The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-16
fRv z. Il. TostevIn.l
somewhere in Franco. 30

somewhere IN FRANCE uu0 G9s
'I've got 'em spotted. Say lieu
tenant, let me go out and get en-
begged q. 19 year old American SOL
der.
They'd pop you off in a minute. Stay
back here" was the order.
It was on the Bailleul Wood
front. Some distance out from the
German lines a Boche machine gun
crew were claverly located and cam
outraged. ANY movement from the
American side was promptly greet
ed by a hail Of bullets. It was one
OF those aggravating get on your
nerves" situations that have made
many heroes through sheer tmpau-
ence and desperation. Es
Private John w. Hicks OF Wood
stock, Vt.-Regt., got mad. fight
ing mad. He finally located the Ger
man gun. Three times he besought
the lieutenant in charge Of his pla-
toon for permission to silence the
gun.
3They bumped off my buddy" he
pleaded.
Finally he gained his request.
Following back OF the American
lines he entered a woods on one
flank and made his way towards the
German trenches. When about half
the distance he dropped to the
ground and started crawling in front
of the German line.
For q quarter Of a mile or more.
he 'inched" his perilous way until
unseen by the enemy because OF
his Indian-lilze use Of shell holes
and small brush as cover, he reach
ed point betw cen the German main
lines and the advanced position
where the sniper machine gun was
emplaced.
He crawled toward the machine
gun, rifle ready for instant action,
and then crept within a few feet Of
the crew of three men. s
The gunner was just receiving a
fresh bandolier Of shells from an
other, and a third was lying prone,
ing for any movement from the
American line.
Attack from the rear was the last
thing in the world they expected yet
1t came when young Hicks said,
"Move and I'll kill you" !
Never were three men more sur
prised. One could understand Eng
lish.
: 'FPick up that gun and ammuni-
tion and forward march," ordered
Hicks.
Crestfallen, unable to understand
how it happened, these three Ger
the American lines and Hicks was
relieved.
called on him a few minutes ago
in his ward at this hospital. He
claims he Is % years old, but 1
doubt IL he is yet 90. He is in
blighty. Two days after his auda-
cious capture Of the machine gun,
he went "over the top" in an ad-
vance, and two Of his toes were
clipped off by a machine gun bull
let. Yet he merely looked at his
foot, went on and was at the finish
when the Americans occupied the
German positions.
= I called on him and told him 81
wanted to know what his first name
was and where he lived. 1t was
twenty minutes work to get 1t out
of him. I had to show him creden-
tials and to enlist the sympathy and
aid of all the men in the ward
Bashflll, why he really acted like a
school kid about to be punished for
hooking it
FINALLY he did unburden himself
of law, the yellow skunks got me
mad. They nipped my buddy and I
figured / could get 70 'em alright.
They thought they were wise but
their camoufiage didn't work. Course
/ had some doggone peculiar feelin's
go chasing up and down my back
when ] was crawlin' along in front
of Fritzies' line but--well I started
and had to finish. >"
"Nuthin' to it." he continued.
THAT is, not if you kept under COW
er and out OF sight until back Of
them Well maybe was lucky but
I got 'em didn't II" in a sort OF
belIigerent tone.
OF such stuff are American sol
diers, yes American heroes made.
How He Won the Cross.
Take the case of Daniel Caplett
of Massachusetts He was given a.
Croix de Gruerre in March, Capletti
CContinued on mage SD