Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-30
VIEW FROM INSIDE
OF FIGHTING TANK
British Soldier Describes Ride
Over Trenches and Machine
Guns at Work.
BULLETS COME LIKE HAIL

London. April l2.-The first ac-
count OF fighting as viewed from the
inside OF British tank" is contained
in letter, just released by the censor,
from Sergeant r. E. Divall, a Cana
dian, who has been attached to one
OF the tank" companies since the big
cars were FIRST sent to the French
front. He says:
"The order to advance is given.
Steadily the long, powerful shapes
move forward in the gray mists OF
dawn. As the weird-looking forms
travel over the front trench the troops
therein rub their eyes in wonder at
the strange cube-impressionist coat OF
many colors which the tanks are
wearing. Inside the tanks are the
keen-eyed fighting men, strangely
CARRIED, as becomes their strange
craft, while around them is compli-
Gated mass Of machinery.
Nov we are passing over she'll
holes, tree stumps, and many other
trihes, which fill the ground OF No
Mans Land The deck OF the tank
rolls and pitches like a torpedo boat
in a storm. The crew hold on to any
thing within reach to steady ourselves
while we rush down large shell-hole.
But we come safely through without
seasickness. |.a ...
Bullets Come Like Hail.
Suddenly the gunnery officer gives
the order: To action. His voice is
only just heard above the noise OF the
whirling machinery. A few sighting
shots, and we have found the range.
We succeed in putting out two ma
chine gun emplacements, the guns OF
which have been worrying our in
fantry for some time. And now the
action begins in earnest. Bullets are
rcbounding from our tough sides like
hail from glass roof, while inside
the tanks the whole crew are at vari-
Gus guns, which break forth in a de-
vastating fire, under which nothing
can live.
"And now we are on the parapet OF
the first Hun trench, just on the out
skirts Of the wood which is our OBJ.
jective, and as we go humping on to
the other side we land with a terrific
bump. A can of petrol has slipped
from its pigeon-holc and comes clat-
tering down Oh to the armored deck,
with its stopper shaken out, and the
dangerous spirit running over the
floor. However, we en6laded that
trench, followed up the retrcating
Huns for minute or two, cleared out
the nearest dugout, and went on our
way to the next trench.
by this time the fumes from the
hundreds of rounds which we had
fired, with the heat from the engines
and the waste petrol and oil, have
made the air quite oppressive and I'M
comfortable to breathe. Now we are
nearing the next enemy trench, and
we hear the deep report OF bursting
bombs, above the pattering of the
storm of bullets, striking our armor.
Crush Machine Guns.
Soon we find ourselves on the edge
OF the Hun trench. This proves to
be composed Of shell-holes OF all sizes,
Just linked together, showing how Sc
we're our previous bombardments had
been. The Huns show fight here, and
we have a warm ten minutes before
they give signs of retreating. We
leave them for a minute or two in Or
der to ram a machine gun emp'ace-
ment, which is still threatening our
rapidly advancing infantry. We just
crawl over the embankment. guns
and all; 1t is not necessary to fire
single shot.
Now It is time for US to ad-
vance to the next and last position.
We have the good fortune to strike
road which has escaped serious DAM
age, and, making all speed along this
we make up to the Huns who have
escaped from the last trench. But
they have had enough of the all
devouring monster, and are ready to
throw down their arms and make their
way TO our infantry, glad to be pris-
oners.
THE last trench proves to be the
worst, for just as we are crossing
large hole our bus stops. Two or
three Huns, seeing our difficulty,
crawl out OF hole like rabbits, and
are brave enough to creep on the
back Of the tank from behind But
we hear them on the armor and they
are doomed not to get the iron cross,
for we open a small trap-door and
shoot them with a revolver. OF course,
we had seen them before they reached
the tank, but as our mechanism was
giving us little change OF occupa-
ton just then, we did not trouble
about them.
"And now the old bus is going
strong again, Only just in time, for
large lyddite bomb bursts against
the armored jacket Of my gun. The
flare comes in through the portfolio,
binding me for minute or SO, while
small splinters strike my face. But
my gun is still untouched, thanks to
the armor plate, and, somehow, seems
to work much better. And now ]
catch some Huns retreating along a
trench almost in line with burst of
FIRE, The Germans are now scattered
in small parties. 1t is almost like
playing at hide-and-seek as we now
travel backward and forward along
that trench. After a few short runs