The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-06-27
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IARIhuR GUY EffpEYI

French dugOut, half caVed IN and par
tally filed with Shiny and filthy wa.
ter.
Like fox being chased by the
hounds, he ducked into this hole, and
threw himself on pile Of old empty
sandbags, wet and mildewed. Then
unconsciousness.
On the next day, he came to; far
distant voices sounded in his ears.
Opening his eyes, in the entrance Of
the dugout he saw corporal and two
men with fixed bayOnets.
The corporal was addressing him:
"Get up, you white-livered blighter!
Curse you and the day you ever joined
D company, spelling their fine rec
ord! It'll be you up against the wall,
and a good job too. Get hold of him,
men, and if he makes break, give him
the bayonet, and send it home, the cow
ardly sneak. Come on, you, move,
we've been looking for you long
enough"
Lloyd, trembling and weakened by
his long fast, tottered out. assisted by
4 soldier on each side of him.
They took him before the captain,
but could get nothing out of him but:
"For Gods sake, sir, don't have me
shot, don't have me shot!"
The captain, utterly disgusted with
him, sent him under escort to division
headquarters for trial by court-mar-
tal, charged with desertion under fire.
They shoot deserters in France.
During his trial, Lloyd sat as one
dazed, and could put nothing forward
in his defense, only an occasional
"Don't have me shot!"
His sentence was passed: ITO be
shot at 8 :38 o'clock in the morning OF
May 18, 1916" This meant that he
had only one more day to live.
he did not realize the awfulness Of
his sentence; his brain seemed para
lyzed. He knew nothing of his trip,
under guard, in a motor lorry to the
sandbagged guardroom in the village,
where he was dumped on the floor and
left, while q sentry with a fixed bayo-
net paced up and down in front of the
entrance.
Bully beef, water and biscuits were
left beside him for his supper.
The sentry, seeing that he ate moth
ing, came inside and shook him by the
shoulder, sayina in a kind voice:
"Cheero, laddie, better eat some
thing. You'll feel better. Don't give
up hope. You'll be pardoned before
morning. I know the way they run
these things. They're only trying to
scare you, that's all. Come now, that's
good lad, eat something. It'll make
the world look different to you"
The good-hearted sentry knew he
was lying about the pardon. He knew
nothing short Of miracle could save
the poor lad.
Lloyd listened eagerly to his sentry's
words, and believed them. A look Of
hope came into his eyes, and he raven
ously ate the meal beside him.
In about an hours time, the chap
lain came to see him, but Lloyd would
have none of him. he wanted no par
son; he was to be pardoned.
The artillery behind the lines sud-
denly opened up with everything they
had. An intense bombardment Of the
enemy's lines had commenced. The
roar of the guns was deafening.
Lloyd's fears came back with rush,
and he covered on the earthen floor
with his hands over his face.
The sentry, seeing his position, came
in and tried to cheer him by talking to
him:
"Never mind them guns, boy, they
won't hurt you. They are ours. We
are giving the Boches a dose Of their
own medicine. Our boys are going over
the top at dawn of the morning to take
their trenches. Well give 'em a taste
of cold steel with their sausages and
beer. You just sit tight now until they
relieve you. I'll have to 60 now, lad,
as it's nearly time for my relief, and /
don't want them to see me a-talkin'
with you. So long, laddie, cheero."
With this, the sentry resumed the
pacing of his post. In about ten min
utes' time he was relieved, and D
company man took his place.
Looking into the guardhouse, the
sentry noticed the covering attitude Of
Lloyd, and, with a sneer. said to him:
"Instead Of whimpering in that cor
ner, you ought to be saying your pray
ers. It's bally conscripts like you
I what's sposlin' our record. We've been
out here nigh onto eighteen months
and you're the first man to desert his
post. The whole battalion is laughin'
and pokir' fun at D company, bal
! luck 30 you but you won't get another
chance to disgrace us. They'll put
your lights out in the mornin'."