Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-03-26
"0ver the Top"
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Maehiae Gunner Ssrping IN France



The dugouts were all smashed In ana
knocked about. big square-cut timbers
splintcred into bits. walls caved In and
entrances choked.
Tommy. after taking n trench, learns
60 his sorrow that the hardest part Of
the work Is TO hold II.
In our cuse this proved 20 be 80.
The German artillery and machine
guns had US tnpod (rnnged) for fair;
Il was worth your life TO expose your
self an instant.
Don't think for n minute that the
Germans were the only sufferers; We
were clicking casualties so fast that
you needed an adding machine 20 keep
track Of them.
Did you ever see one OF the steam
Ehoyels at work on the Panama canali
Wen, Il would look like n hen scratch
Ing alongside Of Tommy digging in"
while under Gre. You couldn't see day
light through the clouds Of dirt from
his shovel.
After losing three out OF six men OF
our crew we managed 90 set up our
machine gun. one OF the legs OF the
tripod was resting on the chest Of a
half-burled body. When the gun was
firing. Il gave the impression that the
body was breathing. This was caused
by the excessive vibration.
Three or four feet down the trench.
about three feet from the ground. a
foot was protrudlng from the earth.
We knew Il was German by the black
leather boot. One Of our crew used
that foot TO hang extra bandollers OF
ammunition on. This man always was
a handy fellow; made use Of little
points that the ordinary person would
overlook.
The Germans made three counter
attacks. which we repulsed. but not
without heavy loss ON our side. They
also suffered severely from our shell
and mnchine-gun FIRE. The ground was
spotted with their dead and dying.
The next day things were somewhat
quleter, but not quiet enough 10 bury
the dead.
We lived, ate and slept In that trench
with the unburled dead for six days.
II was awful TO watch their faces be
come swollen and dlscolored. Towards |
the last the stencil was fierce.
What got on my nerves the most was
that foot sticking out Of the dirt. II
seemed 20 me, az night. In the noon
light. 20 be- trying 10 twist around.
Several times this impression was 30
strong that went 20 II and grasped Il
In both hands, 20 see II could feel n
movement.
told this 20 the man who had used
Il for hatrack just before lay down
for little nap, as things were quiet.
and | needed a rest pretty badly.
When l woke up the foot was gone.
He had cut Il on with our chain saw
out OF the spare parts box. and had
plastered the stump over with mud.
During the next two or three days.
before we were relieved, missed that
foot dreadfully; seemed as II l had
suddenly lost n chum.
l think the worst thing OF all was 20
watch the rats. at night. and some
times In the day, run over and play
about among the dead.
Nenr our gun. right across the para
pet, could be seen the body OF a Ger
man lieutenant. the head and arms OF
which were hanging into our trench.
The man who had cut on the foot used
20 sit and carry on a one-sided CONVEX.
satl0n with this officer. used 20 argue |
and point out why Germany was In the
wrong. During all OF this monologue
/ never heard him say anything out OF
the way-anything that would have
hurt the officers feelings had he been
alive. lie was square all right
wouldn't even take advantage Of n
dend man Ia an argument.
To civilians this must seem dread
Ont bat out here one gets 80 used ~
Harsh physics react. weaken the |
bowels, will lead 10 chronic cOnsti-