The Benson signal. [volume] (Benson, Cochise County, Ariz.) 1915-1921, 1918-09-07

full of blood and brains, then l went
crazy with fear and horror and rushed
along the wire until came to our
lane. l had just turned down this lane
when something inside Of me seemed
to say, "Look around" l did so bull
let caught me on the left shoulder. 1t
did not hurt much just felt as If some
one had punched me in the back, and
then my left side went numb. My arm
was dangling like a rag. fell forward
In a sitting position. But all the fear
had left me and l was consumed with
rage and cursed the German trenches.
With my right hand felt in my tunic
for my first-aid or shell dressing. In
feeling over my tunic my hand came
in contact with one of the bombs which
l carried. Gripping it, pulled the pin
out with my teeth and blindly threw 1t
towards the German trench. l must
have been out of my head, because
was only ten feet from the trench and
took a chance of being mangled. If
the bomb had failed to go into the
trench / would have been blown to
bits by the explosion of my own bomb.
BY the flare Of the explosion Of the
bomb, which luckily landed in their
trench, I saw one big Boche throw up
his arms and fall, backwards, while his
rifle flew into the air. Another one
wilted and fell forward across the
sandbags-then blackness.
Realizing what foolhardy and risky
thing had done, 1 was again seized
to my feet and ran madly down the
lane through the barbed wire, stun
bling over cut wires, tearing my uni
form, and decorating my hands and
legs. Just as was about to reach
No Mans Land again, that same voice
seemed to say, "Turn around" did
so, when, Crack" another bullet
caught me, this time in the left Shout
der about one-half inch away from the
other wound. Then 1t was taps for me.
The lights went out.
When came to l was crouchlng in
hole was about three feet deep, so that
it brought my head few inches below
the level of the ground. How reached
this hole will never know. German
"typewriters" were traversing back
and forth in No Mans Land, the bull
let's biting the edge of my shell hole
and throwing dirt all over me.
Overhead shrapnel was bursting.
could hear the fragments slap the
ground. Then I went out once more.
When came to everything was silence
and darkness in No Mans Land. I
was soaked with blood and a big flap
from the wound in my cheek was hang
ing over my mouth. The blood run
ming from this flap choked me. Out Of
the corner of my mouth I would try
and blow 1t back, but It would not
move. I reached for my shell dressing
and tried, with one hand. to bandage
my face to prevent the flow. / had
an awful horror of bleeding to death
and was getting very faint. You would
have laughed If you had seen my,
ludicrous attempts at bandaging with
one hand. The pains in my wounded
shoulder were awful and was getting
sick at the stomach. l gave up the
bandaging stunt as bad job, and then
tainted.
When / came to, hell was let loose.
An intense bombardment was on, and
on the whole my position was decided
ly unpleasant. Then, suddenly, our
barrage ceased. The silence almost
hurt, but not for long, because Fritz
turned loose with shrapnel, machine
guns, and rifle fire. Then all along our
line came a cheer and our boys came
over the top in a charge. The first
wave was composed Of "Jocks." They
were magnificent sight, kits, tapping
in the wind, bare knees showing, and
their bayonets glistening. In the first
wave that passed my shell hole, one Of
the Jocks" an immense fellow, about
six feet two inches in height jumped
right over me. On the right and left
Of me several soldiers in cOlored kits
were huddled on the ground, then over
came the second wave, also "Jocks."
One young Scottie, when he came
abreast Of my shell hole, leaped into
the air, his rifle shooting out of his
hands, landing about six feet In front
Of him, bayonet first, and stuck In the
ground, the butt trembling. This i'm
pressed me greatly.
(TO BE CONTINUED)