The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-03-12

iZe that all the HIIlDNiaIlceS, LfalllS sllu
shins. not to mention the man power,
used in Transporting wounded man,
could be used for supplies, ammunition
and re-enforcements for the troops at
the front, it will not appear strange
that from q strictly military stand
point, a dead man is sometimes better
than live one Gf wounded).
Not long after the first digging party,
our general decided, after a careful
tour of inspection Of the communica-
ton trenches. upon IAN ideal spot" as
he termed it, for a machine-gun en-
placement; took his map, made dot
on it. and as he was wont, wrote dig
here" and the next night We dug.
There were twenty in the party, my
self included. Armed With picks,
shovels and empty sandbass we ar
rived at the "ideal spot" and started
digging. The moon was very bright,
but we did not care as we were we'll
out of sight of the German lines.
We had gotten about three feet
down. when the fel!nw next To me, aft
er 2 mighty stroke with his pick, let go
of the handle, and pinched his lose
with his thumb and forefinger. at the
same time letting out the explosion.
"Gott strafe me pink, I'm bloody well
cassed. not 'alf ] amt" l quickly
turned in his direction with an inquir-
ING look, at the same instant reaching
for my gas bag. soon found out what
was ailing him. One whisf was enough
and lost No time in also pinching my
nose. The stencil was awful. The rest
of the digging party dropped their
hicks and S..ovels and beat it>fOr the
weather side OF that solitary pick. The
officer came over and inquired why the
work had suddenly ceased, holding our
noses. we simply pointed in the direc-
tion of the smell. He went over TO the
pick, Immediately claNped his hand
| over his nose, made an about turn
land came back. Just then our cap
tain came along and Investigated, but
after ah- at minute saiG we had bet
ter carry on With the digging, that he
| did not see why we should nj ve
stopped as the odor was ve'y faint,
but if necessary he would allow us our
gas helmets while digging. He would
stay and see the thing through, but he
had to report back to brigade head
quarters Immediately. We wished that
we were captains and also had date
at brigade headquarters. With our gas
helmets on we again attacked that hole
and uncovered the decomposed body Of
a German the pick was sticking in his
chest. One Of the men tainted. I was
that one. Upon this our lieutenant
halted proceedings and sent word back
to headquarters and word came back
that after we filled in the hole we could
knock off for the night. This was wei
come tidings to us, because
Next day the general changed the
dot on his map and another emplace-
ment was completed the following
night.
The odor from the dug-up. decom-
posed human body has an effect which
is hard to describe. 1t first produces
a nauseating feeling, which, especially
after eating, causes vomiting. This re-
heves you temporarily, but soon a
weakening sensation follows, which
leaves you limp as dishrag. Your
spirits are at their lowest ebb and you
feel a sort of hopelessness and mad
desire to escape it all, to get to the
open fields and the perfume Of the flow
ers in eighty. There is sharp,
prickling sensation in the noStrils,
which reminds one of breathing coal
gas through a radiator in the floor, and
you want to sneeze, but cannot. This
was the effect on me, surmounted by a
vague horror Of the awfulneSS of the
thing and an ever-recurring reflection
that, perhaps I, sooner OR later, would
be in such a state and be brought to
light by the blow of pick in the hands
of some Tommy on digging party.
Several times have experienced this
odor, but never could get used to it.;
the enervating sensation was always
present. 1t made me hate war and
wonder why such things were counte-
nanced by civilization, and all the spice
and glory of the conflict would disap-
pear, leaving the grim reality. But
after leaving the spot and filling your
lungs with deep breaths Of pure, fresh
air, you forget and once again want to
be ''up and at them"
CHAPTER XIV.