Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-15
Sergeant ArthA. Guy En-
pcy Hears Mate s Story
While Hun Shells
Fall.
by SERGEANT ARTHUR 6. EMrEy.

by SERGEANT ARTHUR G.. EMPEY.
(Thc fourth Of a series Of twelve
articles by the author of over the
Top" tho best seller of the year. The
remaining articles will tell Mr.. En-
pey's experiences during his seventeen
months in the first line trenches of
the British army IN France. the thrill
ing great adventures" which hundreds
Of thousands of young Americans are
soon TO pass throush)
The English, Lion was roaring. and
his srowls could Le hard all along tho
western front. No doub, many "A Ger
man genera vas stirring uncasily in
his large concrete shcIl-proof duEout,
as evec-increasins laundering roar
reached his cars.
We had closeup view OF Ills Ma
jcsty. the King OF Beasts. and TO us
lac was sorry looking specimen.
Patches or hide were worn away. while
in his tail were two biz. knots. /:
these knots had been labeled Il
would have been easy to read "Eeuve
chapcilc" and "Gal!ipoli" The memory
and pain Of these two disasters no
doubt increased the intensity OF his
thunder.
The British bonbardment Of the
German lines was or. a bombardnleni
which lasted over eight days and
nights. 1t was tho forcrunncr OF the
big push, or battle OF the .Somme.
>twoll and 1 were sitting in "a dug
out Of the support trench. .Atwcll
vas great, big, lovablc fellow. and
was my mate. We both had been de-
tailed to the Divisional int.lliScr g
Department. and were engaged uron
SPY work
A;wcl although of = naturally
chccry disposition. occasionally re
ianacd into fits OF despondcncy.
Ia the light from a stump OF q can
de was making out my previous
da:'s report TO turn into brigade head
quartcra. Occasionally the entrance TO
the dusout would light up with :, red
fare as a shell burst in the near vi
c!ni,y. .!twel! was sitting on his pack
with his bacis leaning against the rc,
and muddy wall OF The dusou;. The
rays from the candle lighted up his
face.
Finishing my report. / got out a
Tag" lighted il. and with an uncauy
feeling listened TO the roar OF the hell
~ :,
TO look in ->twclrs direction. Never in
my life have | seen such ii detected
and woebcgonc couutcnanc" This. in
q way. had Il feeling OF impending dis
astar, a sort Of unknown dread. per
haps ,ntcrminslcd with a tar-away
longing Tor The fields and flowers "A,
home. wanted TO bc rhocrcd, and
Atwclis face looked like a m"rsuc.
Forces n Smile.
Forcing a smile l slapped .Aiwcll on
tho knee and said:
Come out o your trance. We've
both got good chance for B!ighty
With this bombardmcnt on"
.A,wcl looked in my direction. and
in a lone OF voice which from him
Esd never heard before. answered.:
'Yank. I've been out since IL. I've
buried many a natc and w. seen many
a lucky b!cke on :; Strctchcr bound for
Eiishty. and never gave it a thought.
but right now ! feel as i. my stay
in the trenches Will he short. I've had
something on my mind since Scptem.
ber, 1914. and it's been worrying me
pink. I'm Eoin' 10 tell you the story.
and I'll give you my oath that you're
the first one that's ever heard II from
promise that you'll not judge me TOO
harShly. I've just 80; to SO, ii ou, O.
my system"
Just then signing moan could be
heard overhead. II was one OF our
nine -point-two" shells aimed in the
direction Of Berlin. We both ins;inc-
lively turned our eyes towards the en-
trance of the dugout and waited for
the burst. Nothing happened.
Another bloomin' dud," Calculated
.NwcIl "a few more hundred pounds
gore 10 seed" and then again the
gloomy look spread over his countc-
nance. was getting nervous and un-
easy. Trying to hide my fear. | said:
For tn love O. Mike. Atweii. crack
smile. Give US that story Of yours,
or else I'll so bughousc. You had
better get it OFF OF your chest, because
I'm thinking that Fritz will soon be re-
plying to our strafing. and if an
ctSht-inch shell ever hits this dugout
they'll need no wooden crosses for us.
because our names will appear under
the caption Missing"
With another sigh escaping from his
lips. which sent "A cold shiver up and
down my spinal column he lighted Il
flag and started in. This is what he
told me:
Ny Mates story.
''it was back i'll September. 1914.
You know ] came out with the first
hundred thousand the time when all
the fighting was done in tho open.
The Germans were smashing every
thing before them in their drive on
Paris. Our regiment was one Of the
few opposed TO Won Kluck. 1t was "A
case OF hold them for few hours and
then rctrcat--always retreat. We
didn't even have time to bury our dead.
The grub was rotten. and we were
just about tagged out. dead tired, with
no prospect Of relief or rest in front
Of us.
1T was customary for small patrols
OF ten to twenty men. in charge Of :,
sergeant, TO rcconnoitcr on our lanks.
One day ! was sent out in charge of
one OF these parties. Oh, yes. / was a
sergeant then. but lost my stripes
disobediencc OF orders they called II.
-