The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-04-18

through lanes in our barbed wire.
knew was running, but could feel no
motion below the waist. Patches on
the ground seemed to float to the rear
as II l were on treadmill and seem
cry was rushing past ME. The Ger
mans had put barrage of shrapnel
across No Mans Land, and you could
hear the pieces slap the ground about
you.
After l had passed our barbed wire
and gotten into No Mans Land a
Tommy about fifteen feet to my right
front turned around and looking in nv
direction, put his hnnd to his mouth
and yelled something which could NOT
make out on account Of the noise from
the bursting shells. Then he coughe,1.
stumbled. pitched forward and Law still.
His body seemed to float to the regr
Of me- l could hear sharp cracks in
the air about me. These were caused
by passing rifle bullets. Frequently.
to my right and left, little spurts of
dirt would rise into the air and rico
chet bullet would whine on it's way.
II Tommy should see one of these
little spurts in front of him, he would
tel the nurse about 1t later The
crossing Of No Mans Land remains q
blank to me.
Men on my right and left would
stumble and fall. Some would try to
get up, while others remained huddled
and motionless. Then smashed-up
barbed wire came into view and
seemed carried on tide to the rear.
suddenly, in front Of me loomcd
bnshed-in trench about four feet wide.
Qucer-looking forms like mud turtles
were Scrambling up its wall. One Of
theSe forms seemed to slip and then
rolled to the bottom Of the trench. I
lehped across this intervening space.
me man to my left seemed to pause in
midair, then pitched head down into
the German trench. laughed out loud
IN my delirium. Upon alighting on the
other side of the trench came to with
a sudden jolt. Right in front of me
loomed giant form with a rifle which
looked about ten feet long, on the end
OF which seemed seven bayonets. These
nashed In the air in front Of me- Then
through my mind flashed the admoni-
tlon Of our bayonet instructor back in
Blighty. He had said, whenever you
get in charge and run your bayonet
up to the hilt into German the Fritz
will fall. Perhaps your rifle will be
~renched from your grasp. Do not
waste time. If the bayonet is fouled
In his equipment, by putting your foot
on his stomach and tugging at the life
TO extricate the bayonet Simply
press the trigger and the bullet will
free It," In my present situation this
was the logic, but for the life Of me
could not remember how he had told
me to get my bayonet into the Ger
man. To me this was the paramount
issue l closed my eyes and lunged
forward My rifle was torn from my
hands. I must have gotten the Ger.
man because he had disappeared.
About twenty feet to my left front
was huge Prussian nearly six feet
four inches in height, fine specimen
Of physical manhood. The bayonct
from his rifle was missing but he
clutched the barrel in both hands and
was swinging the butt around his head.
l could almost hear the swish Of the
butt passing through the air. Three
little TommieS were engaged with him.
Ihey looked like pigmes alongside Of
the PruSsian. The Tommy on the left
was gradually circlng to the rear of
his opponent. 1t was funny sight to
see them duck the swinging butt and
try to jab him ut the same time. The
lommy nearest me received the butt
or the Germans rifle in smashing
blow below the right temple. It
smashed his head like an eggshcll. Ho
pitched forward on his side and con.
vulslvc shuddcr ran through his body.
Meanwhile the other Tommy had
gained the rear Of the Prussian. Sud
denly about four inches OF bayone,
protruded from the throat of the prus.
sian soldier, who staggered forward
ana fell. l VIII never forget the look
OF blank astonlshmcnt that came oves
his face.
Then something hit me I'm the lef,
shoulder and my left side went numb.
IL 1eit as If hot poker was bcina
driven through me. I felt no pain
just sort Of nervous shock. A bay.
onet had pierced me from the rcar.
fell backward on the ground, but was
not unconscious. because I could seA
aim OBJECTS moving around me. Then
q fash OF light in front Of my eyes md
unconsciousness. Something had hit
me on the head. I have never found
out what 1t was.
dreamed was being tossed about
IN an open boat on heaying sea and
opened my eyes. The moon was shin.
ing. l was on stretcher being car.
ried down one Of our communication
trcnchcs. at the advanced flrst-aid