Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-07-19

try and get few German prisoners for
Information purposes. Immediately
volunteered for this Job, and shook
hands with Atwell, and went to the
rear to give my name to the officers I'D
charge of the raiding party.
I was accepted, worse luck.
At 0:45 that night we reported to the
brigade headquarters dugout to receive
instructions from Old Pepper.
After reaching this dugout we lined
up In a semicircle around him, and he
addressed us as follows:
"All want you boys to do is to 60
over to the German lines tonight, sur
prise them, secure couple Of prison
ers, and return Immediately. Our ar
tillery has bombarded that section of
the line for two days and personally
believe that that part of the German
trench is unoccupied, so just get cou-
pie of prisoners and return as quickly
as possible"
The sergeant on my right, in an I'M
dertone, whispered to me:
"Say, Yank, how are we going to get
couple of prisoners If the old fool
thinks personally that that part of the
trench is unoccupied,'-sounds kind of
fishy, doesn't it mater"
I had funny sinking sensation In
my stomach, and my tin hat felt as II
it weighed about a ton and my enthusi-
asm was melting away. Old Pepper
must have heard the sergeant speak
because he turned In his direction and
in a laundering voice asked:
"What did you say" >trt.sa
The sergeant with q scarlet look on
his face and his knees trembling
smartly saluted and answered:
"Nothing, SIR" H. e.
Old Pepper said: ...-,....
"Well, don't say it SO loudly the next
time" .-6
Then Old Pepper continued: a"
I'm this section Of the German
trenches there are two or three ma.
chine guns which our artillery, in the
last two or three days, has been nm.
able to tape. These guns command the
sector where two Of our communion
ton trenches join the front line, and
as the brigade Is to 60 over the top to-
morrow morning want to capture two
or three men from these guns crews,
and from them I may be able to obtain
valuable information as to the exact
location Of the guns, and our artillery
will therefore be able to demolish them
before the attack, and thus prevent
our losing lot of men while using
these communication trenches to bring
up re-enforcements." 4r.4
These were the instructions he gave
US:
"Take off your identification disks,
strip your uniforms Of all numerals,
insignia, etc., leave your papers with
your captains, because don't want the
Boches to know what regiments are
against them as this would be valuable
information to them in our attack to-
morrow and don't want any of you
to be taken alive. What want is two
prisoners and If get them I have a
way which will make them divulge
all necessary information as to their
guns. You have your choice of two
weapons-you may carry your per
suaders' or your knuckle knives, and
each man will arm himself with four
Mills bombs, these to be used only in
case of emergency"
A persuader is Tommy's nickname
for club carried by the bombers. 1t
Is about two feet long, thin ut one end
and very thick Mt the other. The thick
end is studded with sharp steel spikes,
while through the center of the club
there Is a nine-inch lead bar, to give
it weight and balance. When you get
a prisoner all you have to do is just
stick this club up in front of him, and
believe me, the prisoners patriotism
for Deutschland ueber Alles' fades
away and he very willingly obeys the
orders of his captor. If, however, the
prisoner gets heightened and refuses to
follow you, simply persuade" him by
first removing his tin hat, and then
well, the Use Of the lead weight In the
persuader Is demonstrated, and Tom
my looks for another prisoner.
The knuckle knife is dagger affair,
the blade of which is about eight
inches long with heavy steel guard
over the grip. This guard is studded
with steel projections. At night in q
trench, which is only about three to
four feet wide, it makes very handy
weapon. One punch in the face gen.
orally skaters a mans jaw and you
can get him with the knife as he goes
down.
Then we had what we called our
''come-alongs." These are strands Of
barbed wire about three feet long,
made into a moose at one end; at the
other end, the barbs are cut of and
Tommy slips his wrist through loop
to get good grip on the wire. If the
prisoner wants to argue the point, why
just place the large loop around his
neck and no matter II Tommy wishes
to return to his trenches at the walk,
trot, or gallop. Fritz Is perfectly agree
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