The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-09-07

the men were heartily disguised end
"fed up" with everything in general.
Arriving at the communication trench
which led to the front line, they were
met by an officer In the uniform OF a
captain Of the English army, who
stated that he had been detailed from
British headquarters to conduct the
--th battalion to their station in the
front line trench. On account of the
weather conditions, the battalion was
behind its schedule, therefore the cap
tain did not question this officer, as
he should have done, but accepted him
as bons-fide guide. The guide did
very little talking; in fact, he was a
very good listener. The colonel was a
good talker, and a poor listener, and
readily answered questions which, unr
der ordinary conditions, would have
aroused the suspicion OF the least In
telligent private. In fact, he gave the
history OF that battalion from Its or
ganitation 10 the present moment Up.
on arriving In the fiFe Il ,nch the guide,
in very military and proper manner,
turned ove<the station to the battalion
and then told the colonel that a large
wiring party OF the Royal Engineers
was to 90 out lin front" that night to
repair damage IN the barbed wire
Therefore the colonel was to issue or
ders TO all sentries along his sector
OF trench that there should be no chal-
longing or firing, as the wiring party
while working, would be within few
feet of the trench
The colonel accordingly issued this
order Then the guide informed the
colonel that he himself was in charge
Of said wiring party, and that he was
going out "in front" to look over the
grouni before the Royal Engineers
went "over the top" lie also told The
colonel Ito make his story more plays.
ible) that the party Of engineers had
been detailed from the battalion or
his right, and that they would leave
the fire trench through a sap lestino
from the neighboring battalion's trench
Seemed Too Soft.
With typical German cunning ant
efficiency, no little detail was over
looked to insure the success OF The
scheme. Then the guide, receiving 2
<Beck Of Luck" from the colonel
erawled "over the top" OF the trench
out through a sap under the wire, Il
a listening post and disappeared into
the rain and darkness Of No Man!
Land.
Upon receipt Of the order not to fire
or challenge, the sentries were ticklet
to death, being tired, sleepy, anC
hungry; they appreciated the few hour
OF rest in front OF them, which TO theli
minds, although little strange, still
appeared to be very "cushy." A sol
der, as a rule, when he has an cas-,
time on guard, will not inquire TOO
deeply into the reasons therefor I
In about twenty minutes time tn
sentries could hear men working Il
their wire, a few feet in front OF them
Occasionally sharp twans woult
ring out on the night air. This woulC
elicit from some sentry a caustlc re
mark as TO the brains and ability o
Royal Engineers in general, or IN,
same sentry would calculate that IL
this certain part Of the line, Frit
across the way, was either dead or hat
not as yet received copy OF the Hymn
Of Hate, otherwise that "twang' woul'
be answered by rifle or machine gui
fire directed At the working party.
About an hour before Stand To
was passed down the trench, all worl
on the wire ceased. Then daylight
The sentries nearly dropped dead will
surprise 10 see in front OF them IN
barbed wire horribly cut up; stake
we're pulled up and "gooseberries'
missing; in fact, the wire was demol
ished more than could be acoomplishe,
by an hours intense bombardmen
from the German artillery.
He Was German Spy.
Then the colonel awoke to the fac
that this amiable officer, who had g
efficiently guided them into the fir
trench, was nothing more or less 7ha
German spy, disguised in the uniforr
Of In English captain. This spy wa
dressed in the uniform OF an Enslis
officer, which no doubt was secure
from some prisoner or wounded Off
Ger, and had crawled from the Ger
man trenches over No Mans Land al