South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-12
BY GUY CARPENTER.

WASHlNGION, May 1l.-George
II. Bishop, crack rifeman Of Co. G
OF the 18th infantry L. s. A, has
closed his record as a sniper lie
has been sent back 20 this country
and is at the army hospital at Fort
McHenry undergoing treatment for
a shattered left hand, mangled when
the barrel OF his rife burst on the
DIST day Of his service in the third
line trenches northwest Of Toul.
no. II don't look like I would
ever do any shooting Of any account
again" he said today. But I'm
glad I got in the few good shots
could while the going was good
When l get this hand fixed up I'll
get back on some job. It's been
awkward trying 10 get used to hav-
ing only one hand. but I'm getting
so I don't have TO have much help"
Bishops story of the long days in
the trenches, OF the never-ending
search on the horizon for the bob
bling head of German. or a NOV
ing object, OF the skill OF the Yankee
marksmen and his stole attitude to-
ward the discOmforts Of his life.
gives a clear picture Of the part the
boys from home are playing in the
struggle 10 smash the kaiser's CO.
horts
Bishop is a six foOter, with dark
brown eyes which bring back 10 the
mind the eyes OF the native Amer
leans famous for their length Of
vision He is tanned TO a deep
brown and even though he may
never again be able to use his left
hand. he still would prove no un-
worthy foe to any German soldier.
Hear Bishops Story
This is Bishops story Of how he
went toe the trenches and what he
did in the sniper's nest.
II went into the army several
weeks after I left my home in
Youngstown. o. had been a
chauffeur. but friends Of mine
wanted TO join up with the regulars
I was sworn in Dec. Is. 1916. I got
my hand blown up just a year and
one week after that date
II was sworn in at Douglas. Ariz
and stuck with my outfit right
straight through, being in the sec
ond battalion. There was much to
do around Douglas. where we were
stationed most Of the time The
best fund we had was getting used
to our rifles and getting so we
could hit that old bulls eve nine
times out Of ten. Somehow J got
the hang of the trick pretty early.
And 7 was glad I had when we
got to France, because I was given
a chance to do more shooting than
lots Of the fellows got. After we
had been in training awhile. we
went up in auto trucks to the front
Almost as soon as we got up near
the Verdun sector, that is near this
town OF Toul. we were sent into
some trenches 20 relieve some
Frenchmen tt was rotten weather
when we went in, too. Rain most
of the time and cold For all that
we just figured that better weather
was on its way and as long as we
were in for it we might as we'll go
through.
con our front the trenches, which
they called the front line trenches
were lines up back Of each other
There were three lines. and I got in
the third line. There is much diff
ference between the first three lines
They're not very far apart. and its
easy TO go visiting from one TO the
other. We usually knew most Of
the gossip of what was going on in
the lines the other companies were
living in.
I'm my company they served out
II sets Of high powered glasses
You can't find any fault with these
glasses. they're the best money can
buy. Our line was about 900 yards
from the German trenches. but
wnen you took a squint through the
glasses the Germans seemed to be
about % yards away. Some Of the
sharpshooters had telescopes mount
ed on their guns but some OF US
got almost as we'll using the double
glasses. At that we could dump a
bullet most any place we wanted TO
on the German line without using
glasses
This is the way we worked in
the DAYTIME. The dugouts We're
built right into the trenches. It
was just as if YOU made a hole in
the breastwOrks and dropped a box
I'm it and piled dirt over the stop.
OF course, that isn't the way it's
done The dugout is built up Of
timbers and snoring just the way a
mine tunnel is But the top Of
the duEout is usually Of boards
Then another set of boards is
laid over the roof but a space is
!. left between the roof and the sec
or,a lover Of Noo~Ie tho dirt hafr o.
piled up on the second set OF boards
This leaves a narrow slot open which
Is your shooting station. You can
see the German trenches fine. but
they can't see YOU. unless they are
r looking at your section OF the
trench just what you shoot and see
the fash OF your rifle.
Stay for Ten DAYS.
THE first time we went into the
trenches we stayed for 10 DAYS We