Gunnison news-champion., 1918-05-10

panies had taken the first and second
steadily on to the third line. b com
pany. led by their captain. the one who
had sent Lloyd to division headIuar-
tiers fnr trial. charged with desertIon.
had pushed steadily forward until they
found themselves far In advance Of
the rest Df the attacking force "Bornb-
ing out" trench after trench. and using
their bayonets, they came TO a German
communication trench. which ended In
blindsap. and then the captain. and
what was left OF his men. knew they
were In a trap. They. would not re-
tire. ID company never retired. and
the" were u company. Right In front
OF them they could see hundreds Of
Germans preparing to rush them with
bonh and hayon"r. They would havo
som" ChnnC" II ammunition and bombs
could reach them from the rear. Their
supply wus exhausted and the men
realized II would b" "A case Of dying
as bravely as possible or making run
for II. But II company would not
run. II was against their traditions
and principles.
The Germans would have to advance
across an open space Of three to four
hund."d yards before they could get
within bombing distance of the trench.
and then II would h.. nll their own way.
Turning to his company, the captain
said
Men. it's IA cas-" Of going West for
US Vs." ar" nUf uf ammunition and
bombs and the B"chrs have US In
trIp They VIII humb us out. our
bnyuE,t. sre useless here We will
have 80 Z" over and meet them. and
It's Il cas-" Of thirty I" "nr. - send
every thrust home. and die Ike the
men Of u company should When |
give the word. folio me. and VI and
a, them. cave them HI Lord II
We only had Il machine gun, We could
wiz" them out, Here they come. get
ready, men"
Just ns he finished speaking, the well
come 'puppup" Of II machine gun in
their rcnr rang out. and the front line
of the onrushing Germans seemed to
melt away. They wavered, but once
again came rushing onward. Down
went their second line. The machine
gun was taking an awful toll OF lives.
Then ngain they tried to advance. but
the machine gun moved them down.
Dropping their rifles and bombs. they
broke and fled In wild rush baCk to
their trench, amid the cheers OF ID"
COmnpny They ySara fprypIpp eoain
for another attempt, when In the rear
of d company came mighty cheer
The ammunition had arrived and with
It a battalion of Scotch to REINFORCE
them. They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had come to the rescue
In the nick of time.
With the re-enforcements It was an
line.
After the attack was over. the cap
tain and three OF, his noncommissioned
officers. wended their way back to the
position where the machine gun had
done Its deadly work. He wanted to
thank the gunner in the name OF d
company for his magnificent deed.
They arrived at the gun, and an awful
sight met their eyes.
Lloyd had reached the front line
trench. after his company had left II. A
strange company was nimbly crawling
up the trench ladders. They were re-
endorsements going over. They were
Scotties. and they made q magnificent
sight in their brightly colored kits and
bare knees.
Jumping over the trench. Lloyd raced
across mo Mans Land" unheeding the
rain of bullets. leaping over dark forms
on the ground, some OF which lay still,
while others called out to him a. he
speeded past.
He came to the German front line,
but 1t was deserted, except for heaps
Of dead and wounded-a grim tribute
to the work of his company, good old
D company. Leaping trenches, and
gasping for breath. Lloyd could sec
right ahead of him his company in a
dead-ended sap of communication
trench, and across the open, away In
front of them, a mass of Germans pre-
pairing for charge. Why didn't D
SoullhHy uEc ou tlleiil why were tHeS
SO strangely silent? What were they
waiting for? Then he knew-their am
munition was exhausted.
But what was that on bis right7 A
machine gun Why didn't It open IRE
and save them? He would make that
guns crew do their duty. Rushing
over to the gun he saw why II had not
opened IRE. Scattered around its base
lay six still forms. They had brought
their gun to consolidate the captured
position, but German machine gun
had decreed they would never IRE
again.
Lloyd rushed to the gun and, grasp-
ing the traversing handles, trained It
- the 0efmaas. He pressed the thumb
'D1ecs. but only sharp click was the
lssslG. ne gun was unloadsd- Thea