American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-28

you now an ordlnury mans milo
works under the stress Of fighting and
the danger OF sudden death. There
are some queer things In the psycholo-
~ Of battle. For instance, when we
had got into the German trench and
were holding u against the most
vigorous counterattacks the thought
which was persistently uppermost In
my mind vas that l had lost the ad-
dress OF a girl In London along with
some papers which I had thrown away
Just before we started over and which
| should certainly never be able to find
again
Hold Regina Trench at Last.
The Regina trench had been taken
and lost thrce times by the British.
We took Il that day and held II. We
went into action with 1900 men OF all
ranks aud came out with COO.
| have said that because wo were on
the extreme right OF the line we had
the hottest little spot In France 10
hold FOR awhile. You sec. we had 10
Institute a double defensive, as we
had the Germans on our front aud on
our flank. the whole length OF the
trench TO the right OF us being still
held by the Germans. There we had
20 form n block massing our bomb
ers behind a harricade which was only
afteen yards from the barrlcade be-
hind which the Germans were lighting.
Our flank and the German flank were
In contact Ms fiery as that Of two live
wire ends. Aud meanwhile the Frltzes
tried 10 rush rs on our front with nine
separate counteruttacks. Only one OF
them got up close 20 us. and we vent
out aud stopped that with the bayonet
Behind our block barricade there was
the nearest approach 10 an actual hight
Ing he'll that / had seen.
And yet a man who was In the midst
Of Il from beginning 10 end came out
without a scratch. He was a tall chap
named Hunter For twcnty-four hours.
without interruption, he threw German
"eggshcll' bombs from a position at
HE center Of our barrlcade. lie never
stopped except 10 light "A cigarette or
yell for some one 10 bring him more
bombs from Fritz's captured store
house. lie projected n regular curtain
% nre OF his own. I've no doubt the
Germans reported he was a couple OF
platoOns, working IN alternate reiiefs.
lie was awarded the u. c. NJ. for his
services In that nght. and. though. as
said. he was unwounded. half the
men around him were killed. and his
nerves finished In such condition that
he had to be sent back 70 England.
The Big Blunder and What II Cost.
one OF the great tragedies OF the war
resulted from a bit OF carelessness
when u couple of days later the EFFORT
was made 10 extend our grip beyond
the spot which we took IN that nrsi
arht. Plans had been made for the
Forty-fourth battalion OF the Tent
Canadian brigade TO take by assault
the trench section extending to tbs
right from the point where we had es
tahllshed the block" on our nank. Tn,
hour for the attack had been liked
Then headquarters sent out "A counter
handing order Something WASH
quite ready.
The orders were sent by II a
an confidential orders must be. Tele
phones are ~ no avail any more, a
both cur people and the Germans havI
am apparatus which needs only 20 b
attached to "a metal spike IN the groun'
to "pick up every telephone messag
within a radius 81 three miles. WheI
telephones are used FOR anything I'M
portaut messages are sent IN code
Buf Tor any vitality important commit
ulcation which might cost seriou
losses. n misunderstood. old style run
ners are used. Just as they were In IN
days when the hcld telephone was Ut
beard of. II Is the rule 20 dispatch tw
or three 20 by different routes 3
that one at least will be certain 20 al
rive In the ease of the c~ountermant
INK OF the order Tor the Fourty fourt
battalion % assault the German pos
uon on our flank some officer at heat
quarters thought that one messenge
10 the lieutenant colonel commandin
the Forty fourth would be suficien
The messenger was killed by a ehanc
: shot. and his message vas undelivere'
The Forty-fourth. in ignorance OF n
! change o. plan went over" Thel
. was no barrage lire % protect then
{ and their valiant effort was simply
2 Wholesale suicide. Six hundred out
500 men were on the ground In tw
+ and a half minutes. The battalion We
o simply wiped out. Several office
u were court martlaled as a result
this terrible blunder.
We had gone into the Germa
a trenches at a little after noon on sa
y urday. On Sunday night at about
10 o'clock we were relieved. The reli'
! force had 10 coma IN overland M