The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-30
TELLS WEIRD EXPLOITS
Of A FIGHTING TANK"


travel over the front trench the troops
rub their eyes In wonder at their
strange coats of many colors
The deck of the tank rolls and
pitches like torpedoboat In a storm.
But we are all old hands and we come
safely through without seasickuess.
Hun bullets are rebounding from
our tough sides like hail from glass
roof.
we just crawl over the embank-
ment. guns and all. 1t is not neces-
sary to fire q single shot.
Two or three Huns are brave
enough to creep on the back of the
tank from behind They are not
doomed TO get the iron cross. for we
open a small trap-door and shoot
them with a revolver.
1T Is almost like playing hide and
seek, as we travel backward and for
ward along the trench"
Life in a tank, or arnfored tractor,
in action is thus described in a let
ter to his sister by william F. r.
Divall. of scarborough, who was
wounded in one OF These monsters.
He says:
Inside the tanks are the keen
eyed lighting men. known as the
crew. strangely CARRIED. as becomes
their strange craft, while around
them Is complicated mass of ma
chinery.
THE deck of the tank rolls and
pitches like a torpedoboat in n storm.
The crew holds on to anything with
IN reach to steady ourselves, while
We rush down a large shell hole.
We succeeded In putting out two
machine gun emplacements, the guns
of which have been worrying our in
fantry for some time. And now the
action begins in earnest, Hun bull
let's are rebounding from our tough
sides like hail from @ glass roof
while inside the tanks the whole
crew are at various guns. which break
forth in a devastating fire. under
which nothing can live.
"By this time the fumes from the
hundreds of rounds which we had
fred, with the heat from the engines
and the waste petrol and oil, have
made the air quite oppressive and
uncomfortable to breathe in.
However, those who 60 down TO
the land IN tanks are accustomed to
many strange sensations which would
make an ordinary mortal shudder.
I'VE make 4 fairly difficult target,
as our way lies between numerous
tree trunks and battered stumps. also
much barbed wire.
Our strange craft Is battling
hraveiy with the waves OF earth now
encountered, and the conditions In
side might be better imagined than
described. But. thanks to our pro-
tective headgear, we come through
IL all. still smiling, to find ourselves
on the edge of the Hun trench.
The Huns show fight here. and
we have a warm ten minutes before
they give signs OF retreating.
I'VE leave them for minute or
two, in order to ram a machine-gun
emplacement which is still threaten
ing our rapidly advancing infantry.
I'VE Just crawl over the embank-
ment. guns and all. II In not neces-
sary to Are a single shot.
"The last trench proves to be the
worst, for just as we are crossing
a large hole our bus stops. l believe
the sparkling plugs have ceased 10
sparkle. and II is in a very awkward
place. as the tree stumps now pre-
vent free traverse of our guns.
And now two or three Huns, see
ing our difficulty. crawl out OF a
enough to creep on the back of the
tank from behind. But we hear
them on the armor, and they were
doomed not to get the iron cross. for
we open a small trap-door and shoof
them with a revolver
And now the old bus is going
strong again. Only just in time, for
a large lyddite bomb bursts against
the armored Jacket OF my gun. The
fare comes in through the port-hole.
binding me for a 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.
s"The Germans are now scattered
in small parties. 1t Ii almost like
PLAYING at 'hide-and- seek as we now
travel backward and forward along
that trench.
After a few short runs we md no
more Huns to hunt. 80 as our objec-
tive, the wood has been gained we
leave the scene to the infantry. and
find shelter from possible stray shots
in a large hole. which has been made
by many shells
After a little exercise we start
to overhaul the tank and guns. In
readiness for the next toy-ride. Then
we snatch a few hours OF sleep"