South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-27

pitches like a torpedo boat in a
storm. But we are old sands and We
come safely through without sea-
sickness
Hun bullets are rebounding from
our tough sides like hail from a
glass roof
We just crawl over the embank-
ment. guns and all. II is not neces-
sary 10 fire a single shot.
Two or three Huns are brave
enough TO creep on the back of the
tank from behind They are not
doomed 10 get the Iron Cross. for
We open a small trap door and shoot
them with a revolver.
1t is almost like playing hide and
seek as we travel backward and
forward"
Describes Life i'm Tank.
Life I'm tank. or armored tractor,
in action is thus described in a let
ter 10 his sister by William +. +.
Divall OF scarborough. who was
wounded in one Of these monsters.
lie says:
Inside the tanks are the keen
eyed fighting men. known as the
crew. strangely CARRIED. as becomes
their strange craft, while around
them is a complicated mass Of ma
chinery.
The deck of the tank rolls and
pitches like a torpedo boat in a
storm. The crew holds on TO any
thing within reach 10 steady our
selves. while we rush down "A large
shell hole.
we succeed in putting out two
machine gun emplacements, the
guns Of which have been worrying
our infantry for some time. And now
the action begins in earnest Hun
bullets are rebounding from our
tough sides like hail from a glass
roof. while inside the tank the whole
crew are at various guns. which
break forth in a devastating fire,
under which nothing can live.
BY this time the fumes from the
hundreds of rounds which we had
fired. with the heat from the engines
and the waste petrol and oil, have
made the air quite oppressive and
uncomfortable to breathe in
However those who go down 10
the land in tanks are accustomed TO
many strange sensations. which
would make an ordinary mortal
shudder.
I'VE make a fairly difficult target,
as our way lies between numerous
tree trunks and battered stumps.
also much barbed wire.
"Our strange craft is battling
bravely with the waves Of earth now
encountered. and the conditions in
side might be better imagined than
described. But, thanks TO our pro-
tective headgear. we come through
II all. still smiling. to find ourselves
| on the edge of the Hun trench.
Have Warm Ten Minutes.
The Huns show fight here and we
have a warm 10 minutes before they
give signs of retTeating.
we leave them for a minute or
two. in order to ram a machine-gun
emplacement which is still threaten
/ ing our rapidly advancing infantry.
I'VE just crawl over the embank-
! nenL. guns anu all II Is not ueCtS-
| sary to fire a single shot.
The last trench proves TO be the
| worst. for just as we are crossing a
, large hole our bus stops | believe
| the sparkling plugs have ceased To
| sparkle, and it is in a very awkward
| place. as the tree stumps now pre-
/ vent the free traverse of our guns.
! And now two or three Huns. see
| ing our difficulty, crawl out of a hole
/ like rabbits, and are brave enough Il
| creep on the back Of the tank from
/ behind. But we hear them on the
| armor. and they are doomed not tC
get the Iron Cross. for we open a
/ small trap door and shoot them witt
a revolver.
And now the old bus is gOinE
| strong again. Only just in time. fol
large lyddite bomb burst agains
/ the armored jacket of my gun The
flare comes in through the POst-hOle
/ binding me for minute or so, while
I small spliu-ers strike my face. Blu
my gun is still untouched, thanks L
the armor plate. and somehow seems
to work much better.
The Germans are now scattere,