Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-07
OVER THETOP!s ARrHURcuY EMrE1
 
Copyright by ARTHUR GUY EMPrY

der about one-haff inch away from tho other wound. Then it was taps for me The lights went out
 When came to I was crouching in a hole in No Mans Land. This shell hole was about three feet deep, so that it brought my head a few inches below the level of the ground. How I reached this hole I will never know. German ''typewTitersn were trayers- ing back and forth in No Mans Land. the bullets biting the edge of my shell hole and throwing dirt ali over me.
 Overhead, shrapnel was bursting could hear the fragments slap the ground. Then. I went out once more When I came to, everything was si- lence and darkness in No Mans Land I was soaked with blood and 8 big flag from the wound in my cheek was hanging over my mouth. The blood running from the flap choked me. Out of the corner of my mouth I would try to blow it back but 1t would not move. reached for my she'll dress ing and tried, with one hand, to bandage my face to prevent the flow. l had an awful horror of bleeding to death and was getting very faint. You would have laughed if you had seen my ludicrous attempts at bandaging with one hand. The pains in my wounded shoulder were awful and I was getting sick at the stomach. gave up the bandaging stunt as bad job, and then fainted.
 When I came to, hell was let loose. An intense bombardment was on. and on the whole my position was de- cidedly unpleasant. Then, suddenly, our barrage ceased. The silence al- most hurt, but not for long, because Fritz turned loose with shrapnel, ma chine guns and rife fire. Then all along our line came a cheer and our boys came over the top in a charge. The first wave was composed of Jocks" They were a magnificent knees showing, and their bayonets passed my shell hole, one of the Jocks" an immense fellow, about six feet two inches in height, jumped right over me. On the right and left of me several soldiers in colored kilts were huddled on the ground, then over came the second wave, also Jocks" One young Scottie. when he came abreast of my shell hole, leaped into the air, his rife shooting out of his hands, landing about six feet in front of him. bayonet first, and stuck in the ground, the butt tremb- ling. This impressed me greatly.
 Right now can see the butt of that gun trembling. The Scottie made a complete turn in the air, hit the ground, rolling over twice, each time clawing at the earth, and then re- mained still, about four feet from me in a sort Of sitting position. called to him, Are you hurt badly. JockT' but no answer He was dead. A dark red smudge was coming through his tunic right under the heart The blood ran down his bare knees, mak- ! ing a horrible sight. On his right side he carried his water bottle. I was crazy for drink and tried to reach this. but for the life of me could not negotiate that four feet. Then Ibe- came unconscious. When I woke up was in an advanced first aid post. asked the doctor if we had taken the 1 trench. We took the trench and the wood beyond, all right" he said
 and you fellows did your bit; but my lad, that was thirty-six hours ago
 You were lying in No Mans Land ir that bally hole for day and half It's a wonder you are alive" He also told me that out of the twenty that were in the raiding party, seventeen were killed The officer died of wounds : in crawling back to our trench and