The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-05-31

"What am going 10 tea You ia how
two Of us put II over on the old scamp,
ind got away with II. II was risky
thing. too because Old Pepper wouldn't
have been exactly mlId with us II he
had got next 10 the game.
me and my matega lad named Har-
ry Cassell. bombardler In ID 238 bat
terry. or lance corporal, as you call 1t
10 the infantry. used TO relieve the
telephonlsts. We would do two hours
on and four on. ! would be on outy
In the advanced observation post,
while he would be at the other end Of
the wire In the battery dugout signal
lng station. We were supposed to send
through orders for the battery to fire
when ordered 10 do so by the obserya-
tlon officer in the advanced post. But
very few messages were sent. II was
only In case of an actual attack TINT
we would get chance TO earn our
two and six day. You see, Old Pep.
per Ind issued orders not to FIRE ex.
cept when the orders came from him.
And with Old Pepper orders is orders,
and made 10 obey.
"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 hut unable to
send over 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 GUESSING, and got very care
less. Blime me, they were bally in
sulting. Used to, when using certain
road, throw their caps into the air az
taunt at our helplessness.
"Cassell had been telegrapher in
civil life and Joined up when war was
declared. AS for me, / knew Morse,
learned II 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 transmltter with his finger
nails, and the one on the other end
would get II through the receiver.
Many an hour was whiled away in this
manner passing compliments back and
forth.
''In the observation post the officer
used 30 sit for hours with powerful
pair of field glasses to his eyes.
Through cleyerly concealed loophole
he would scan the ground behind the
German trenches, looking for targets
and finding many. This officer, Cap
thin A. by name, had a habit OF
talking out loud to himself. Some.
/ times he would vent his opinion, same
rs common private does when he's
wrought up. Once upon a time the
captain had been on Old Peppers stan
so he could cuss and blind In the mosi
approved style. Got to be sort of 0
habit with him.
"About six thousand yards from us
behind the German lines. was a road
In plain view Of our post. For the last
three days Fritz had brought compa
MES Of troops down this road In broad
daylight. They were never shelIed
Whenever this happened the captain
would froth at the mouth and let out
volume Of Old Peppers religion
which used TO make me love him.
Every battery has range chart OF
which distinctive landmarks are noted
with the range for each. These land
| marks are called targets, and are mum
hered. On cur battery's chart. THAI
road was called Target IL, Rang,
COCO. degrees 80 minutes LETT ID 23c
battery consisted Of four 9.5' howit
GERS, and fired 35-pound II. II. shell
As you know. II. II. means high ex
plesive.' / don't like cumming up IN,
own battery. but we had a record ii
the division for direct hits, and oul
boys were just plnlng away for i
chance to exhibit their skill in thu
eyes OF Fritz.
"On the afternoon of the fourth da!
" Fritz c0ntemptuous use Of the roa,
mentioned the captain and l were a
our posts as usual. Fritz was strafe
ing us pretty rough, lust like he's doinl
now. The shells were playing leap
frog all through that orchard.
Il was carrying on conversation
In our tap code with Casseil at tn,
other end, II ran something like thla
"'Say, Cassell how would YOU lik,
20 be In the saloon bar Of the King
Arms down Rye lane with 4 bottle o
Rass IN front of you, aad that blond
harmald waiting 10 al 'em IN again'