Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-11-20

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WILLIAM }. ROBINSON
CHAPTER VII.
The Attack on Hill No. O.
A T last We came to the place whers
~ the communication trench began,
end explained Il to him. The
trench lay about 100 yards OF the road.
running parallel to It It was awfully
muddy and one Of the dirtiest holes to
get to that ever saw. He noted this
and wanted to stick to the road, 20 ]
shut up and said no more Tor few
minutes.
Pretty soon q few shells began to
come over, and could see them burst
ing farther up the road. I spoke again
and pointed out the danger We were
running into. he had to consent then.
so we slipped and slid through the
mud and finally got into the trench
It was easy after that, and we reach.
ed the trenches just In time to have
some lunch.
In the afternoon he was shown all
through the trenches there and then
came back and asked to see some
bombs thrown. They threw some bombs
for him and then started dring rife
grenades. Everything was lovely un'
til about o'clock. Suddenly some
thing whizzed over and landed In Q
trench not dozen feet from where we
were standing. I didn't wait to ses
what It was. I didn't even hesitata
My feet just acted automatically, and
I think I broke the worlds record for
the standing broad jump right then
and there. As It happened, the thing
didn't explode, and it's a good thing
It didn't, for the colonel Just stood and
watched It
Soon after this he decided to 60 back,
10 We returned the same way We had
come, and all the way back he had me
picking up shell noses and pieces OF
shell until, when we reached the car
again, I resembled Junk wagon.
To put the finishing touches on It an
they were Smelling Viamertinghe when
we returned, and we passed through
that place as fast as that car could
travel while the houses were tumblins
down on either side Of N. Taken al
In all, It was about as exciting . day
al wanted.
But my troubles were not over yet,
for I was informed that was to take
him to the Ploogsteert trenches the
next day. Idid not mind that 30 much,
for the Saxons were holding the trench.
es opposite US on that part Of the line,
and they did not bother us very much.
Sometimes days would pass with hard
" q shot being fred. OF course the
German artillery gave It to ~ just the
same as everywhere else, but the Sax
ons themselves are pretty decent chapA
The village Of Ploogsteert II q very
interesting place, as there had been .
great deal Of hand to hand fighting
there In the earlier days Of the war and
the houses and trees left standing were
all scratched and cut by bullet marks
We started out about 10 o'clock the
next morning, and by II We were on
our way up to the trenches. In going
to the trenches one passes through .
big wood, and this place. too. was alive
with snipers. We arrived without mis-
hap, however, but things were warmer
than usual. for It seems that there were
some Bavarians In against NJ at this
time.
While the colonel was mousing around
I picked up one Of the new periscopic
rifles that had just come out and start
cd potting at a chap who was digging
a sniping trench out in front Of the
German parapet could only zee the
fash of his intrenching tool az he threw
the dirt out, and once In awhile his
head would show for a fraction Of Z
second. But I kept potting away more
to kill time than anything else
he soon knew that was after him,
for every once In awhile hs would
wave his little shovel at me just after
had taken a shot. All afternoon
kept this up, and about 4:S0 was b.
ginning to get rather tired Of the game
just happened to glance into the glass
Of the periscope, and there was his
whole head and shoulders showing
above the little parapet.
pulled the trigger, and he seemed -
disappear almost at the same instant
Il sounds rather long to ten about but
It all happened in the fraction Of Q no
ond. didn't know whether ! had hit
him or not, and was beginning 70
doubt It when some one threw his body
out and went on digging IN his place
had fred nearly 400 rounds Of am
,nnnition to get one German. but tat
rather sick at having finally been suc
cessful.
Around 8 o'clock We started back to
the car. and a. We were going through
the wood We saw one Of our poor fel.
lows miped. We had several batteries
Of artillery In the vicinity. and this
chap was an artilleryman. He was
walking up path which Joined the one
we were on, the Junction Of the paths
being about 100 yards ahead Of ~. We
could hear the poor devil whistling ~
he came along, but his whistle was cut
short by the crack Of Z rine We rushed
10 the mot where he had gone down.
and we found that be had . bullet
through his right lung.
I got ont my neld dressing bandages,
and We bound him up. tying the pad
on the bandage tight over the bullet
hole We carried him down untal We
came % the artillery quarters. and
there No gave him over to bis COM
rades, who rushed him to the nearest
fleld ambulance. I do not know
whether he recovered or not; I have
often wondered about Il
We found our car where We had LETT
Il, and No were back ct headquarters
befors dark. On the way back the old
colonel made remark that believe
hs really meant He raid: I've en-
ioyed these two days Immensely, and
L brought back The days Of my youth
up>la h.e A.rroaJFs fhak my h0dvs nhall