The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-05-09

the urv oteD.
Reinforcement were pouring out Of
the communication trenches
Cur guns crew were busy mounting
the machine gun on the parapet and
bringing mp extra ammunition from
the du4out.
German gas is heavier than air and
soon fills the trenches and durouts.
where 1t hns been known to Iurk for
two or three days, until the air is puri-
fed by means OF large chemical spray
ers.
We had to work quickly. as Fritz
generally follows the gas with an in
fantry attack.
A company man on our right was
too slow in getting on his helmet; he
sank to the ground, clutching ut his
throat. and after few spasniodic
twistings went West (died). 1t was
horrible to see him die. but we were
poweriess TO help him. In the corner
Of traverse. a little. muddy cur dog.
one Of the company's pets. was lying
dead. with his paws over his nose.
It's the animals that suffer the most
the horses. mules, cattle, dogs, cats
and rnts-they having no helmets to
save them Tommy does not sympa-
thize with rats In gas attnck.
At times gas has been known to
travel. with dire results. fifteen miles
behind the lines
A gns, or smoke helmet, as IT is
chilled. ut the best Is vfie-smelling
thing. and IL is not long before one gets
q violent headache from wearing 1t
Our eighteen-pounders were burst
ing In No Mans Land. in an effort. by
the artillery, to dispense the gas
clonds
The fire step was lined with crouch
ing men. bayonets nxed. and bombs
near at hand to repel the expected at
tack.
Our artillery had put barrage of
curtain fire on the German lines. to try
and break up their attack and keep
back re-enforcemeuts.
trained my machine gun on their
trench and Its bullets were raking the
parapet.
Then over they came. bayonets glis-
tening. In their respirntors. which
have n large snout In front, they look
ed like some horrible nightmare.
Ali along our trench. rifses and ma
chine guns spoke. our shrapnel was
bursting over their heads They went
down In heaps. but new ones took the
places Of the fallen. Nothing could
stop that mad rush. The Germans
reached our barbed wire. which had
previously been demolished by their
shells. then IL was bomb against bomb.
and the devil for all.
Suddenly my head seemed to burst
from loud ''crack- In my ear. Then
my head began to swim. throat got
dry, and heavy pressure on the iu ,gs
warned me that my helmet was leak
Ing Turning BY gun over to No. ..
changed helmets.
The trench started to wind like q
snake. and sandbags appeared to be
fioating In the air. The noise was hor-
ribie: sank onto the fre step. needles
seemed to b pricking my flesh. Thea
blacknexx-
was awakened by one Of my mates
removing my smoke helmet How de
licious that cool. fresh air felt In mS
lunEsL
A strong wind had arisen and dis
persed the gas.
They told me that I had been out
for three hours; they thought was
dead.
The attack had been rcpulsed after
a hard dght- Twice the Germans had
gained n foothold In our trench. but
hnd been driven out by counter-at.
tacks. The trench was filled with their
dead and ours. Through a periscope
counted eighteen dead Germans In
our wire: they were a CHASTITY sight In
their horrible-looking respirators-
examined my first smoke helmet
A bullet had gone through It on the
left side. Just grazing my ear. The
gas had penetrated through the hole
made In the Goth.
Out OF our crew OF six we lost two
killed and two wounded.
That night we buried all OF the dead
excepting those In No Mans Land. Ir
death there Is not much distinction
friend and foe are treated alike.
After the wind had dispersed the
gas the r. A. n. c. got busy with their
chemical sprayers, spraying ous the
dugouts and low parts of the trenches
to dissipate any fumes of the German
gas which may have been lurking In
same.
Two days after the gns attack was
sent to division headquarters. In an
swer to an order requesting that cap
tains OF units should detail n man
whom they thought capable OF passing
an examination for the divisional In
telligence department.