Omaha daily bee., 1918-05-12
SHELLPROOF MACK


inside. We ran around to the rear
and there was a great groaning and
yelling inside for few seconds.
When we crawled to the door there
was one dead German and two badly
wounded. The two wounded died inn
mediately.
Now about the construction OF the
pill-boxes. They were made Of
standardized concrete blocks of key
stone shape. that is. wide At one end
and narrow at the other. These
blocks were grouted together with a
rich cement mixture and the walls
were about 36 inches thick. The struc-
ture went down under the ground
about FIVE feet and stuck up about
two feet. They had three window
slots about four inches across, that is,
up and down, and ten inches long,
These were on three segments Of the
front, and behind each slot was .
machine gun On 4 tripod. The top
was fiat reinforced concrete. There
was 4 little door in the rear and =
communication trench running right
up to il.
Experience showed later that it took
two or three direct hits from good
sized shells to put one of these con-
traptions out Of business. And, ~ |
have said. it takes uncommonly good
cunning to lay two shells down In
one place, much less three, 20 they
were effective against anything but
main strength and awkwardness, =
charge with the bayonets and the
bombs. We had been unexpectedly
successful In taking these first ones.
Later, I understand, when the Ger
mans got the knack of ranging their
machine guns through the slots the
slaughter in taking the pill-boxss was
terrible.
One advantage they had over
trenches--and It was . great ons--was
that the boxes could not Be turned
around after they were taken. In
preparing = pill-box for . counter At
tack the only thing to do Vas to sand
bag the back door. which left only
one FIRE opening over the top Of the
sand bags.
We held the positions ws had taken
until 10 that night, when We were r.
lieved. During the day We had good
chance to examine the bill-boxes, and
we made some startling discoveries.
There were two or three cement
mixers around the place and 4 con-
siderable number Of cement bags
These cement bags all bore the marks
OF an English firm. A German ofa.
Ger who was taken further down the
line in the attack made the statement
that the cement which was used In
the pill-boxes had been In England
less than three weeks previous 10
the day we captured them.
An investigation was started Ia
England Immediately. ! heard later
that this inquiry was In progress Ia
London not later than August g.
1t was proved that large shipments oi
cement had been sent to Holland with
the alleged understanding that the
material was to be used in repairing
the dykes.
The Dutch consignees admitted that
the material had been sent into Bel.
gium for the German army. More
over, 1t was common gossip that thu
firms shipping the cement either knew
that the cement was destined for tn
German army or were In = position
to know that 1t might and probabl,
would be. The investigation made
perfectly clear that there were Brit
ish firms that were % mad for wa
profits that thew were willing TO fur
nish the materials for death device'
which would certainly be used for III,
slaughter Of English soldiers. TIL.
cement deal opened up phases o.
prohteering that were appalling. Ap'
parently there are people in any coun'
try who will sell their souls for 4
profit.
The Amazing part Of this transae.
tion--to me--was what happened
later. Along In October I was In
England, having been gassed and sent
to Blightly to get we'll. was con.
valescent and was wandering arount
London seeing the sights. One day
I was leaning over 4 bridge across
the Thames watching three ship
loading with cement. Naturally tn,
pill-boxes popped into my head.
called down to 4 sailor who wa
loafng on deck and asked him wher'
he was bound. Hollandi Two month
after the expose OF the pill-boxel
England was still shipping the ma
terial to Holland for the destruction
OF its own soldiers! Oh, we'll What
Tommy more or less?
As for me, I'm heartily glad tina
| never had to 20 against the pill
boxes again. Relieved that night, VI
had no casualties going back. Th'
Boche was seemingly discouraged an,
! on his good behavior.
w reached Railway wood at i
o'clock, had hot tea and three spoon
fuls Of rum, dropped on the ground !,
the dugouts, and in five minutes ever.
man was snoring.
I was 50 tired that I would hav
slept even If I had know what wa
coming to me . week later, when
4 was properly sassed.
! CHAPTER XVII.
Gassed.
After Our stunt in cleaning out tn
8 pill-boxes we were due for two day,
rest at Railway Wood. For 4 won
der we got it. Must have been mis-
4 take somewhere. The dugouts ther
: were good and dry and safe, being il
a tunnel under the embankment @
the Ypres-Roulers. railroad, and wer
big enough to hold 80 men each. The
= we're connected by passages to kee
& the men from going outside, as thi