Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-05-23
SYNOPSIS.

sinking of the Lusitania by q German
Jan, leaves his Office in Jersey City and
Toes to England where he enlists in the
British army.
CHAPTER II-After a period of train
Rg, Empey volunteers for immediate serv-
zee and soon finds himself In rest billets
somewhere in France" where he first
makes the acquaintance of the ever-pres-
INT "cooties."
CHAPTER III-Empey attends his first
ehurch services at the front while q Ger
man Fokker circles over the congregation.
CHAPTER Iv-Empey's command goes
INTO the front-line trenches and Is under
0re for the first time.
CHAPTER v-Empey learns to adopt,
she motto of the British Tommy, IF you
kre going to get It, you'll get it, SO never
CHAPTER vI-Back in rest billets. En-
Srderilyy.. S Ills '''' '' ''
CHAPTER vII-Empey learns how the
British soldiers are fed.
CHAPTER vIII-Back In the front-lne
trench, Empey sees his first friend OF the
trenches "go West" ....-
CHAPTER Ix-Empey makes his first
visit to a dugout in Suicide Ditch"
CHAPTER x-Empey learns what con-
sssn aiss q 0' "''N ' ~
CHAPTER xI-Empey goes ''over the
top for the first tiiae in charge on the
German trenches AND is wounded by q
"At one part of our trench where
a communication trench joined the
front line a Tommy had stuck up a
wooden signpost with three hands or
arms on it. One of the hands, point
ing to the German lines, read, ITO Ber-
I'M the one pointing down the com,
munication trench read, ITO Blighty,'
while the other said, Suicide Ditch,
Change Here for Stretchers.'
"Farther down from this guide post
the trench ran through an old orchard.
On the edge Of this orchard our bat
terry had constructed an advanced OBJ
servation post. The trees screened it
from the, enemy airmen and the roof
was turfed. 1t wasn't cushy like ours,
no timber or concrete re-enforcements,
just walls of sandbags. From 1t q
splendid view Of the German lines
could be obtained. This post wasn't
exactly safe. It was a hot corner,
shells plunking all around and the
bullets cutting leaves off the trees.
Many a time when relieving the sig
mailer at the phone, had to crawl on
my belly like worm to keep from
being hit.
'Tt was an observation post sure
enough. That's all the use it was Just
observe all day, but never a message
back for our battery to open up. You
see, at this point of the line there
were strict orders not to fire shell,
unless specially ordered to do so from
brigade headquarters. Blime me, If
anyone disobeyed that command, our
general-yes, 1t was Old Pepper
would have court-martialed the whole
expeditionary force. Nobody went out
of their way to disobey Old Pepper in
those days, because he couldn't be
called parson; he was more like a
pirate. If at any time the devil should
feel lonely and sigh for proper mate,
Old Pepper would get the first CALL
Facing the Germans wasn't half bad
compared with an interview with that
old firebrand. L1-ss. A..
) ssn company or battalion should
give way a few yards against a su-
perior force of Boches,. Old Pepper
would send for the commanding Off
Ger. In about half an hour the officer
would come back with his face the
color of q brick, and in q few hours
what was left of his command would
be holding their original position.
ST have seen an officer who wouldn't
say d-n for n thousand quid spend
five ninut IS with the old hoy, and
when he returned the flow of language
from his lips would make a navy
blush for shame.
"What l am going to tell you is how
two of us put it over on the old scamp,
and got away with it. 1t was q risky
thing, too, because Old Pepper wouldn' t
have been exactly mild with US If he
had got next to the game.
b "Me and my mate, lad named Har-
ry Cassell, bombardier in D 238 bat
terry, or lance corporal, as you call II
In the infantry, used to relieve the
telephonists. We would do two hours
on and four off. 1 would be on duty
in the advanced, observation post
while he would be at the other end Of
the wire in the battery dugout signal
ing station. We were supposed to sent
through orders for the battery to fire
when ordered to do so by the observa
ton officer in the advanced post. Blu
very few messages were sent. 1t wa
only in case of an actual attack tina
we would get a chance to earn ou
two and six day. You see, Old Pep
per had issued. orders not to fire ex
cept when the orders came from him
And with OldrPepper orders is orders
and made to obey.
"The Germans must have know
about these orders, for even In the da.
their transports and troops used t.
expose themselves as If they We're OF
parade. This sure got up our nose
sitting there day after day, with fin
targets In front of us but unable t
eend over shell. We heartily cusse