The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-09-06

full OF blood and brains, then ! went
crazy with fear and horror and rushed
along the wire until came to our
lane. had just turned down this lane
when something inside Of me seemed
to say, 'Took around" / did so bull
let caught me on the left shoulder. II
did not hurt much. Just felt as'if some
one had punched me In the back. and
then my left side went numb. My arm
was dangling like rag. ! fell forward
in a sitting position. But all the fear
had left me and was consumed with
rage and cursed the German trenches.
With my right hand felt In my tunic
for my first-aid or shell dressing. In
feeling over my tunic my hand came
In contact with one OF the bombs which
carried Gripping It, pulled the pin
out with my teeth and bllndly threw It
towards the German trench. / must
have been out of my head. because
was only ten feet from the trench and
took chance OF being mangled. II
the bomb had failed TO 90 into the
trench / would have been blown to
bits by the explosion OF my own bomb.
BY the flare Of the explosion of the
bomb, which luckily landed In their
trench, / saw one big Boche throw up
his arms and fall backwards, while his
rife flew into the air. Another one
wilted and fell forward across the
sandbags--then blackness.
Realizing what foolhardy and risky
thing | had done, was again seized
with horrible fear. dragged myself
to my feet and ran madly down the
lane through the barbed wire, Stun
bling over cut wires, tearing my uni
form. and decorating my hands and
legs. Just as / was about to reach
No Mans Land again. that same voice
seemed to say, Turn around" did
so. when. crack" another bullet
caught me, this time In the left Shout
der about one-half inch away from the
other wound Then 1t was taps for me.
The lights went out.
When came to was crouchlng in
hole In No Mans Land. This shell
hole was about three feet deep, so that
II brought my head few inches below
the level OF the ground. How reached
this hole will never know. German
"typewriters" were traverslng back
and forth in No Mans Land. the bull
lets biting the edge of my shell hole
and throwing dirt all over me.
Overhead shrapnel was bursting.
| could hear the fragments slap the
/ ground Then went out once more
When came to everything was silence
I H..
was soaked with blood and big flap
! from the wound In my cheek was hang
4 ing over my mouth. The blood run
ming from this flap choked me. Out OF
the corner of my mouth | would try
and blow 1t back but II would not
move. reached for my shell dressing
and tried, with one hand, to bandage
my face 20 prevent the flow. / had
un awful horror of bleeding TO death
and was getting very faint. You would
have laughed II you had seen my
ludlcrous attempts at bandaglng with
one hand. The palms In my wounded
shoulder were awful and was getting
sick at the stomach. / gave up the
bandaglng stunt as bad job, and Their
tainted
When | came to, hell was let loose
An Intense bombardment was on. anC
ON the whole my position was decided
ly unpleasant Then. suddenly. oul
barrage ceased. The silence almos
hurt, but not for long. because Fritz
turned loose with shrapnel, machia,
guns, and rifle fire. Then all along ou
line came a cheer and our boys CAM
over the top Ia charge. The frs
wave was composed OF Jocks" The,
! were magnificent sight. kits. fiapplnl
IN the wind. bare knees showing. an,
their hRyonets gliStenlng. In the frs
, wave that passed my shell hole, one o
the Jocks" an immense fellow. abou
six feet two inches in height jumpe,
right over me, On the right and lief
, Of me several soldiers Ia colored kilt
! were huddled on the ground, then owe
came the second wave, also Jocks.
\ One young Scottle. when he cam
. abreast Of my shell hole, leaped int
the air, his rife shooting out OF hi
hands. landing about six feet In iron
Of him. bayonct first, and stuck in tn
2 ground. the butt trembling. This In
pressed nae greatly.
G eTo RE CoNrtNuEp0