The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-08-30

n communication trench Joined the
front line a Tommy had stuck up n
wooden signpOst with three hands or
arms on it. One OF the hands, point
Ing to the German lines. read. TO Ber-
In the one pointing down the com.
nunlcation trench '.~ad TO Blighty,'
while the other laid. Suicide Ditch,
Change Here fC< Stretchers
"Farthcr town from this guide post
the trench ran through an old orchard.
On the edge of this orchard our bat
| terry had constructed IN advanced OBJ
scr-ation post. The trees screened 1t
from the enemy airmen ana the roof
was turfed II wasn't cusiiy like ours,
no timber or concrete re-enfOrcements,
Just walls Of sandbags. From 1t
splendid view of the German lines
could be obtained. This post wasn't
exactly safe. 1t was hot corner.
shells plunliing all around, and the
bullets cutting leaves off the trees.
Many time when relieving the sig
naler at the phone, l had to crawl on
my belly like a worm 10 keep from
being hit.
'It was an observation post sure
enough. That's all the use it was. Just
observe all day, but never message
back for our battery to open up. You
see, at this point of the line there
were strict orders not to fire a shell,
unless specially ordered to do SO from
brigade headquarters. Bllme me, if
anyone dsobcyed that command, our
general-yes, it was Old Pepper
would have cOurt-martialed the whole
eXpnditionary force. Nobody went out
of their way to disObey Old Pepper in
those days, because he couldn't be
sailed a parsOn; he was more like a
pirate. If at any time the devil should
feel lonely and sigh for Il proper mate,
Old Pepper would get the first call.
Facing the Germans wasn't half bad
compared with an interview with that
old firebrand.
'If n company or battalion should
give wny few yards against a SUI
perior force of Boches, Old Pepper
would send fOr the commanding Off
Ger. In about half an hour the officer
would come back with his face the
color Of q brick. and in a few hours
what was left of his command would
be holding their original position.
81 have seen an officer who wouldn't
say d---n for thousand Quid spend
five minutes with the old hoy, and
h,, hn nnvy Of Io no
from his lips would make navy
blush for shame.
"What 1 am going to tell you is how |
two of us put 1t over on the old scamp, |
and got away with 1t. 1t was Il risky |,
thing, too. because Old Pepper wouldn't |
had got next to the game.
ME and my mate, lad named Hnr-
ry Cassell, bombardier in d 23S bat /.
terry, or lance corporal, as you call It /
in the infantry, used to relieve the I
telephOnists. We would do two hours |
in the advanced observation post,
while he would be at the other end of |
the wire in the battery dugOut signal
ing station. We were supposed to send |
through orders for the battery to fire
when ordered to do so by the observu-
tiOn officer in the advanced post. But
very few messages were sent. 1t was
only in case of an actual attack that
we would get chance to earn our
two and six day. You see, Old Pep
per had issued orders net to fire eX-
cept when the orders came from him.
And with Old Pepper orders is orders,
and made to obey.
"The Germans must have known
about these orders, for even in the day
their transports and troops used to
expose themselves as if they were on
parade. This sure got up our nose,
sitting there day after day, with fine