Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-25


crew had not taken the Hun officers
into the interior OF their ship and
given them a joy ride, instead OF maxi
ing them run back to our lines as fast
as their Hun legs could speed them
away.
Can you understand the Huns way
OF reasoning? And he would cite to
you international law. and all that
Well. you cannot reason with that
kind of Hun. You have TO simply hit
him over the head with a .club--that
Is tho only argument tho Frltzies big
brothers would understand and respect.
AS a good comeback, asked the
complaining Hun officer what he was
doing over there where tho said tank
had corncred him. asked him IL it
was not true that the place where the
tank had gathered him and his bunch
OF little Huns was French soil.
What do you think the Hun officers
reply TO all these arguments OF mine
was War is war" he said Oh. yes.
war is war when IT is matter OF
Fri,zic taking what does not belong
10 him by right. but catch him red :
handed with the goods, and he will
whine until he is blue in the face lind :
ing fault with your particular way OF
! taxing the StoleH SOoCS away from
! him.
Sow have again run away from
my story.
When I had all my bodily repairs
completed ! obtained permission 10 be
transferred 10 tank service.
How did it and why tho colonel
permitted me to leave my battalion. Is
not for you to know, that would be
telling too much, and am not here
telling any more than II would not
hurt you TO know
The tank service was new business
| for me, and had to start all over
again. and serve a new apprenticeship.
How long it took me!
30 answer.
It's enough for you TO know that
became one OF the crew IN a certain
tank.
Every tank has its name. Some have
more than one. Som etimes the names
are chalked on by the men. Often they
are only known to the men them
selves and vary with the changes Of
regiments in the part OF the line where
tho tank is operating.
Our association with historic
Highland regiment led TO our tank
getting christened the Gay Gordon"
! and 10 mark their pride in our achieve
mcnts the men Of that great regiment
/ had chaiked the name on the sides be-
fore We went into the fight.
We went into action in the morning,
supported By cavalry and infantry.
The horses seemed 10 be a bit jealous
or us. or possibly r bit frightened.
Anyhow. they did not take kindly to
uH. and reared up lot. We moved
forward IN threes. and came under
IRE almost directly.
The din was iudescribable The
enemy concentrated on our line Of ad :
vance every available gun they had
/ in that region. and great shell holes
were made right in front Of us We
kept steadily on until the ground
seemed TO slip from under us. and we
I got the Impression OF falling from a
( height and dropping to earth again
with rendinS crash. We were ali
pitched against ono another. and won
dercd II VIC had walked into an earth
quake. 1t was simple enough We
had struck an unusually big she'll
crater, and had got right into it, There
+ we were stuck for 4 while, but we
soon got going again, and crawled out.
I BY then the she'll fire was worse
than ever. and the enemy were firing
| with marvellous precision. Fortunate
/ ly. We got through with nothing more
i than nasty iol, or two. There was
/ si'll thick mist over the ground but
/ II was lifting, and we were able 10
/ make OUT the encmy's parapct few
( score yards ahead. This was just in
( front OF the village.
MACHINE-GUN NESTS ARE
PLENTIFUL, ALSO DANGEROUS
We made for it, the Highlandcrs
. followin. hard after us Runnins
around the parapet there was great
stretch OF wire OF treble thickness. and
our h!st concern WAS 70 get at that
We dashed at II, and swept il all away,
roofing up posts and crushing all UNI
. uernoath our great weight.
We opened fire with all our guns.
and the huns scattered for cover. Ma
ch.ne-SUn nests were .nere in album
+ dance. they were opening fire or our
infantry supports and some of the
/ Huns, evidently new 10 the game, were
wasting their ammunition against us
+ The infantry swarmed over the parapet
IN our wake, While we pushed on TO
tackle the machine-gun posts.
/ The frs; we went at was knocked
OUT IN about nftcen minutes, and the
whole Of the crew being killed by our
suntire and the damaged gun handed
over TO the Iilghlanders. Altogether
We disposed Of eight machine gun posts
III this way. saving the infantry from
heavy casualties by doing, so.
Ey now the alarm had spread TO the
/ cnemT'S reserve trenches. and men
/ were hurryinS up from all directions,
! together with guns designed TO put us
out OF action. Just ahead OF us one
! OF these light batteries took up posi-
( ton. We made for II at once, think
( inS Ii better to get the first shot in
/ than 10 wait for Fritz to see what he
/ could q" The first gun was knock ed
out by our fire the horses and team
being blown into the air by the ex-
/ piosion. and tho gun smashed to bits.
/ We went on after the others, and
/ got nicely sandwiched between four
/ OF them, two on either side blazing
terrible pounding, but we gave back
away at us. The enemy gave us a
/ shot for shot, and knocked out two Of
! his guns. The other two teams went
OF at the gallon. and were almost out
OF range of our fire when disaster
( overlook them.
/ They had been so intent on getting
! do =,