Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-03-16

For nv turn. Sure enough, with another
grin, he said:
"Empey. you and Wheeler are due.
so come down into my dugout for In
structions at six o'clock.
Just as he left and WAS going around
n traverse, Fritz turned loose with
machine gun and the bullets ripped the
sandbags right over his head. II gave
me great pleasure to see him duck
against the parapet. He was getting Il
taste of what we would get later out
in front.
Then, OF course, it began to rain.
knew ii was the forerunner of mis-
cradle night for US. Every time had
to 60 out in front it Just naturally
rained. Old Jupiter Pluyius must have
had it in for me.
At six we reported for instructions.
They were simple and easy. All we
had to do was to crawl out into NO
Mans Land. lie on orr bellies with our
&c ~ tho o--,und aud listen for the
- -, Of the German engineers or
- ,,,,s..s who might be tunneling under
10 Mans Land to establish a mine
head beneath our trench.
OF course, in our orders we were told
not to be captured by German patrols
or accommodating parties. Lots Of
breath is wasted on the western front
giving silly cautions.
As soon asst was dark, Wheeler and
| craN lcd TO our post which was about
halfway between the lines. 1t was
raining bucketfuls, the ground was a
sea of sticky mud and chung to us like
glue.
We took turns in listening with our
ears to the ground. | wonld listen for
twenty minutes while Wheeler would
be on the qui vive for German patrols.
We each wore wristwatch, and be-
lieve me, neither one of US did over
twenty minutes. The rain soaked us
to the skin and our ears were full of
mud.
Every few minutes a bullet would
crack overhead or machine gun would
traverse back and forth.
Then all firing suddenly ceased.
whispered to Wheeler, keep your eve
skinned, mate; most likely Fritz has
patrol out--that's why the Boches
have stopped firing"
We were each armed with rifle and
bayonet and three Mills bombs to be
used for defense only.
/ had my ear to the ground. All Of
sudden / heard faint, dull thuds.
In a low but excited voice whispered
TO Wheeler, 81 think they are mining,
listen"
He put his ear to the ground and
in AIN unsteady voice spoke into my
ear:
''Yank, that's patrol and it's head
ing our way. For Gods sake keep
STILL"
scared stiff.
Hardly breathing and with eyes try
ing TO pierce the inky blackness, we
waited. I would have given a thou
sand pounds to have been safely In
my dugout.
Amen VIC piuiuiy lSdiu lOotsLcpS anu
our hearts stood still.
A dark form suddenly doomed up in
front of me; it looked as big as the
Woolworth building. l could hear
the blood rushing through my veins
and it sounded as loud as Niagara
falls.
Forms seemed to emerge from the
darkness. There were seven of them
in all. I tried to wish them away.
never wished harder in my life. They
muttered few words in German and
melted into the blackness. didn't
stop wishing either.
All of sudden we heard stumble,
a muddy splash. and muttered DON
ner md Blitzen." One of the Boches
had tumbled into shell hole Neither
of us laughed. At that tfme--ft didn't
strike us as funny.
About twenty minutes after the Ger
mans had disappeared something from
the rear grabbed me by the foot.
nearly tainted with fright. Then "a
welcome whisper In cockney accent.
81 sly, myte, we've come to relieve
you.' ~
Wheeler and crawled back to our
trench; we looked like wet hens and
felt worse. After swig of rum we
were soon fast asleep on the fire step
in our wet clothes.
The next morning / was as stiff as a
poker and every joint ached like
bad tooth, but / was still alive, so 1t
did not matter.