Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-14
ny JUDGE BEN. II. LINDSEY.


mad visited the line held by the French
Tor about eighty 100 miles. from
rev miles south and west of Amiens
70 n point beyond Rheims on the south
the commander In charge spoke beau
tiful English. His explanations of the
battle fields we were passing were an
education in themselves
have visited Gettysburg and other
great battle fields OF our War Between
tho States and they were thrilling
enough. But here shells scream over
head and the Garth fairly shakes un-
der your feet. One is so full OF Il
that his brain seems TO whlrl.
1T Is like dream, or like one OF
those great panoramas Of THE Battle
of Sedan" or The Battle OF Gcttys-
burg" that were played some twenty
years ago in great round, red build
ing. You may remember how they
used 10 try and fool you, SO that you
kept guessing where the real stage
scenery began and the painting ended.
or where the two joined.
And once-wasn't It just day before
Yesterday that we emerged from the
underground cuverns of 4 shell-ruckcd
hill to find ourselves at the edge OF
forest, where tho guns were hidden
to behold what was more like a scene
from n play than reality? The po!lus
God bless 'cm-had lined np about
the place. They smiled and laughed
at the three Americans" acting like
group of chatterinE schcolboya
We gave them cisarettes-as many
as wc could-from q great wooden box
OF them that n Red Cross supply sta
tion had kindly permitted US 10 take
along for distribution.
And how they love cicarettes.
Once VIC were coming down the long
road TO battle front when we passed
thousands OF soldiers h n 8.
marching. Flooding with set faces.
Reaching out OF the auto window,
was about to hand them a handful OF
cigarettes. Immediately our noncom-
missioncd officer gave me the sign -
halt DO you want TO disrupt the
French army and set US all court
martialed?" he exploded. why, don't
YOU see the confusion you might start"
II was q great tribute to the soldiers
best friend" SO left of till more
opportune time. when we reached the
cave entrance by the deep green wood
Here. under the great trees. huge
for France, beyond the sheIl-torn area
NC seemed 10 be in setting for The
Pirates Of Pen2ance." with stage thul.
der behind the scenes that frightened
no orc. Here We 'vivasd" and at
tempted our French. TO the delight OF
the boys. Yet, who knew at what min.
ute 4 she'll might fall among Us ard
blow the whole crowd to bits For
there were crashings In the woods
beyond like the Wild shrieks OF some
fends from hell which shattered and
rent ihe trees. But The poilus only
smiled and wondered how these three
e. 7, ri
among them. Then there came
weird, horrible screechng. and these
laughing boys scurried for cover like
ilock Of chickens before a hawk.
The commander looked TIP quietly 20
tell Us that we were under fire"
That she'll had exploded a few fee: 70
the left. Two others followed In quick
succession. but he nearest mot over
900 feet away. the ncncom said) did
not explode.
AT DEAD MANS CURVE
MEN DODGE BULLETS
Had the Boche caught sight Of our
autos" There were seven "sausageS"
IN The air beyond the hills, and from
"sausagcs" they can see long way.
Anyhow in the good kiddery Of the
L. $. a., I'VE beat it." And down thei
hill we came. expecting that might
have 20 dodge the shells. Now. tina.
sounds foolish. doesn't it? Yet when
l was at the American front (and that
is a story al! by itself that can't tell
here). the fine Brooklyn hoy at the
wheel did exactly that. Down from
the height OF Beaumont We had come
from near Seicheprey. and as we ap-
preached dead mans curve" there
came the scream Of the shell reach
Ing for the road just ahead OF w.
Frankly held my breath-not so much
in fenr. for no one seems TO fee! that
but wondering where 1t would hit.
Then there came n chug OF the auto.
a sudden halt-and bang in the road
beyond the fresh earth sprayed IN the
air.
Then the boy got busy with the auto
a sudden jerk,-aimost lurch for
ward-and as though the devil was
after us we tore down that road at u
speed ] never felt over wheels before.
When l heard the next scream it was
far behind us, and I shall always feel
that TO Corpora! Henry Copper, Of
Brooklyn. we owed our escape. These
boys OF ours have earned their repu-
tation as the best auto drivers in al
France.
Well. we were more fortunate down
this hill the French line, and the
Boche still reached beyond the hills for
the batteries that were more important
,ust now than three harmless see.
wee lee. >nS. And those batteries were
important, for in that neghborhood
were the batteries that guarded Paris
from the long-range Berthas. 1t was a
rare privilege To go into the deep wood
and SEQ the great French guns that
we're opposite them and watch every
detail OF their operation that just the
cay before had destroyed one OF the
-rman long-range guns 1t was a
-~<riiling experience.
III DIE FOR FRANCE"
DECLARES LITTLE 10Y
Even more SO when at another point
OF the battle line we came to the
French batteries of n smaller caliber
opposing the German batteries IN the
neishhorhood OF their great guns And