Oxford eagle., 1918-07-25
CHAPTER XVI.
An Quiet CD on the Western From.

-
AT brigade headquarters l happened
90 overhear q conversation between our
q. o. c. general officer commanding
and the divisional commander. From
this conversation ! learned that we
were to bomhard the German lines for
eight days and on the first Of July the
big push" was to commence.
In q few days orders were issued 10
tnat effect, and II was common prop
erty all along the line.
On the afternoon of the eighth day of
cur -Etrafeinc." Atwell and ] were sit
ding In the frout-llne trench smoking
fagS and making out our reports Of the
previous nights tour Of the trenches.
which we had 70 turn in to headquar-
fers the following day. when an order
was passed down the trench that Old
Pepper requested twenty volunteers 10
20 over on a trench raid that night TO
ny and get few German prisoners for
information PURPOSES. / Immediately
volunteered for Ills iob. and shook
hands with Atwell. and went 10 the
rear 70 give my name 20 the officers in
charge Of the raioing party.
Twas accepted. worse luck.
At Gas that ight We reported 70 the
brigade headquarters dugout 10 receive
instructions from old Pepper.
After reaching this dugout we lined
up in q semicircle around him. and he
addressed Us as follows:
AN ] want you boys TO do Is 10 D
over to the German lines tonight. sur
prise them, secure a couple of prison
era and return Immediately. Our ar
tflery has bomharded that section Of
the line for tive days and personally !
believe thAt that part Of the German
trench Is un0ccupied. so Just get a cou-
pie Of prisoners and return as quickly
~ possible
The sergeant on ny right. In an IN
dertone whispered 70 me:
Say. Ysnk. how are we going 10 get
q couple Of prisoners II the old fool
thinks personally that that part OF the
trench Is unOccupied. sounds kind OF
&A4A4ys NDCtI II LlaLtf
j had q funny sinking sensation In
my stomach. and ny tin hat felt as II
II weighed about a ton and my enthusi-
asn was melting away. Old Pepper
must have b rd the sergeant speak
because he turned in his direction and
fn laundering voice asked:
what cid you sayy"
The sergeant with a scarlet look on
his face and his knees trembling.
srnartiy saluted and answered:
Nothing. sir"
Old Pepper said:
We'll don't say It so loudly the next
tune"
Then Old Pepper continued:
In this section Of the German
renches there are tzvo or three ma
cnine guns which our artillery. in the
faEs t~o or three DAYS. has been IN
able % tape. These guns command the
sector where two Of our communica-
Uoo trenches toin the front line. and
~ ne brigade Is 10 30 over the top to
morrow morning want 10 capture two
Or three men from these guns crews.
and from them may be able TO obtain
valuable information as 10 the exac,
location of the guns. and our artillery
VII therefore be able TO delnolish them
before the attack. and thus prevent
our losing lot ot men while using
these Communication trenches 10 bring
M re-eufurceuensE
These were the instructions be gave
us;
Take OF your Identification disks
gnp your uniforms Of al numerals
tnzgniA- etc leave your papers with
your captains, because ! don't want the
Boches 70 know what regiments are
against them as this would be valuabls
Information to them In our ATTACK 10
morrow and / don't want any Of vor
20 Be taken alive. What want is tvx
prisoners and II i get them / have 4
way which viii make them divulr,
al necessary Information as TO the,l
guns You have your choice OF tw,
NeepooS-you may carry your per
suAoerS or your knuckle knives. ant
each man Will arm himself with fou
luils bombs. these 10 be used only 1,
case Of emergency"
A persuader is Tommy's hickman,
for club carried by the bombers. i
- about two feet long. thin az one en-,
and very thick at the other. The thicl
md Ia studded with sharp steel spIke.
while through the center Of the clul
ehere ID a nine-inch lead bar, to civ
q weight and balance. When you "a
. prisoner all you have 10 do is jus
SICK this club UP In front OF him, an
believe me, the prisoners patriotisr
Tor Deutschland ueber Allies" fade
awxy and he very willingly obeys III
orders of his captor II, however, II
prfscner gets kagh-toned and refuses Z
FOLLOW you. simply persuade" him b
nst removing his tin hat. and then
wsll tAs use Of the Lead weight In a