Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-03-27
CHAPTER xxVl-continued.

tone, was passed along the Winning
column. as to who would he first 10
take a ride on one Of the stretchers.
This was generally followed by wish
that. II you were to be the one. the
wound would be "cushy Blighty
0ne."
The stretcher bearers. no doubt
hoping TINT, II they did have to carry
anyone to the rear, he would be small
and light Perhaps they looked at me
when wishing, because could feel nm
uncomfortable. boring sensation be-
tween my shoulder blades. They got
their wish all right.
Going up this trench, about every
sixty yards or so we would pass a lone
iy sentry who In whisper would
wish US "the best o. luck, mates" We
would blind AT him under our breoths ;
that Jonah phrase to us sounded very
omlnous
Without any casualties the minstrel
troop arrived at Suicide ditch the
front-line trench. Previously n wiring
party of the Royal Engineers had cut
a lane through our barbed wire to en-.
able US to get out into No Mans Land
Crawling through this lane. our
party of twenty took up an extended
order formation about one yard apart
We had tap code arranged for our
movements while in No Mans Land
because for various reasons II is not
safe to carry on a heated conversation
few yards in front of Fritz lines
The officer was on the right of the
line, while was on the extreme left
Two taps from the right would he
passed down the line until | 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
20 obey the twU-tap signal, Two taps
meant that we were 10 crawl forward
slowly-and believe me, very slowly
for five yards, and then halt 90 await
further instructions. Three taps meant,
when you arrived within striking dis
lance Of the German trench, rush II
NaiN mutt az hihllN Nusuuillfh un INS-
sible, secure a couple Of prisoners, and
then back TO your own lines with the
speed clutch open. -Four taps meant
II have gotten you into position from
which II is impossible for me to extri-
cate you, so you are on your own"
After getting Tommy into a mess on
the western front he is generally told
that he Is "on his own This means,
"Saye your skin in any way possible"
Tommy loves 10 be ION his own" behind
the lines. but not during a trench raid.
The star shells from the German
lines were falling In front OF us. there
fore we were safe. After about TWEEN
~ minutes we entered the star shell
zone. A star shell from the German
lines fell about live yards in the rear
aud ia the right of me we Rugged the
ground aud held our breath until Il
burned out The SMOKE from the star
shell travelled along the ground and
crossed over the middle of our line
Some Tommy sneezed The smoke had
gotten up his nose We crouched on
our breath, and waited the yolley that
generally onsues when the Germans
have heard a noise In No Mans Land.
Nothing happened We received Two
taps and crswled forward slowly for
five yards no doubt the officer be
ileyed what old Pepper had said Per
sonally believe thut that part OF the
German trench is unoccupjed" BY be
ing careful aud remaining motiOnless
when the star shells fell behind MS. we
reached the German bnrhed wire with,
out miShap. Then the fun began
was scared stif ms fl is tiClSlsh work
cutting your way through wire when
about thirty feet In front Of you there
Ia a line Of Boches looking out into No
Mans Land with their rifles lying
across The parapet, stralning every
sense 60 see or hear what is going on
Ia No Mans Land because at night,
Fritz never knows when q homh with
his name and number on II will come
hurting through the air aimed IN the
direction OF Berlin The man on The
right. one man In the center and my
self On the extreme left were equipped
with wire cutters These are Insulated
with soft rubber not because the Ger
man wires are charged with electricity
but ia prevent the cutters rubbing
against the bArhcd wire stakes, which
are " iron, and making noise
which may warn the inmates OF the
trench yhaS someone Is getting fresh
Ia their front yard, There Is only one
way 10 cut hnrhed wire without noise
and through costly experience Tommy
has become an expert in doing this
You must grasp the wire about two
inches from the sake ia your right
hand and cut between the stake and
your hand
II you cut wire Improperly. a
loud twang will ring out on the night
air ike the swapping OF banjo
string Perhaps this noise can be
heard only FOR City or seventy-fvs
yards. but IN Tommys mind II make.
loud noise in Rerlin