Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-09-18
CHAPTER Viii.
On Runner Service.

Ou0 night udu udmeu 0aECe4 duO
I were detailed for runner service and
were instructed to go to Dixmude and
deliver certain dispatches to a man
whom I will call the burgomaster and
report to the branch staff headquar-
ters that had been secretly located in
another part Of town. We were to
travel In an automobile and keep a
sharp watch as we went, for Dixmude
was being contested holly at that time
' and German patrols were In the neigh
st6rhood. No one knew exactly where
they would break out next.
So we started out from the third
= line trenches, but very shortly one Of
our outposts stopped US. Bartel car
ried the dispatches and drove the car
too, so it was up to me to explain
things to the sentries. They were
convinced after bit of arguing. Just
as we were leaving a message came
over the phone from our commander,
telling them to hold US when we came.
It was lucky they stopped us, for 9TH
erwise we would have been out Of
reach by the time his message came.
The commander told me, over the tele-
I phone, that if a French flag flew over
the town the coast would be clear If a
Belgian, that our forces were either
In control or we're about to take over
the place but that Germans patrols
were near. After this we started
again.
When we had passed the last post
we kept sharp lookout for the flag
on the pole Of the old fish market. for
by this we would get our bearings
and perhaps, If it should be a German
nag, q timely warning. But after we
were down the road q bit and had got
clear we saw Belgian flag whipping
around in q good, strong breeze. But
while that showed that our troops or
the British were about to take over
the place 1t also indicated that the
Germans were somewhere near by.
Watch was not so cheerful.
a AS we went through the suburbs
along the canal which runs on the
edge Of the town we found that all
the houses were battered up. We
tried to hail several heads that stuck
themselves out Of the spaces between
buildings and stuck themselves back
Just as quickly, but we could not get
5 IN answer. Finally we got hold of
q man who came out from a little
cafe.
he told us that the Germans had
been through the town and had shot
II up considerably, killing and wound.
ing few Inhabitants, but that shortly
afterward a small force of Belgian
cavalry had arrived and driven the
BOches out. The Germans were ex-
pected either to return or begin bonn
bardment at any moment and all the
Inhabitants who sported cellars were
hiding in them. The rest were trying
: TO get out Of town with their belong
ings as best they could.
On reaching our objective we made
straight for the Hotel de Vile, where
we were admitted and after a short
,Isit taken to the burgomaster. We
4de8tioned him as to news, for we had
been Instructed to pick up any infor-
nation he might have as to conditions.
But we did not get much, for he could
not get about because Of the Germans.
10 had made it a policy to terrorize
the people of the town.
Els We had just got into the car and
were about to start when the burgo-
master himself came running out. He
ordered us to leave the car there and
said he would direct US where to 20.
He insisted that we go on foot, but
could not understand when he tried
to explain why.
We soon saw the probable reason
for the burgomaster's refusal to ride
IN the car. All around for about 8
mile the roads were heavily mined and
small red flags on iron slaves were
stuck between the cobblestones, as
warnings not to put In much time
around those places. Also, there were
notices stuck up all around warning
people of the mines and forbiddine
heavy carts to pass. When we got
or the road I breathed againl
After q great deal Of questioning we
kIfTreached our destination and
snade our report to the local commands
mi. We told him all we could and In
turn received various Information
from him. We were then taken over
to the hotel. Here we read a few
! Paris newspapers, that were several
weeks old, until about eight, when we
had dinner, and fine dinner it was
too.