The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-09-12

been In trenches at Dfxmude, n i
knew how pleasant they were-not,
but / volunteered, and SO die Murray.
We went ashore in u boats under a
heavy fire. There were u men killed
in the lifeboat in which I was. / es-
capped without a scratch.
We were mustered up on shore ard
volunteers were called for, for sentry
duty. Murray volunteered. If he had
only gone on with the rest of us he
might have come through. After a
short wait we were given the order to
advance. The firing became heavier
about this time, so we went at the
double. We had not got very far be-
fore we had a fine little surprise party
handed us.
The front line was running over
what appeared to be good, solid
ground. when they broke through and
fell into trenches 30 to 40 feet deep.
These trenches had been dug, covered
ove with H-inch boards and then
with dirt, and We're regular man-traps.
Sharp stakes were sticking out of the
parapet and p~arados, and at the bot
tom were more stakes and rocks and
barbed wire.
We were advancing with bayonets
fixed and arms at the carry, so when
the first line fell, and scme of the
second, the boys of the third line came
running up, and in the scramble that
followed many Of the chaps In the
first few lines were bayoneted by their
comrades. / was in the third line, but
| was lucky enough to pull up In time
and did not fall In. You could not look
down into that trench after you had
seen 1T once. Ii was too s%ickening.
Our casualties were sent back to the
ship. One boat was sunk by a shell
and all the men lost.
We remained where we were,
scratching out shallow trenches for
ourselves, finding what natural cover
there was and otr erwise getting ready
for the night. Which vas near. 1t
began to rain ard we could hardly
keep any fires gong, because we had
to shelter them from the shore side, so
the encny could rot spot u.s.. andIthe
Wind was from the sea. 1t was certain
ly miss able that night.
Every once In a while we would
stand by to repel an attack, whether II
was a real one or lot, and we were
under fire all the time. 1t seemed as
IL morning would never come. The
sand was full of feas-great big boys
and they were as bad as any
coolies ! had w had at Dixmude.
The morning came at last, and 1
was detailed with a fatigue party
to the beach where we had landed
stores. When we got down to the
docks / missed Murray and asked
where he was. They said he had been
missing from his post not more than
"a hour from the time we left.
! left my fatigue party, without
orders, and Joined In the hunt for
Murray. There were men searching
all along the docks and on the shore
to each side. Finally I saw a bunch
Of men collect around a storehouse
at the farther end of the docks on the
shore side. i ran up to them.
There was poor old Murray. They
were just taking him down. He had
been crucifled against the wall of the
s~torehouse. There was a bayonet
through each arm, one through each
foot and one through his stomach.
One of the garbies tainted when he
had to pull one Of the bayonets out.
They had hacked or his right hand
at the wrist and taken his identifca-
ton Disc I lay this to the German
officers more than the Turks.
do not know just what I did after
this. But 1t changed me all around
and ] was not like my usual self dur
Ing the rest Of the time
Il was stifl raining when We started
on ON way to the front line. Along
the road were numbers Of troops
scoling and among them Indian troops
ON sentry duty. They hooked like q
bunch Of frozen turnips. cool and un-
comfortable. We were Close enough to
make the roar Of the cannonading
seem intolerably loud and could sec
the bursting shells, particularly those
fror7 the British ships.
Then we came across some Turkish
prisoners who were sheltering 10 an
old barn. I guess II was, and We
stopped for shelter and rest. They
told us that their troops we're ver9
tired from long fighting. but that they
had plenty o. men They sid 4 couple
Of shells had dropped about q hum
dred yards from the barn just before
we came. 20 We knew the batteries
were trying to get range and we
did not stay any longer. but went
away from there and on our road.
About 500 yards farther on We came
to ruin4 and when We went inside
we found 80 or 60 OF our boys cooking
and sleeping and not giving q thought
to the shells or shrapnel. The mules
outside were banging away at the hay.
a. though thers never had been 1 war
In the world. There was ne shell made
that could bulge them away from
that hay unleas Il hit them.
Then along came . cart making q
lot Of rackot. Onp az the fellowa IN II