Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-02
CHAPTER xxrv-ccntinued


 Like flash 1t came to Lioyd that be I was free. Free to go over the top'' with his company. Free to die like a l true Briton fighting for his King and country. A great gladness aIld warm : tth came over him. CarefulIy stepping over the body of the sentrv he started l on a mad race down the ruined street of the village. amid the bursting shells, nninding them not, dodgIng through zoi. around hurTying platoons on theii. way to also go over the top, Coming to a communication trench he couid not get through It was blocked with laughing, cheering and cursing soldiers. l Climbing out of the trench, he ran wildly along the top, never >headin. l tine rain of machine gun bullets and shells, not even hearing the snouts O. the officers telling him to get back into the trench. He was going to join his company who were in the front l line. He was going to fight with them. He, tho despised coward, had come in to his own. While he was racing along, Jumping over trenches crowded with soldiers. a ringing cheer broke out4asi aieng the the front line, and his heart sank. He knew he was too late His conapany. had gone over. But still he ran msldly He would catch them. He would die with them.
 Meanwhile his company had gone over They. with tsle~ other com : pantes had taken tie 'fssst and second German trenches, and had pts:,;9aG sturdily on to the third line. D Com- fpany, led by their tcaptaln. ,tfse one who had sent Lloyd to DiyisioT. Head quarters for trisi. charged win de- e Ses~fiA Y s-4,, -,,.I until they found themselves far in. advance of tfe rest eof the srta ing force. Bombing cgt trench after trench, and using tneir bayonets. they came to sfierI1fan communications trench whicl, ended in a blindsar and. then the captain. and what was ieft of his men, knew they were in {. trar They would not retire. n Company never retired, and they were D Com pany. Right ie front Of them they could see hundfeds of Germans prapar- ing to rush them with bomb and hayonet. They would have son.e chance if ammu1ition and bombs could reach them from the rear. Their supply WAS exhausted, and the ner realized it would be a case of dying as bravely as possible, or making a run for it. But D Company would not t'iA' " Nr19 e1SoAA12A It ! II 1u4LtCltS and principles.
 The Germans would have to advance across an open space of three 70 four hundred yards before they could get within bombing distance of the trench and then it would be all their own way
 Turning to his company. the ca ptainI said:
 Men. it's a case of going West for us. We are out of anmmunition ard bombs and the ,5Boches have us in tran. They will bomb. us out Our bayonets are useless here We will have to go over and meet them, anl it's 9 case of thirty to one, St send every thrust home, and StleSiilSe the men of D Company should. When I give the word follow me. and ,lp ari at them. Give tllesn hell God. if wal only had a machine, alln, we coill wi,,a them out Here they come get ready rlef. = rf
 lust as he finished speaking. tht welcome pup pup of 9. machine gun in their rear rang out, and the front line of the onrusfIing Germans seemed to melt awaX. They wavered but once again came rushing onward Down went their second line The