The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-07-07

tumble OF rent and torn sandbags. His
head seemed bursting. He slowly rose
ON bis elbow. and there In the east the
dawn was breaking. But what was
that mangled shape lying over there
among the sandbags7 Slowly dragging
himself 10 II, he saw the body of the
sentry. One look was enough TO know
that he was dead. The soldiers head
was missing. The sentry had had his
wish gradfied. He had gone home"
He was safe at last from the "whizz-
bangs and the Allemand
Like fash 1t came TO Lloyd that he
was free. Free to 60 lover the top"
with his company. Free to die like
true Briton fighting for his king and
country. A & at gladness and warmth
came over him. Carefully stepping
over the body OF the sentry, he started
on mad race down the ruined street
Of the village. amid the bursting shells.
mInding them not. lodging through or
around hurrying platoons on their way
TO also 60 "over the top" Coming to
u communication trench he could not
get through. 1t was blocked with laugh
Ing. cheering and cursing soldiers.
Climbing out of the trench, he ran
wildly along the top. never needing the
rain Of machine-gun bullets and shells.
not even hearing the shouts Of the Of
sicers, telling him to get back into the
trench. He was going to Join his COM
pany who We're In the front line. He
was going to fight with them. He. the
despised coward, had come into his
Dwn.
While he was racing along. jumping
pver trenches crowded with soldiers, q
ringing cheer broke out all along the
front hne. and his heart sank. He
anew he was TOO late. His company
had gone over. But still he ran madiy.
He would catch them. He would die
with them.
Meanwhile his company had gone
sUver." They, with the other COM
panies had taken the first and second
German trenches and had nnshed
steadily on to the third line. ID COM
pany. led by their captain, the one who
had sent Lloyd to division headquar-
terS for trial. charged with desertion,
had pushed steadily forward until they
found themselves far In advance of
the rest Of the attacking force. Bomb
Ing out" trench after trench, and using
their bayonets, they came to a German
communication trench. which ended in
y biindsaD, and then the captain, and
what was left Of his men, knew they
were in trap. They would not re-
tira ID company never retired. and
they were ID company. Right in front
lCR them they could see hundreds Of
Germans preparing to rush them with
bomb and bayonet They would have
some chance IL ammunition and bombs
rould reach them from the rear. Their
supply was exhausted, and the men
IFealiZed 1t would be a case of dying
ms bravely as possible. or making a run
for IT. But d company would not
run. 1t was against their traditions
and principles.
The Germans would have to advance
across an open space of three to four
hundred yards before they could get
Within bombing distance of the trench,
Nnd then 1t would be all their own way.
Turning to his company. the captain
said:
! Men. it's case Of going West for
as. We are out OF ammunition and
bombs, and the Boches have us In a
trap. They will bomb us out Our
tbayonets are useless here. We will
have to go over and meet them, and
It's case OF thirty to one, so send
every thrust home. and die like the
men of d company should. When I
give the word. follow me, and I'D and
we only had a machine gun, we could
wipe them out! Here they come, get
ready, men"
Just as he finished speaking, the well
come "pup-pup" OF q machine gun in
their rear rang out. and the front line
OF the onrushing Germans seemed to
melt away. They wavered, but once
again came rushing onward. Down |
went their second line. The machine
gun was taking an awful toll of lives.
Then again they tried to advance, but
the machine gun moved them down. |
Dropping their rifles and bombs. they
broke and fed in a wild rush back TO
their trench, amid the cheers of .D''
company. They were forming again
for another attempt. when in the rear
OF ID company came q mighty cheer.
The ammunition had arrived and with
&c battalion of Scotch to REINFORCE
them. They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had come to the rescue
IN the nick OF time.
With the re-enforcements II was an
easy task to take the third German
line
After the attack was over, the cap
tain and three of his noncommissioned
officers. wendell their way back to the
position where the machine gun had
done its deadly work. He wanted to
in rhn Of N
company for his magnificent deed.
They arrived AT the gun, and an awful
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