Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-03-30

cursing under our breath, trembling all
over, our knees lacerated from the
strands of the cut barbed wire on the
ground, waiting for q challenge and
the inevitable volley of rifle fire. Moth.
ing happened. ! suppose the fellow
who cut the barbed wire Improperly
was the one who had sneezed about
half an hour previously. What we
wished him would never make his new
year happy one.
The officer, in my opinion, at the
noise of the wire should have given the
four-tap signal, which meant, ION your
own, get back to your trenches as
quickly as possible" but again he must
have relied on the spiel that Old Pep
per had given us in the dugout, per
sonally I believe that that part of the
German trench is unoccupied" Any
way, we got careless, but not so care
less that we sang patriotic songs or
made any unnecessary noise.
During the intervals of falling star
shells we carried on with our wire cut
ting until at last we succeeded in get
ting through the German barbed wire.
AT this point we were only ten feet
from the German trenches. If we were
discovered, we were IKE rats in a trap.
Our way was cut Off unless we ran
along the wire to the narrow lane we
had cut through. With our hearts In
our mouths we waited for the three
! tap signal to rush the German trench.
Three taps had gotten about halfway
down the line when suddenly about ten
to twenty German star shells were
fired all along the trench and landed
in the barbed wire in rear of us, turn
ing night into day and silhouetting US
against the wall of light made by the
flares. In the giaring light we were
confronted by tfe following unpleasant
scene.
All along the German trench, at
about three-foot Intervals, stood big
Prussian guardsman with his rife at
the aim, and then we found out why
we had not been challenged when the
man sneezed and the barbed wire had
been improperly cut. About three feet
in front of the trench they had con-
structed single fence of barbed wire
and we knew our chances were one
thousand to one of returning alive.
We could not rush their trench on ac-
count of this second defense. Then
in front Of me the challenge. "Halt,"
given in English rang out, and one OF
the, finest things ! have ever heard on
the western front took place.
From the middle of our line some
Tommy answered the challenge with,
Jaw, go to hi" 1t must have been
the man who had sneezed or who had
improperly cut the barbed wire; he
wanted to show Fritz that he could
die game. Then came the volley. Ma
chine guns were turned loose and sev1
eral bombs were thrown in our rear
The Boche in front of me was looking
down his sight. This fellow might
have, under ordinary circumstances,
been handsome, but when viewed him
from the front of his rifle he had the
COLLINS of childhood Imagination rele-
gated to the shade.
Then came flash In front Of me. the
flare of his rifie-and my head seemed
TO burst. A bullet had hit me on the
left side of my face about half an
inch from my eye, smashing the cheek
bones. put my hand to my face and
fell forward, biting the ground and
kicking my feet. thought was dy-
ing. but, do you know my past life did
not unfold before me the way it does
In novels. 4
The blood was streaming down my
tunic, and the pain was awful When
came to said to myself. Emp, old
boy, you belong in Jersey City, and
you'd better get back there as quickly
as possible"
The bullets were cracking overhead.
l crawled few feet back to the Ger
man barbed wire, and in STOPPING POI
sition, guiding myself by the wire, I
went down the line looking for the
lane we had cut through. Before
reaching this lane came to limp
form which seemed like bag of oats
hanging over the wire. In the dim
light could see that its hands were
blackened, and knew it was the body
Of one Of my mates. ~ssA,-'-v 80