Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-08-21
,,,ApTER XXVI-Continued.

- MANY a joke made in an under
GU mas Dassed along the winding
Wv In &c TO who would be first to
W. .-o ride on one of the stretchers.
a. ~ ras generally followed by a wish
hat if YOU were to be the one, the
~Ds would be a "cushy Blighty
de- , so,,b+
..-ing that. if they did have to carry
Dl +o the rear, he would be small
~ Tgb+, Perhaps they looked at me
-ssn wishing, because 1 could feel an
-,,rfortable. boring sensation be-
trspp nv shoulder blades. They got
heir wish all right.
roiro M this trench, about every
.--r Yards or so we would pass a lone
: son+ry. who in a whisper would
.isb rs the best O. luck, mates" We
.,nld Hind at him under our breaths;
ss+ Jonah phrase to us sounded very
oninOus.
uftbout any casualties the minstrel
.-,oo arrived at Suicide ditch, the
t-,7-Jtnp trench. Previously, a wiring
Nasty Of the Royal Engineers had cut
lane through our barbed wire to en-
,srs is 10 get out into No Mans Land.
Crawling through this lane, our
Marty Of twenty took up an extended
or4pr formation about one yard apart.
Ne had tap code arranged for our
norsmppts while in No Mans Land,
bscarse for various reasons it is not
ssfa 70 carry on a heated conversation
faW Yards i'm front of Fritz lines.
The officer was on the right of the
line while | was on the extreme left.
rro taps from the right would be
rqssed down the line until 1 received
them. then would send back one tap.
che officer, in receiving this one tap,
would know that his order had gone
fawn the whole line, had been under
stood, and that the party was ready
10 obey the tWO-taD signal. Two taps
meant that we we're to crawl forward
s0wly-and believe me, very slowly
for five Yards, and then halt to await
further Instructions. Three taps meant,
when you arrived within striking dis
bnce Of the German trench, rush it
and mlict as many casualties as pos
SbLe, secure a couple Of prisoners, and
then back TO your own lines with the
speed clutch open. Four taps meant,
IMve gotten you into a position from
which it is impossible for me to extri-
cate you, so you are on your own"
After getting Tommy into a mess on
be western front he is generally told
That he is ION his own" This means,
Save your skin in any way possible"
Tommy loves to be ION his own" behind
Ae lines but not during q trench raid.
The star shells from the German
INES We're falling in front of US, there
lore We We're safe. After about TWEEN
minutes We entered the star shell
zone. a star shell from the German
-Ae> fell about five yards in the rear
'-l To the right of me; We Rugged the
ground and held our breath until it
burned out. The smoke from the star
@eI Travelled along the ground and
u'>>ed over the middle of our line.
'''"e tommy Sneezed. The smoke had
so'en up his nose. We crouched on
-s ground cursing the offender under
W" breath, and waited the volley that
sv"e.aIy enSueS when the Germans
nave heard noise in No Mans Land.
"'"''ng happened. We received TWO
s-ts ana craWled forward SLOWLY for
E yards; no doubt the officer be-
. .'eu "Aat Old Pepper had said, per
S..aIly believe that that part of the
u5'DlDn trench is unoccupied." Nv he
~ careful and remaining motionless
, .n'I Tie star shells fell behind us, we
,s.'Aed The German barbed wire with.
~ w. II'Snap. Then the fun began, I
on -. S1"'eu sim as it is ticklish work
,S.a.e your way through wire when
S 'y', thirty feet in front of Won there
,r d .'ae of Boches looking out into No
, ,,.as Land with their rifles Iying
,,. SsS me parapet, straining every
n Y, " y, see or hear what is going on
rs,- .O Mans Land; because at night
III never knows when bomb With
lr-. ~,'''e and number on if will coma
dun, ,..,.'S through the air aimed in tha
rrs ,.'.'a of Berlin. The man on tba
srs ' W. Out man in the center and nv
With [,,r r,s extreme left were equipped
eiL I wire cutters. These are insniatod
rs, - - rubber not because the Ger
IN, D''eS are charged with eIectricitv
sssrr w. prevent the cutters rubbing
A. ~ 'I'e oarbed wire stakes. which
Which "on' and making a noise
ha .yl may warn the inmates 81 HC use
il ,bs.. mat someone is getting fresh
rsv r FL front yard There is onIv rr eSn
so5 , ~ cut barbed wire without no TI
has 6s ,%rSa costly experience Tommy
lou r r.,ae an expert in doing this.
Inches fro,, grasp the wire about two
hand and otOln the stake in your right
YOU hand. wen the stake and |
~. you cut a wire ,n,,-o
%Oa twanc will u, "''e improperly, a
ID Ike tho ' ring ring out on the night |
Sing Parb, Snapplng Of banjo |
bssd onlr e'3ops this noise can he |
Nsds. S Snt T. Tor =. fifty or sevent v We
loud nojsa - 1Imny's mind it makes |