Crittenden record-press., 1917-10-04

We could take were too long consider.
Ing the fI We were In.
The bacon boxes held together all
hight, and We got out OF II without be
Ing touched. Tut 1t was more by pure
luck than anything else. What got
my goat was that during the who!
thing the officer sat there with cigar
In his mouth and a monocle IN his eye
and didn't even look as though he wa:
nervous.
When we got back to our own head
quarters he said THANK you" and re
marked to another officer that 'on
ID fool had escaped wearing l.
wooden uniform that day "by tn
breadth OF gnat's eyelash." pre-
sumo he was referring to me. and !
agree with him heartily. Believe mt
that ride did me out Of years growth
certainly pitied our transport me
during this time as never pitied then
before They could not help beini
nervous while waiting to go throue'
the city, which they had to do, as ther
was no other way for them to 60. Thu
ambulances, too. suffered heavily.
All night fhe bombardment continued
with unabated fury, yet our supple.
went through the city to the men JUS
the same.
The next morning l was ordered t.
report in my car to young officer o:
the intelligence department The Off
Ger told me that he had orders to 60
through Ypres to a little place called
Potijze and to report himself to the
divisional commander there.
There was absolutely no other way
to get to PotijZe except through Ypres
and you may be sure we were feeling
none too pleasant about the prospects
We had to 60 slowly. even at the start,
transports. After we got through til,
village OF Nlamertinghe we found the
going a little better, and we got along
faster. The road from Vlamertinghe tC
Ypres is almost straight and one can
see right into the city before one comes
within two kilometers Of It,
As we swung into this straight
stretch | noticed several German aero.
planes over the city, and 1t was plain
TO be seen that they were dropping
bombs. This time they were dropping
petrol bombs. and the instant they ex.
ploded they would spray petrol all
tha nj nd 40 m unn1I Chnnt
up into the air In this way they were
setting fire to the city.
II was a sight that shall never for.
get The shells were falling just the
same, and, what with the ground fairly
trembling from the terrific explosions.
the smoke from the bursting shells and
burning houses, the flames and dust
that filed the air, II made scene that
would need Dante to describe and d.
II justice.
The thought that we we're to attempt
the passage through all this was terri.
flying. An awful fear, almost panic
seemed to grip me. and l longed to
jump from that car and hide my face
from the flaming hell which seemed to
be stretching out its tentacles Of fire to
draw US into its gaping nav.
felt weak all over and was wet
with cold perspiration. looked at the
officer. almost praying that he would
give the order to stop, but even as
looked knew there was no chance OF
that He was as white as death, bu,
there was a look Of determination on
his face, and the clenched teeth and
set jaws gave no promise Of his back
ing down.
think the bulldog grit that he was
showing helped me. for resolved that.
while might get so weak as to be un.
able to drive that car, would stick by
him as long as could hold out. And
he certainly showed that he was
white" clear through, for he told me
TO stop moment did. and he got
out Of the car.
Robinson" he said, i've Just been
thinking that there won't be any need
for you to come any further. II Is q
rotten business. and as there are am.
balances going up all the time, l can
get lift In one and will stand just as
much chance Of getting through as
though you were to take me. don't
believe In any one taking unnecessary
risks. and In this case II would be risk.
ing an extra man and car, too. and !
don't mind going on In an ambulace
the least bit"
thought II was Just about one Of the
finest things I had ever heard Of mar
doing, and want TO say right here
that such things as this are typical o..
the true British officer. There are NET
holding commissions who couldn't d.
such a thing as this to save their necks
but they are the "pikers' found IN ev.
cry country, temporary gentlemen
az they are oalled by the real men who
are Obliged TO associate with them
My ethcer's generosity did not help
ne any, but I appreciated II more than
| can tell | had orders TO take him &c
Tot Jze and % bring him back. and II
! stayed behind aud anything happened
to him would be worse otY than II !
were lying beneath the ruins Of Ypres
explained this,,o him and said that,
| would rather tike him God knows
whether II was true or not, but said
il, anyway. While We we've talking an
other car passed us, and us my officer
jumped In I resolved TO follow the man
who was now ahead Of me.