The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-08-29
OVER THE TOP.
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY

veil from the rear looked behind, and
there was Atwell sitting In the middle
of the road, shaking his fist at us. His
equipment, which he had taken off
upon getting into the ambulance, was
strung out on the ground, and his rifle
was In the ditch.
| shouted to the driver to stop, and
in his nervousness he put on the
brakes. We nearly pitched out head
first. But the applying of those brakes
saved our lives. The next instant
there was a binding flash and a deaf
enlng report All that | remember is
that | was flying through the air, and
wondering If l would land in a soft
spot. Then the lights went out.
When | came to, Atwell was pouring
water on my head out of his bottle.
On the other side Of the road the cor
poral was sitting, rubbing q lump on
his forehead with his left hand, while
his right arm was bound up in blood
soaked bandage. He was moaning
very loudly. l had an awful headache
and the skin on the left side of my
face was full of gravel and the blood
was trickling from my nose.
But that ambulance was turned over
In the ditch and was perforated with
holes from fragments of the shell. One
of the front wheels was slowly revolv-
Ing, so could not have been "out" for
long period
The shells were still screaming over
head, but the battery had raised its
fire and they were bursting In little
wood about half mile from US.
Atwell spoke up. Il wish that Off
Ger hadn't wished us the best o. luck
Then he commenced swearing. 1
couldn't help laughing, though my
head was nigh to bursting.
Slowly rising TO my feet felt myself
all over to make sure that there were
no broken bones. But outside of few
bruises and scratches l was all right.
The corporal was still moaning, but
more from shock than pain. A shell
splinter had gone through the flesh of
his right forearm. Atwell and 1, from
our first-aid pouches, put tourniquet
on his arm to stop the bleeding and
then gathered up our equipment.
We realized that we were In dan
gerous spot. At any minute a shell
might drop on the road and finish us
off. The village we had left was not
very far, SO we told the corporal he
had better go back to 1t and get his
arm dressed, and then report the fact
~ 10 trI1a or nf a NH n n 70
the military police. He was well able
to walk, so he set off in the direction
of the village, while Atwell and 1 con-
tinued our way on foot.
Without further mlshap we arrived
at our destination, and reported to bril-
gade headquarters for ratlons and bill
lets.
That night we slept In the battalion
sergeant majors dugout. The next
morning l went to tirst-ald post and
had the gravel picked out Of my face.
The instructions we received from
division headquarters read that we
were out to catch spies, patrol trenches,
search German dead, reconnoiter In No
Mans Land, and take part In trench
raids and prevent the robblng of the
dead. ..-.~..~-., .-....
had q pass which would allow me
to go anywhere at any time In the Sec
tor of the line held by our division. It
gave me authority to stop and search
ambulances. motor lorries wagons and
even officers and soldiers, whenever
my suspicious deemed 1t necessary.
Atwell and | were allowed to work to-
gether or singy-it was left TO our
judgment. We decided to team up.
Atwell was a good companion and
very entertaining. He hid an utter
contempt for danger, but was not fool
hardy. At swearing he was wonder.
A cavalry regiment would have been
proud of him. Though born In Eng
land, he had spent several years in
New York. He was about six feet one,
and as strong as an OK.
We took up our quarters In q large
dugOut of the royal engineers, and
mapped out our future actions. This
dugout was on the edge of a large
cemetery, and several times at night
In returning to 1t, we got many fall
stumbling over the graves of English,
French and Germans. Atwell on these
occasions never INDUCED In swearing,
though at any other time, at the least
stumble. he would turn the air blue.
A certain section of our trenches
was held by the Royal Irish rifles For
several days very strong rumor went
the rounds that German spy was in
our midst. This spy was supposed to
be dressed In the uniform of a British
staff officer. Several stories had been
told about an officer wearing a red
band around his cap, who patroled the
front-llne and communication trenches
asking suspicious questions as to loca-
ton of batteries. machlne-gun emplaCe-
ments, and trench mortars. If shell
dropped in a battery, on a machine gun
or even near Il dugout this spy was
blamed
The rumor gained such strength that
an order was issued for all troops TO
Immediately place under arrest anyone
answering to the description of the
spy.
Atwell and l were on the qui vive.
We constantly patroled the trenches
at night, and even in the day. but the
spy always eluded us.
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