Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-29
We Were Crawling About on All Fours.

We Were Crawling About on All Fours.
was sort Of subconscious, mechanical
confidence In our undertaking, which
was result Of the scores Of times we
had gone through every prearranged
movement IN our practice duplicate
German trenches behind our lines.
without either Of those influences we
simply could not have left the shelter
and faced what was before US.
An intensified bombardment from
our guns began Just as soon as we
had climbed over the top" and were
lining up for the journey across. Elm
ing up" is not just suitable term.
We were crawling about on all fours
just far enough out In No Mans Land
to be under the edge Of the German
shell fire and taking what shelter we
could in shell holes while our leaders
picked the way to start across. The
extra heavy bombardment had warned
the Germans that something was about
to happen. They sent up star shells
and rs o 81 signals until there was
q glare over the torn earth like that
which you see at the grand finish of a
Paine's fireworks display, and mean
while they sprayed No Mans Land
with streams Of machine gun fire. In
the face Of that we started.
It would be absurd to say that we
were not frightened. Thinking men
could not help but be afraid. II we
were pallid, which undoubtedly we
were, the black upon our faces hid 1t,
but our fear struck voices were not
disguised. They trembled and our
teeth chartered.
We sneaked ont single file, making
our way from shell hole to shell hole,
nearly all the time on all tours, crawl
ing quickly over the fiat places between
this small shelter. The Germans had
not sighted us, but they were squirting
machine gun bullets all over the place
promiscuously, like man watering a
lawn with garden hose, and they
were bound to get some Of US. Behind
me heard cries Of pain and groans,
but it made little impression on my
benumbed intelligence from the mere
fact that whatever had happened had
happened to one of the other sections
Of ten and not to my own. It seemed,
some way or other, no affair to con-
Germ me. Then a man in front Of me
doubled up suddenly and rolled into
shell hole. That simply made me re-
member very clearly that I was not
to stop on account Of 1t. 1t was some
one else's business to pick that man
up. Next, according to the queer psy-
chology Of battle, began to lose my
sensation Of fear and nervousness.
After saw a second man 60 down I
gave my attention principally to con-
siderntion of the Irregularities Of the
German parapet ahead Of US, picking
but the spot where we were to enter
the trench. It seems silly to say It.
but seemed to get some sort Of salts
faction out Of the realization that we
had lost the percentage which we
might be expected to. lose going over.
Now, 1t seemed, the rest Of US were
safe until we could reach the next
phase Of our undertaking. I heard d.
rections given, and gave some N.Y.
self. My voice was firm. It surprised
me, and felt almost calm. Our ar
tillery had 90 torn up the German barb
wire that 1t gave us no trouble at ALL
We walked through 1t with only few
scratches. When we reached the low,
sandbag parapet Of the enemy TRENCH
We tossed In few bombs and follow
ed them right over as soon as they had
exploded. There wasn't German In
sight. They were Al ln their dugouts