Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-03-27

one OF the comphnys pets. was prns
dead. with his paws over his nose.
It's the animals that suffer the most
the horses. mules. cattle. dogs. cats
and rats-they having no helmets "a
snve them. Tommy does not sympa.
thlze with rats In n gns attack.
At times gas has been known "a
travel. with dire results. fifteen miles
behind the lines.
A gas. or smoke helmet. as u r.
called. az the best n a vlle-smelling
thing. and II IL not long before one gets
a violent headache from wearing II.
Our eighteen-pounders were burst
ing IN No Mans Land. In an effort. by
the artillery, TO dispense the gns
clouds
The Ere step was lined with crouch
ing men. bayonets fired. and bombs
near at hnnd to repel the expected at
tack.
our artillery had put n barrage Of
curtain ERE on the German lines, TO try
and break up their attack and keep
back Reinforcement.
I trained my machine gun on their
trench and Its bullets were raklng the
parapet.
Then over they came. bayonets glis-
tening. In their rcspirators which
have a large snout In front. they look
ed like some horrible nightmare.
All along our trench. rifles and ma
chine guns spoke. our shrnpnel was
bursting over their heads They went
down 20 heaps. but new ones took the
places OF the fallen. Nothing could
stop that mad rush. The Germans
reached our earbed wire. which had
previously been demolished by their
shells. then II was bomb against bomb,
and the devil for all.
Suddenly my head seemed to burst
from a loud "crack" In my ear. Then
my head begnn 90 swim. throat got
dry. and heavy pressure on the lungs
warned me that my helmet was leak
Ing. Turning by gun over to No. 2.
changed helmets.
The trench started 10 wind like n
snake. and sandbags appeared 20 be
floating In the air. The noise was hor-
rible; sank onto the Ere step. needles
seemed to be prieking my flesh. then
blackness.
was awakened by one Of my mates
removing my smoke helmet. How de-
licious that cool. fresh air felt In my
lungs.
A strcng 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 repufsed after
n hard fight. Twice the Germans had
gained n foothold In our trench. but
had been driven out by counter-at-
tacks. The trench was filed with their
dead and ours. Through a periscope
I counted eighteen dead Germans In
our wire; they were a CHASTITY sight In
their Notwithstanding resplrators.
examined my first smoke helmet
A bullet had gone through II on the
left side. Just grazing my ear. The
gas had penetrated through the hole
made In the cloth.
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. In
death there Is not much distinction;
friend and foe are treated alike.
After the wind had dispersed the
gas the II. A. NJ. G. got busy with their
chemical sprayers. spraying out the
dugouts and bow parts Of the trenches
L. dlssipate any fumes Of the German
gas which may have been lurking In
same.
Two days after the gas attack was
sent 20 division headquarters, In an
swer 20 an order requesting that cap
tains Of units should detail a man
whom they thought capable OF passing
an examination for the divisional In
telllgence department.
Before leaving for this assignment
I went along the front-line trench say
Ing good-by 20 my mates and lording II
over them. telling them that l had