Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-08-02

| by passing rifle bullets. Frequently
to my right and left, little spurts OF
dirt would rise into che air and rico
II a Tommy should see one Of these
little spurts in front of him. he woulc
tell the nurse about ii later. The
crossing OF No Mans Land remains 9
blank to me-
Men on my right and left would
stumble and fall. Some would try &c
get up, while others remained huddleG
and motiOnless. Then smashed-uI
barbed wire came into view anG
seemed carried on tide to the rear
Suddenly, in front of me Ioomed q
hashed-in trench about four feet wide
Queer-looking forms like mud turtles
were scramblinS up its wall. One Of
these forms seemed to slip and then
rolled to the bottom of the trench. ]
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 delirium. Upon alighting on the
other side Of the trench | came to with
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 air 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 charge and run your bayonet
up to the hilt into a German the Fritz
Will fall. Perhaps your rifle will be
wrenched from your grasp. Do not
waste time. IL the bayOnet Is fouled
In his equipment. by putting your foot
on his stomach and Juggling at the rifle
TO extricate the bayOnet. Simply
press the trigger and the bullet will
free It," In my present situation this
was the logic. but for the life Of me
l could not remember how he had told
me to get my bayonet into the Ger.
man. To me this was the paramount
issue. l closed my eyes and lunged
forward. My rifle was torn from my
hands. l 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. fine specimen
of physical manhood. The hayOnet
from his rifle was missing, but he
clutched the barrel in both hands and
was swinging the butt around his head
could almost hear the swish of the
butt passing through the air. Three
little Tommies were engaged with him
They looked like pigmies alongside of
the Prussian. The Tommy on the left
was gradually circling to the rear of
his opponent. 1t was funny sight to
see them duck the swinging butt and
try to jab him at the same time. The
Tommy nearest me received the butt
of the Germans rifle in a smashing
blow below the right temple. II
smashed his head like an eggshell. He
pitched forward on his side and a con.
vulsive shudder ran through his body.
Meanwhile the other Tommy had
gained the rear Of the PrusSian. Sud-
denly about four inches Of bayonet
protruded from the throat of the Prus-
sian soldier, who staggered forward
and fell. l 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 IL hot poker was being
driven through me. / felt no pain
Just a sort of nervous shock. A bay
onet had pierced me from the rear. 1
fell backward on the ground, but was
not unconscious, because l could see
lin objects moving around me. Then
a fash of light in front Of my eyes and
Something had hit
me on the head. l have never found
out what it was.
/ dreamed was being tossed about
N an open boat on a heaving sea and
opened my eyes. The moon was shin
ng. l was on q stretcher being car
lied down one Of our communication
At the advanced first-aid
post my wounds were dressed. and
hen l was put into an ambulance and
sent to one Of the base hospitals. The
in my shoulder and head were
lot serious and in six weeks | had re-
Ioined my company for service in the
'front.' line