Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1918-05-08

Buried With Honors.
when suddenly the officer made left
wheel, and we found ourselves in sort
of enclosed courtyard.
The dawn was breaking and the
rain had ceased.
In front of us were four stacks Of
rifles, three to a stack.
The officer brought us to attention
and gave the order to unpile arms. We
each took rifle. Giving us "Stand at
ease," in a nervous and shaky voice,
he informed:
'Men, you are here on very solemn
duty. You have been selected as a
firing squad for the execution of a SOL
der, who, having been found guilty
of a grievOus crime against king and
country, has been regularly and duly
tried and sentenced to be shot at 8 :28
a. m. this date. This sentence has been
approved by the reviewing authority
and ordered carried out. 1t is our duty
to carry on with the sentence of the
court.
"There are twelve rifles, one Of
which contains a blank cartridge, the
Every man is expected to do his duty
and fire to kill. Take your orders from
me. Squad-'ShunI
We came to attention. Then he left
My heart was Of lead and my knees
shook.
After standing at attention" for
what seemed a week, though in reality
it could not have been over five min
utes, we heard low whispering in our
rear and footsteps on the stone flag
ging of the courtyard.
Our officer reappeared and in low,
but firm voice, ordered:
"About-Turn
We turned about. In the gray light
of dawn, a few yards in front of me, I
could make out brick wall. Against
this wall was dark form with a white
square pinned on it's breast. We were
supposed to aim at this square. To the
right of the form noticed a white spot
on the wall. This would be my target.
Ready! Aim! Firev
The dark form sank into huddled
heap. My bullet sped on it's way, and
hit the whitish spot on the wall; /
SOuIO sec Tic SpIIulcIS Ay. OOlilc Ouc
else had received the rifle containing
the blank cartridge, but my mind was
at ease, there was no blood of a
Tommy on my hands.
"Order-Arms About-Turn Pile
Arms Stand-Clear."
The stacks were reformed.
"Quick - March! Right Wheel!"
And we left the scene of execution be-
hind us.
ing about five minutes, we were dis
missed with the following instructions
from the officer in command:
"Return, alone, to your respective
companies, and remember, no talking
about this affair, or else it will go hard
with the guilty ones"
We needed no urging to get away.
did Tot recognize any of the men on
the firing squad; even the officer was
stranger to me.
The victims relations and friends in
Blighty will never know that he was
executed; they will be under the i'm
preston that he died doing his bit for
king and country.
In the pubic casualty lists his name
will appear under the caption "Acci-
dentally Killed." or Died.
The day after the execution 1 re-
ceived orders to report back to the
line, and to keep a still tongue in my
head.
Executions are a part of the days
work, but the part we hated most of
all, Enthusiastically the saddest. The
British war department is thought by
many people to be composed of rigid
regulations all wound around with red
tape. But 1t has heart, and one of
the evidences of this is the considerate
way in which an execution is concealed
and reported to the relative of the un-
fortunate man. They never know the
truth. He is listed in the bulletins as
among the accidentally killed."
In the last ten years I have several
times read stories in magazines of
towards changing, in a charge, to he
roes. used to laugh at it. 1t seemed
easy for story-writers, but 1 said.
men aren't made that way.p But over
in France 1 learned once that the
streak of yellow can turn all white. Il