The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-12-18

the German lines, Captain Cowan and
walked toward the front on ground
which, until that night, had been be-
hind the Nun front line, The first
thing we found was wounded Ger
nm from whom we got very valuable
Identification disc. This showed what
German troops held the line opposite,
information which was badly needed,
We sent the Hun back, but he was TOO
much blown about to live.
Next, We found a German officer,
who had gone up with the mine but
had been very little damaged until
he came down, when he landed on
top Of a brssier and was sissling
when we pulled him off.
An identity disc was also secured,
but Il was the same as the other one.
During our wanderings we met a
hali-crared German running around
and collared him. He was dared, but
recovered and gave us much valuable
information
Hear Buried Men Trying To Get Out.
On the way back TO where the men
were digging we got quite surprise.
While walking along we felt peculiar
shocks in the ground and heard the
sounds Of blows way down under
ground.
We at once realised that . dug
out had been caved In BY the debris
from the mine. II must have been
full Of Gsrmane who were slowly
smethsring TO Death dowA there In
the dark, forty feet underground.
II ID q horrible form Of death, and
II Was pitiable to hear their hope
lessly frantic efforts to dig out.
felt sorry for them, even u they
were Germans, but there was nothing
we could do.
thought Il about time TO get n
my own men again, so scrambled back
to my place. Just after | left. Cowar
beat off two more counter attacks with
heavy losses to the enemy, but not q
thing showed up on my side.
BY 2 o'clock everything had dice
down temporarily. and Cowan and
we're relieved and allowed to 20 bacl
and get our much needed rum. ! thsi
dis ,vered was mass OF bruise
from flying pieces OF rock and iron
bejAg thrown about against woode'
retttins posts, etc. All the rest q
the night | was so pleased to be Who'll
and to have stood the racket my hea
was pretty we'll swollen until foun
out that the worst of the enemy shellin
had gone over my head into the rea
trenches occupied by the men who wer
not In the stormins parties at all
Confidence Soon Puts Fright To Rou'
But even this couldn't take away tn
feeling that had done my job, ant
while Il didn't amount to anything,
was certain OF myself and Knew woul
not fall down In the future-and ths
is what | want to impress on all on
men going over now. You may &C
excited at first and not use your brain
like a veteran, but you will not b
afraid or fall down on your worl
The bravest deed | ever heard Of, on
that won the Victoria Cross, was don
by Young chap OF twenty-one the firs
time he ever went into the trenches.
After few hours OF comparativ
quiet the Germans opened artillery fir
once more, They had accurately lc
Gated the crater and posts by this tim
and probably had .ascertained their NV
losses. As a result, they seemed TO hlv
decided TO blow that part OF our lin
to pieces, and continued to fire the re-
Of the night, So
A weli-plsced trench mortar
bomb In one Of the posts instantly
killed an entire Lewis gun crew Of
a corporal and six men. Condi-
tions were so bed II was impossible
TO remove the bodies that night or
the next day.
Al about noon the next day | we
to see the .. {. OF Number Four con
pany and found that it had been d
- cided to keep an officer IN the crat
4, post all the time for fear OF count
y attack. There were only two office
. left in Number -Four company, and o
, of these was badly laid up with tren
+ + -