The spectator., 1919-04-04
md many fights took place between

them.
 ''One night we would send over q trench-raiding party and the next night over would come Fritz.
 ''There was q certain part of our trench nicknamed Death alley, and the company which held it was sure to click it hard in casualties. In five nights in I clicked for three recon noitering patrols.
 "John French-he was a lance cor poral then--waS in charge of our sec tion. This was before I went to ma chine gunners' school and transferred to this outfit. This French certainly ing in No Mans land. He knew every inch of the ground out in front, and was like a cat-he could sec in the dark.
 "On the night that he won his D. C. NJ. he had been out n front with pa trol for two hours, and had just re- turned to the fire trench. A sentry down on the right of Death alley re- ported q suspicious noise out in front. and our captain gave orders for an other patrol to go out and investi- gate.
 Corporal Hawkins was next on the list for the job, but, blime me. he sure had the wind up, and was shaking and trembling like dish of jelly.
 "A new leftenant, Newall hy name, I,,, T pretty fine officer, too. Now, don't you chaps think because this chap was killed that I say he was a good off ccr, because. dead or alive, you would have to go bloomin' long way to get another man like Newail. But this young leftenant was all eagerness to get out in front. You sec. it was his first time over the top. He noticed that Hawkins was shaky, and so did French. French went up to the off cer and said:
 "'Sir, Corporal Hawkins has been feeling queer for The last couple of days, and would deem 1t favor if could go in his place.
 "Now, don't think that Hawkins was a coward, because he was not, for the at times. You know, Hawkins WAS killed at La BaSscc q couple of months ago-killed while going over the top
 "There were seven in this patrol Leftenant Newall. Corporal French, my self and four more from E company.
 About sixty yards from F'ritZ's trench an old Gitch--must have been the bed of a creek, but at that time was dry-rau paralle! with the Ger man barbed wire. Lining the edge of this ditch was q scrubby sort of hedge which made q fine hiding place for q patrol. Why Fritz had not sent out :; working party and done away with this screen was q mystery to us.
 French leading, followed by Lcften- ant Newall, myself third, and the rest trailing behind, we crawled through q sap under our barbnd wire leading out to q listening post in No Mans land. We each had three bombs. Newall carried q revolvcr--One of those Yankee Colts-and his cane. Blime me, I believe that officer slept with that cane. He never went without it. The rest of us were armed with bombs and rifles, bayonets fixed. We had pre- viously blackened our bayonets so they would not shine in the glare of star shell.
 Reaching the listening post French told us to wait about five minutes un- til he returned from little scouting trip of his own. When he left, we, with every nerve tense, listened for his coming back. We could almost hear each others hearts pumping, but not sound around the listening post. Sud ly voice. about six feet on riy right whispered, All right the way is clear; follow me and carry on.'
 My blood froze in my veins. It was uncanuy the way French ap- proached us without being heard.
 Then. with backs bending low. out of the listening post we went, in the direction of the ditch in front of the German barbed wire. We reached the scrubby hedge and lay down. about six feet apart. to listen. French and tic officer were on the right of our line.
 About twenty minutes had elapsed when suddenly. directly in front of the German wire we could see dark, shad-
 -nm.xes~. s,,sS-S$Ss REPRESENTATIVES