South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-04

Flahiff. who gave one of the most
gripping lectures on the war ever
given in South Bend at the Elks'
temple on Monday night.
Sergt. Flahiff. who is a Chicago
an, told a startling story of his ca
reer from the time he enlisted in
the Canadian expeditionary until
his discharge from the British serv-
ice. During that time he served as
machine gunner, bomb thrower, and
stretcher bearer. He was in the
trenches seven months, and he
told, with much spirit of the time
that he went "Over the top"
At the close of his speech. the
audience asked him many questions.
This one seemed 70 be the most
popular:
How does a man feel when he
goes over the top? Do you think
of everything or anything or moth
ing?"
Says Man Is Insane.
"He is insane" said Sergt. F'lahiff
THAT is the simplest answer 10 so
mighty a question. When a man
goes into the trenches, he goes in
with the fervent hope that tn. next
call to go out into no mans land
will be for him. After you enter
the first line, you want to get there.
You forget everything but your one
objective. which is, 10 bring back a
German or not come back We
think of them in terms of souven-
irs."
How are prisoners treated and
how do they make the exchange of
men, Sergt. Flahiff was further
questioned.
1T is hard to say for there are
so many conflicting statements
about the exchange, but it is most
probable that most Of the exchanges
of prisoners are made through
Switzerland. As for their treat
ment, for the most part, it is un-
speakable. Ii is on line with their
other atrocities. But when we go
over the top and get them. they
drop their bayonets and cry, "Merci
kamerad." and if fellow shows
them mercy. when your back is
turned you are liable TO get a touch
of their knife or bullet from
their revolvers."
Germany Has No Tanks.
DO the Germans have tanks like
the British army?"
The tank is distinctly an English
method of warfare. Germany has
no tanks. Their most effective
warfare is on the offensive. They
seem unable to withstand the at
tacks of the fellows when they go
over the top. AS for the allies, it
is most likely that their fercest and
most effective fighting is when they
so over the top.
How do our men get the pic
lures of the location of the Ger
mans firing forces ?"
They go over in aerOplanes,
swoop down over the fighting lines,
sometimes as low as forty or fifty
feet above the trenches and take the
picture. These pictures are photo
graphs and not moving pictures as
is generally believed. There have
been no real moving pictures
brought 10 this country Of the
actual lighting lines
IIahin Has Gone Over"
Sergt Flahiff has gone over the
top and given them hell" a number
of times and the story as told by
this young man was remarkably
clean-cut and nothing but facts as
he knew them TO be true were told.
He did not stretch any of his state
ments for the barest recital of them
was frightful enough
Sergt. Flahiff said that England
and France are doing everything to
win the war The men are fighting
the women are working SO that the
men can be released for service.
The German soldiers and citizenship
are led 10 believe by the German
press that il is only few months
until victory is theirs. 4 German
lieutenant who was taken prisoner
told Flahiff that he was amazed by
the amount of food. guns and all
lighting forces that the allies had
and he stated that the German peO-
pie actually did not know of the
presence of the United States
soldiers i'm France and on the fight
ing line
Those Long Ten Minutes.
Ten minutes comes the call
from the head of the trench. Some
of the men kneel to pray, perhaps
for the last time Some turn TO
shake hands with their comrades.
Some give the last letter 10 the ma
jor 20 be mailed for delivery 10 the
dearest ones across the water.
Three minutes" comes the second
call. The minutes seem like hours.
They seem like ages at the one min
ute point. "Over the top with the
best of luck and give them hell,
boys" We go over. but we do not
run. for everyone Of Us is carrying
125 pounds and if we ran we would
be i'm poor condition 10 tackle the
Fritz's by the time We got 20 the
first line German trench As you
travel along. the men fall all
around you. but you do not seem TO
notice il. IN fact, YOU forget every
thing. but that you have a hard, bit
ter night ahead"
German Nearly Got Him.
Sergt Flahiff told of the first time
be v-a,t over the ton lie said that