The Washington herald., 1918-02-13
CHAPTER v.
Mud, Rats and shells.

huoR Atas
I must have slept for two or three
hours. not the refreshing kind that
results from clean sheets and soft
pillows, but the sleep that comes
from cold. wet, and sheer exhaustion.
Suddenly. the earth seemed to shake
and a thunderclap burst in my ears.
l opened my eyes-I was splashed all
over with sticky mud, and men were
picking themselves up from the bot
tom OF the trench. The parapet on
NY left had toppled into the trench,
completely blocking it with a wall OF
tossed-up earth. The man on my left
lay still. I rubbed the mud from my
face, and an awful sight met my
gaze-his head was smashed to a
pulp, and his steel helmet was full Of
brains and blood. A German Min
ME" (trench mortar) had exploded in
the next traverse. Men were digging
into the soft mass OF mud in a frenzy
Of haste. Stretcher-bearers came up
the trench on the double. After a
few minutes Of digging. three still,
muddy forms on stretchers were car
ried down the communication trench
to the rear. Soon they would be rest
ing somewhere in France" with a
little wooden cross over their heads.
They had done their bit for King and
country, had died without firing a
shot, but their services were appre-
Ciated, nevertheless.
Later on, I found out their names
They belonged to our draft.
1 was dazed and motionless. Sud
denly a shovel was pushed into my
hands, and a rough but kindly voice
said:
Here, my lad, lend a hand clear
ing the trench, but keep your head
down, and look out for snipers. One
Of the Fritz's is daisy, and he'll get
you If you're not careful"
Lying on my belly on the bottom
of the trench. filled sandbags with
the sticky mud, they were dragged to
my rear by the other men, and the
work Of rebuilding the parapet was
on. The harder 1 worked, the better
1 felt Although the weather was
cold. 1 was soaked with sweat
Occasionally a bullet would crack
overhead, and a machine gun would
kick up the mud on the bashed-in
parapet. At each crack I would duck
and shield my face with my arm. One
of the older men noticed this action
"a anu GU.
Don't duck at the crack of bullet,
Yank; the danger has passed-you
never hear the one that wings you.
ing to get it. you'll get it, so never
worry"
This made a great impression on
me at the time, and from then on, l
adopted his motto, IF you're going
to get 1t, you'll get it."
1t helped me wonderfully. used
it so often afterwards that some of
my mates dubbed me, "If you're going
to get it, you'll get it"
After an hours hard work, all my
nervousness left me, and was laugh
ing and joking with the rest.
AT o'clock, dinner came up in the
form of a dixie of hot stew.
looked for my canteen. 1t had
fallen off the fire step, and was half
buried in the mud. The man on my
left noticed this, and told the cor
poral, dishing out the rations, to put
my share in his mess tin. Then he
whispered to me, Always take care
OF your mess tin, mate"
had learned another maxim of the
trenches.
That stew tasted fine. was as
hungry as a bear. We had seconds, "
or another helping, because three of
the men had gone west" killed by
the explosion Of the German trench
mortar, and we ate their share, but
stu was hungry, so I filled in with
pully beef and biscuits. Then I drain
ed my water bottle. Later on l
learned another maxim of the front
line-"Go ssparingly with your water. "
The bully beef made me thirsty. and
oy tea time was dying for a drink,
but my pride would not allow me to
ask my mates for water. I was fast
learning the ethics of the trenches.
That night was put on guard with
an older man. We stood on the fire
step with our heads over the top,
peering out into No Mans Land. 1t
was nervous work for me, but the
other fellow seemed to take IL As
part Of the nights routine.
Then something shot past my face.
MY heart stopped beating, and l
ducked my head below the parapet.
A soft chuckle from my mate brought
me TO my senses, and I feebly asked,
For Gods sake, what was that?
He answered. only a rat taking a
promenade along the sandbags." I
felt very sheepish.
About every twenty minutes the