The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-07-27

wv front line trenches In Belgium
We relieved the Twenty sixth
Canadian battalion Scouts from that
organization came back to the villages
of Dinkiebusch and Renninghelst to
tell US how glad they were to see US
and to show us the way in. AS we
proceeded overland, before reaching
the communication trenches at the
front. these scouts paid US the hospita-
BILE attention due strangers-that is,
one of them. leading platoon, would
say:
Next 200 yards in machine gun
range. Keep quiet. don't run and be
ready to drop quick If you are warned"
There was one scout to each platoon,
and we followed him single file, most
of the time along roads or well worn
paths. but sometimes through thickets
and ragged fields. Every now and then
the scout would yell at US to drop.
and down we'd go on our stomachs,
while away off in the distance we
could hear the output" of machine
Gohos thC iol 6Ouhu vi hOSlnt
that had ever reached our ears. e
Its all right" said the scout
They haven't seen US or got track of
us They're just firing on suspicion"
Nevertheless, when our various pla-
ICONS had all got into the front reserve
trenches, at about two hours after mid
night. we learned that the first blood
of our battalion had been spilled. Two
men had been wounded, though neither
fatally Our own stretcher bearers
took our wounded back to the field
hospital at Dinkiebusch. The men of
the Twenty-sixth battalion spent the
rest of the night instructing US and
then left us to hold the position, We
were as nervous as lot of cats, and
1t seemed to me that the Germans
must certainly know that they could
come over and walk right through us.
but outside of few casualties from
sniping. such as the one that befell
have told about, nothing very alarming
happened the first day and night. and
by that time we had got steady on our
Job. We held the position for twenty
six days. which is the longest period
that any Canadian or British organiza-
ton has ever remained In front line
trench.
In none OF the stories I've read have
ever seen trench fighting as 1t was
carried on in Belgium adequately de-
scribed. You see, you can't get much
:. 4 an idea about thing like that max.
frs. quick tour of the trenches under
offieiA direction and escort as the
newspaper and magazine writers do.
i Couldn't undertake to tell anything
worth while ab2ut the big issues of the.
war but can describe how soldiers
have to learn TO eight in the trenches
and think a good many of our young
fellows have that to learn now. "Over
there" they don't talk of peace or
even Of stomorrow They sit back and I
takeiit.
we always held the fire trench as I
lightly as possible, because 1t is
demonstrated fact that the front ditch |
cannot be successfully defended In a |
determined attack Inc tulnS we ulu
and the thing to do is to be ready to
Jump on to the enemy as soon as he |
has got into your front trench and is
fighting on ground that you know and
be doesn't and knock so many kinds |
of tar out Of him that he'll have to pull |
bis load for spot that isn't so warm
That system worked first rate with us.
DnrinS the day we bad only very |
few men In the fire trench. II an at !
tack is coming in daylight there's al
ways plenty OF time to get ready for |
It. At night we kept prepared for |
trouble all the time. We had night
sentry on each firing step and man
sitting at his feet to watch him to see
he wasn't secretly sniped Then we
had sentry In each ebay" Of the
trench to take messages
Orders didn't permit the man on the
iring step or the man watching him
20 leave post on any excuse whatever