Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-04
No. s
WOUNDED in
ACTION

bp-SAr6eaul Alexander HcClintock.
p. G. r., 9Th Overseas batt
Canadian Cru. Guards
Copyright. I'M. bZ tbs Bsll Syndicate. Inc.
The orders were sent by runners, as
all CONFIDENTIAL orders must be. Tele-
phones are Of no avail any more, as
both our people and the Germans have
ensapparatus which needs only to be
attached to a metal spike in the ground
to pick up" every telephone message
within radius of three miles. When
telephones are used for anything i'm
portant messages are sent in code.
But for any vitality important commu-
nication which might cost serious
losses, IL misunderstood, old style run
ners are used, Just as they were in the
days when the field telephone was I'M
heard Of. 1t is the rule to dispatch two
or three runners by different routes 80
that one at least will be certain to ar
rive. 1Hsthe case Of the countermand-
ing Of t1eorder for the Forty-fourth
battalip1sto assault the German posi-
ton oh our flank some ofilcer at head
quarters thought that one messenger
to the lieutenant colonel commanding
the Forty-fourth would be sufficient.
Tho messenger was killed by chance
shot, and his message was undelivered.
The Forty.fourth, in ignorance Of the
change Of plan, went over" There
was no barrage IRE to protect them,
and their valiant effort was simply a
wholesale suicide. Six hundred out Of
500 men were on the ground in two
and q half minutes. The battalion was
simply wiped out. Several officers
were court martialed as a result Of
this terrible blunder.
We had gone into the German
tfSnches ut . little after noon on Sat,
urday.. On Sunday night at about 10
o'clock we were relieved. The relief
force had to como In overland, and
they had a-good many casualties en-
route. They found us as comfortable
40 bugs in rug except for the infer
nal and continuous bombing at our
flank barricade.l The Germans had
concluded that 1t was useless to try to
drive rs out. About one-fourth Of the
coo of us who were still on their feet
were holding the sentry posts, and the,
remainder of the 600 were. having
banquets in the German dugouts, which
were stocked up like delicatessen shops
with sausages, fine canned fo6ds, cham
payne and beer. If we had only had
u few ladies with us we could have
had real party.
Il got 50 happily Interested in the
spread in our particular dugout that I
forgot about my wound until some one
reminded me that orders required me
to hunt up dressing station and get
an antitetanus injection. The Tom
mics like to take German trench, be-
cause II the Fritzes have to move
quickly, as they usually do, we always
find sausage, beer and champagne,
welcome change from bully beef. I
could never learn to like their bread,
however.
After this fight was sent, with
other slightly wounded men, for a
weeks rest at the casualty station at
Contay. I rejoined my battalion at
the end Of the week. From Oct. 81 to
Nov. 10 we were In and out Of the
front trenches several times for, duty
tours Of forty-eight hours each, but
were In no important action. At $40
on the morning Of Nov. 10, bit
ter cold day, we "went over" to take
the Desire and also the Desire support
trenches. These we're the names given
these trenches. We started from the
left Of our old position. and our ad-
vance was between Thiepval and
Pozieres, opposite Grandecourt.
u There was the usual artillery prep
aration and careful organization for
the attack. was again in charge of
the '.mopping up" wave, numbering
200 men and consisting mostly Of
bombers. II may seem strange to you
that . noncommissionsd ohicer should
haye 30 important an assignment, but
sometimes y this war priystes have
bsen In charge Of companies number
lnr $50 men, and I know Of case
where . lance corporal was Temperate
II IN command Of an entire battalion.
L happened on this day that, while
-. g charge Of the second wave, ]
lid not 90 over with them. At the last
moment / was given special duty by
Major John Lewis, formerly manag-s
slns editor Of the Montreal Star and
one Of the bravest soldiers ! ever
knew. % well as the best beloved man
q our battalion.
Tho Troublesome Machine Gun.
Clintock," said he, II don't wish
% send You to any special hazard, and,
o faf &c that goes, we're all going to
ut more Or less Of busting, but l,
want to put that machine gun which
.has been giving us 20 much trouble
ont a. aftion.w
\. ~ - - wen shs machine Enn