Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-04-03
"Over the Top
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EHPEY

Msekiss Gunner Ss'sins N F'sses


When I came 10 was crouching m
n hole IN No Mans Land. This shell
hole was about three feet deep. 30 that
q brought my head few inches below
the level 81 the ground. How I reached
this hole I will never know. German
"typewriters" were traversing back
and forth In No Mans Land. the bul.
lets biting the edge OF my shell hols
and throwing dirt all over me.
Overhead shrapnel was bursting
I could hear the fragments slap the
/ ground. Then I went out once more.
/ When ! came 10 everything was silence
and darkness In No Mans Land. I
wns soaked with blood and n big flap
from the wound In my cheek was hang
| Ing over 10y mouth. The blood run
ming from this flap chokcd me. out Of
| the corner Of my mouth | would try
ana blow Il back. but u would not
move reached for my shell dressing
and tried. with one hand. 90 banding
my face TO prevent the flow. | ha'
an awful horror OF bleeding 10 dealt
I WV WIZ N'NNlNE WY ANliis u Nh WYNN
have laughed II you had seen my
| ludlcrous attempts at bandnglng with
one hand The pains In my wounded
shoulder were awful and I was getting
/ sick lt the stomach. I gave up the
bandsging stunt ms bad job. and then
I tainted.
When I came 10. he'll was let loose.
I An Intense bombnrdment was on. and
on the whole my position was decided
ly unpleasant. Then. suddenly. our
barngc ceased. The silence almost
hurt. but not for long. because Fritz
turned loose with shripncl. machine
guns. and rifle IRE. Then all along our
line came cheer and our boys cnme
over the top In n charge. The first
wave was composed Of Jocks" They
were a ma .jcent sight. kits. Tapping
Ia the wiz. are knees showing, and
their Iyoucts glistcnlng 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 tn colored kits
were huddlcd on the ground. then over
cnme the sosond wave, also Jocks"
/ One young Scottic, when lac came
| abreast of my shell hole. leupcd into
| the afr. his rifle shooting out ~ his
I hands. handling about six feet In front
/ Of him. hayonet first. and stuck In the
ground. the butt trembling. This I'M
pressed me greatly.
Right now I can see the butt Of that
gun trembling. The Scottie made n
complete turn In the air, hit the
ground. rolling over twice. each time
Clnwing az the earth. and then re-
manned still. about four feet from me,
In sort OF sitting position. ] called TO
him. "Arc you hurt badly. Jockf' but
no answer. He was dead. A dark red
smudgc wns coming through his tunlc
right under the heart. The blood ran
/ down his bare knees, making horrible
sight. on his right side he carried his
water bottle. was crazy for a drink
and tried 10 reach this. but for the life
I OF me could not negotiate that four
| feet. Then l BECAME unconscious.
I When I woke up | was In an advanced
| flrst-nid post. asked the doctor II
we had taken the trench. ave took
| right" he said. "and you fellows did
/ your bit; but. my lad. that was thirty
/ six hours uco. You were lying In No
Mans Land IN that bully hole for n day
and half. It's wonder you are alive"
lie also told me that out Of the twenty
that were IN the ruldlng party. seven
| teen were Killed The officer died Of
wounds In crawling back 10 our trench
aud | was severely woundcd. but one
fellow returned without a scratch, With
out any prisoners. No doubt this chap
was the one who had sneezcd and Inn
| properly cut the burbcd wire.
In the official communlque our trench
raid was described as follows:
"An quiet on the western front. ex.
ccpting In the nclghborhood Of Com.
mccourt wood, where one OF our raid.
ing parties penetrated into the German
/ lines"
II Is needless 10 say that we had no
use for our persuaders or come-alongs.
rs We brought back no prisoners. aud
until die Old Peppers words, "Per-
sonally I don't believe that that part
OF the German trench Is occupied" will
always come to me when hear some
fellow trying 60 get away with u fislfy
statement. l will judge Il accordingly.