Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-01-02
"OvER THE TOP"
Sergeant Employs Interesting
Story of the War.

Then came 4 fash In front of me. the
dare OF his rifie-and my head seemed
20 burst A bullet had hit me on the
left side Of my face about half an
inch from my eye. smashing the cheek
eones put my hand to my face and
Tell forward. biting the ground and
sicking my feet. l thought I was siy-
ing. but. do you know. my past life did
7oi unfold before me the way IL does
IN novels.
The blood WIS streaming down my
sunic. and the pain was awful. When
came to said 20 myself. Emp, old
eoy. you belong In Jersey City. and
you'd better get back there as quickly
Is possible
The b1lIets were cracking overhead.
crawied few feet back 20 the Ger
man barbed wire. and In a STOPPING po-
sition. guiding myself By the wire.
Eent down the line looking for the
lane we had cut through. Before
reaching this lane I came 20 a linn
form which seemed like bag OF oats
hanging over the wire. In the dim
| light ! could zee that It's hands were
olackened- and knew IL was the body
II one Of my mates. pat my hand
On his head. the top Of which had been
blown ca by bomb. Nv fingers sank
into the hole pulled my hand back
fun Of blood and brains. then ! went
crazy with fear and horror and rushed
along the wire until I came 20 our
iane. had Just turned down this lane
when something inside OF me seemed
10 say. Look around did So: a bull
LET caught me on the left shoulder. 7,
aid not hurt much. Just felt as II some
one had punched me In the back, and
then my left side went numb. afy arm
was dangling Ike rng. 7 fen forward
IN sitting position. But all the fear
had lefr me and 7 Was consumed with
rage and cursed the German trenches.
With my right hand I felt In my funlc !
for my nrst-aId CT sheii dressing. In |
feeling over my tunic my hand came |
In contact with one % the bombs which
/ es $500 Gripping II. pclled the pin
out with my teeth md hlindly threw !.
towards the German trench. I must
have been out Of my head. because 1
was only ten feet from the trench and /
took chance OF being mangied- II /
the bomb had failed 20 20 into the
trench would have been blown to
bits by the explosion Of my own bomb.
BY the fare Of the explosion of the
bomb. which luckily landed In their
french. saw one big Boche throw IN
his arms and fall backwards, while his
life Jew into the air. Another one
Ffited and fell forward across the
biackness.
Realizing what foolhardy and risky
hing ! had done. I was again seized
Nth q horrible fear. dragged myself
o my feet and ran madiy down the
ane through the barbed wire, STUN
ling over cut wires. tearing my uni
orm. and laeerating my hands and 4
egs- Just as I was about to reach !
70 Mans Land again. that same voice
eemed to say. Turn around.s ! did
o. when, -crnck." another bullet
aught me. this time in the left shoul- 4
er about one-half inch away from The
Their wound. Then Il was taps for me.
he lights went out. So.
When / came to wan ,rcuchins IN
hole In No Mans Land. This sheIl
ole was about three feet cecp. 70 that
brought my head few inches below
he level OF the ground. How reached
MS hole win never know. German
were trayersIn9 back
I'd forth In No Mans Land. the bu,-
Is biting the EDGE Of NV chan h<,l. III
nd throwing dirt all over me.
Overhead shrapnel was BURSTING. j
could hear the fragments slap the
round. Then Invent ont onos more.
hen ] came to everything ma silence | Z
% darkness IN No Man'a Lend TII
e soaked With blood and bic nap =
ON the wound h M c1e4k9as hang
g over my mputH Ne blood run
Ing from this fan eAeked me-. Out az I
le corner Of my mouth I wop1ld ~
ID blow y back. but Il would not
owe. Lxescned for NJ ahena 1ruuro :.
Pc tried yit1 ouo hard, d bardnks / d
y face % pfeeeue a. oew. I1sS
Z awfnl hoFroF 6 1be6nAS . doofh =
d was getting veuy faint. Yon would e
I'VE laughed e loo had seen M i y
merous a<tem1fn II bondaeine ~if6 :
= hand The polna - ~ wounde6 i i
ouIder were aNerD ~ I was e,f11nG i g
= It - so6na1A nve - ~
noaelng slnnt = = - -. - -