The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-04-08

siso-s-s, as they arc loaded with Just
cnough explosive to crash them.
The exaspcratinG feature OF the gas
shells Is that the Germans mix them In
with those containing shrapnel and hiEh
explosives OF four shells faimS In
the darkness you may hear two explode
and the other two you don't. The pres
enoe OF the latter arc unknown until the
first fumes Of the gas are upon you
Another thing. quietly falling smell
may not be a gas shell at all. but "dud
instead which Is the nickname the Brit
isn give any shell that fails to go OF
To tel "dud" from gas shell Is
matter Of extreme difficulty, and re-
u,tres vide experience in shell areas.
Feu SHELLS by Sound
You soon learn q lot about sound Al
the front" said the battalion major JOIN
ing me in the road lie was fully dress
ed. having. like myself. siopt In bis
clothing. These shells we hear explode
close By we know are German IT'S. De-
cause they have arrived before ~e bear
them. Then they have more OF Vhds-
tie than-1isten~
The night air WIS flied With q bonA
hollow. reedy sound almost noor1no1 ID
tone
THAT q a German 1866 no resumed.
. He HlaCS q Guy Will Ills ANAiN
right ear and listened attoptivefy. Then
came the roar OK the projecule bursting
some distance away.
Precious near -one OF my battery posi-
tons" he common ted. He called TO the
sergeant major: You jump Into some
clothes This Is no time for pla>~actinS
Hamlet's ghost"
Inside headquarters at The te1epnone
switchboard VIC found the oaftahon an-
iutant. He was talking with battery
commanders located sornewhero In
patch of woods I might mention that
there were about forty drops In the
switchboard. our headquarters having
/ been the center Of a .gToupment" or. COL
lection Of artillery groups before We took
| over the sector from the French.
; Jus, follow the orders" the ad3utant
| was saying rTf you are in doubt have
the men put on their masks. WAIT a
moment, Here is the major.
! With q candle in one hand. the major
quickly scanned great map OF the en-
tire sector which hung on the wall. Ae
took hold Of a movable tack to which
was attached piece Of string. and ran
| a line from one battery position on no
American side over into the German
positions. numbting as he did 50
Thought as much. We can reach tns
beggars.
GAve 0exuaans . Night Cap
Tell him to open all his pieces On
Soa," he remarked to the adjutant In the
nonchalant manner Of man ordering
dinner at restaurant instructions OF
the commanding officer If this thing
be gins again. Fire every thirty Sec
! onds for twenty minutes. Use cur gas
shells. That ought to put tho Germans
back to bed
! Getting ahead Of my story, I am DE-
lighted TO announce that it did
Before going further into the events
which film before the eyes and beat up
on the cardrums of a CORES pendent who
elects to follow the fortunes Of the Am
erican sector on the west front The
reader is entitled to q brief outline OF
! the locality Inasmuch as the Germans
know exactly where our troops are m
| absolute control OF a certain section OF
front line trenches and battery positions
"a district formerly occupied by Afri
can soldiers Of the French ARMY am
permitted by the American censor 70
weave a bit OF the Surrounding country
into the tapestry Of the night
All directions to the American sector
lead out of Toul. one Of the most aIIRf
ent town. in Lorraine. Despite tho fact
that American soldiers do not occupy
foul itself. that ceneer Of commercial
life Is our compass point When asked