Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-04-02
lover the Top"
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EhPEY
hsehins Gunner Ssrpins IN Frones

Msehins GuEnsr Ss'oins IN France

20. va srH -hGt VIC called c..
"come-alongs." These are strands OF
hnrbcd wire about three feet long,
made into n moose at one end; at the
other end. the barbs are cut on and
Tommy slips his wrist through loop
20 get a good grip on the wire. II the
prisoner wants 10 argue the point, why
Just place the large loop around his
neck and no matter II Tommy wishes
60 return 90 his trenches at the walk,
trot. or gallop. Fritz Is perfectly agree
able 20 maintain Tommy's rate Of
speed.
We were ordered 20 black our faces
and hands. For this reason; At night.
the English and Germans use what
they call star shells. n sort OF rocket
nffalr. They are fred from n large
pistol about twenty inches long. which
Is held over the snndbag parapet Of the
trench. md discharged into the air.
These stnr shells attain n height OF
about sixty feet, and a range OF from
fifty 20 seventy-ave yards. When they
hit the ground they explode. throwing
out a strong calcium light which lights
up the ground In a circle OF a radius OF
between ten TO fifteen yards. They
also have n parachute star shell which.
after reaching n height Of about sixty
/ feet, explodes. A parachute unfolds
and slowly floats 90 the ground. light
ing up n large circle IN No Mans Land.
/ The official name Of the star shell Is
a "Very-light" Very-llghts are used
To prevent night surprise attacks on
the trenches. II star shell falls In
| front OF you. or between you and the
German lines. you are safe from detec-
/ tlOn. as the enemy cannot see you
through the bright curtain Of light.
But II II falls behind you and, us Tom
my says. you get In the star shell
zone" then the fun begins; you have
10 lie fiat on your stomach and remain
absolutely motlonlGss until the light OF
the shell dies out. This takes any
where from forty 20 seventy seconds.
II you haven't time 20 fall 10 the
ground you must remain absolutely
still IN whatever position you were In
when the light exploded; II Is adyls-
able not 20 breathe. as Fritz has IN
eye like an eagle when he thinks you
are knocking a. his door. When a star
shell Is burning IN Tommy's rear he
can hold his breath for week.
You blacken your face and hands so
that the light from the star shells viii
not reflect on your pale face. In
trench raid there Is quite sufficient
reason for your face 20 be pale. II you
don't believe me. try Il Just once.
Then another reason for blackenlng
your face and hands Is that, after you
have entered the German trench At
night. "whlte face" means Germans,
"black face" English. Coming around
traverse you see white face In
front OF you. With a prayer and wish
ing Fritz "the best o. luck" you intro.
duce him 10 your "persuader" or
knuckle knife.
A little later we arrived at the com
municatlOn treneh named Whisky
street. which led 10 the fire trench At
the point we were 20 go over the top
and out In front.
In our rear were four stretcher bear.
ers and a corporal Of the II. A. NJ. G..
carrying u pouch containing medicines
and hrst-ald appliances. Kind OF n
grim reminder 20 US that our expedl-
tion was not going 20 be exactly a pic
mic. The order Of things was reversed.
In civilian life the doctors generally
come first. with the underwriters tag
ging In the rear and then the insur-
ance man. but IN our case. the under
takers were leading. with the doctors
trailing behind. minus the insurance
adjuster.
The presence Of the Il. A. NJ. G. men
did not seem To disturb the raiders. 10
cause many a joke made In an under
tone, was passed along the winding
column. as 10 who would be first to
take a ride ON one Of the strctchers
This was generally followed by a Wish
that. n you were 20 be the one the