Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-08-16

were bursting all around the guard.
room, but he hardly noticed them.
While waiting there, the voice Of the
sentry, singing In a low tone. came to
him. He was singing the chorus Of the
popular tren N ditty;
want to &c home. want 10 20 home
| don't wan. 10 40 TO the trenches no
more
Where the ''whizzbangs" and "sausagss"
roar galore
Pnke me- over the sea. where the Allemand
can't get at me
4 oh, my ! don't want 10 jleI want to 20
home
Lloyd listened to the words with n
| strange interest, and wondered what
kInd # home he would 60 TO across
tbr Great Divide II would be the only
| home he had ever known.
suddenly there came a great rushing
through the air. a binding. deafen-
nc report, and the sandbag walls Of
thp gunrdroom topplvd over. and then
-hlarkness.
When Lloyd recovered conscious.
nrSs he was lying on his right side.
fuclng what used 20 be the entrance Of
the guarlroOm. Now. 1t was only
tumble Of rent and torn snndbags. His
head seemed bursting He slowly rose
on his elbow pnd there In the east the
dawn was breaking But what was
that mangleI shape lying over there
among the shndbass? Slowly dragging
himself to IL, he saw the body OF the
sentry. one look was enough TO know
that he was dead. The soldiers head
was missing. The sentry had had his
wish gratiied. He hud gone home"
He was safe nj last from the "whizz-
bangs" and the Alemand.
Like fash II came to Lloyd that he
was free. Free to go 'over the top
with his company Free to die like a
true Bliton fighting for his king and
country. A great glndness and warmth
came over him. Carefully stepping
y,
on mad race down the ruined street |
OF the village, amid the bursting SHELLS, |
mlndlnc them not lodging through or
around hurrylng platoons on their way
70 also go "over The top" Coming to |
a communication trench he could not |
get through II was blocked with laugh |
ing. cheering and cursing soldiers.
Climbing ont Of the trench, he ran
wildly along the top never needing tn,
rain Of machIne.gun bullets and shells.
not even hearing the shouts Of the Of.
iicrrS. telling him 70 get back into the
trench. He was going to Join his com
pany who We're In the front line. He
was going 10 teht with them. He, the
,leSpSed coward, had come into his
own
While he was rncing along. Jumping
over trenches crowded with soldiers, a
ringing cheer broke out all along the
front line. and his heart sank. He
knew he wns too late. His company
had gone over But still he ran madly
lie would catch them. He would die
with them.
Meanwhile his company had gone
over" They, with the other com
panl"s Ind taken the first and second
German trenches, and had pushed
steadily on 10 the third line. D COM
pay, led by their captain. the one who
had sent Lloyd TO division headquar-
'rrs for trial, charged with desertion,
htd pushed steadily forward until they
fpund themselves far in advance Of
Ne rest of the attacking force. Bomb
ug ont trench after trench, and using
heir bayonetS, they came to a German
trench. which ended in
j blindSnp and then the captain, and
hat was left OF his men, knew they
we're In trap. They would not re-
re-. p company never retired. and
hey were ID company. Right In front
i them they could see hundreds of
Germans preparing TO rush them with
NIB and bayOnet They would havs
.ame chance II ammunition and bombs
'oBId reach them from the rear. Their
supply Was exhausted, and the men
Halized Il would be case Of dying
IS brayely as possible, or making run
" H. But d company would not
'nn. II was against their traditions
md principles.
The Germans would have to advance
cross an open space Of three to four
lundsed yards before they could get
within bombing distance Of the trench,
md then It would be all their own way.
Turning to his company, the captain
aid.
Men, It's case Of going West for
49, We are out OF ammunition and
,ombs and the Boches have US In a
rap They will bomb us out. Our
'ayonets are useless here. We will
ave to 20 over and meet them. and {
is case OF thirty to one, so send I
very thrust home, and die like the {
len OF d company should. When | |
i've the word, follow me, and up and
I them. Give them b.! Lord, II {
'e only had machine gun, we could {
iipe them out Here they come. get
eady, men" I