Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-06-07


ton
my heart sank. Supposlng he had
rumhed that tapping then all would
be up with our plan. | stopped drum
ming with my fingers and said:
"'Beg your pardon, sir, just habit
with me-
"And a id silly one, too he an.
swcred. turning TO his glasses again,
and | knew | was safe. He had not
tumbled 10 the meaning OF that tap
ping.
"All at once, without turning round.
he exclaimed:
"'Well. OF all the nerve I've ever run
across, this takes the cake. Those
- - Boches are using that road
again. Blind my eyes, this time II is
whole brigade Of them, transports and
an. What a pretty target for our
i5s.' The boggars know that We
won't fire. a ID shame, | call IT,
oh. just for chance to turn d 23S
loose on them
II was trembling with excitement.
From repeated stolen glances nj the
captains range chart, that road with
lis range was burned into my mind.
cover the wire l tapped, u 23S bat
terry TARGET Il. Range COCO 3 degrees
80 minutes. left, saIyo, fire Cassell
Q. KID my message, and with the re-
criver pressed against my ear, | wait
ed aud listened In couple Of min
ufeS very family ever the wire came
the voice Of our battery commander
issuing the order; ID 23S battery.
Salyo. Fire"
"Then a roar through the receiver
as the four guns belched forth. a
screaming and whistllng overhead, and
the shells were on their way.
THE captain jumped as II he were
shot and let out a great big expressive
d-n and eagerly turned his glasses
In The direction Of the German road.
| also strained my eyes watching that
target Four black clouds OF dust r, ?
~ right In the middle Of the German
column Four direct hits-another
record for D 23s.
The shells Kept on whIstllng over
head and | had counted twenty-four
Of them when the firing suddenly
ceased When the smoke and dust
clouds lifted the destruction on that
raad was awful Overturned limhers
md guns wagons smashed UP, troops
'erinc In an directions. The road and
roadside We're spotted all over with
'''lr field gray dots, the toll of our
guns
THE captain, in his excitement. had
>ipped off the sandhag and was on
his knees In the mud, the glass still at
his eye. He was muttering TO himself
and Shaping his thigh with his olsen
gagged hand Al every slap big
round juicy cusS word would escape
from his lips followed by:
Good Fine! Marvellous! Pretty
Work Direct hits ALL
Then he turned to me and shouted :;
Wilson, what do you think Of it?
Did you ever see the like Of II in your
life? D-n fine work. l call it.
Pretty soon a look Of wonder stole
over his face and he exclaimed:
But who in hi gave them the
order to fire. Range and everything
correct, too. I know l didn't. Wilson,
did | give you any order for the bat
terry TO open up? OF course l didn't,
did II
Il answered very emphatically, No,
sir, you gave no command. Nothing
went through this post. l am abso-
lutely certain on that point, sir
"'Of course nothing went through,
he replied. Then his face fell, and he
muttered out loud:
"'But, by Jove, wait till Old Pep
per gets wind Of this. Therell be fur
flying
Just then Bombardier Cassell cut in
on the wire:
Generals compliments to Captain
A. He directs that officer and sig
mailer report at the double to brigade
headquarters as soon as relieved. Re-
lief now on the way.
I'm an undertone to me, Keep a
brass front, Wilson, and for Gods
sake, stick answered with, Rely on
me, mate, but was trembling all over.
81 gave the generals message to the
captain, and started packing Ip
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