Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-31
OVER THE T0P!, ARTHUR cuY EMPEY
 
Copyright by ARTHUR GUY BMpEY


 witnessed my first aeroplane being shelled. A thrill ran through me and l gazed in awe. The aeroplane was making wide circles in the air, while little puffs of white smoke were burst ing all around it. These puffs ap- peared like tiny balls of cotton, while after each burst could be heard a dull "plop. "e The sergeant of my platoon informed us that it was a German aeroplane, and I wondered how he could tell from such distance, be- cause the plane seemed like a little black speck in the sky I expressed my doubt as to whether it was Eng fish, French or German With a look of contempt he further informed US that the allied antiaircraft shells when exploding emitted white smoke, while the German shells gave forth black smoke, and, as he expressed it, It must be an Allenmand because our pom -poms are smelling, and I know our batteries are not off their ballv nappers and are certainly not strafeing our own planes, and another piece of advice-don't chuck your weight about until you've been up the line and learnt something"
 l immediately quit "chucking my weight about" from that time on.
 
 we were marching along laughing and singing one of Tommy's trench ditties T want to go home I want to go home,
 l don't want to go to the trenches no |. more.
 Where sausages and whizz- bangs are galore.
 Take me over the sea, where the Ale mand can't get at me, l Oh, my, don't want to die, want to so home"-
 when overhead came swish through the air, rapidly followed by | three others. Then about 200 yards to our left in a large field, four col umns of black earth and smoke rose into the air, and the groun dtrembled from the report-the explosion of four | German five mines, or "coa1- boxes. , 1 sharp whistle blast, immediately i followed by two short ones, rang out from the head of our column. This was to take up artillery formation. 1 We divided into small squads and | went into the fields on the right an6 left of the road and crouched on the i ground. No other shells followed this ! salvo. It was our first baptism by shell fire. From the waist up I was 1 all enthusiasm, but from there down everything was missing. 1 thought ] should die with fright.
 After while, we reformed inte solumns of fours and proceeded on oul way.
 About five that night, we reached the ruined village of H, and got m, first sight of the awful destruction caused by German kultur.
 Marching down the main street W, came to the heart of the village, anc took up quarters in sheil-proof cellar. (shell-proof until hit by a shelD Shells were constantly whistling ovel the village and bursting in our rear searching for our artillery.
 These cellars were cold, damp ant smelly, and overrun with large rats big black fellows. Most of the Tom mics slept with their overcoats owe their faces. 1 did not. In the middl of the night l woke up in terror. Tn cold, clammy feet of a rat ha. passed over my face. I immediateI smothered myself in my overcoat, bu could not sleep for the rest of tn night
 Next morning we took over ou l sector of the line. In single file W wended our way through zigza, communication trench, six inche deep with mud. This trench wa called "Whiskey Street" On our wa up to the front line an occasional far of bursting shrapnel would light u the sky and we could hear the frag ments skipping the ground above Il on our right. and left. Then a Frit would traverse back and forth wit his typewriter or machine gun. Tn man in front of me named Prentic crumpaed up without word. A piec of shell had gone through his shrap nel-proof helmet. I felt sick an weak.
 U In about 30 minutes we reached tn