Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-04-03
lover the Top"
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY

Msehins Csnns Ss,rins IN F,snes

lOoprnaht WI " Artnur0u nmpeTl
When came 10 was crouching ~
hole In No Mans Land. This shell
hole was about three feet deep. 30 that
II brought my head few inches below
the level ~ the ground. How I reached
this hole | will never know. German
"typcwriters" were traversing back
and forth In No Mans Land. the bul.
lets biting the edge Of my shell hols
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 big Zap
from the wound In my cheek was hang.
Ing over my mouth. The blood run.
ming from this flnp chokcd me. out Of
the corner Of my mouth would try
AMI blow IL back. but 10 would moi
move. ! reached for my shell dressing
and tried, with one hand. Ia banding,
my face to prevent the flow. b.,
an awful horror Of bleeding TO deaf
AID wns getting very faint. You would
have laughed II you hud seen my
ludlcrous attempts at banduglng Win
one hand. The pains In my wounded
shoulder were awful and was getting
sick NJ the stomach. I give up the
hnndSging stunt rs bad job, and then
tainted.
When | came TO. hell wns let loose.
An Intense bOmbardment was on, and
on the whole my position wns decided
ly unpleasant. Then. suddenly. our
barrnge ceased. The silence almost
hurt. hut not for long. because Fritz
turned loose with shrlpncl. machine
guns. and rifle IRE. Then all along our
line came cheer and our boys came
over the top In charge. The first
wave was composed Of Jocks" They
were a magnificent sight. kits, Tapping
Ia the wind, bare knees showing, and
their llyoncts gllstcnlng. In the first
wave that passed my shell hole. one OF |
the Jocks" an immense fellow, nbout /
six feet two inches In height Jumped /
right over me. on the right and left /
Of Inc several soldiers Ia colored kits I
were huddled on the ground. then over
came the second wave, also Jocks" .
One young Scottle. when he came
abreast Of my shell hole. lenped into
the air. his rife shooting out ~ his
hands. landing nbout six feet In front
Of him, bayonet first. and stuck In the
ground. the butt trembling. This i'm
pressed me greatly.
Right now cnn see the butt OF that
gun trembling. The scottle made n
complete turn In the air. hit the
ground, rolling over twice, each time
clawing nj the earth. and then re-
mained stlll. about four feet from me,
In a sort OF sitting position. called 10
him. Are you hurt badly, Jockf" but
no answer, He was dead. A dark red
smudge was coming through his tunIc
right under the heart. The blood ran
down his bare knees. making horrible |
sight. on his right side he carried his .
water bottle. I was crazy for drink
and tried to reach this. but for the life
" me could not negotiate that four
'eet. Then becnme UNCONSCIOUS.
When ! woke up was In an advanced
irst-nid post. l asked the doctor n
We had taken the trench. 1--WE took
he trench and the wood beyond. all
ight.' he said. "and you fellows did
'our bit; but, my lad. that was thirty.
TX hours ago. You were lying In No
Mans Land In that bully hole for a day
md half. It's wonder you are alive"
lie also told me that out % the twenty
hat were In the rnlding party, seven
cen were killed. The officer died OF
Wounds Ia crawling back 20 our trench
mi ] was severely woundcd. but one
elbow returned without n scrntch. With
'ut any prisoners. No doubt this chap
vas the one who had sneezcd and Inn
properly cut the barbed wire.
In the oillclal communique our trench
aid was described as follows:
"All quiet On the western front, ex.
cpting In the nclghborhood Of Com.
nccourt wood. where one Of our raid.
ne parties penetrated into the German
ncs."
II Il needless 90 say that We had no
~ for our persuadcrs or come-alongs,
: We brought back no prisoners. aud
NTH | die Old Peppers words. "Per.
Dnally | don't believe that that part
the German trench n occupied" viii
ways come 10 me when hear some
'lloS trying 90 get away with a fislry
niemenL will judge Il accordingly.