Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-04-12


munltlOn was exhausted,
But what was that on his rlght2 A
machine gun. Why didn't II open fire.
and save them? He would make that
guns crew do their duty Rushing
over TO the gun he saw why II had not
opened fire, Scattered around its base
lay six stlll forms They had brought
their gun to consolidate the captured
position, but German machine gun
had dccreed they would never fire
again.
Lloyd rushed 10 the gun and, grasp
Ing the traversng handles, trained II
on the Germans, He pressed the thumb
piece, but only sharp click was the
result. The gun was unloaded, Then
he realized his helplessness, He did
not know how TO load the gun, Oh,
why hadn't he attended the machine
gun course In Englandi He'd been
offered the chance, but with blush OF
shame he remembered that he had been
afraid. The nickname Of the machine
gunners had frightened him. They
were called the Suicide club" Now,
because OF this fear, his company
would be destroyed, the men Of ID COM
pany would have to die because he.
Albert Lloyd, had been afraid OF q
name, In his shame he cried like q
baby. Anyway he could die with them
and, rising to his feet, he stumbled
over the body OF one OF the gunners,
who emitted faint moan. A CLEAN
Of hope flashed through him. Perhaps
this man could tell him how to load
the gun. STOPPING over the body he
gently shook 1t and the soldier opened
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed
them again and, in faint voice, said.
"Get away, you bllghter, leave me
alone. don't want any coward around
me-"
The words cut Lloyd like a knife,
but he was desperate. Taking the re-
volver out Of the holster OF the dying
man he pressed the cold muzzle to the
soldiers head and replied:
"Yes, II Is Lloyd, the coward OF
Company ID, but so help me God, IL
you don't tell me how to load that gun
III put bullet through your brain!"
A sunny smile came over the coun-
tenance of the dying man and he said
In faint whisper.
Good old boy knew you wouldn't
disgrace our company"
Lloyd interposed "FOr Gods sake,
II you want to save that company you
are so proud Of, tell me how TO load
that ID gum
As if reciting lesson In school, the
soldier replied in weak, singsong
voice: Insert tag end of belt in feed
block, with left hand pull belt left
front. Pull crank handle back on roll
er, let 60, and repeat motion. Gun Is
now loaded. To fire, raise automatic
safety latch, and press thumbpiece.
Gun is now firing. If gun stops, ascer-
tain position of crank handle"
But Lloyd waited for no more. With
wild Joy at his heart, he took belt
from one of the ammunition boxes ly-
ing beside the gun, and followed the
dying mans instructions. Then he
pressed the thumbpiece and burst OF
fire rewarded his efforts. The gun
was working.
Training ii on the Germans he shout
ed for Joy as their front rank went
down.
Traversing the gun back and forth
along the mass Of Germans, he saw
them break and run back to the cove
of their trench, leaving their dead and
wounded behind. He had saved hi
company, he, Lloyd, the coward, ha%
"done his hit" Releasing the thumb
piece he looked at the watch on HI
wrist. He was still alive at 20 :3S."
ping "a bullet sang through til 81
air, and Lloyd fell forward across tn
gun. A thin trickle of blood ran dow
his face from a little, black round no
in his forehead.
"The sentence of the court had bed
"duly carried out"
The captain slowly raised the I'm
form dropping over the gun and, WI
| ing the blood from the white face, re
ognized it as Lloyd, the coward of
company. Reverently covering the ia
with his handkerchief he turned to
I "noncoms" and, in a voice husky w
emotions, addressed them:
Boys, it's Lloyd, the deserter. i
has redeemed himself, died the def
Of a hero-died that his mates mi
live" H0
That afternoon solemn process
wendell Its way toward the cemete
In the front a stretcher was carried
two sergeants. Across the stretc
the Union Jack was carefully sprd
Behind the stretcher came a capt
and forty-three men, all that were Is
Of D company.
Arriving at the cemetery, they
ed In front Of an open grave. All al
them wooden crosses were broken 3
trampled into the ground.
A grizzled old sergeant, noting
destruction, muttered under
breath: Course the cowardly big
who wrecked those crosses If
L.. ~.