The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-08-22

full Of blood and brains, then l went
crazy with fear and horror and rushed
along the wire until l came to our
lane. had just turned down this lane
when something inside of me seemed
to say. Look around" did so; II bull
let caught me on the left shoulder 1t
ala not hurt much, just felt as If some-
one had punched me in the back, and
then my left side went numb. My arm,
was dangling like q rag. fell forward
In sitting position. But all the fear
had left me and l was consumed with
rage and cursed the German trenches
with my right hand felt in my tunic
| for my flrstaid or shell dressing. In
feeling over my tunic my hand came
In contact with one Of the bombs which
| carried. Gripping it, pulled the pin
out with my teeth and blindly thrc" 1t
towards the German trench. l must
have been out Of my head, because |
was only ten feet from the trench and
took Il chance Of being manglcd. II
the bomb had failed to go into the
trench I would have been blown to
bits by the explosion OF my own bomb.
BY the flare Of the explosion Of the
bomb, which luckily landed In their
trench, saw one big Bochc throw up
his arms and fall backwards, while his
rifle flew into the air. Another one
wiltcd and fell forward across the
Sandbags blacknesS.
Realizing what Il foolhardy and risky
| thing l had done, l was again seized
with Il horrible fear. dragged myself
to my feet and ran madly down the
| lane through the barbed wire, stun
bling over cut wires, tearing my uni
form, and laccrating my hands and
| legs. Just as l was about to reach
| NO Mans Land again, that same voice
seemed to say. "Turn around" ! did
so, when, Crack" another bullet
caught me, this time in the left shoul.
der about onc-half inch away from the
other wound. Then 1t was taps for me-
The lights went out
When came to I was crouching in
hole IN No Mans Land. This shell
hole was about three feet deep, so that
1t brought my head Il few inches below
The level of the ground. How reached
this hole ! will never know German
"typcWritcrS' were travcrsing back
ana forth in No Mans Land the bul-
lets biting the edge OF my shell hole
| and throwing dirt all over me.
| Overhead shrapncl was bursting.
! could hear the fragments slap the
/ ground Then I went out once more.
when came to everything was silence
| ana darkness in No Mans Land. I
was soaked with blood and big flap
IRON the wound in my cheek was hang.
nG over my mouth. The blood run
ming from lhis flap chokcd me. Out of
he corner of my mouth I would fry
and blow it back. but 1t would not
move reached for my shell dressing
ana tried. with one hand to bandagc
my race TO prevent the flow. I had
IN awful horror of bleeding to death
ana was getting very faint. You would
nave laughed if you had seen my
'o'"cr"uS attempts at handaging With
one hanh. The pains In my wounded
shoulder were awful and was getting
SICK ut the stomach. l gave UP the
bahdaging stunt as Il bad job, and then
tainted.
"hen came to, hell was let loose.
an intense bOmbHrlmcnt was on, and
Oh me whole my position was decided.
!! unpleasant. Then, suddenly, our
parrhGe ceased. The silence almost
hurt' but not for long, because Fritz
turned loose with shrapnel, machine
guns, and rifle fire. Then all along our
lile came cheer and our boys came
over the top in a charge. The first
wave was composed Of Jocks" They
were magnificent sight, kits, Tapping
IN the wind, bare knees showing, and
'heir bayonets glstening. In the first
wave that passed my shell hole, one OF
the Jocks" an immense fellow, about
SIX rect two inches in height jumped
right over me. On the right and left
or me several soldiers in colored kits
were huddcd on the ground then over
came the second wave, also "Jocks."
one young Scottie, when he came
abreast Of my shell hole, leaped into
the air, his rifle shooting out Of his
hands, landing about six feet in front
OF him. bayonet first, and stuck In the
ground, the butt trembling. This i'm
pressed me greatly.
(TO BE CONTINUED)