The Benson signal. [volume] (Benson, Cochise County, Ariz.) 1915-1921, 1918-09-07
CHAPTER XXVl-Continued.

|
did not seem to disturb the raiders, be-
cause many a joke made in an under
tone, was passed along the winding
column, as to who would be first to
take a ride on one of the Stretchers.
This was generally followed by wish
/ that, # you were to be the one, the
wound would be ''cushy Blighty
one"
The stretcher bearers, no doubt,
hoping that, if they did have to carry
anyone to the rear, he would be small
and light. Perhaps they looked at me
when wishing, because I could feel an
uncomfortable, boring sensation be-
tween my shoulder blades. They got
their wish all right.
Going up this trench, about every
sixty yards or SO we would pass lone
ly sentry, who in a whisper would
! wish us "the best o. luck, mates" We
would blind at him under Our breaths;
that Jonah phrase to us sounded very
ominous.
Without any casualties the minstrel
troop arrived at Suicide ditch, the
! front-line trench. Previously, wiring
party of the Royal Engineers had cut
! q lane through our barbed wire to en-
! able us to get out into No Mans Land.
Crawling through this lane, our
party of twenty took up an extended
order formation about one yard apart.
We had a tap code arranged for our
! movements while in No Mans Land,
because for various reasons 1t is not
safe to carry on heated conversation
few yards in front of Fritz lines.
The officer was on the right of the
, line, while / was on the extreme left.
Two taps from the right would be
passed down the line until l received
! them, then would send back one tap.
/ The officer, in receiving this one tap.
would know that his order had gone
down the whole line, had been under
stood, and that the party was ready
to obey the twU-taD signal. Two taps
! meant that we were to crawl forward
slowly-and believe me, very slowly
for five yards, and then halt to await
further instructions. Three taps meant,
when you arrived within striking dis
lance of the German trench, rush 1t
and inflict as many casualties as pos
ssible, secure a couple of prisoners, and
then back to your own lines with the
speed clutch open. -Four taps meant,
II have gotten you into position from
which it iSs impossible for me to extri-
cate you, so you are on your own"
After getting Tommy into a mess on
the western front he is generally told
that he is ION his own" This means,
"Save your skin in any way possible"
Tommy loves to be 'on his own" behind
the lines. but not during trench raid.
The star shells from the German
lines were falling in front Of us, there
fore we were safe. After about TWEEN
ty minutes we entered the star she'll
zone. A star shell from the German
lines fell about five yards in the rear
and to the right of me; we Rugged the
ground and held our breath until 1t
burned out. The smoke from the star
Shell Travelled along the ground and
crossed over the middle Of our line.
Some Tommy sneezed. The smoke had
gotten up his nose. We crouched on
the ground, cursing the offender under
our breath, and waited the volley that
generally ensues when the Germans
have heard a noise in No Mans Land.
Nothing happened. We received TWO
taps and craWled forward slowly for
five yards; no doubt the officer be-
lieved what Old Pepper had said, "Per-
sonally / believe that that part Of the
German trench is unoccupied." By be-
ing careful and remaining rlIotionless
when the star shells fell behind us, we
reached the German barbed wire with
out mishap. Then the fHn began.
was scared stiff as it is ticklish work
cutting your way through wire when
about thirty feet in front of you there
is line of Boches locking out into No
Mans Land with their rifles lying
across the parapst, straining every
sense to see or hear what Is going on
in No Mans Land; because at night.
Fritz never knows when bomb with
his name and number on 1t will come
hurtling through the air aimed In the
direction Of Berlin. The man on the
right, one man in the center and my
self on the extreme left were equipped
with wire cutters. These are insulated
with soft rubber not because the Ger
man wires are charged with electricity,
but to prevent the cutters rubbing
against the barbed wire stakes, which
are Of iron, and making a noise
which may warn the inmates of the
trench that someone Is getting fresh
in their front yard. There Is only one
way to cut barbed wire without noise
and through costly experience Tommy
has become an expert in doing this.
You must grasp the wire about two
inches from the stake in your right
hand and cut between the stake and
your hand.
If you cut q wire improperly,
loud twang will ring out on the night
air like the swapping of banjo
string. Perhaps this noise can be
heard only for fifty or seventy-five
yards, but in Tommy's mind 1t makes
n Iou6 nOico In Ror1iO