Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-05-02


! Atweil was q good companion and
very entertaining. He had an utter
contempt for danger. but was not fool.
hardy. At swearing he was a wonder,
A cavalry regiment would have been
proud Of him. Though born In Nng.
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 large
dugout Of the royal engineers, and
mapped out our future actions. This
dugout was on the edge Of q large
cemetery. and several times ut night
In returning to 1t. we got many q 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
tho rounds that German spy was in
our midst. This spy was supposed to
be dressed in the uniform Of British
stan officer. Several stories had been
told about an officer wearing a red
band around his cap, who patrolled the
tront-llne and communication trenches
asking suspicious questions as to loca.
ton Of batteries, machine-gun emplace-
ments, and trench mortars. II q shell
dropped in battery, on machine gun
or even near 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 1 were on the qui vive.
We constantly patrolled the trenches
at night, and even in the day, but the
spy always eluded us.
One day while in communication
trench, we We're Mortified to see our
brigadier general, Old Pepper, being
brought down it by big private of the
Royal Irish rifles. The general was
walking in front. and the private with
liked bayonet was following In the
tear.
We saluted as the general passed us.
The 1rishman had broad grin on his
face and we could scarcely believe our
eyes-the general was under arrest.
After passing few feet beyond us, the
general turned, and said In a wrathful
voice to Atwell:
''Tell this d-n fool who I am. Hes
arrested me as spy"
Atwell was SPECIFICS, The sentry
butted in with:
None o that gassin' out O. you.
Back to headquarters you goes, Mr..
Fritz. Open that face O yours again,
an I'll dent in your napper with theI
butt o. me rifle"
The generals face was sight to be-
hold. he was fairly boiling over with
rage. but he shut up.
Atwell tried to get in front Of the|
sentry to explain to him that 1t really
was the general he had under arrest,
but the sentry threatened to run his
bayonet through him, and would have
done 1t. too. So Atwell stepped aside.
and remained silent. was nearly,
bursting with suppressed laughter. One
word. and I would have exploded. It.
ls not exactly diplomatic to laugh at
your general in such predicament.
The sentry and his prisoner arrived
at brigade headquarters with disas-
trous results to the sentry.
The Joke was that the general had
personally issued the order for the
spy's arrest. 1t was a habit of the gem
eral to walk through the trenches on
rounds of inspection, unattended BY,
any of his staff. The lrishman, being
new in the regiment, had never seen
the general before, so when he came
across him alone in a communications
trench, he promptly put him under ar.
rest. Brigadier generals wear a red
band around their caps.
Next day we passed the Irishmanl
tied to the wheel Of timber, the be-
ginning of his sentence Of twenty-onel
days, field punishment No. 1. Never
before have seen such a woebegonei
expression on mans face.
For several days, Atwell and made
scarce around brigade head
quarters. We did not want to meet
the general.
The spy was never caught. i