The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-08-22
CHAPTER xxVl-Continued.

cause many Il Joke made in an uhder-
tone, was passed along me "ih''in~
column, as to who w0uid DC ''is ~
take 81 ride on one of the Str'l'h''H'
This was generally followed pS "'S"
that, If yoll were to De me olic' ."'
o,,,, ,vouI1 be Il "cuShy BliGhty
one" ,.
boping tlnt if they did have to carry
onvonc 10 The rear. he would be small
ond light. Perhaps they looked at me
when wishing, because could feel an
uncomfortable boring sensation be-
t>yccn nv shoulder blades. They got
their wish all right.
Going NJ, this trench. nbont every
sixty yards or so we would pass lone
ly sentry, who in II whisper would
wish us "thc best O luck, mates" We
would blind at him under our brcaths;
that Jonah phrase to us sounded very
OlninouS.
Without any casualties The minstrel
troop arrived at Suicide ditch, the
front line trench Previously. Il wiring
party Of the Royal Engineers had cut
u lane through our barbcd wire to on
nhc us to get out into No Mans Land.
Crawling through this lane. our
purly Of twenty took up an extended
order formation about one yard apart.
We had q tap code arranged for our
movements while In No Mans Land,
because for various reasons 1t is not
safe TO carry on n heated conversation
few yards in front of Fritz lines
The officer WAS on the right Of the
H., l,,Ft
Two laps from the right would be
passed down the line until I received
them, then would send back one tap.
The officer in receiving this one tap,
would know that his order had gone
down The whole line. had been under
stood, and that the party was ready
to obey the tWo-tap signal. Two taps
meant that we were to crawl forward
slowly and believe me. very slowly
for five yards. and then halt to await
further instructions. Three taps meant
when YOU arrived within striking dis.
lance of the German trench rush it
ana iniirt rs many casualties as pos
slhIc, secure couple of prisoners and
lhrh back to your own lines with the
speed clutch open. Four taps meant
nave gotten YOU into Il position from
Wh1ch II Is impossible for me to cXtri-
chtr You, so YOU are on your own"
AFTER getting Tommy into mess on
the western front he Is generally told
that hr is con his own" This means.
Save your skin in any way possible"
Tommy loves 10 be "on his own" behind
the lines, but not during a trench raid
The star shells from the trrmnn
w,r Can
'"re we Wrr" safe. After about TWEEN
" minutes we entered the star shell
zone, star Shell from the German
i'h'S i"ll about i've yards I'm the rear
ana |" ne riSht Of me; we hlggrh the
ground ana held our breath until if
burned ont. The smoke from The star
Nhvii Travelled along the ground and
crossed over the middle Of our line
some oininy succeed. The smoke had
E"l'"h UP his nose We crOuchcd on
we ground, cnrSlng the offender under
""' hF"all, ana waited the vOlley that
E'hcihilN rnSncS when the Germans
lh'Nc h'hrd noise I'm No Mans Land.
No'hihS happened. We received two
thpS ana crawIrd forward slowly for
INe yards: no doubt the officer be-
m''"''E ! believe that that part Of the
herman trench is unoccupied." BY be-
l"e chreiul ana remaining motionlcss
"hch the Star shells fell behind MS. we
''"'h"d lhc German barbcd wire with.
""' mlShhp. Then the fun began.
WIS scared Stir us ii Is ticklsh work
."'''he your way through wire when
'''". 'hlr'y feet in front OF you there
me or Bochcs looking out into No
lam" with their rifles living
N'"'' wy parnpet, strainlng every
,'He W see or hear what is going on
49, Nv "lhh Land; because nt night
-" never knows when n bomb with
ms hhme ana number on 1t viii com.
iur'lhg through the air aimed In tho
direction of Berlin. The man an tho
'ight' one man In the center ma nv
Self on the extreme left were cm,,nno,
with wire cutters. These are insulated
WIN SOFT rubber not bccaus. the Dor.
''a" wires are charged with electricity
pu' 10 prevent the cutters rubbing
against the bnrbed wire stakes, which
are or iron, and making noise
"h'ch may warn the inmates of tho
.rench that someone Is getting fresh
III 'heir front yard. There Is only one
why 10 cut barbed wire without noise
anu through costly experience Tommy
w "s oecome an expert In doing this
~" must grasp tho wire about two
. .".S from the stake In your right
mana and cut between the stoke nnG
your hand "'''
you cut wire improperly. .
ioud twang will ring out on tho n,rh
air like the swapping OF bnni,
string. Perhaps this noise con ~
heard only for fifty or seventy. f,v
NarIls Inf In rEom1,,.,r .ai,>.a L.