Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-12-14
CHAPTER VII.
The Attack on Hill No. 60.

me RttaCk on tIliI NO. OO.
a T last we came to the place where
~ the communication trench began.
and explained IL to him. The
trench lay about 100 yards off the road,
running parallel to 1t. 1t was awfully
muddy and one of the dirtiest holes to
get to that / ever saw. He noted this
and wanted to stick to the road, so l
shut up and said no more for a few
minutes.
Pretty soon few shells began to
come over, and could see them burst.
ing farther up the road. spoke again
and pointed out the danger we were
running into. He had to consent then.
so we slipped and sid through the
mud and finally got into the trench.
1t was easy after that, and we reach
ed the trenches just In time to have
some lunch.
In the afternoon he was shown all
through the trenches there and then
came back and asked to see some
bombs thrown. They threw some bombs
for him and then started firing rife
grenades. Everything was lovely I'M
I'll about o'clock. Suddenly some
thing whlzzed over and landed In
trench not dozen feet from where we
were standing didn't wait to see
what II was. l didn't even hesitate
My feet just acted automatically. and
I think I broke the worlds record for
the standing broad Jump right then
and there. As 1t happened, the thing
didn't explode, and it's good thing
1t didn't, for the colonel just stood and
watched 1t.
Soon after this he decided to so back,
so we returned the same way we had
come. and all the way back he had me
picking up shell noses and pieces OF
shell until. when we reached the car
again, resomhled n junk wagon.
To put the finishing touches on it all
they were Smelling Vlamertlnghe when
we returned, and we passed through
that place as fast as that car could
travel, while the houses were tumbling
down on either side OF us. Taken all
In all, II was about as exciting day
as | wanted.
But my troubles were not over yet
for was Informed that was to take
him 10 the PloogSteert trenches the
next day. | did not mind that so much
for the SaXons were holding the trench.
es opposite us on that part OF the line.
and they did not bother us very much
Sometimes days would pass with hard.
ly shot being fred. or course the
German artillery gave 1t to us just the
same as everywhere else, but the sax.
ons themselves are pretty decent chaps
The village OF ploogsteert Is very
interesting place. as there had been a
great deal Of hand to hand lighting
there In the earlier days of the war and
the houses and trees left standing were
all scratched ana cut by bullet marks
We started out about 10 o'clock the
next morning and 10y II we were on
our way up 10 the trenches In going
to the trenches one passes through a
big wood. and this place. too, was alive
with snipers We arrived without mis-
hap however, but things were warmer
than usual, for 1t seems that there were
some Bavarians In aga asst us at this
time.
While the colonel was housing around
| picked up one OF the new periscopic
rifles that had just come out and start
ed potting at chap who was digging
a sniping trench OUT In front Of the
German parapet could only see the
flash Of his intrenchlng tool as he threw
the dirt out, and once in awhile his
head would show for a fraction OF u
second. But | kept potting away more
TO kill time than anything else.
He soon knew that was after .. .
for every once In awhile he wopld
wave his little shovel at me just sfter
| had taken shot All afternoca |
kept this up, and about 80 was De-
ginning to get rather tired OF the gaLle.
| just happened to glance into the glass
of the periscope. and there was his
whole head and shoulders showing
above the little parapet.
pulled the trigger, and he seemed to
disappear almost at the same instant.
Ii sounds rather long TO tell about, but
1t all happened In the fraction Of q Sec
ond. didn't know whether had hit
him or not, and was beginning to
doubt II when some one threw his body
out and went on digging In his plncp
had fired nearly 400 rounds OF am
munitlon to get one German hnt | felt