The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-12-19

and two mules came over together,
though whether they were Turkish or
French or British / do not know.
A few days after the rain stopped
l was going along the road to the
docks ut ~" beach when I saw some
of the freakishness of shells.
There was a long string of mules go-
ing back to the trenches with water
and supplies of various kinds. We
drew up to one side to let them pass.
Two or three mules away from US
was an old-timer with only ore ear,
and that very gray, loaded to the gun
wales with bags Of water. He had had
his troubles, that old boy, but they
were just about over, for there was
flash and the next instant you could
not see a thing left of Old Missouri.
He just vanished. But two of the
water bags were not even touched,
and another one had only little hole
In 1t. There they lay on the ground,
just as though you had taken the mule
out from under them. The mules next
him. fore and aft, were knocked down
by the conclusion but unharmed; but
the third mule behind had one ear
cut to shreds, and the man behind
him was badly shot up and stunned.
A little farther on shell had struck
the road and plowed furrow two or
three feet wide, and just as straight
as an arrow for three of four yards;
1t then turned off at almost a
right angle and continued for a yard
or two more before 1t burst and made
a big hole. That Turk gunner must
have put lot of English on that shell
when he fired it. He got somebody's
number with that shot, too, and the
lad paid pretty high, for there was
blood around the hole, not quite dry
when we got to it.
Coming back along the ame.road we
halted to let another convoy Of mules
60 past, and an officer of the Royal
naval division came up and began
talking to our officers. He was telling
them how he and his men had landed
at TX" beach, and how they had to
wade ashore through barbed wire.
"And, you know" he said in sur
prised way, as If he himself could
hardly believe it, "the beggars were
actually firing on us!' That is just
like the Limeys, though. Their idea
is not to appear excited about any
thing at any time, but to act>a though
they were playing understanding
around on lawn with paddles in their
hands, half asleep. The Limeys are
certainly cool under fire, though, and
I think that because the Anzacs did
so well at Gallipoli people have not
given enough credit to the British
regulars and r. N. DIS, who were
there too, and did their share, Of the
work. and did it as well as any men
could.
After a while this officer started on
his way again, and as he cut across
| the road a French officer came up.
The Limey wore monocle, which
! caused the French officer to stare at
him q minute before he saluted. After
the Englishman had passed him the
Frenchman took large French penny
out Of his pocket, screwed it into his
eye and turned toward us so that we
could see 1t, but the Limey could not.
That was not the right thing to do,
especially before enlisted men, SO our
| officers did not laugh, but the men did,
| and so loud that Limey turned around
| and caught sight Of the Frenchman.
/ He started back toward him and ]
thought sure there would be fight,
or that, more likely, the Limey would
report him. Our officers should have
placed the Frenchman under arrest,
ut that.
i The Frenchman expected trouble
too, for he pulled up very straight and
stiff, but he left the penny in his eye
Il The Limey came up to him, halted q
i few PAGES of and, without saying
word, took the monocle out Of his
eye, twibbled 1t three or four feet In
the air and caught 1t in his other eye
when It came down.
4 do that, you blighter," he said and
faced about and was on his way down
Tic IOuue AHcy HUI ~ On tnC ACASh
man after that.
4 This Philippe Pierre, Of whom
have spoken, told me story about
] two Limey officers that hardly be
. lieved, vet Philippe swore it was thu
| truth. He had been in America before
the war, and he said he had seen ont
Of the officers that the story is abou
, many times in New York.
} He said there were two Limey off
GERS going along the road arguing
, about the German shells which TIL
b Turks were using. One of the officer
I said they were no good because the,
did not burst. Just about that tim
shell came along and they picke'
, themselves up quite distance iron
{ where they had been standing. An
, other shell whizzed by and landed flo
on the side of the road. The Office
q walked over, dug it out of the grount
( and took away the detOnator and fus
: TO prove that they did not explode
r The only thing that would max
4 me believe that story is that Phillip
Pierre said they were Limey officers
r No one but a Limey would remcn
q Der such an argument after bein
{ knocked galley west by shell COZ
e cussion. / do not doubt that Lime
d would do 1t IL 1t could be done, thOugl
y IC0ntiaMed in merit ,oeek's Banner. ] .
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