El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-23

men who read this. to know some
thing. a little later, about bombing
The sixty Of US chosen to execute
the raid were taken 20 miles 10 the
rear for a weeks instruction practice-
Having only slight idea OF what We
were going to try to do, we 1elt very
jolly about the whole enterprise
starting off. We were camped IN an
old barn. with several special instruc-
ton officers in charge We had oral
instruction, the first day. while sap
pers dug and built an exact duplicate
OF the section Of the German trenches
which we were to raid. That Is. II
was exact except for few details
Pooling German AviatOrs.
Certain skeleton trenches IN the
practice section, were dug simply 70
graph. taken back to German head
quarters, had shown an exact dupi-
cate OF a German trench section sus-
picion might have been aroused and
our plans revealed We were con-
stantly warned about the skeleton
trenches and told to remember that
they did not exist in the German
section where we were to operate.
Meanwhile our practice section was
changed a little, several times. be-
cause aerial photographs showed that
the Germans had been renOvatng and
making some additions to the trench
es in which we were to have our
frolic with them
Getting Killed Six Times
We had oral instruction. mostly
during the day. because we didn't
dare let the German aviators see US
practice a bomb raid All night long,
sometimes until or 8 o'clock in the
morning. we rehearsed that raid, just
as carefully as company OF star
actors would rehearse a play. At
first there was a disposition to have
sport out of II.
"Well." some chap would say. roll
ing into the hay all tired out, i
got killed six times tonight S'pose
it'll be eight times tomorrow nigh"
One man insisted that he had dis
covered. in one OF our aerial photo
graphs. a German burying money, and
he carefully examined each new pic
ture so that he could be sure of
finding the dough and digging II up
The grave and serious manner OF our
officers, however. the exhaustive care
with which we were drilled and, more
than all. the approach of the time
when We were to go over the top
drove all sport out of our minds, and
/ can say for myself that the very
thought OF the undertaking, as the
1dI2l night drew near sent SulNeIS
up and down my spine.
Just To Tease the Enemy.
4 bombing raid-something Origi-
mated in warfare by the Canadians
is not intended for the purpose OF
holding ground, but to gain informa-
ton, to do as much damage as pos
sible. and TO keep the enemy in a
state OF nervousness. In this particu-
lar raid, the chief object was to gain
=. ~a-ra 49, h fr~N al nd
wanted to know what troops were
opposite US and what troops had been
there. We were expected TO get this
information from prisoners and from
buttons and papers off Of the Ger
mans we might kill.
It was believed that troops were
being relieved from the big tent from
the big show. up at the SOmme, and
sent to our side show in Belgium for
rest Also. il was suspected that ar
tillery was being Withdrawn for the
SOmme. Especially. We were anxious
to bring back prisoners
In civilized war, prisoner can De
TO tell only his name. rank
and religion But this is not civ
iliZed war. and there are ways OF
making prisoners talk One OF the
most effective ways-quite humane
is to tie a prisoner fast. head and foot.
and then tickle his bare feet with a
feather.
Making Prisoners Talk.
More severe measures have fire.
quently been used-the water cure
for instance-but I'm bound 10 say
that nearly all the German prisoners
I saw were quite loquacious and will
ing to talk. and the accuracy Of their
information, when later confirmed by
raids. was surprising- The iron dis
cipline, which turns them into mere
children in the presence Of their Off
GERS seemed to make them subSer-
Went and obedient to the officers
who commanded US mean. of course.
the privates- In this way. the sys-
TEN worked against the Fatherland-
Captured German officers especially
Prussians. were a nasty lot We
never tried to get information from
them for We knew they would lie.
happily and very ligently-welI
instructed in the art
~Over the Top
At last came the night when we
were 10 go over the top" across
No Mans Land. and have a frOlic
with Fritz in his own happy home.
am endeavoring TO be as accurate
and truthful as possible in these
therefore compelled to say that there
wasn't a man in the so who didn't
show the strain in his pallor AMI
nervousness Under orders. We dis
carded our trench helmets and SUD
stituted knitted skull caps or empty
mess tins Then we blackened our
hands and faces with ashes from a
camp fire so as to avoid being seen
as long as possible. After this they
loaded US into motor trucks and took
Us up to 'Shrapnel Corner" from
which point We went in on foot. Just
before We left. a staff captain came
along and gave US a little talk.
This is the first time you men
have been tested" he said. You're
Canadians 1 needn't say anything
more to you They're going to be
popping them off at a great rate
while you're on your way across. Re
member that you'd better not stand
ID straight because our shells will be
soing over just six and a half feet
rom the ground-where it's level
Z you stand up straight you're likely
10 be hit in the head. but don't let
hat Worry you because If you do
get hit in the head you won't know
L. So why in hell worry about it,
That was his farewell. He jumped
IN his horse and rode off
The Bomb Raid.
The point We were to attack had
Deen selected long before by our
scouts. II was not. as YOU might
suppose. the weakest point in the
German line 1t was on the contrary
he strongest. It was considered
hat the moral effect OF cleaning up
weak point wOul5 Se comparatively
mall, whereas 10 break in at the
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