The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-04-26

much danger, and he appeared greatly
relieved
When we ut last turned into the open
road we were not so confident On
each side there had been line of
trees, but now. ali that was left of
them were torn and battered stumps.
The fields on each side of the road
were dotted with recent shell holes,
and we passed several in the road it
self. We had gone about half II mile
when a shell came whiStling through
the air and burst in Il field about three
hundred yards to our right. Another
soon followed this one and burst on
the edge of the road about four hun
dred yards in front of us.
l told the driver to throw In his
speed clutch, as we must be in sight
OF the Germans. | knew the signs !;
that battery was ranging for us, and
the quicker we got out of its zone Of
fire the better. The driver was trem-
bling like n leaf, and every minute
expected him to pile us up in the ditch.
l preferred the German fire.
In the back Atwell was holding onto
the straps for dear life, and was sing
Ing at the top of his voice:
We beat you at the Marne.
We beat you at the Asne
We gave you hell at Neuve Chapelle
And here we again.
Just then we hit IA small shell hole
and nearly capsized. Upon loud
yell from the rear looked behind, and
there was Atwell sitting in the middle
of the road, shaking his fist at us. His
equipment, which he had taken of
upon getting into the ambulance, was
strung out on the ground, and his rifle
was In the ditch.
l shouted to the driver to stop. and
in his nervousness he put on the
brakes. We nearly pitched out head.
first. But the applying of those brakes
saved our lives. The next instant
there was binding flash and deaf
ening report. All that | remember is
that l was flying through the air, and
wondering If l would land in a soft
spot. Then the lights went out.
When l came to. Atwell was pouring
water on my head out of his bottle
On the other side of the road the cor.
porai was sitting, rubbing lump on
his forehead with his left HAND. while
his right arm was bound UP in blood.
soaked handage. He was moaning
very loudly. ! had an awful headache
and the skin on the left side of my
face was full of gravel and the blood
was trickling from my nose.
But that ambulance was turned over
In the ditch and was perforated with
holes from fragments of the shell. One
of the front wheels was slowly revOlv.
Ing SO | could not have been "out" for
long period.
The shells were still screaming over
head, but the battery had raised Its
fir" and they We're bursting in little
wood about half mile from us.
Atwell spoke up. "I wish that Off.
Ger hadn't wished us the best o. luck" y"
Then he commenced swearing. ]
couldn't help laughing, though nv
head was nigh TO bursting.
Slowly rising to my feet felt myself
all over To make sure that there were
no broken bones. But outside of a few
bruises and scratches | was all right,
The corporal was still moaning, but
more from shock than pain. 4 shell
splinter had gone through the flesh of
his right forearm. Atwcll and |. from
our tirst-aid pouches, put tourniuuet
on his arm 10 stop the bleeding and
then gathered up our equipment.
We realized that we were in a dan.
g"rouS spot At any minute n shell
might drop on the road and finish us
of. The village we had left was not
Nlt f.tr
had better 60 back to II and get his
arm dressed, and then report the fact
OF the destruction of the ambulance to
the military police. He was well able
10 walk, so he set off in the direction
of the village, while Atwell and l con.
tinucd our way on foot.
Without further mishap we arrived
nt our destination, and reported to bri-
gade headquarters for rations and bill
lets.
That night we slept in the battalion
sergeant majors dugout. The next
morning / went to first-aid post and
had the gravel picked out Of my face.
The instructions we received from
division headquarters read that we
were out to catch spies, patrol trenches.
search German dead, reconnOiter In No
Mans Land, and take pnrt in trench
raids and prevent the robbing of the
dead.
| had pass which would allow me
to go anywhere at any time in the sec
tor of the line held by our division. II
gave me authority to stop and search
ambulanccs. motor lorries, wagons and
even officers and soldiers, whenever
my suspicious deemed it necessary.
Atwell ard | were allowed to work to-