American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-12-14
My Fourteen Months
at the Front
~
BY WILLIAM ]. ROBINSON
CHAPTER TX.
The Fate OF a Spy.

We went back along the road until we
came to the turning which leads to the
village of B~oesinghe. This village is
on the bank of the canal, but it is a
mighty unhealthy place 10 visit, as it
Is In full view of part of the German
lines. Our plan was to go as close to
the village as we dared and then leave
the car and try to get through on foot.
It was almost as dangerous as 1t would
be to go through Ypres, but we figured
: that here we would at least have a
lighting chance.
We left the car under some trees
shout half a mile from the village and
BET out on foot. We hadn't been going
ten minutes when a sentry stopped US
again and informed US that the road
was closed and we would have to GO
back. The officer explained things to
him and told him that it was abso-
lutely imperative that we get through
and that this was the only way it
could be done. The sentry said that
he was very sorry, but he had strict
orders from the assistant provost mar
shall and he dared not let US pass.
There was nothing left for US to do
but to turn back.
We went straight to headquarters,
and the officer explained that it was
impossible for us to get through. He
ordered me to report to him the next
morning and we would try again. The
next day they were b~ombarding just
as heavily, and the city was still burn
ing, so all l had to do was to stand by
and hold myself in readiness all day
long.
We saw a very exciting incident that
day. There was a big ammunition col
umn neal our headquarters, and it was
waiting there, all ready loaded, until
sent for. 1t had been there several
weeks then, and the chaps who belong
ed to it were having the softest time
they ever had in their lives.
About 2 o'clock in the afternoon l
was standing on a corner ear this
column when l saw one Of the police
m and speak to a chap who vas
ding around it with a notebook in
bis hand. They talked for a few mo-
ments, and then a policeman sauntered
down to where l was standing and
came up and spoke to me.
go down to the guard room" he said,
land have the corporal fall in two men
and bring them up here as quick as
God will let him. That fellow there by
the column is getting all kinds of infor-
nation and putting it In his book. Now,
hurry, but take your time until you get
out Of sight Of this place. I'll look
after him until the guard comes"
was naturally all excited, but l did
as he said, and it wasn't many minutes
before we were on our way back at the
double. Our man was still there. but
the minute he saw US he got started.
Our policeman pulled his revolver and
fred after him. He didn't stop for a
second, but he pulled a couple of guns
himself and every few seconds would
send a shot back at us as he ran.
Fellows were joining in the chase all
the time, and it was getting interest
ing. The end came very suddenly when
two Of our chaps with rifles appeared
Is the road ahead of the fugitive and
ordered him to halt. He fired on them
for an answer. so they raised their ri
nes and brought him down.
Examination showed that he was a
German. He had on German service
dress under the British uniform he was
wearing. The little book our police
man referred to certainly was a gold
mine Of information. He had the name.
location and strength of every unit in
our vicinity and also the location of a
good many of our batteries. He was a
brave fellow. all right. and he played
the game clear to the end.
The mex day | reported myself as
usual for the trip to Potijze. and we
decided to make the try again. Even
TO slacken, and we rushed straight
through without mishap.
If Ypres had been in bad condition
before this l don't know how it would
. be described nowI In the center Of the
town there was scarcely a building left
standing. All the towers but one had
been knocked off the famous Cloth
hall, and the whole place had been
Quilted by fire. The cathedral was all
uONn tANcpl udil VI the lOncAs anu Tie
inside OF that was still burning.
The streets were Uttered with bodies
of every description. and broken wag-
ons, ambulances. water carts, etc.. lay
everywhere. The roads were almost
obliterated, and we were riding over
broken bricks and mortar. The shells
were still coming over, but they were
no worse than what we had run
through before, so we did not mind
them very much. We found the road
thy other side of Ypres about as usual,
so1 we got up to Potijze without any
mtre excitement.
Rotijze is a very tiny place which
hts seen some hard fighting from time
TO time. There was really very little
left Of the place itself. but our trenches
ran just outside the village, and we had
dugouts all around there. On our ar.