Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1918-07-05

we only had machine gun, we could
wipe them out Here they come, get
ready. men,"
just as he finished speaking the wel-
come "pup-pup' of a machine gun In
their rear rang out, and the front line
of the onrushing Germans seemed To
melt away. They wavered, but once
again came rushing onward. Down
went their second line. The machine
| gun was taking an awful toll of lives.
Then again they tried to advance. but
the machine gun moved them down.
/ Dropping their rifles and bombs, they
/ broke and fled In wild rush back to
/ their trench, amid the cheers of ID"
company. They were forming again
l for another attempt, when In the rear
of ID company came mighty cheer.
The ammunition had arrived and with
II u battalion of Scotch to re-enforce
them. They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had come to the rescue
In the nick of time.
With the re-enforcements IL was nm
easy task to take the third German
line.
After the attack was over, the cap
tain and three of his noncommissloned
officers, wendell their way back to the
position where the machine gun had
done its deadly work. He wanted to
thank the gunner In the name of ID
company for his magnificent deed.
They arrived ut the gun, and an awful
sight met their eyes.
Lloyd had reached the front line
trench. after his company had left 1t. A
strange company was nimbly crawling
up the trench ladders They were re-
endorsements going over. They were
Scotti,s, and they made magnificent
sight in their brightly colored kits and
bare knees.
Jumping over the trench, LLOYD raced
across mo Mans Land" unheedng the
rain of bullets, leaping ovC dark forms
on the ground, some of which lay still,
while others called out to him as he
speedcd past.
He came to the German front line,
but IL was deserted, except for heaps
of dead and wounded--a grim tribute
to the work of his company, good old
]
gasping for breath, Lloyd could see
right ahead OF him his company In n
dead-ended sap OF communication
trench, and across the open, away In
front of them, mass of Germans pre-
pairing for a charge. Why didn't II
company fire on them? Why were they
so strangely silent? What were they
waiting for? Then he knew--thcir am.
munition was exhausted.
But what was that on his right? A
:. machine gun. Why didn't II open fire
and save them? He would make that
guns crew do their duty. Rushing
over to the gun he saw why 1t had not
opened fire. Scattered around its base
lay six still forms. They had brought
their gun to consolidate the captured
position, but German machine gun
had decreed they would never fire
again.
Lloyd rushed to the gun and, grasp
ing the traversing handles. trained i
on the Germans. He pressed the thuml
,, piece, but only IA sharp click was tn,
! result. The gun was unloaded. TheI
he realized his helplessness. He die
= not know how to load the gun. Oh
why hadn't he attended the machine
gun course In England? He'd beer
offered the chance, but with blush o
shame he remembered that he had beer
afraid The nickname of the machin
l. gunners had frightened him. The,
We're called the Suicide club" Now
because of this fear, his cOmpun,
+ would be destroyed, the men of ID com
: pany would have TO die, because he
Albert Lloyd. had been afraid OF
name. In his shame he cried like
baby. Anyway he could die with then
and. rising to his feet, he stumble,
over the body of one of the gunners
who emitted faint moan. A CLEAN
of hope flashed through him. Perhap
this man could tell him how 10 loa,
the gun. STOPPING over the body h,
gently shook 1t and the soldier opene,
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he close'
= them again and, in IA faint voice, said
Get away. you Brighter, leave IN,
alone. don't want any coward aroun,
me-"
. The words cut Lloyd like knife
but he was desperate. Taking the re-
u vOvcr out of the holster of the dyin;
= man he pressed the cold muzzle 10 The
soldiers head and replied:
y "Yes, 1t is Lloyd, the coward o
l. Company ID, but so help me God, /
y you don't tell me how to load that Gun
/ I'll put n bullet through your brain =
= A sunny smile came over the coun
tenance of the dying man and he sai'
u in n faint whisper:
u Good old boy knew you wouldn'
j disgrace our company"
Lloyd interposed: For Gods sake
If you want to save that company yol
u are 50 proud of, tell me how to lOaC
| that d-d gun :"
As if recitlng lesson in school, thu
u soldier replied in weak, Singsonj
voice: Insert tag end of belt in fee,
: block, with left hand pull belt lief
front Pull crank handle. back on roll
D err, let 60, and repeat m6tion. Gun Il
now loaded. To fire, raise automatic
safety latch, and press thumhpiece