Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-11-05
CHAPTER XIII.
Limeys, Anzacs and PoiIus.

the line to have thp wire cutters ready
and to use bayonets only for the first
part of the attack, for we were to try
and take the first enemy trench %
surprise. The first trench was only
about eighty yards away. Our big guns
opened up and at zero we climbed out
and followed the curtain of fire toe
closely, it seemed to me.
But the barrage stopped too soon
as it does sometimes, and there were
plenty of Turks left. We were half
way across when they saw us, and
they began banging away at US very
hard. They pounded at us as we came
on until we were given the order TO
retire, almost as we were on them
what was left of US.
AS we turned and started back the
Turks rushed out to counter-attack us,
the first of them busy with bombs.
Then l tripped over something ana
rolled around a while and then saw
it was Philippe Pierre. His left leg
was dangling, cloth and flesh and all
shot away and the leg hanging to the
rest of him by shred. Two or three
of our men who were on their way
back to our trenches tripped over me
as 1 tried to get up, and then shell
exploded near by and l thought | had
got it sure, but it was only the rocks
thrown up by the explosion.
Finally | was able to stand up. so
| slung my rifle over one shoulder
and got Philippe Pierre up on the
other, with his body from the waist
up hanging over my back, so that
l could hold his wounded leg on, aho
started back There was only one or
two of our men left between the
trenches. Our machine guns were at
it hard and the Turks were firing and
bombing at full speed.
I had not gone more than two or
three PAGES when l came across
another of our men, wounded In sew
eral places and groaning away at a
great rate. Philippe Pierre was not
saying word, but the other chap
did enough for the two of them. One
wounded man was all I could manage,
With my rifle and pack, over the rough
ground and the barbed wire l had to
go through. So 1 told this fellow,
whose name l cannot remember
never did know him very well-that !
would come back for him, and went
on. / almost fell several times, but
managed to get through safely and
rolled over our parapet with Philippe
Pierre. They started the lad back in
a stretcher right away. When l saw
him again he gave me little box as
souvenir. but l have lost it.
The Turks had not got very far with
their counter-attack, because we were
able to get our barrage going In time
to check them. But they were still out
in front of their trenches when |
started back after the other garby.
l was not exactly afraid as / crawled
along searching for the other man.
but was very thirsty and nervous
for fear our barrage would begin
again or the machine guns cut loose.
After what seemed a long time came
upon a wounded man, but he was not
the one / was after. | thought about
"a bird in the hand" ETC., and was inst
starting to pick this chap up when
a shell burst almost on us and
knocked me two or three feet away.
Il is wonder it did not kill both
of us, but neither of us was hurt. |
thought the fire would get heavier
then, so 1 dragged the other chap into
one of two holes made by the shell.
Some pieces of the she'll had stuck
into the dirt in the hole and they were
still hot. Also, there was sort of
gas there that hung around for sew
eral minutes. but it was not very bad.
The man began talking to me, and
he said it was an honor to lie on the
field of battle with leg shot off and
dead men piled all about you. and
some not dead but groaning. He told
me would soon be able to hear the
grooming. though l had not said |
minded it, or anything about it. Then
he said again what an honor it was.
and asked if l had a drink for him.
had not had any water all day, and
told him so, but he kept on asking
for it all the same. Some of the Turk
ish bombers must have sneaked nm
pretty close to our lines. for when /
looked out of the hole toward our
lines, and shell burst near them.
l could see Turk coming toward us
we played dead then, but | had INV
bayonot ready for him in case he had
seen us and decided to come up to the
hole. Evidently he had not, for when
he get near the hole he steered TO the
side and went around.
The other garby was cheerful when
he was not asking for water, but You
could see he was going fast. So we sat
there In the hole and he died. Shortly
afterward the fire sIackened a little
and I got out and started toward our
lines. But remembered about the
other wounded man | had passed
when | was carrying Philippe Pierre.
so | began hunting for him, and after
long time found him. He was still
alive. His chest was all smashed in
and he was badly cut up around the
neck and shoulders. | picked him up
and started back, but ran into some
barbed wire and had to go around.
was pretty tired by this time and
awfully thirsty, and l thought If did
not rest little bit could never make
1t. was so tired and nervous that
] did not care much whether / did
get back or not, and the wounded
garby was grooming all the time.
So when I thought the shells were
coming pretty thick again / got into a
shell hole and ii was the same one
I had left not long before. The dead
garby was there insf as had left him.
The wounded one was bleeding all
over. and my clothes were just soaked
with blood from the three men. but
most of all from him. There was some
of my own blood on me, too. for when
/ was Knocked down by the shell my
nose bled and kept bleeding for long