The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-06-07
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vincIble. ,,,-
Then one Of our crew got a brilliant
idea md we were all enthusiastic 10
put Il to the test.
Here was his scheme:
When fixing my gun. was to play
my tune. and Fritz. no doubt "ouln
fall for Il. try TO initiate me ~ mn
added insult. This gunner ana tMo
others would try. by the sound. 10 To-
cate Eritz and his gun. After hnNlhs
got the IocatIon. they would mourn
two machine guns IN trees, In httie
clump Of woods 10 the left Of our Gene
tery. and while Fritz was In the'nllhntie
OF his lesson. would open M ana trust
10 luck. BY oup calculations. II wouln
take al least a week to pull on ule
stunt.
II Fyitz refused 10 swallow our bait
I. would h. impossible TO locate ms
special gun. and that's the one We were
after. because they all sound aiike'
slow pup-puPpgp.
Our prestige wns hanging ~ q
thread. In the battalion We had 10 en-
dure all kinds OF insults and fresh re-
marks as TO our ability In siiencing
Fritz. Even to the battalion that Ger
man gun WAS sore spot.
Next day, Fritz opened up n usual.
I let him fire AWAY for a while ana
then bntted IN with ms 'puppuppuP
pup-pup-pup." | kept this W quite
while. used two belts u ammunition
Fritz, had Stopped firing 20 listen. Then
he started In: sure enough. he hhh
fallen for our game. his gun was iryliis
TO initiate mine. but, nj iirst he, made 4
horrible mess OF that tune Again l
butted in with few bars and stopped.
Then he tried 10 copy what had
played. He was good sport all right.
because his bullets were going qwa{
over our heads. mustlhaVe'been firing
into the air. commenced 20 feel
friendly towardshim.
This duet went on for Eve DAYS.
Pritx was good pupil and learned
rapidly. In fact. got better than his
teacher. commenced 10 feel Jealous.
When he had completely mastered the
tune. he started sweeping the road
again and we clicked IL worse than
ever. But he signed his death vibrant
by doing 50. because my friendship
turned 10 hate. Every time he tred he
played that tune and we dancel
The boys In the battalion gave Us
the sHal Hal- They weren't in on
our little frameup.
The originator Of the ruse and the
other two gdnners had Fritz's location
taped 20 the minute: they mounted
their two guns. and also gave me the
range: The next afternoon was set for
the grand finale.
Our three guns. with different eleva-
lions had their IRE 20 arranged. that.
opening up together. their bullets
would suddenly drop on Fritz nike
hailstorm.
About three the next day. Fritz start
ed 'puppuppIng- that tune blew .
sharp blRst on a whistle. Il was the sig
nal agreed upon: we turned loose and
Friiz's gun suddenly stopped in the
middle OF n bar We had cooked his
goose, and our rinse had worked. Afrer
firing two belts each. TO make sure Of
our job. we burriedly dlsmounted our
guns and took cover in the dngout We
knew what TO expect soon. We didn't
have TO whit long. three salvos 81
withholding" came over from FriiE's
artillery. n further confirmation thai,
we had sent that musical machine gun
ner on his westward-bound journey.
That gun never bothered rs again
We were the heroes Of the battalion.
our captain congratulated us. said. II
was neat piece OF work. and. cnnse-
quently, we were all pulled up over the |,
stunt.
There are several ways Tommy uses
TO disguise the location OF his machine |
gun and get his range. Some Of the
most commonly used stunts are rs fol-
lows:
AT night. when he mounts his gunI
over the top OF hts trench and wants
TO get the range OF Fritz's trench he
adopts the mebsod Of what he terms
.getting the sparks This consists Of
firing bursts from his gun until the
bullets hit the German harbed wire.
He can tell when they are cutting the
wire. because n bullet when II hits a
wire throws ont blue electric spark.
Machine-gun fire Is very damaging TO
wire and causes many n wiring party
10 go out at night when Il Is quiet to
repair the damage. /
To disguise the flare Of his gun at
night when firing. Tommy uses what Is
called flare protector. This is stove
pipe arrangement which fits over the
barrel casing Of the gun and screens
he sparks from the right and left. but
lot from the front So Tommy, always
adopts this scheme: About