The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-04-04

the ground seemed TO fi0at TO the rear
ms If | were on q treadmll and seen
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 | had passed our barbed wire
and gotten into No Mans Land
Tommy about fifteen feet to my right
front turned around and looking in my
direction, put his hand to his mouth
and yelled something which | could not
make out on account of the noise from
the bursting shells. Then he eoughed,
stumbled, pitched forward and lay still.
His body seemed to float to the rear
of me. | could hear sharp cracks In
the air about me. These were caused
by passing rifle bullets. Frequently.
20 nv right and left, little spurts of
dirt would rise into the air and a rico
Chef bullet would whine on its way.
e Tommy should see one Of these
little spurts in front of him, he would
tell the nnrse about IT later. The
crossing of No Mans Land remains a
bltnk 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
barhed wire came into view and
seemed carried on a tide to the rear.
Suddenly, In front of me doomed a
bashed-in trench about four feet wide.
Queer-looking forms like mud turtles
were s~.ambling up its wall. One of
these forms seemed to slip and then
rolled to the bottom Of the trench. l
leaped across this intervening space.
The man to my left seemed to pause in
midair then pitched head down into
the German trench. l laughed out loud
In my delirlum. Upon aIighting on the
other side of the trench / came to with
a sudden JOLT. Right in front Of me
doomed giant form with a rifle which
looked about ten feet long, on the end
of which seemed seven bayonets. These
flashed in the mir in front of me. Then
through my mind flashed the admoni-
ton of our bayonet instructor back in
Blighty. He had said, whenever you
get in n charge and run your bayonet
up to the hilt intosa German the Fritz
will fall. Perhaps your rifle will be
wrenched from your grasp. Do not
waste time If the bayonet is fouled
In his equipment, by putting your foot
on his stomach and Juggling at the rifle
to eXricate the bnyonet. 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. / 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, a fine specimen
Of physical manhood. The bayonet
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 RAISING through the air. Three
little Tommies were engaged with him.
They looked like pigmles alongside of
the Prussian. The Tommy on the left
was gradually circling to the rear of
his opponent. 1t was a funny sight TO
see them duck the swinging butt and
try to iub him Mt the same time. The
Tommy nearest me received the butt
of the Germans rifle in n smashing
blow below the right temple. II
smashed his head like an eggshell. lie
pitched forward on his side and con
vulSive shuddcr ran through his body.
Meanwhile the other Tommy had
gained the rear of the Prussian. Sud
denly about four inches of hayoncl
prOtrudcd from the throat of the prus-
sian soldier, who staggered forward
and fell. | will never forget the look
of blank establishment that came over
his face
Then something hit me IN the left
shoulder and my left side went numb.
1t felt as If hot poker was being
driven through me l felt no pain
just sort of nervous shock. A bay
onet had pierced me from the reur. |
fell backward on the ground, but WAS
not unconscious, because could see
dim objects moving around me. Then
II flash of light In front Of my eyes and
Inconsistencies. Something had hit
me on the head. ! have never found
out what It wns.
l dreamed ! was being tossed about
In an open boat on a heaving sea and
opened my eyes. The moon WIS shin
ing. l was on a stretcher being car
ried down one Of our communication
trenches. At the advanced f1rst-aid
post my wounds were dressed. and
then was put into nm ambulance and
sent to one of the base hospitals. The
wounds In my shoulder and head were
not serious and in six weeks / had re-
Joined my company for service In the
front line.
Ito be Continued
Husband of Former SkOwhegan Girl