Williams news., 1918-11-29

As you know, H. B. means high ex- ploSive.' I don't like bumming up my own battery, but we had a record in the division for direct hits, and our boys were just pining away for a chance to exhibit their skill in the eyes of Fritz. etae.s .t.: a Y
 ia''On the afternoon of the fourth day of Fritz cOntemptuous use of the road; mentioned the captain and I were at our posts as usual. Fritz was strafe-' ing us pretty rough, just like he's doing now. The shells were playing leap. frog all through that orchard.
 T was carrying on a conversation in. our tap code with Cassell at the other end. It ran something like this . Q 7$~ Say, Cassell. how would you like toT be in the saloon bar of the Kings Arms down Rye lane with a bottle oi
 Bass in front of you, and that blonde barmaid waiting to fill 'em up again ?
 "Casse1 had fancy for that par
 ticular blonde. The answer came back
 In the shape of volley of cusses.
 changed the subject.
 After while our talk veered
 round to the way the Boches had been
 exposing themselves on the road down
 on the chart as Target IT. What he
 said about those Boches would never
 have passed the reichstag, though
 believe it would have gone through our censor easily enough.
 ''The bursting shells were making
 such a din that I packed up talking and took to watching the captain. He was fdgeting around on an old sand. bag with the glass to his eye. Occa- siOnally he would let out a grunt, and make some remark I couldn't hear on account of the noise, but I guessed what it was all right. Fritz was get ting fresh again on that road.
 "Cassell had been sending in the tap code to me, but I was fed up and didn't bother with it.. Then he sent O., S.. and was all attention, for this was call used between us which meant that something important was on. I was all ears in an instant. Then Cassell turned loose.
 "'You blankety blank dud, have been trying to raise you for fifteen minutes. Whats the matter, are you as1eepY (Just as if anyone could have slept in that internal racket } Never mind framing a nasty answer. Just 1isten.'
 ".Are you game for putting some thing over on the Boches and Old Pep per all in oneP
 'I answered that was game enough when 1t came to putting it over the Boches, but confessed that I had 8 weakening of the spine, even at the mention of Old Peppers name.
 "He came back with, It's so absurd ly easy and simple that there is no chance of the old heather rumbling 1t. Anyway, if we're caught, I'll take the blame'
 Under these condition told him to spit out his scheme. It was so daring and simple that it took. my breath away. This is what he proposed:
 eff the Boches should use that road again, to send by the tap system the target and range. I had previously told him about our captain talking out loud as if he were sending through orders. We'll, if this happened, I was to send the dope to Cassel and he would transmit it to the battery com mander as officially coming through the observation post. Then the bat tery would open up. Afterwards, dur ing the investigation. Cassell would swear he received it direct. They would have to relieve him, because 1t was impossible from his post in the battery dugout to know that the road was being used at that time by the Germans. And also 1t was impossible for him 10 give the target, range and degrees You know battery chart Is not passed around ainong the men like a newspaper from Blighty. From him the inTestigafion would go to the ob- post and the observing off, Ger could truthfully swear that had not sent the anessage by phone. and that no orders sto lire had been issued 1 by him. The investigators would then be mp in the air. we would be safe, the Boches would receivea good bashing. and we would get ouf own back on Old Peppefs: It was too good to be true. I~agfeefuIiy fell in with the scheme, and told Cassell was his meat. ! "Then I waited with beating heart l and watched the captain like a hawk. I
 He was beginning to fidget again 1 and was drumming on the sandbags with hfs feet. At last, turning to me. l he said:s s]rS H~ blank washout. Whats the use of hay 1 Ing artillery If it is not allowed to fire? The government at home ought to be hanged with some of their red tape. l! It's through them that we have no ! shells
 'I answered, Yes, sir,' and started sending this opinion over the wire to 1 Cassell, but the captain interrupted l me with: '@i,1 I
 Keep those internal fingers still. I Whats the matter, getting the nerves7 I When I'm talking to you, pay atten- .ion.' @4 F.