Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-07-03
Over the Top
BY An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Machine Gunner Serving
In France
Copyright, 1917, by Arthur Guy
Empey.

Copyright, 1917, by Arthur Guy
Empey.
nv tin hat began to get too small
for me, and noted that the other man,
Atwell by name, was sticking his chest
out more than usual.
The officer continued: II think can
use you two men to great advantage
In the front line. Here are your orders
and instructions, also the pass which
gives you full authority as special NJ.
p. detailed on intelligence work. Re
port at the front line according to your
instructions. It is risky work and !
wish you both the best Of luck"
Ny heart dropped to zero and At
wells face was q study. We saluted
and left.
That wishing us the "best of luck
sounded very ominous in our ears; II
he had said ~ wish you both swift
and painless death" 1t would have been
more to the point.
When we had read our instructions
we knew we were in for it good and
plenty.
What Atwell said Is not fit for pub
LEGATION. but strongly seconded his
opinion Of the war, army and divisional
headquarters In general.
After a bit our spirits rose. We were
full-fedged spy-catchers, because our
instructions and orders, said SO.
We. Immediately reported to the
nearest French estaminet and had sew
eral glasses Of muddy water, which
they called beer. After drinking our
beer we left the estaminet and hailed
an empty ambulance.
After showing the driver our passes
we got in. The driver was going to the
part Of the line where we had to re-
port.
How the wounded ever survived q
ride in that ambulance was inexplica.
Bile to me. 1t was worse than riding on
q gun carriage over rock road.
The driver of the ambulance was a
corporal of the r. A. NJ. c., and he
had the wind up" that is, he had an
aversion to being under fire.
/ was riding on the seat with him
while Atwell was sitting in the ambu.
lance, with his legs hanging out Of the
back.
AS we passed through shell-de-
stroyed village a mounted military po-
liceman stopped us and informedtthe
driver to be very careful when we got
out on the open road, as it was very
dangerous, because the Germans lately
had acquired the habit Of Smelling 1t.
The corporal asked the trooper If there
was any other way around, and was
Informed that there was not. Upon
this he got very nervous and wanted to
turn back, but we insisted that he pro-
coed and explained to him that he
would get into serious trouble with his
commanding officer If 1he returned
without orders; we wanted to ride,
not walk.
From. his conversation we. learned
that he had recently come from Eng
land with q DRAFT and bad peyer been
under fire, hence his nervOusness.Ne.
We convinced him that there was not
much danger, and he appeared greatly
relieved.
When we at last turned into the open
road we were not SO confident. On
each side there had been line of
trees, but now, all that was left Of
them were torn and battered stQmps.
The fields on each side f&the road
were dotted with recent shell holes,
and we passed several in the road it
self. We had gone about half mile
when shell came whistling through
the air and burst in field about three
hundred yards to our right. Another
soon followed this one and burst on
the edge Of the road about four hun
dred yards IN front of US.
I told the driver to throw In his
speed clutch, as we must be in sight
of the Germans. I knew the signs /;
that battery was ranging for us, and
the quicker we got out Of its zone OF
fire tho better. The driver was trem-
bling like leaf, and every minute I
expected him to pile US up in the ditch.
preferred the German fire.
!. In the back Atwell was holding onto
the, straps for dear life, and was sing
ing at the top of his voice:
We beat you at the Marine.
We beat you at the Aisne,
We gave you hell at Neuve Chapelle,
And here we are again. -
Just then we hit q small she'll hole
and nearly capslzed. Upon a loud
yell from the rear looked behind. and
there was Atwell sitting in the middle
Of the road, shaking his fist at us. His
equipment, which he had taken of
upon getting into the ambulance, was
strung out on the ground. and his rifle
was In the ditch.
I shouted to the driver to stop, and
In his nervousness : he put on >the
brakes. We nearly pitched out head
first But the applying Of those brakes
saved our lives. The next instant
there was binding fash and deaf
ening report. All that remember is
that was flying through the air, and
wondering II T would land in soft
spot. Then the lights went out.
When I came to, Atwell was pouring
water on my head out Of his bottle.
On the other side Of the road the cor
poral was sitting, rubbing a lump on
his forehead with his left hand. while
his right arm was bound up in blood
soaked bandage. He was moaning
very loudly. had an awful headache