El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-03-15

, although il was dark. Mine was al
ready in good shape, and I leaned ii
against the side Of the trench and
went below for the rest of my equip
ment. While I was gone shell frag-
ment undid all my work by smashing
the breech.
had seen a new short German rifle
in the dUgouts with a bayonet and
ammo, and decided to use that. hid
all my souvenirs, planning to get
out I hadn't much nerve left after
the bashing I had taken a fortnight
before and didn't hold much hope.
sect the Bacon
Our instructions were Of the brief
est 1t was the old story that there
would probably be little resistance,
II any There would be a few ma
chine guns to stop US. but nothing
more The situation we had to han
die was this: A certs IN small sector
had held on the alta ks Of the few
previous days and Z line had bent
back around IL All we had to do
was to straighten the line. We had
heard this old ghost story too often
10 believe a word Of 1t.
Our place had been designated
where We were 10 get into extended
formation, and our general direction
was clear We filed out Of the trench
at $50, and as we passed the other
B4al0lAA1- -4d4 lEE-A 70 Tie rear
they tossed US the familiar farewell
hail, The best o luck, mytie''
We soon found ourselves IN the
old sunken road that ran in front
OF Eaucort Abbaye. At this point
We were not under observation, as
rise in the ground would have pro
tected US, even though II had been
daylight The moon was shining brill
lialtly, and we knew that It would
not be anything in the nature Of
surprise attack. We got into extended
formation and waited for the order
to advance. I thought I should go
crazy for that short walt Shells had
begun to burst over and around US,
and was sure the next would be-
mine.
Face Fearful Fire.
Presently one burst a little behind
me and down went Capt Green and
the sergeant major, with whom he
had been talking. Capt Green died
a few days later at Rouen. and the
sergeant major lost an arm This
was a hard blow right at the start.
and Il spelled disaster. Everything
started 10 60 wrong.
Mr.. Biofeld was in command and
another officer thought that he was
in charge. We got conflicting orders
and there was one grand mixup.
Eventually we advanced and went
walked slap-bang into perfectly di-
rected fire. Torrents OF machine gun
bullets cracked about US and wei
went forward with our heads down. !
like men facing into a storm It was
a marvel that anyone could live
it
Officer Is Shot.
A lot OF them didn't. Mr.. BIofield, /
who was near me, leaped in the air, |
letting go a hideous yell I ran to 4
him, disregarding the Instruction not
to stop TO help anyone He was 1
struck in the abdomen with an explo-
slFe bullet and was done for. I felt /
as he had been a good friend 4
% me.
He was the finest type OF officer
II the new English army, the rare
sort who can be democratic and yet
command respect
The hail Of bullets grew worse and /
worse They whistled and cracked
and sQuealed, and began to wonder
why on earth I didn't get mine Men
we're falling on all sides, and the
shrieks OF the hit were the worst /
had ever heard. The darkness made I
L worse, and although I had been
over the top before by daylight, this /
was the last limit OF hellishness. And /
nothing but plain, unmixed machine /
gun fire AS yet there was no artil- 4
-ery action to amount TO anything.
80 Yards From Bochez.
We were within about 80 yards Of
he Boche parapet, and could see them
standing shoulder to shoulder on the
Ire step, swarms OF them, packed in,
With the bayonets cleaning. Machine
guns we're emplaced and vomiting
ieath at incredibly short intervals
llong the parapet Flares we're going
ID continuously and 1t was almost as
light as day.
We were terribly outnumbered and
he casualties had already been so
5reat that I saw we were in for the
worst thing We had ever known.
borrower the next waves hadn't ap-
reared behind US
I was in command, as all the off
.ers and non CONS so far as I could
make out had ''snuffed." 1 signaled
o halt and take cover. my idea being
o wait for the other waves TO catch
lp- The men needed no second invi-
alton to lie low. They rolled into