Greene County herald., 1918-10-25
CHAPTER xxvI-censlnued.

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did not seem to disturb the raiders, be-
cause many a joke made in an under
tone. was passed along the winding
column, as to who would be first to
take a ride ON one Of the stretchers.
This was generally followed by wish
mat, II you were to be the one. the
wound would be "cushy Blighty
one"
The stretcher bearers, no doubt
hoping that, II they did have to carry
anyone to the rear, he would be small
and light. Perhaps they looked at me
when wishing, because could feel an
uncomfortable, boring sensation be-
tween my shoulder blades. They got
their wish oil right.
Going up this trench, about every
sixty yards or so we would pass lone
1y sentry. who in whisper would
wish us "the best o. luck, mates" We
would blind at him under cur breaths;
thRt Jonah phrase to us sounded very
Orninous.
Without any. casualties the minstrel
troop arrived at Suicide ditch, the
front-line trench. Previously. wiring
party Of the Royal Engineers had cut
o lane through our barbed wire to en-
able us to get out into No Mans Land.
Crawling through this lane, our
party Of twenty took up an extended
order formation about one yard apart.
We had tap code arranged for our
movements while in No Mans Land,
because for various reasons 1t is not
safe to carry on heated conversation
few yards In front Of Fritz lines.
The otficer was on the right of the
line, while / was on the extreme left.
Two taps from the right would be
passed down the line until I received
them, then / would send back one tap.
The officer, in receiving this one tap,
would know that his order had gone
down the whole line, had been under
stood. and that the party was ready
to, obey the tw0-tap signal. Two taps
meant that we were to crawl forward
siowiy-and believe me, very slowly
for FIVE yards, and then halt to await
further instructions. Three taps meant.
when you arrived within striking dis
tance Of the German trench. rush 1t
ana infiict as many casualties as pos
sfble, secure couple Of prisoners, and
then back to your own lines with the
speed clutch open. Four taps meant
Il have gotten you into position from
which II Is impossible for me to extri-
cate you, so you are on your own"
After getting Tommy into mess on
the western front he is generally told
that he is ION his own" This means.
"Save your skin in any way possible"
Tommy loves to be ION his own" behind
the lines. but not during trench raid.
The star shells from the German
liaes were falling In froat Of rs. there
fore we were safe. After about twen-
y minutes we entered the star shell
zone. A star shell from the German
lines fell about five yards in the rear
and to she right Of me; we hugged the
ground and held our breath until 1t
burned cut. The smoke from the star
shen travelled along the ground and
crossed over the middle Of our line.
Some Tommy sneezed. TIE smeks had
g0tten up his nose. We crouched on
the grouAd, cursing the offender under
our breath. and waited the volley that
generally ensues when the Germans
have heard q nelss In No Man's Land.
Nothing happened. We received two
taps and crawied forward slowly fer
FIVE yards: no doubt the officer be.
Iieved what Old Pepper had said, Per.
sonally believe that that part Of the
German trench Is unoccupied." BY be-
Ing careful and remaining motionless
when the star shells fell behind US, we
reached the German barbed wire with.
out mishap. Then the fun began.
was scared stiff as II Is ticklish work
cutting your way through wire when
about thirty feet In front Of you there
10 Mne Of Doches Looking out tnte No
Mans Land with their rides lyina
across the parapet. strainfng ever
sense TO see or hear what Ii going on
In No Mans Land; because at sight
his name and number on It will soms
hurtling through the air aimed In tAs
direction Of Berlin. The man On ths
TeAt, enc man in the center and my.
seaf On the extreme left were equipped
WITH wire cutters. These are insulated
with soft rubber not because the Ger
man wires are charged with electricity
but to prevent the cutters rubbin,
, against the barbed wire stakes. which
are Of iron, ana making neist
which may warn the Inmates Of th'
| trench that someone Is getting fresl
IN their front yard. There Is only on'
wn5 to cut a barbed wire without nois'
. ana through costly experience Tomm,
has become an expert In doing this
You must grasp the wire about tw'
inches from the stake In your righ
, hand and cut between the stake AMI
your hand.
II you cut = wire improperly,
loud twang viii ring out on the nigh
air lf&e the gnnnnlnR Of 4 bani