Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-03-12
CHAPTER v.


, hours, not the refreshing kind that re-
suits from clean sheets and soft pill
lows, but the sleep that comes from
cold. wet and sheer exhaustion.
Suddenly. the earth seemed 20 shake
and a thundcrclap burst In my ears. I
opened my eyes-I was splashed all
over with sticky mud and men were
picking themselves up from the bottom
OF the trench. The parapet on my left
had toppled into the trench. completely
blocking II with n wall OF tossed-up
earth. The man on my left lay still. l
rubbed the mud from my face, and an
awful sight met my gaze-hls head
was smashed 20 a pulp, and his steel
helmet was full Of brains and blood.
A German Minnie" (trench mortar)
had exploded In the next traverse. Men
were digging Into the soft mass OF mud
In frenzy OF haste. Stretcher-bear-
ers came up the trench on the double.
After a few minutes Of digging. three
STILL muddy forms on stretchers were
carried down the Communication
trench 10 the rear. Soon they would
be resting somewhere In France" with
little wooden cross over their heads.
They had done their bit for king and
country, had died without firing a shot,
but their services were appreciated.
nevertheless.
Later on. found out their names.
They belonged TO our draft.
I was dazed and motionless. Sud
denly a shovel was pushed into my
hands. and rough but kindly voice
said:
Here, my lad. lend n hand clearing
the trench. but keep your head down.
and look out for snipers. One OF the
Fritz's Is a daisy. and he'll get you II
you're not careful"
Lying on my belly on the bottom OF
the trench. I filled sandbags with the
sticky mud. they were dragged to my
rear by the other men. and the work OF
rebuilding the parapet was on. The
harder I worked. the better I felt. Al
though the weather was cold, was
soaked with sweat.
Occasionally a bullet would crack
overhead. and n machine gun would
kick up the mud on the bnshed-ln para.
pet. At each crack / would duck and
shield my face with .ay arm. One OF
the older men noticed this action OF
mine. and whispered:
Don't duck at the crack OF bul.
let. Yank; the danger has passed-you
never hear the one that wings you.
Always remember that II you are going
TO get II. you'll get II, so never worry"
This made n great impression on me
at the time, and from then on, adopt.
ed his motto, "If you're going to get II.
you'll get IT,"
II helped me wonderfully. I used Il
50 often afterwards that some OF nv
mates dubbed me, "If you're going 10
get II, you1l get H."
After an hours hard work, all my
nervousness left me. and ! was laugh.
ing and joking with the rest.
At one O'Clock, dinner came I'D in
the form OF a dixie OF hot stew.
l looked for my canteen. II had
fallen on the fire step, and was half
buried In the mud. The man on my
left noticed this, and told the corporal.
dishing out the rations, 10 put my
share In his mess tin. Then he whis-
pered 20 me. always take care OF your
mess tin. mate"
I had learned another maxim Of the
trenches.
That stew tasted fine. was as
hungry as a bear. We had seconds, {"
or another helping. because three OF
the men had "gone West" killed by
the explosion Of the German trench
mortar. and we ate their share, hut
still was hungry. so filled In with
bully beef and biscuits. Then / drained
my water bottle. Later on learned
another maxim OF the front line. eco
sparlngly with your water" The bully
beef made me thirsty. and by tea time
I was dying for a drink. but my pride
would not allow me TO ask my mates
for water. l was fast learning the
ethics Of the trenches.
That night I was put on guard with
an older man. We stood on the IRE
step with our hands over the top, peer
ing out into No Mans Land. Il was
nervous work for me. but the other fel-
low seemed to take Il as part OF the
nights routine.
Then sopethlng shot past my face
My heart stopped beating. and ducked
my head below the parapet. A soft
ehuckle from my mate brought me 10
my senses. and feebly asked. "FOr
heavens sake. what was thatf
He answered. "Only a rat taking a
promenade along the sandbags." I
felt very sheeplsh.
About every twenty minutes the sen.
oy In the next traverse would IRE .
star shell from his fare plstoA The
''plop" would give me a start OF fright
I never got used 10 this noise during
NV service IN the trenches.
IS