New-York tribune., 1916-02-28
Teacher, Fired by Own
Account Ct Waterloo,
Joins the COlOrS.
ISOLATED 4 DAYS
IN ADVANCE TRENCH
Comrades Went Mad, While Ger
mans Gave No Rest-Then
Got Weeks Leave.
Rv ARTHUR s. DRAPER.

4. class OF young British boys sat lis
tening. a year ago, TO story OF 'ne
battle Of Waterloo unfolded by 'a'''
wiry. blond-haircd teacher. 1t I'm
pressed itself indelibly in the minds OF
those Youngsters, this tale Of the braV-
erv Of their rreat-erandfathers a nun.
drod ,ears ago. When the hour had
ended these boys. most OF them scouts
some Of them with fathers already IN
Khaki. pressed him to go on.
That was the last time the history
class heard Oswald Johnson, which Is
an approximation Of his real name
The head master that afternoon re
ceived his resignation and the next DAY
bo wos &. q recruiting Office. He went
through the entrance examinations
without hitch and within week was
learning the duties Of a British oihcer'
His commission as sub-lieutenant came
quickly. and three months ago ne
crossed the Channel.
Today for the first time he came
back His father mother and two SIS
ters we're AZ breakfast when they heard
knock a, the front door, and then the
tramp Of heavy boots. The dining
room door opened and three pairs OF
arms encircled a mudbespattered hg-
ure. while the gray-haired man. with
whom have talked war over the garden
hodge. danced about beating frantic
.sttoo on the heavy pack. Fresh from
tbe trenchesl A gentler way OF sd!
INC back from the jaws OF dea'h'
year ago Oswald Johnson would
have DELAYED his breakfast untlI lhe
Iast tuft of his obstinate HAIR had Deeh
conbed into submission. ms morn
NO Ie disentanqled himself from the
loving tentacles around ms meek Si.u
slirped into chair a!ongsiae hIs
mother. Porridge, bacon, tea and toast
6isappeared so rapidly that the whore
family became alarmed.
Mother Brave in Sacrifice.
Vo IL home for week, week when
vill seem like q day to that mother
"a her bow. To her he is only Us
,ysId not Lieutenant Johnson. She IS
wonderful woman gentle, klho,
neighborlv. proud Of her son and proud
70 sacrifice him, if need be, for King
and Country. There are tnousahoS
ike her. and when you meet them you
,ronder that there can be anything
mean and small in the world
Rut thit is the story OF why SUB
Lieutenant Oswald Johnson happens TO
be at home to-day instead OF out IN
IN. Flanders mud. II Is not exactly as
be told il, but in substance Il is the
same.
nosition at -. Sixty feet away was
n. German trench. Between us was
mass OF barbed wire. Under ordl-
nary conditions our position was no
vorss than any other, but after they
exploded mine on our LETT ana
dropped 8 she'll into our communica-
tion trench We were rather miserable
II made US feel as # We were on rait
surrounded by lot Of hungry sharks.
ain the first place, you know the
trenches At this season OF the year
always have water IN them, and constant
use churns up the dirtiest, stlcklest
mud have ever seen. IL was the day
sitter New Years when they mined US
on the left, shutting US off from the
chsps in that direction. An hour alter
tb. mine was exploded one Of their
lucky shots hit our communication
trench lust where il Joined the frst
line. leaving q big opening but dong
no damage TO the advanced trench.
Six men had Just come up 10 see what
repairs were necessary after the mine
explosion. That made an even dozen
Of US cut of completely from the rest
Of the world.
"Our dugout was built to accom-
modate six and We had enough 20 eat
for a couple Of days. Well, we stayed
there four days and four nights. Not
a man got full hours sleep. We went
short on sleep, grub and tobacco. II
was mighty unhealthy to expose even
finger. Shells fell al around us dur
ing tho day and night. The terrible
noise, the lack OF food and sleep got on
our nerves toward the end.
Strain Breaks Mems Reason.
"On the fourth day. along toward
evening, two of the poor chaps who
had come out TO help us lost their rea-
,on and slipped out One crawled along
10 the still crater. He raised his head,
looked around and seemed to be bend
inc over IS if he intended TO jump into
tbe communication trench. The other
was behind him. At that instant a
hand grenade landed few feet from
the first chap. There was terrific
roar. All Of us had been watching as
II hypnotize6. The explosion seemed
10 bring US TO our senses. With one OF
tho men worked my way down 20
where tho second man lay. We pulled
him along 10 the dugout and there e1.
amined him. There wasn't marx OF
any Kind on him, but he was stone
dead.
"Of the other fellow we couldn't find
thing except the top set OF his false
teeth, which fell In the trench q few
feet from tho dugout. We were help
less unless help came from the rear,
and gsmbled with myself ss 70 wnich
would come first--our rescue party or
the Germans. bet on the rescue party
because knew the Germans didn't like
crawling through the barbed wire.
Every few minutes We took wild shot
across at their trench 20 let them know
We were still there and to relieve our
own nerves.
Along about o'clock on the fourth
morning the rescue party came up.
They had shovelled their way through
the communication during the night.
Some Of US had to go back on stretch
els. some on other fellows backs and
some were able 10 walk. But relef
didn't come any too soon.
I'VE were all taken direct TO hospi-
tai. One fellow Of thirty has lost his
nerve completely. He was coachmsn