Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-03-18

be sure winners, no matter how the
wind blew. So take tip from me-.
never bet with Scottie, cause you'll
lose money.
AT one part Of our trench where
communication trench Joined the
front line Tommy had stuck up
wooden signpost with three hands or
arms on it. One Of the hands, point
ing to the German lines, read, TO Ber-
linz the one pointing down the com,
munication trench read, TO Blighty,'
while the other said, Suicide Ditch,
Change Here for Stretchers.'
Farther down from this guide post
the trench ran through an old orchard.
On the edge of this orchard our bat
terry had constructed an advanced OBJ
servation post. The trees screened 1t
from the enemy airmen and the roof
was turfed. 1t wasn't cushy like ours.
no timber or concrete re-enforcements.
just walls Of sandbags. From it q
splendid view Of the German lines
could be obtained. This post wasn't
exactly safe. It was a hot corner,
shells plunl1ing all around, and tho
bullets cutting leaves off the trees.
Many time when relieving the sig.
mailer at the phone, had to crawl on
my belly like a worm to keep from
being hit.
ut was an observation post sure
enough. That's all the use It was. Just
observe all day, but never a message
back for our battery to open up. You
see, at this point Of the line there
were strict orders not to fire a shell.
unless specially ordered to do so from
brigade headquarters. Blims me, II
anyone disobeyed that command, our
general-yes. 1t was Old Pepper
would have court-martialed the whole
expeditionary force. Nobody went out
Of their way to disobey Old Pepper In
those days, because he couldn't be
called a paHson; he was more like q
pirate. II at any time the devil should
feel lonely and sigh for a proper mate,
Old Pepper would get the first call,
Facing the Germans wasn't half bad
compared with IN interview with that
old firebrand.
If company or battalion should
give way few yards against a SUI
perior force Of Boches, Old Pepper
would send for the commanding OFF,
Ger. In about half an hour the officer
would come back with his face the
color Of a brick, and in few hours
what was left Of his command would
be holding their original position.
II have seen an officer who wouldn't
say d-n for thousand Quid spend
five minutes with the old boy. and
when he returned the flow Of language
from his lips would make a navy
blush for shame.
"What am going to tell you is how
two Of us put 1t over on the old scamp,
and got away with it. It was risky
thing, too, because Old Pepper wouldn't
have been exactly mild with us If he
had got next to the game.
"Me and my mate, lad named Har-
ry Cassell, a bombardier in D 238 bat
terry, or lance corporal, as you call it.
In the infantry, used to relieve the
teleFSlonists. We would do two hours
on and four off. I would be on duty
In the advanced observation post,
while he would be at the other end Of
the wire in the battery dugout signal
ing station. We were supposed to send
through orders for the battery to fire
when ordered to do so by the observa-
ton officer in the advanced post. But
very few messages were sent. It was
only in case of an actual attack that
we would get chance to earn our
two and six day. You see, Old Pep
per had issued orders not to fire ex-
cept when the orders came from him.
And with Old Pepper orders is orders,
and made to obey.
1.-THE Germans must have known
about these orders, for even in the day
their transports and troops used to
expose themselves as If they were on
parade. This sure got up our nose,
sitting there day after day, with fine
targets in front of US but unable to
send over a shell. We heartily cussed
Old Pepper, his orders, the govern
ment, the people at home, and every
thing in general. But. the Boches
didn't mind cussing, and got very care
less. Blime me, they were bally in
sulting. , Used to, when using certain
road, throw their caps into the air as
a taunt at our helplessness.
"Cassell had been a telegrapher In
civil life and Joined up when war was
declared. AS for me, I knew Morse,
learned it at the signalers' school back
in 1910 With an officer in the obser-
walton post, we could not carry on the
kind Of conversation that's usual be-
tween two mates, so we used the
Morse code. To send, one Of US would
tap the transmitter with his finger
nails, and the one on the other end
would get it through the receiver.
Many an hour was whiled away in this
manner passing compliments back and
forth.