Evening journal., 1917-12-26
BRAVING Shells TO
FEED MEN At front
Vivid Tale of Trip oiBritish
Private Taking Water
TO Trenches
THROUGH DUAL
BARRAGE OF FIRE

LONDON, Dec. 26.-Carrying water to
the thirsty fighting men in thefront line
trenches through a double barrage Of
bursting shells from both British and
German guns, while the multicolored
flares from the German trenches cast
weird light over a shell riven battle
field puts to test the nerve and courage
Of the bravest. Yet the work must be
done while the battle is In progress.
Stumbling over the bodies of dead
comrades or falling exhausted among
them, 1oundering through. the mud or
into shell craters, the water carrier yet
must struggle on till he reaches the
first line, unless death relieves him OF
the task. A vivid story Of one such
Journey is told by Victor Grayson. for
merly a member OF the British Parlia-
ment. now serving as a private in the
British army
Il found myself one OF a party de-
tailed to carry up rations to the front
line trenches through a dual barrage,'
he writes I'VE all knew that the boys
up the line we're TO hop over at day
break the following morning, but we
were not aware until our sergeant-ma-
jor told US, that they had been with
out IatiOnS Tor Twelve nOurS.
"As much as the mud would permit
our pace was speeded up and we were
soon in line upon duckboards board
walks laid in mud, myself and my i'm
mediate companions each laden with
two petrol tins Of water.
THE front line was about two miles
away. For the first part Of the journey
a bright moon made the travelling COM
paratively easy. But suddenly the
duckboards ended, the moon completely
disappeared and the resulting darkness
acted like a signal TO the opposing bat
ieries. The air was torn with the h0wls
and shrleks Of shells.
1T became a matter Of infinite care
and considerable skill 10 pick our way
between the deep shell holes, which
were sometimes so close together as TO
he divided only by sloping ridge OF
less than a foot In width. The enemy
was firing wild and shells were OK
ploding on an sides with a proplnquity
thai made us inyuluntarily duck our
heads and wait for the inevitable show
er Of dirt and mud, or Worse. Every
now ana then a man would lose his
footng and he and his cans would roll
with a splash into O gaping she'll hole.
IT. rFflAlN lANWnAflfMIANf 'fNA 81 Aa"
weren't. that one should laugh in the
midst OF such horrors. But when !
saw my pal in front dart away from
q menacine she'll burst on the right,
straight into the arms, so 90 speak. Of
"a muddy shell hole on the left, /
laughed TN a stitch came into my
side.
when we reached the support
trenches a halt was called-not a mo-
ment too s0on--for rest. Ny water
rams had become amazingly heavy and
an of MS were painting as we croucheo
beside our comrades who were walt
ing in the support trench, in reserve.
I had recently suffered from cold and
I heartily wished that my journey
might soon end. After i've minutes We
started out again and the Sergeant
Major set a pace that ! knew could
not sustain.
Gradually / felt myself falling be-
hind and every fresh effort 10 eaten
up with my party only served 10 IN
crease my exhaustion and limit my
breath. 81 last. with a feeling OF utter
.dosolaiion. I fell beside my cans. The
Ifares revealed 90 me that should
soon lose contact with my hurryln6
comrades. and the mad music Of tho
huriling shells stimulated me TO q
fresh effort.
For couple Of hundred yards /
struggled forward but weak and bcreft
OF wind. | went down once more and
watched. with a sort Of guilty despera-
tlon. the rear Me OF my party disap-
near over "a ridge between two lonely
She'll stricken trees. II was terrible 70
feel alone on the tortured fleld, yet !
was not altogether alone. The uiiul
qlares lighted up for me the unmistak-
able faces and forms Of the dead COM
.rades who had fallen on their way TO
the front line
"A great wearinoss seized me, ana IN
spite Of the noise and uncanny sur
roundipgs / could have gone TO sleep.
A chagrined dread of failing in my task
neryed me. however, 20 a nnal enort.
found my way through the stark sen
tinal trees. and though wandering
hlindlv with no further sense Of di-
rertion. ! finally heard voices, British
voices. and was soon looking down into
"a communication trench.
Get down quick, digger, cried an
onlcer. never mind your cam
but those cans had become a preci-
Gus part Of myself, and gripping them
affeciionately slithered into inc
trench and comparative safety. The
experience had been thrilling and un-
forgettable. but there was water for
sixteen men. And the sight Of the
boys filling their water bottles made
evervDhing wonderfully worth while.
MY comrades Of the ration party had
duly delivered their burdens and re-
turned, 50 that my Journey back TO the
durouf had IN hn ACCOMPLISHED alone.
] freely confess that | felt fairly
squeamish as I climbed out Of thai
trench and faced that dreadful field
again. Every flare seemed to me 10
have for IFS sole motive the discovery
Of my overwrought form IA the enemy.
"Nter half an hour OF wellnieh hope
less wandering a shrieking shell eX-
plodcd so close 10 me that the concus-
sion lifted my steel helmet from my
head and almost blew me off my feet.
At the same moment / trippcd over
something and fell-between two dead
soldiers. They had fallen facing each
other. their arms extended. For a mo-
ment l envied them their pain free
sleep.
An lnscrutable Providence, rather
than any conscious effort on my part,
brought me TO my dark, but welcome
dugout. My comrades were highly re-
lieved at the sight Of me, for they had
counted me among the fallen
MIR. CONNER's CONDITION.
rrbo copdiffon of Ioshua Conner WIN