The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-08-29
CROSSING THE ENGLISH
! CHANNEL AFTER NIGHT
From the Paris Mail.

The draft "fal in" at dusk liz the
great shed on the quay. There were
little groups Of men from almost every
regiment in the forces hurridly called
together from distant camps in Eng
land to throw II their weight against
the German flood. They had sung as
they marched through the seaport tswn
but when the dock gates changed be-
hind them they had entered a new
life, the grim seriousness Of which was
only just making itself felt.
Marshaled there in the shed they
stood silently while the rolls were
ealled and the parade states checked
before the embarkation staff officer.
Then they filed out past the shipping
to where lay the long, gray 2Q-knotter
ready for the crossing.
A solemn business. this e~mbarkation.
Tired after many hours In HI train,
h men had no sooner thrown off their
equipment and adjusted their cumber-
some ifebelts than they wrapped their
great coats about them and made ready
for the night. The old hands-many Of
them returning after three or four
wounds-found the warm, snug corners
and were soon asleep. But for many
1t was their first sea trip; and a. the
boat slipped quietly down the channel
to the sea they watched intsntly the
many strange sights around them.
The conducting officers OF the draft
gathered together in the saloon. and
the senior officer was sppointed o. G.
troopship, He selected an adtutant and
divided the remainder into watches.
The rules and regulations OF q night
crossing were then read and explained.
On deck all vas In darkness. The
vibration Of the decks and the slap
ping OF the lanyards against the mast
showed h the trooper had picked up
her naval convoy and was hitting It
out" full speed for the French coast.
Gathered in the stern q few men stood
silently watching the dim outline of
the coast with its headland light grad
ually fading. In q few minutes the
light. too. had been swallowed by the
blackneSs.
Plunging into every sea alongside
was a long, low destroyer. which every
now and then flicked a message from
it's bridge to some unseen ship. There
was another destroyer, its presence in
dicated only by the broad trail Of foam
dashed up by its racing propellers.
boats. When. as the night deepened,
they disappeared from time to time.
the deck guards, strange to the mys-
teries OF the sea would whisper among
themselves. specializing as to the mis-
sion which had called them away. But
they always returned. ready at the
scent Of danger to burst into a tornado
Of death dealing fire.
Picking his way carefully among the
sleeping forms the officer Of the watch
made his rounds from deck to deck.
There was a sharp reprimand for the
owner OF a glowing cigarst. A man
was reused for sleeping teo comfort
ably without HIS lifebelt. A party
dividing up the next days rations was
making too much noise. Someone had
so far forgotten the discipline Of the
ship as to climb on the gun platform
and discuss the working Of the chaser
gun with it's watchful naval crew.
The night was at its blacklist when
4 light flicked right ahead. A sudden
blast from the siren brought every
man to his feet. The men chung to rail-
ing as the ship heeled owe in answer
to a hard ported helm. A msment of
tense excitement and the danger was
past. A great wall Of dripping rust
towering above the troopers decks
doomed up out Of the night. There
was an exchange OF deep throated
shouts from bridge to bridge. An Of
ficer roared, stand fast, men!" Then
the tramp was swallowed up in the
darkness as suddenly as 1t had ap.
peared.
An hour later the troopship was
sheltering behind a friendly break.
water, and at dawn the draft was dis.
emba rked.