The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1918-08-15
CHAPTER xxvi-centinued.

The presence Of the r. A. M. C. men
AID not seem to disturb the raiders, be-
couse many a joke made In an under
tone, was passed along the winding
column, as to who would be first to
take a ride on one OF the stretchers.
This was generally followed by wish
that. If you were to be the one, the
wound would be ''cushy Blighty
one"
The stretcher bearers, no doubt,
hoping that, If they did have to carry
onyone to the rear, he would be small
ard light. Perhaps they looked at me
when wishing, because / could feel an
uncomfortable, boring sensation be-
tween my shoulder blades. They got
their wish oil right.
Going up this trench, about every
sixty yards or so we would pass lone
lv sentry, who in q whisper would
wish us 1.-THE best O. luck, mates" We
would blind at him under our breaths |;
that Jonah phrase to us sounded very
ominous.
Without any casualties the minstrel
troop arrived at Suicide ditch, the
front-line trench. Previously, wiring
partv Of the Royal Engineers had cut
a lane through our barbed wire to en-
able us to get out into No Mans Land.
Crawling through this lane, our
party of twenty took up an extended
order formation about one yard apart.
We had a tap code arranged for our
movements while in No Mans Land,
because for various reasons 1t is not
safe to carry on heated conversation
q few yards in front of Fritz lines.
The officer was on the right Of the
lIne while I was on the extreme left.
Two taps from the right would be
passed down the line until received
them, then I would send back one tap.
The officer, in receiving this one tap.
would know that his order had gone
down the whole line, had been under
stood, and that the party was ready
to obey the twO-tap signal. Two taps
meant that we were to crawl forward
slOwly-and believe me, very slowly
for five yards, and then halt to await
further Instructions. Three taps meant,
when you arrived within striking dis
lance Of the German trench, rush 1t
and inflict as many casualties as pos
sible, secure a couple Of prisoners, and
then back to your own lines with the
speed clutch open. Four taps meant,
Il have gotten you into position from
which it is impossible for me to -extFi-
cate you, so you are on your own"
After getting Tommy into mess on
the western front he is generally told
that he is ION his own" This means,
Save your skin in any way possible"
Tommy loves to be ION his own" behind
the lines, but not during trench raid.
The star shells from the German
lines were falling in front of US, there
fore We were safe. After about TWEEN
ty minutes we entered the star shell
zone. A star shell from the German
lines fell about five yards in the rear
and to the right of me; we Rugged the
ground and held our breath until 1t
burned out. The smoke from the star
shell Travelled along the ground and
crossed over the middle. Of our line.
Some Tommy sneezed. The smoke had
gotten up his nose. We crOuched on
the ground, cursing the offender under
our breath, and waited the vOlley that
generally enSues when the Germans
nave heard a noise in No Mans Land.
Nothing happened. We received two
taps and crawled forward slowly for
nVe Yards; no doubt the officer be-
neVed what Old Pepper had said, "Per-
sonally l believe that that part Of the
German trench is unoccupied." By be-
Ing careful and remaining motionleSs
"nen the star shells fell behind us, we
reached the German barbed wire with
OUT m1shap. Then the fun began. /
was scared stiff as it is ticklish work
cutting your way through wire when
ABOUT thirty feet in front of you there
Is line Of BOches looking out into No
MANS Land with their rifles lying
across the parapet, straining every
sense 10 see or hear what Is going on
"a NO Mans Land; because at night, |
rltz never knows when q bomb with |
his name and number on it will come |
Jung through the air aimed In the |
direction Of Berlin. The man on the
'lsnt' one man in the center and my
'en on the extreme left were equipped |
SullCESo 4AOSS are InSUAdCCA
win soft rubber not because the Ger
tnan wires are charged with electricity,
Out TO prevent the cutters rubbing
against the barbed wire. stakes, which
are OF iron, and making O noise
"nich may warn the inmates Of the
french that someone Is getting fresh
AZ 'heir front yard. There Is only one
way to cut barbed wire without noise
Snu through costly experience Tommy
u - become an expert in doing this.
tou must grasp the wire about two
.ucnes from the stake In your right
"~nO and cut between the stake and
your hand. -
~, II you cut wire Improperly a
uu wang will ring out on the night
st n IKE the swapping of banjo
SSung' Perhaps this noise can be
" "e only for fifty or seventy-five
saros, but in Tommy's mind it makes
q lOO6 nofoo /