Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-06-25
Continued from last week


| ut was an observation post sure
enough. That's all the use It was. Just
observe all day, but never message
back for our battery to open up. You
see, at. this point Of the line there
were strict orders not to fire shell,
unless specially ordered to do 80 from
brigade headquarters. Blime me, II
anyone disobeyed that command, our
general-yes, it was Old Pepper
would have court-martialed the whole
expeditionary force. Nobody went out
of their way to disobey Old Pepper In
those days, because he couldn't be
called q parson; he was more like q
pirate. If at any time the devil should
feel lonely and sigh for proper mate,
Old Pepper would get the first call.
Facing the Germans wasn't half bad
compared with an interview with that
old f1rebrand.
"If q company or battalion should
give way few yards against su-
perior force Of Boches, Old Pepper
would send for the commanding off,
Ger. In about half an hour the officer
would come back with his face the
color Of brick, and in few hours
what was left Of his command would
be holding their original position.
" have seen an officer who wouldn't
say d-n for thousand quid spend
I've minutes with the old boy. and
when he returned the flow Of language
from his lips would make q navy
blush for shame.
"What I am going to tell you Is how
1.-TWO of us put it over on the old scamp,
and got away with 1t. It was risky
thing, too, because Old Pepper wouldn't
have been exactly mild with US II he
had got next to the game.
"Me and my mate, a lad named Har'
ry Cassell, bombardier in D 23S bat
terry, or lance corporal, as you call 1t
In the infantry, used to relieve the
ltelephonlsts. We would do two hours
on and four off. would be on duty
in the advanced observation post,
while he would be at the other end OF
the wire in the battery dugout signal
Ing station. We were supposed to send
through orders for the battery to fire
when ordered to do so by the observa-
ton officer in the advanced post. But
very few messages were sent. It was
only in case Of an actual attack that
we would get q chance to earn our
two and six day. You see, Old Pep
per had issued orders not to fire ex-
cept when the orders came from him.
And with Old Pepper orders is orders,
and made to obey.
"The Germans must have known
about these orders, for even In the day
their transports and troops used to
expose themselves as II they were on
parade. This sure got up our nose,
sitting there day after day, with fine
targets in front Of US but unable to
send over shell. We heartily cussed
Old Pepper, his orders, the govern
ment, the people at home, and every.
thing in general. But the Boches
didn't mind cussing, and got very care
less. Blime me, they were bally In
sulting. Used to, when using certain
road, throw their caps into the air as
taunt at our helplessness.
"Cassell had been a telegrapher IN
civil life and joined up when war was
declared. As for me, knew Morse,
learned 1t at the signalers' school back
in 1910. With an officer in the obser-
vatlon post, we could not carry on the
kind of conversation that's usual be-
tween two mates, so we used the
Morse code. To send, one Of US would
tap the transmitter with his finger
nails, and the one on the other end
would get 1t through the receiver.
Many an hour was whiled away In this
manner passing compliments back and
forth.
"In the observation post the officer
used to sit for hours with a powerful
pair Of field glasses to his eyes.
Through q cleverly concealed loophole
he would scan the ground behind the
German trenches, 1ooking for targets
and finding many. This officer, Cap.
tain A. by name, had habit of
talking out loud to himself. Some.
times he would vent his opinion, same
as a common private does when he's
wrought up. Once upon q time the
captain had been on Old Peppers staff
so he could cuss and blind in the most
approved style. Got to be sort Of
habit with him.
| "About six thousand yards from Us
behind the German lines, was a road
in plain view of our post. For the last
three days Fritz had brought compa.
nies Of troops down this road In broad
daylight. They were never shelled
Whenever this happened the captain
would froth at the mouth and let out
a volume Of Old Peppers religion
which used to make me love him.
| "Every. battery has range chart or
which distinctive landmarks are noted
with the range for each. These land
marks are called targets, and are mum
bered. On our battery.s chart, thai
road was called Target IL, Range
5000, 3 degrees 80 minutes left D 23s
battery consisted. Of four 4.B howit
zers, and fred a 35-pound 81. =. shell
As you know, 81. d. means high ex
plosive.' don't like bumming up my
own battery, but we had record IL
the division for direct hits, and oul
boys were just pining away for 9
chance to exhibit their skill In thu
eyes of Fritz.
ION the afternoon Of the fourth day
Of Fritz contemptuous use Of the road
mentioned the captain and ] were a
! our posts as usual. Fritz was strafe
ing us pretty rough, just like he's doinl
now. The shells were! playing leap
frog all through that orchard.
4 II was carrying on q conversation
in our tap code with Cassell at tho
other end. It ran something like this
I. .'Say, Cassell,, how would ycu LIKE
| 70 be In the saloon bar Of the King!
Arms down Rye lane with . bottle g
Bass In front Of you. and that blonde
Ibarmaid waiting to AL 'em up agains !
*Cassell had q fsncy for that par
ticular blonde. The answer came bacl
!, In the shape Of q volley Of cusses.
|chanRed the subject. :.
IL WAffop = whilo 'Oup tnlk yeor3C