The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-08-19
TAKING A TRENCH.
How II Feels to BE Bayonet Charging,
Described BY An American.

btsCTlDeu DN An American.
Chicago Post: II was 20 on the dot
when our artillery opened up. For two
hours the noise was deafening. At
$40 word was passed down the trench.
Ten minutes more" Ten minutes to
live! | was glad it was dark so nobody
could see my face knew II was chalky
it felt that way.
Then came the word, Five minutes
more.
First wave get on. and near the
ladders. When the whistle blows over
! you 90 and good luck to you. Give
, them hellr
As If by magic our bombardment
ceased suddenly The awful silence
hurt. Sharp whistle blasts up and
down the line pierced the air.
How / got up that ladder | don't
know When got on top, | felt all
alone with the whole German army in
front Of me. | was faint and sick and
my knees were wabbling. Overhead
German shrapnel was whistling and n
million bullets were singing all around
was charging forward, Of course.
The man on my right shouted some.
thlng to me that couldn't catch. then
toppled forward flat on his face.
seemed to be running in a dream. His
body and all the other objects on the
ground seemed floating to the rear.
All OF sudden my eyes went red
and every vestige Of faintness and fear
left me. | was shouting at the ton of
my voice; yelling and yet couldn't
hear a sound! Masses of tangled
oarped wire loomed up in front Of me.
Several Of my mates tripped on this
wire and lay still in strange. cramped
positions.
was sun wondering why they didn't
get up and come on when a trench
opened right under my feet Men We're
scramDling up over the rear wall OF II
they wore spiked helmets and looked
Just like mud turtles crawling nm |
steep bank. one or two OF the turtles
slipped back and lay sprawling in the
bottom Of the trench.
The fellow on my left. leaning IN |
clear the trench, seemed 10 ston in |
mid'air, then pitched head downward |
into the heap OF mud turtles nj the
bottom! laughed out loud.
/ cleared the trench and as lardod |
right In front Of me was a giant with
a rifle ten feet long with five or six
knives on the end OF IL. These knives
1t was Just his bayonet OF course J
darted and flashed about me. closed
my eyes and lunged. My rifle was torn
from my grasp. but the giant was
down. and my bayonet was sticking
through his chest
Just to the left OF me was another
giant helmet gone; he had the barrel
OF his rifle In both hands and was
swinging the butt In wide circles ahou,
his head.
Three or four Tommies. who lookad
IKE wasps were STOPPING low. dartine
In and out, jabbing with their have.
nets trying TO get under that swinging
butt once 1t squashed on a Tommv's
head' he sank to his knees and SLOWLY
fell over on his side, but German had
broken his rifle.
At once the point OF a bavonet huo
through the Germans neck from the
V"'' WIN Il look OF aStoniShment and
rage he fell forward across the body OF
The Tommy he had sent west
Then something hit me on tho
shoulder, and a red.hot poker seemed
to pierce my left side. This poker must
have had teeth on Il. because. when n
was withdrawn Il felt as II my lnsldes
were being rended and torn ana ripped
'ut The force was SO great that IL
pulled me over backward and fell on
my back A stream Of ice.cold air
seemed to pass through my shoulder
and lights flashed In front OF my ewes
A duh blow on the head. flare OF
light, then darkness.
| dreamed that was at sea. being
Tossed about In an open boat. NV
'yes slowly opened, the moon was
shining, and was being CARRIED on a
'tretcher by two men.
At the dressing station learned that
We had taken the trench and held n