The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-07-11
CHAPTER xxllI-Continued.

d
A gas helmet Is made OF cloth, treat
ed with chemicals. There are " win
dOwS, or ginSs eyes, IN it, through which
you can see. Inside there is Il rubber
covered tube, which goes in the mouth.
You brcathc through your nose; he
gas, passing through the cloth helmet.
Is neutraiized by the action of the
chemicals. The foul air is eNhnlcd
through the tube In the mouth, this
tube being SO constructed that ii pre-
vents the ~inhuling of the outside air or
gas One hclInrt IS good for five hours
OF the strongest gas. Each Tommy
carries two Of them Slung around his
9hoHlJcr in Il waterproof canvas bag.
He must wear this bag at all times.
even while sleeping. TO change Il de-
3ective helmet. YOU take out the new
one hold your breath, pull the old one
on, placing the new one over your
head. tncklng in the loose ends under
the collar Of your tunir.
For a minute, pandcmonium rrigned
In our trcnrh-TummieS adjusting
CHER sielmetS. bomberS running here
and there, and men turning out of the
dugouts with fixed buyonctS. to man
che fire step.
Re-enforcclnents were pouring out Of
the communication trenches.
Our guns crew were busy mounting
h machine gun on the pururet and
bringing up extra ammunition from
che dugout.
German gas IS heavier than air and
MOOD H]!S the trenches ana d%uuoutS.
where II has been known To Turk for
W or three days. until the air is puri-
ned by means Of large chemical spray
ara.
We had to work quickly, as Fritz
generally follows the gas with mn In.
fantry attack.
a company man on our right was
70" SLOW in getting on his helmet: he
SANK 70 the ground. clulching at his
throat, ana after II few spasmoJic
Ewiaungs went West (dicd). 1t was
hcffDie to see him die, but we were
po~erless to help him. In the corner
or d traverse, a little. muddy cur dor,
ono OF the company's nets. was lv,nr
oehd' with his paws over his nose.
AIS me animals that suffer the mos,
the norses, mules, cattle, dogs. cnts
and rats--they having no helmets to
save lhelh. Tommy does not sylnpa-
unize with rats In Il gas attack.
Ar times gas has been known to
.raVei, with dire results. fifteen miles
behind the lines.
a gas or smoke helmet, MS It IS
called, at the best Is Il vile-smellinp
'"hhS. &hd IT Is not long before one gets
u violent headache from wearing #
Our eightecn-poundrrs wpr, hur,,
.hS IN No Mans Land. In an effort. by
em artillery, to dispense the ms
L1e nre step was lined with cro,,ch.
arg "fe'i' bayonets fixed, and bombs
near at hand to repel the exn.ct.L 80.
tack. PN'e' ~
c1r artillery hud put a burruc. ~
curtain IRE on the German lines ~ ,r,.
IL break up their attack ma ln,r,
bacR reenforcrmcnts. '
4 trained my machine gun n, ,h,;.
trench and its bullets were rnI,ny tho
Darapet. ~
Then over they cnnc, bayonets ,,,.
enin& In their rcSpirators. wh;c,
nave a large snout In front, they look
cd like some horrible nightmare.
All Along our trench, rifles ana ma
anine guns spoke, our shrnpnel wo,
bursting over their heads. They won,
oo"h IN heaps, but new mes tool tha
D.aces OF the fallen. Nothing conld
eSop that mad rush. The Germans
reached our barbed wire, which had
previously been demolished by thair
smells. then 1t was bomb against homh
and the devil for all. 1919
suddenly my head seemed to bnrs,
Ssesa = loud "crs ok" In my ear. Ther
aay aeao began to swim. throst on
@fy. n a heavy pressure on the lung,
warned me that my helmet wns leak
ing Turning by gun over 70 No Q
changed helmets.
ne trench started to wind like
SNAKE n s~andbags appeared to b
tnoaang In the air. The noise was hol
asD'e' sank onto the fire step, needle
SSeined TO be prlcking my flesh, the
diaekness.
was awakened by one Of my mat,
ssmoS'ng my smoke helmet. How d
tnngs "