Evening star., 1918-11-27

died hard. None Of these men. how
ever. did I know. But the night of
October 26 I was on duty at the
switchboard. About IL o'clock one of
the men of Company A came up from
the wireless station, about 100 yards
down the line, and said he got mes
sage that five Of the men were buried
alive. Just then the bell rang and
Sergt Fersinger. who was in charge
of our detail, called up and said that
il they couldn't be found by morning
we would know what had become of
over a barrage Of gas and high explo-
sives combined. Just then the line
broke and 1 thought for sure they
had been hit.
Alarmed by Conditions.
'The reason I was SO alarmed was
because that place was where our
bunch were sleeping and 1t was away
from the main path and nobody could
find 1t in the dark. I got relieved
from the board and started down to
see II our men were all right and to
one scared boy. I was alone and had
my gas mask and the gas was very
thick. It was pitch black and the
shells were hitting all around. l fn-
ally kOI lQSTc euo lOAuo SuSIu eAA
right and told them what the wireless
man told me. At that time we did
not know they were dead.
1.-TWO of the fellows, Corp. Hanford
and James Dorsey, volunteered to go
and Penoyer. Cox and Fersinger were
afterward wounded going for safe
dugout.
"When the three Of us reached the
station the doctors--two Frenchmen
Ario O
getting two Of the men out. They
were only gassed a little. The other
three men were completely covered
up with dirt and debris. Just about
the time we reached the station % the
ened and shells were going overhead.
But suddenly the range was lowered
again and the shells began to come
pretty thick and fast. We had no
tools to work with. so the doctor sent
and we had no idea where we could
find shovels, but we started to look.
Tells How It Happened.
1--WE had no sooner got started when
we heard a shell coming toward us l
| had hold Of Dorsey's arm and he cried.
Dick That was the last wor'' he said
He was hit in fve or six different
places. and l was 50 close 70 nim asN ina.
knows how It missed me. don't The
shell struck about five feet from US.
cat that time We did not know Jimmy
was dead and tried to get him under
cover as quickly A. possible. We pre-
ceeded to carry him to the doctor. When
picked him up the fiutter valve on nay
gas mask got full Of his blood and con-
seouently stopped up. Then mist
formed on my eye pieces could not
breathe and | could not 80 and ! wac
fast becoming crasy. MY one idea was
to get help for Jimmy, hut after run.
| heinx able 10 and a aasont | lost nay
head and II had not stameaed Rto the
duxout / suppose I would aew ~ pash-
when they got Jimmy in. he was
asad The doctor said he died la
SANITY. In the meantime he had pro-
| nounoed the other men dead Also and
| said Il was no use FytRs 10 dig them
! ont. A EAs shell had hit them and y
| VA no use trying to werk half Esssed
| anyway could net talk fer three
days afsorward.
May 8s Awarded a q Q.
~rhere 10 some talk about getting
| the D. 8. c., but I DC net shiRk it
| nrobable. ALTHOUGH ] thiRk 1t will be
awarded to Dorssy a. he gave 1p his
paddle, I wish yeu weala ge around
| And sec poruey's people and tell them
how Il happened and eeAeele them ~
| much ~ possible Jimmy Wae . good
| scout and evsrybeAy IN the company
liked him. Tsl his father he SUR