Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-08-20

we were marching along, laughing, and
singing one OF Tommy's trench ditties:
l want to 60 home, I want to go home.
| don't want to go to the trenches
| more
Where sausages and whizz- bangs are ga
| lore
Take me over the sea. Where the Allie
mand can't get at me,
| Oh, my. l don't want to de-
l want to go home"
when overhead came "swish" through
the air, rapidly followed by three 9th
ers. Then about two hundred yards to
our left in a large field, four columns
of black earth and smoke rose into the
air, and the ground trembled from the
report-the explosion of four German
five-nine's, or "coalboxes." A sharp
whistle blast, Immediately followed by
two short ones, rang out from the head
of our column. This was to take up
ARTILLERY formation" We divided into
small squads and went into the fields
on the right and left Of the road, and
crouched on the ground. No other
shells followed this salvo. 1t was our
first baptism by shell fire. From the
waist up l was all enthusiasm, but from
there down, everything was missing. i
thought / should die with fright.
After awhile, we reformed into col
umns of fours, and proceeded on our
way.
About five that night, we reached the
ruined village of H, and 1 got my
first sight Of the awful destruction
caused by German Kultur.
Marching down the main street we
came to the heart of the village and
took up quarters in shellproof cellars
(shellproof until hit by SHIELD. Shells
were constantly whistling over the vii
lage and bursting in our rear, search
ing for our artillery.
These cellars were cold, damp and
smelly, and overrun with large rats
big black fellows. Most of the Tom
mics slept with their overcoats over
their faces. / did not. In the middle
of the night 1 woke up in terror. The
over my face. 1 Immediately smoth-
cred myself In my overcoat, but could
not sleep for the rest of that night.
Next evening, we took over our sec
tor of the line. In single file we wend-
ed our way through zigzag COM
munication trench, six inches deep
with mud. This trench was called
"Whisky street" On our way up to
the front line an occasional flare of
bursting shrapnel would light up the
sky and we could hear the fragments
slapping the ground above us on our
right and left. Then a Fritz would
traverse back and forth with his "type-
writer" or machine gun. The bullets
made sharp cracking noise overhead
The boy in front of me named Prem.
tice crumpled up without a word. A
piece Of shell had gone through his
shrapnel-proof helmet. / felt sick an6
weak. :
In about thirty minutes we reached
the front line. 1t was dark as pitch
Every now and then a German stal
shell would pierce the blackness out
in front with its silvery light. was
trembling all over, and felt very lonely
and afraid. All orders were given il
whispers. The company we relieved
, filed past us and disappeared into the
I. blackness of the communication trench
leading to the rear. AS they passed us
they whispered, 1.-THE best o. lucl
mates"
sat on the fire step of the trench
, with the rest Of the men. In eacf
, traverse two of the older men had beer
, put on guard with their heads sticking
over the top, and with their eyes try
ing to pierce the blackness In "NC
Mans Land" In this trench there
were only two dugouts, and these were
J used by Lewis and Vickers machine
. gunners, so 1t was the fire step fol
ours. Pretty soon 1t started to rain
/ We put on our ''macks," but they wer,
r not much protection. The rain trickleC
/ down our backs. and it was not Ions
r before we were wet and cold. How
r passed that night 1 will never know
} but without any unusual occurrence
dawn arrived.
, The word "stand down" was passed
along the line. and the sentries go
! down Off the fire step. Pretty soon tn,
rum issue came along, and 1t was
= Godsend. 1t warmed our chilled bodie:
J and put new life into us. Then from
i the communication trenches cam,
4 dixies or iron pots, filed with steam
4 ing tea, which had two wooden stake.
4 through their handles, and were car
] ried by two men. 1 filed my canteer
and drank the hot tea without taking
1 it from my lips. 1t was not long be
| fore I was asleep in the mud on tn,
fire step.
My ambition had been attainedl
was In front-llne trench on the west
ern front, and oh, how wished wer,
| back in Jersey City.
Il