Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-08
AN ATTACK WITH GAS
BY PRESTON. GIBSON


-. Preston Gibson, the young Ameri-
can playwright who has been deco
rated by the French government for
conspicuous bravery, is the author
of "Battering the Boche." from
which we quote the passage that
follows which has just been pub
lished by The Century Co:
1.-THE wind is favorable. the attack is
for tonight. 1t is very dark and inly. You
cannot even see the end of the fender in
front of the car. There is but very little
traffic, the main road to the front is quiet,
there is little firing and the two lines of
trenches seem to be getting a Neli-needed
rest. A few Boche star shells light up my
car but that is all
l reached the poste de secours and got
out. OF course l had on my helmet and
carried both gas masks. This is very
bad gas sector 1t was close night, the
wind blowing gently toward the German
lines. went into the dugout for mo-
ment. Here were literally dripping sur
geonS and stretcher- bearers, soaked-in-
blood heroes. men and boys. with great
holes in their heads, arms and legs, or
shot through the, body, all silent in their
suffering. BY the dim candlelight tho
surgeons went amout their task plodding
ly and methodically
soon had my loan and started back
along the same road to our base hospital.
An hour later l was again at the base.
There were no more wounded to be
transported. All was quiet. | saw two
men standing on top of the third line dug
4
were a general and his aid. We smoked
a cigarette and talked of Paris.
1t was about a quarter. of one in the
morning. / must have stood there half
an hour when by the light of occasional
star shells / saw stealing over the
meadow silent death dealing and grim
in its task, the gas, gas, gas. To the
right and left as far as one could see,
great masses of Vapor went slowly to-
ward the Boche lines. 1t was like a cloud
of gray blue chiffon as borne by the wind
it sought the lives Of those who could
neither advance nor retreat. And so /
saw it go on and on till it hung like a
pail over the enemy. 1t resolved itself
into great cloud, wave after wave.
Suddenly, as though God Himself had
rent the heavens with His hand there
biazed forth from 500 guns a fiery roar
that seemed as if he'll had broken loose
he general remarked to his aid as he
loked at his watch, IT'S LIS The wind
IS good. The tir de baTage curtain of
fire. had begun, throwing curtain of fire
in front Of the Boehe front line and q
second curtain of fire back of the Boche
third line, so that they could neither ad-
vance nor retreat, while they breathed
The Star Shells.
Now the star shells in thousands lit up
the sky. 1T was a great sight Back of
me the 75s and 155s were sending their
shells over my head and in front and to
the right were thousands of star shells
over the trenches, and hand grenades ex-
ploding and enemy artillery dropping
bombs and shells near the road.
Wounded were now being brought in
and French caught in their own gas
Here for the first time / saw a gas suf-
ferer; the effect is terrible. The gassed
men cannot get their breath; they cough,
spit and vomit blood. When / reached
the hospital with my first load the men
had suffered great agony. But there was
no murmur or complaint. 1t is a hor-
rible death, that of a bassed man. But
only four of the affected died, we got
them to the hospital so efficiently.
The gas was shut off after dawn and
the lbs continued all day and into the
night Then the order Comrades, over
the top!' Out, over, through and into
the barbed wire they went, cuttin, hew-
ing, slashing their way to No. trench,
and they took it by storm The Boches
until a. m. Then our curtain of fire was
lifted"