The Robesonian., 1918-08-12

don:-
my heart sank. Supposing he had
rumbled that tapping. then all would
be up with our plan. 1 stopped drum
ming with my fingers and said:
"'Beg your pardon. sir, just habit
with me-
"'And a id silly one, too he an
swered, turning to his glasses again,
and 1 knew I was safe. He had not
tumbled to the meaning Of that tap
ping.
"All at once, without turning round,
he exclaimed:
"'Well, Of all the nerve I've ever run
across, this takes the cake. Those
Boches are using that road
again. Blind my eyes, this time it is
whole brigade of them, transports and
all. What a pretty target for our
4.5's.' The beggars know that we
won't fire. A ID shame, 1 call 1t.
Oh, Just for a chance to turn D 238
loose on them
II was trembling with excitement.
From repeated stolen glances at the
captaln's range chart, that road with
its range was burned into my mind.
"Over the wire tapped, D 233 bat
terry, Target II, Range 6OOO, 3 degrees
80 minutes, left, salvo, fire. Casseli
O. KID my message, and with the re-
ceiver pressed against my ear, wait
ed and listened. In a couple of min
utes very family over the wire came
the voice of our battery commander
issuing the order: d 23S battery
Salvo! Fire!'
"Then a roar through the receiver
as the four guns belched forth, a
screaming and whistling overhead, and
the shells were on their way.
"The captain jumped as if he were
shot, and let out great big expressive
to get the backache from bending
down. 1t wasn't exactly safe to stand
upright, either, because as soon as
your napper showed over the top a
bullet would bounce off 1t, or else come
, so close it would make your hair stand.
1--WE used to fill sandbags and stick
them on top Of the parapet to make it
higher, but no use; they would be
there about an hour and then Fritz
would turn loose and blow them to
bits. My neck used to be sore from
ducking shells and bullets.
"Where my battery was was stationed a
hasty trench had been dug, which
the boys nicknamed Suicide ditch,
and, believe me, Yank, this was the
original Suicide ditch All the others
are limitations. --.--.s.--..s..s.,,.e..
/ "When a fellow went into that
trench it was an even gamble that he
would come out on stretcher. At one
! time a Scotch battalion held it, and
when they heard the betting was even
money that they'd come out on
stretchers, they grabbed all the bets
In sight. Like lot Of bally idiots, sew
eral of the battery mep fell for their
game, and put up real money. The
Jocks suffered lot Of casualties, and
the prospects looked bright for the
battery men to collect some easy
money. So when the battalion was re.
lieved the gamblers lined up. Several
! Jocks got their money for emerging
safely, but the ones who clicked i,
weren't there to pay. The artillery
men had never thought it out that
way. Those Scotties were bound tt
! be sure winners, no matter how the
wind blew. So take tip from me
never bet with q Scottie, cause you'll
lose money.
! =. "At one part Of our trench where
a communication trench Joined tht
front line a. Tommy had stuck up {
wooden signpost with three hands Of
arms on it. One Of the hands, point
ing to the German lines, read, To Ber
lin;' the one pointing down the com
munication trench read, ITO Blighty
while the other said, Suicide Ditch
Change Here for Stretchers.'
Farther down from this guide pos
the trench ran through an old orchard
On the edge Of this orchard our bat
terry had constructed an advanced oh
! servation post. The trees screened
from the enemy airmen and the roo
was turfed. It wasn't cushy like ours
just walls Of sandbags. From it
splendid view of the German line
could be obtained. This post WASH
exactly safe. 1t was a hot corner
shells plunking all around, and tt,
bullets cutting leaves off the trees
Many time when relieving the ST,
mailer at the phone, had to crawl O
my belly like worm to keep fror
being hit.
1T was an observation post SUI
enough. That's all the use it was. Jus
observe all day, bot never a messas
back for our battery to open up. 70
see, at this point of the line ther
were strict orders not to fire shel
unless specially ordered to do so fro1
brigade headquarters. Blime me,
anyone disobeyed that command, OF
general-yes, It was Old Pepper