The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-04-22
One Boys Bit.

In ono Of Our attacks on tho Sommc,
all the observers up forward were un
certain as TO what had happened. We
didn't know whether our infantry had
captured their objective, failed or gone
beyond it, The battle field, as far a. eve
could reach. was a bath of mud 1t is
extremely easy, in the excitement of an
offensive, when all landmarks are blotted
out, Tor our stormIng parties to lose their
sense Of direction. If this happens. a
number Of dangers may result \ battal-
ion may find itself up in the air. which
means that it has failed to connect with
tine battalions on its right and left; its
fianks are then exposed TO the enemy. It
may advance too far, and start digging
itself III a point where it was previous
~ arranged that our artillery should place
their protective wall Of FIRE We, being up
forward as artillery observers. are the
eyes of the army 1t Is our business to
watch for such contingencies to keep in
touch with the situation as ii progresses,
and to send our information back as
quickly as possible We were peering
through our glasses from our point Of
vantage when, far away in the thickest
of the battle smoke, we saw a white flag
wagg;ng, sending back messages The
flag Wagging was repeated desperately;
it was evident that no one had replied
and probably that no one had picked up
the messages. \ signaler who was with
us read the language for us. A company
OF infantry had advanced too far; most
of them We're wounded very many of
them dead and they were in danger of
being surrounded They asked for our
artillery TO place curtain of fire i'll front
of them, and for reinforcements to be
sent up.
We at once phoned the orders through
TO our artillery and notified the infantry
headquarters of the division that was
holding that front. But it was necessary
TO let those chaps know that we We're
aware of their predicament. They'd hang
on if they knew that; otherwise
Without orders our signaler was getting
his flags ready If he hoped out Of the
trench onto the parapet he didn't stand
o fifty-fifty chance. The Hun was fa-
miliar with our observation station and
,strafed it with persistent regularity.
The signaler turned to the senior officer
present, What will ! send them, sir?
Tell them their messages have been
received and that help is coming"
Out the chap scrambled flag in eth
ran crouching like rabbit to a hump
iof mud whore his figure would show up
against the sky. His flags commenced
! wagging. Messages received. Help COM
ing. They didn't see him at first. He
had to repeat the words. We watched
: him breathlessly, We knew what would
. happen at last it happened. A Hun OBJ
server had spotted him and flashed The
target back to his guns. All about hin
the mud commenced to leap and bubble
He went on signaling the good word t
those stranded men up front. Message:
received. Help coming" At last they'C
seen him. They were signaling, 20. X
1t va at that moment that whizz
G bang. lifted him off his feet and ande,
him all of huddle His Bit 1t wa
what he'd volunteered to do, when 1t
:, came from Canada. The signaled 70. X
III the battle-smoke was like testimon,
to his Overwhelmingly Dawson
Lieutenant in the Canadian Field Artil
lery, IN Good Housekeeping.