Gunnison news-champion., 1918-05-17


legs. just as was about TO reach
No Mans Land again. that same voice
seemed TO say Turn around" did
so. when, crack another bullet
caught me. this time In the left shoul-
der about one-half inch away from the
other wound Then II was taps for me.
The lights went out
When I came 90 I was crouching in
a hole In No Mans Land. This shell
hole was about three feet deep, so that
II brought my head few inches below
the level Of the ground. How reached
this hole ! will never know. German
-typewriters" were travers,ng back
and forth in No Mans Land. the bull
lets biting the edge Of my shell hole
and throwing dirt all over me.
Overhead shrapnel was bursting.
I could hear the fragments slap the
ground. Then / went out once more
When I came TO everything was silence
and darkness in No Mans Land. I
was soaked with blood and a big flap
from the wound In my cheek was hang
ing over my mouth The blood rum
ming from this flap choked me. out Of
the corner Of my mouth I would try
and blow II back. but IL would not
move. / reached for my shell dressing
and tried, with one hand. to bsndage
my face TO prevent the now. had
ain awful horror Of bleeding to death
and was getting very faint. You would
have laughed II you had seen my
iudicrous attempts at bandaging with
one hand. The pains In my wounded
shoulder were awful and was getting
sick at the stomach / gave up the
bandsging stunt as bad job, and then
tainted.
When | came TO. hell was let loose.
An intense bombardment was on. and
on the whole my position was decided
ly unpleasant. Then. suddenly our
barrage ceased. The silence almost
hurt, but not for long. because Fritz
turned loose with shrapnel. machine
guns. and rifle 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 sight. kits. flappins
their hHyonets glistening. In the first
wave that 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 kits
were huddled on the ground. then over
came the second wave. also "Jocks."
~
abreast Of my shell hole. leaped Into
the mir. his rifle shooting out OF his
hands, landing about six feet In front
Of him. bayonet first, and stuck In the
ground. the butt trembling. This i'm
pressed me greatly.
Right now can see the butt Of that
gun trembling. The Scottie made q
complete turn in the air, hit the
ground, rolling over twice. each time
clawing nt the earth. and then re-
mained still. about four feet from me,
In II sort of sitting position. chilled to
him, Are you hurt badly, Jocki" but
no answer. He was dead. daYk red
smudge was coming through his tunic
right under the heart. The blood ran
down his bare knees, making horrible
sight. On his right side he carried his
water bottle. l was crazy for drink
and tried to reach this. but for the life
OF me could not negotiate that four
feet. Then l became unconscious.
When i woke up was In an advanced
first-aid post. l asked the doctor II
we had taken the trench. I'VE took
hA nh ,N@ h. III
right" he said, land you fellows did
your bit: but. my lad. that was thirty
six hours ago. You were lying in No
Mans Land In that bally hole for day
and a half. It's wonder you are alive"
He also told me that out Of the twenty
that were In the raidlng party. seven
teen were killed. The officer died Of
wounds In crawling back to our trench
and l was severely wounded, but one
fellow returned without scratch, with
out any prisoners. No doubt this chap
was the one who had sneezed and i'm.
properly cut the barbed wire.
In the Official communique our trench
raid was described as follows:
"All quiet on the western front, e.
cepting in the neighborhood of Com.
mecourt wood, where one Of our raid.
Ing parties penetrated into the German
lines"
1t Is needless to say that We had 10
use for our persuaders or come-alongx,
as We brought back no prisoners, and
until l die Old Peppers words, sPer-
sonally l don't believe that that part
OF the German trench is occupied" viii
always come TO me when hear some
fellow trying to get away with fishy
statement. l will judge 1t accordingiy.
CHAPTER XVII.