The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1918-08-08

our mouths we waited for the three
tap signal TO rush the German trench
Three taps had gotten about halfway
down the line when suddenly about ter
TO twenty German star shells wer,
fired sll along the trench and landed
In the barbed wire In rear Of us. turn
ing night into day and silhouetting VS.
against the wall Of light made by the
flares. In the glaring light we were
confronted by the following unpleasant
scene.
All along the German trench. al
about three-f foot intervals. stood biz
Prusslan guardsman with his rifle NJ
the aim. and then we found out why
We had not been challenged when the
man sneezed and the barbed wire had
been improperly cut. About three feet
In front Of the trench they had coU.
strucjed single fence of barbed wire
and W, knew our chances were one
thousand TO one Of returning alive.
We could not rush their trench on nc
count Of this second defense. Then
In front of me the challenge. Halt"
given in English rang out, and one Of
the finest things have ever heard on
the western front took place.
From the middle of our line some
Tommy answered the challenge with.
"Aw, 60 to HI" II must have been
the man who had sneezed or who had
improperly cut the barbed wire; he
wanted to show Fritz that he could
die game. Then came the volley. Ma
chine guns were turned loose and sew
ernl bombs were thrown In our rear.
The Boche In front Of me was looking
down his sight. This fellow might
have, under ordinary circumstances.
been handsome. but when l viewed him
from the front Of his rife he had the
COLLINS Of childhood Imagination rele-
gated To the shade.
Then came a fash In front Of me. the
flare of his rifle-and my head seemed
to burst. A bullet had hit me on the
left side Of my face about half an
inch from my eye. smashing the cheek
bones. put my hand to my face and
fell forward, biting the ground and
kicking my feet. ! thought ] was dy-
Ing. but. do you know, my past life did
not unfold before me the way II does
In novels.
The blood was streaming down my
Iunlc. and the pain was awful. When
came to I said to myself. Emp. old
boy, you belong In Jersey City. and
you'd better get back there us quickly
rs possible"
The lullets were cracking overhead.
crawled few feet back 10 the Ger
man harhed wire, and In STOPPING pu-
sitioD. guiding myself by the wire. |
went down the line looking for the
ane we had cut through. Before
this lane came to a limp
'orm which seemed like a bag Of oats
over the wire. In the dim
light ! could see that its hands were
,lackencd. and knew IL was the body
" one Of my mates. l put my hand
IN his head. the top Of which had been
,lown on by u bomb. NV fingers sank
nto the hole. pulled my hand hack
ull OF blood and brains. then ! went
ray with fear and horror and rushed |
Ilong the wire until l came TO our
nne. Ind Just turned down this lane |
when something inside Of me seemed
o say. Look around" ! did so; a bull |
ct caught me on the left shoulder. II |
I'D not hurt much. Just felt as II some |
ne had punched me In the back. and |
hen my left side went numb. My arm /
vas dangling like a rag. Ifell forward
n sitting position. But all the fear
lad left me and l was consumed with /
age and cursed the German trenches.
With my right hand l felt in my tunic
or my first-aid or shell dressing. In
ceiling over my tunic my hand came
n contact with one ot the bombs which
carried. Gripping IT, pulled the pin
nj with my teeth and bllndly threw II
owards the German trench. must
ave been out of my head. because l
vas only ten feet from the trench and
ook chance Of being mangled. u
he bomb had failed TO 20 into the
rench ] would have been blown TO
its by the explosion Of my own bomb.
BY the flare OF the explosion Of the
'omb. which luckily landed In their
rench. saw one big Boche throw up
lis arms and fall backwards, while his
life flew into the air. Another one
vilted and fell forward across the
andbags-then blackness.
Realizing what foolhardy and risky
hing had done. l was again seized
With horrible fear. ! dragged myself
o my feet and ran madly down the
ane through the barbed wire, stun
fling over cat wires. tearing my uni
orm, and lacerating my hands aud
egs. just as ! was about to reach
10 Mans Land again. that same voice
eemed 10 say. "rurn around" did
10. when, crack" another bullet
'aught me this time In the left Shout
Ter about one-half inch away from the
,ther wound. Then II was taps for me.
rhe lights went out.
When | came to / was crouching in
hole In No Mans Land. This shell
lOle was about three feet deep, so that
I brought my head a few inches below
he level Of the ground. How reached