Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-08
''0ver the Top
By An American Soldier
Whs Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
(Oo10Gleht MI. By Arthur 0ly Dnpsy)
Machine Gunner Sesoins h France

IAN ~ VA wv NsSA - III
Msekins Gunne, Se,oins IN France
looD0ashk Nj. By Arthur aU 1.psy)
4 Like flash It came to Lloyd that he
,as free. Free to 60 lover the top"
With his company. Free to die like .
&1rre, Briton fighting for his king and
puntry. A great giadness and warmth
anne over him. Carefully stepping
yer the body Of the sentry. he started
mad race down the ruined street
the village, amid the bursting shells,
Finding them not, lodging through or
sound hurrying platoons on their way
also go "over the top" Coming to
communication trench he could not
lat through. It was blocked with laugh
is. cheering and cursing soldiers.
climbing out Of the trench. he ran
Idly along the top, never needing the
In Of machine-gun bullets and shells,
Dt even hearing the shouts of the Of
$ers, telling him to get back into the
= pinch. he was going to Join his COM
fny who were in the front line. He
lchs going TO fight with them. He, the
IAespised coward, had come into his
SYN.
\ While he was racing along, jumping
8fFer trenches crowded with soldiers, a
Snging cheer broke out all along the
r0nt Ane, and his heart sank. he
Thew he was too late. His company
had gone over. But st1ll he ran madly.
Ne would catch them. he would die
nth them.
Meanwhile his company had gone
lover" They, with the other COM
Anies had taken the first and second
rman trenches and had pushed
seadily on to the third line. D COM
pany, led by their captain, the one who
had sent Lloyd to division headquar-
tiers for trial, charged with desertion,
chad pushed steadily forward until they
Hound themselves far in advance Of
1.-THE rest Of the attacking force. Bomb
Ding out" trench after trench, and using
their bayonets, they came to a German
communication trench, which ended In
q blindsap, and then the captain, and
what was left Of his men, knew they
were in q trap. They would not re-
tire. D company never retired, and
they were ID company. Right in front
Of them they could see hundreds Of
Germans preparing to rush them with
bomb and bayonet. They would have
some chance IL ammunition and bombs
could reach them from the rear. Their
supply was exhausted, and the men
realized It would be case of dying
% bravely as possible, or making a run
\ for 1t. But D company would not
run. It was against their traditions
and principles.
The Germans would have to advance
across an open space of three to four
hundred yards before they could get
within bombing distance of the trench,
.sand then it would be all their own way.
Turning to his company, the captain
said:
'sMen, it's case Of going West for
Us. We are out Of ammunition and
bombs, and the Boches have us In a
trap. They will bomb US out. Our
bayonets are useless here. We will
have to 60 over and meet them, and
Fits case Of thirty to one, 50 send
4 every thrust home, and die like the
Nmen Of D company should. When I
|EStve the word, follow me. and up and
EFat them. Give them b! Lord, Il
Eve only had machine gun, we could
\ vipe them outl Here they come; get
kready, men,"
/ Just as he finished speaking, the vel.
/ come cpup-pup" Of a machine gun in
Htheir rear rang out, and the front line
let the onrushing Germans seemed to
\ melt away. They wavered, but once
Ilagain came rushing onward. Down
ewent their second line. The machine
h gun was taking an awful toll Of lives.
Then again they tried to advance, but
4 the machine gun moved them down.
II Dropping their rifles and bombs, they
broke and fled In wild rush back to
(|their trench, amid the cheers Of I'D"
\ company. They were forming again
ffor another attempt when in the rear
|le& D company came mighty cheer.
A The ammunition had arrived and with
stt battalion Of Scotch to REINFORCE
Kthem. They were saved. The unknown
TlUachi1e gunner had come to the rescue
In the nick Of time.
With the re-enforcements it was an
easy task to take the third German
fine.
After the attack was over, the cap.
Atndn and three Of his noncommissioned
NeMcerA, wendell their way back to the
n Deation where the machine gun had
|Aoono It's deadly work. He wanted to
eanAk the gunner In the name Of D
any for his magnificent deed.
- arrived At the gun, and an awful
- mst their eyes.
1D9d had reached the front line
A1ter his company had left 1t, A
1D eQany was nimbly crawling
~ 0 $3.50 ladders. They were -
@ r 6n1ng sovss. They WsEs
M - - - q 0a1 sn1
81
Sss Il Il 4 d