Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-03-18
"0ver the Top
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Machine Gunner Serving IN France
Maehlne Gunner Ssroins n France
CONTINUED from Saturday

this trench is a tritle rough. Now,
we send over FIVE shells TO their one,
We are getting our own back, but in
the early days II was different. Then
you had to take everything without
reply. In fact, we would get twenty
shells in return for every one we sent
over. Fritz seemed to enjoy II, but
we British didn't; we were the suf-
ferers. lust one casualty after an
other. Sometimes whole nlatoons
would disappear, especially when
Jack Johnson plunked into their
middle, ItIgot so bad that n fellow,
when writing home. wouldn't ask for
any cigarettes to be sent out, because
he was afraid he wouldn't be there to
receive them.
after the drive TO Paris was turned
back, trench warfare started. Our
general grabbed map, drew pencil
across Ii. and said, Dig here. Then
he went back to his tca, and Tommy
armed himself with pick and shovel
and started digging. He's been dig
ging ever since.
"0f course We dug those trenches at
night, but II was hot work, what with
the rifle and machine-gun fire. The
stretcher bearers worked harder than
the diggers.
"Those trenches, hloomin' bitches, |
call them, were nightmares. They were
only about five feet deep, and you used
to, get the backache from bending
down. II wasn't exactly safe 10 stand
upright, either, because as soon as
your napper showed over the top a
bullet would bounce Off 1t, or else come
so close II would make your hair stand.
1--WE used to I'LL sandbags and stick
them on top OF the parapet to make it
higher, but no use; they would be
there about an hour and then Fritz
would turn loose and blow them to
bits. My neck used to be sore from
ducking shells and bullets.
"Where my battery was stationed a
| hasty trench had been dug, which
| the boys nicknamed Suicide ditch,
and believe me, Yank, this was the
original Suicide ditch All the others
are limitations.
"When fellow went into that
| trench It was an even gamble that he
| would come out on stretcher. Al one
| time Scotch battalion held 1t, and
when they heard the betting was even
money that they'd come out on
stretchers. they grabbed all the bets
In sight. Like lot of bally idiots, sew
| eral OF the battery men fell for their
game, and put w real money. The
| Jocks suffered a lot of casualties and
| the prospects looked bright for the
| battery men to collect some easy
money. SO when the battalion was re-
lieved the gamblers lined up. Several
Jocks got their money for emerging
safely, but the ones who clicked II
weren't there to pay. The artillery
men had never thought 1t out that
| way. Those Scotties were bound to
be sure winners, no matter how the
wind blew. So take n tip from me,
never bet with Scottie, cause you'll
lose money.
AT one part of our trench where
communication trench Joined the
front line Tommy had stuck up O
wooden signpost with three hands OF
arms on 1t. One Of the hands, point
ing to the German lines, read, TO Der
linz the one pointing down the com
munication trench read, TO Blighty,
while the other said, Suicide Ditch
Change Here for Stretchers.'
"Farther down from this guide pos
the trench ran through an old orchard
On the edge Of this orchard our bat
terry had constructed an advanced OBJ
servation post. The trees screened i
from the enemy airmen and the roo
was turfed. 1t wasn't cushy like ours
no timber or concrete re-enforcements
Just walls Of sandbags. From 1t
splendid view of the German line
could be obtained. This post WASH
exactly safe. II was hot corner
shells plunking all around, and thu
bullets cutting leaves Off the trees
Many time when relieving the sig
mailer at the phone. had to crawl oil
my belly like a worm to keep iron
being hit.
at was an observation post sur
enough. That's all the use 1t was. Jus
observe all day, but never a messag
back for our battery to open up. Yo'
see, at this point Of the line Their
were strict orders not to fire shell
unless specially ordered to do so iron
brigade headquarters. Biime me. !
anyone disobeyed that command. on
general--yes, it was Old Pepper
would have courtmartialed the Who'll
expeditionary force. Nobody went ou
OF their way TO disobey Old Pepper u
those days. because he couldn't b
called a parson; he was more IKE
pirats. II at any time the devil SHOULD
| feea .0neiy and sigh for proper mate
! Old Pepper would get the first call
Facing the Germans wasn't half bat
compared with an interview with tina
old firebrand.
eff company or battalion shoul'
give way few yards against a 81
perior force OF Boches, Old Peppe
would send for the commanding ON
Ger. In about half an hour the ONCE