sense In
your standing there and risking your
life!
"The man was right. returned to
tho dugout. The bombardment con
tinued like one continuous roll OF
thunder, A heavy rock. loosened by
the detonations, fell a. my feet.
And yet we hear, says one OF M
men, that they are short OF anmuni.
ton
Il was getting tired OF this, We had
70 answer those fellows, asked the
telephone operator to connect me with
the commander
There Is no answer. said the op-
orator Tho wire has probably been
shot away
Il scrihbied something on a piece of
paper and handed II 10 one of my
young men.
The telephone Is disconnected, my
friend See that you get this to the
commander. Have little brandy
II you please
He smiled. saluted and was on
Fifty meters of he fell with a shot In
his neck
The bombardment grew more In.
tense, Oh. what night Our
trenches seemed to sway to and fro,
like the deck OF a ship In storm, The
air was null OF sulphur fumes and
breathing became difficult Death sur.
rounded us, wondered how many
OF my men we're still alive, And
would We be able to withstand the foe
II he made charge on our trenches.
nerved myself to remain calm. How
would have liked TO lay down and
sleep Strange that the roaring OF
shells through the air always produces
drowsinoss fought against this
weakness, Courage returned when the
bombardnent seemed 10 slacken for a
moment However, we only deluded
ourselves. for the shells were coming
faster and faster and thicker and
thicker tried to figure out the cali.
Der Of the shells, but was unable to
think Evcry man WAS hugging the
wall OF the trench II We could only
sleep and not wake up again. SO as TO
be out Of this hell
he careful my friends Now that
~~,~~~-u~x-~-u>.ou>u-~~ =.