Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-04-17

SuhhClS uuSOuC anu wrote letters
home. saying that in the morning they
were going over the top, and also that
II the letters reached their destination
it would mean that the writer had beer
killed.
These letters were turned over tt
the captain with instructions to mai
same in the event Of the writer's being
killed. Some of the men made out
their wills in their pay books, under
the caption, "Will and Last Tesla
ment"
Then the nerve-racking wait com
menced. Every now and then would
glance at the dial Of my wrist watcl
and was surprised to see how fast thu
minutes passed by. About five minute!
to two 1 got nervous waiting for oul
guns to open up. I could not take m.
eyes from my watch. l crouchet
against the parapet and strained m.
muscles in a deathlike grip upon m!
rifle. AS the hands on my watci
showed two o'clock a binding red fiajs
lighted up the sky in our rear, the.
thunder, intermixed with sharp, viii
ting sound in the air over our head
The shells from our guns were specs
ing on their way toward the Germa,
lines. With one accord the me-
sprang up On the fire step and locke,
over the top in the direction of tn
German trenches. A line of burstin,
shells lighted up No Mans Land. TIL
din was terrific and the ground trem
bled. Then, high above our heads w
could hear signing moan. Our bi
boys behind the line had opened u,
and 9.2's and 15-inch shells commence
dropping into the German lines. IN
flash of the guns behind the lines, tn
scream of the shells through the all
and the flare of them, bursting, was
spectacle that put Pain's greatest dis
play into the shade. The constan
pup, pup, of German machine guns an
an occasional rattle Of rifle firing CAV
me the impression of huge audienc
applauding the work of the batteries
Our 1S-pounders were destroying tn
German barbed wire. while the heavie
stuff was demolishing their trenche
and bashing in dugouts or funk holes
Then Fritz got busy.
Their shells went screaming over
head, aimed in the direction OF tn
flares from our batteries. Trench MOI
tars started dropping "Minnies" IL
our front line. We clicked several cas-
ualties. Then they suddenly ceased
Our artillery had tapped or silence
them.
During the bombardment you coul
almost read a newspaper in our trenci
Sometimes in the flare of shell-Durs
a mans body would be silhouette
against the parados of the trench an
it appeared like huge monster. 70
could hardly hear yourself think. VINE
an order was to be passed down tn
trench you had to yell it, using you
hands as a funnel into the ear OF tn
man sitting next to you on the nre slel
In about twenty minutes a generou
RIM issue was doled out. After drini
ing the rum, which tasted like varnis
and sent a shudder through you
frame. YOU wondered why they mad
Won wait until the lifting OF the pa
rage before going over. At ten mil
utes to four word was passed doWl
"Ten minutes to gow Ten minute
To live! We were shivering all owe
NV legs felt as if they were asleel
| Then word was passed down: FRS
wave get on and near the scaling la'
ders."
Before a charge Tommy is the p'
litest of men. There is never any pusi
ing or crowding to be first up tines
ladders. We crouched around the bas
of the ladders waiting for the wor
RI on over. I was sick and faint. an
was puffing away at an uniighted IA
Then came the word, Three minute
70 go: upol the lifting of the barrae
ond on tbe blast of the whistles Owe
tbe ron with the best o. luck and CIV
tbem hell" The famous phrase
the western front. The Jonah phras
of the western front. To Tommy
means if you are lucky enough TO CON
hack YOU will be minus an arm OF
leg. .;s. ,o+cI
I glanced again at my wrist watcl
We all wore them and you could hardl
call rs "sissies" for doing SO. IL was
minnie to four. / could see the nan
move TO the twelve, then deao
laore II hurt. Everyone looked U
~ see what had happened, but not Il
Ilong. Sharp whistle blasts rang "
along the trench, and with q cheer u
men scrambled up the ladders. III
bullets were cracking overhead, an
occasionally machine gun woutd II
ond tear the top of the sand-sg par
nat How / got up that ladder | WI
never know. The first ten Ieet ou.