Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-05

loose. He. opened the door and crawl
ed out:
.T didn't have a thing on me-" said
Sutton. NO gat or knife-not even
a gas mask. L walked up toward this
kid, and as I did Dietz crawied out
after me-"
AS he approached the boy the Ger
mans face changed. He saw Sutton
was unafmed, while at his own side
swung a handsome Luger pistol He
saw his chance to kill safely and get
away. He stopped his squat OF
fastenings Of his pistol The nap OF
the American holster fastens with a
leather button, which facilitates hasty
action. but the German holster Is
buckled down.
Before he could get the buckle I'M
done Sutton had him by the throat.
The boy fought in despairing silence
now one hand plucking at the big
fingers that were choking him and
the other still fumbling for the gun.
In the struggle sutton caught sight
Of the handle Of long thin fin
II got it with my right hand. said
he, land had it in the air ready to
stick him. l had the place picked
out just inside his collarbone"-he
put his finger at the base OF his own
neck-"when my partner grabbed my
"Don't stick him.. said Dietz. He's
just kid"
Sit and Watch Battle.
So Sutton took the Luger and
knife and made him sit down in
front of the now motionless tank.
They had completely lost touch with
their support and were bit Devil
dered. The two Americans ran up a
Co. ~ f,rv
machine, calling for infantry support
and then sat outside in the sunlight
watching the battle. An American
liaison plane eventually few down
near enough to recognize the coiors
of the flag. signaled that support
The men caught sight of another
nest and re-entered the tank and
started for it.
"They began to fire explosive bull
let's at u.s." said Sutton.
He sticks to this statement, al
against tanks has been questioned
when reported in other battles. IN
this case they proved effective Ior
they set fire to the gasoline in the
travel tanks dashed to the machine $
tail. Ordinarily no tanker would
of gasoline tied outside, but in TINS
case there had been no time to take
the cans off. The tanks had Travelled
all night on their way to the scene
of action. and Unexpectedly 1ouno
themselves in the fight. The entire
company of tanks fought through inc
day with gasoline cans outside
It got pretty hot inside the tank.
The men fought on. firing on the enc
my wherever they could be seen. put
the boclle had developed wisdom. Inc
machine gunners crouched down In
"a MI
were turned on them. and let Sunners
lin other nests take up the fight. A
surprising number of unsuspected ma,
chine guns were developed around
them. Evidently the gunners had
kept under cover during the previous
operations of the tank. and only pop
ped up when it seemed safe.
Backplate Almost Red Hot.
The backplate which separates the
engine compartment from the turret
almost red hot Sutton felt his senses
leaving him in the heat and his
clothes gan to scorch.
Lets CO." he called to Dietz' I'm
through"
They jerked open the little door in
the tank nose through which men rise
jack lin -the-box fashion and hurled
themselves out. They struck the
ground on all tours. but picked them
selves up and ran. Through all the
noise of battle they heard the. ma
chine gun bullets twanging above
their heads like plucked wires. : hey
threw themselves on their faces and
then rose one at a time and ran. and
"fopped." and rose and ran again
So they gained the shelter of a bit OF
ruined wall, about the size of an old
fashioned chest Of drawers. There
they waited, back to back. until at
last the doughboys streamed down the
hill and they saw the open country
in front dotted with running boche.
Weren't you afraid" 1 asked Curl
ously. "when you were behind that
wall?"
I'VE had our CATS" said Sutton.