The Dermott news., 1919-01-30


have seen sentries turn aside from
the beat they were walking and get out
of the way when they saw C0Ssack
coming. There were very few Coss-
ackS there however. do not think
they let themselves get captured very
often.
We had roll call every morning. of
course. and We're always mustered in
front of our barracks the middle Of
the line being right Mt the barracks
door. Sometimes when the cold got
TOO much fer them the men nearest
the door would duck into the bar-
racks. As they left the ranks the
other men would close up and this
kept the line even. with the center still
opposite the barracks door. Finally
almost all of the mon would be in the
barracks and by the time the roll was
over not one remained outside This
seemed To peeye the German officers
great deal. hut they did not punish
us for it until axe had been doing it
for some time.
For several days | had noticed that
someone else answered for two men
who had disappeared ut least i had
not seen them for some time. did
not think much about it, or ask any
questions, and | did not hear anyone
else talk about Il. but WAS pretty
sure the two men. a Russian and
RritiShrr. had escaped. But they were
marked present at roll call and al
accounted for. Everything went along
very we'll until one day when the name
"Fontaine. got by without being an-
severed Fontaine was French fire
man from the Cambrian Range and
that was the first time he had not been
present We saw what was coming
and We began To get pretty sore at
Fontaine for not telling us. So We could
covered.
The minute they found our count
one short they blew the whistles and
squad of sentries came up as az
extra guard. They counted us again
but by Sneaktng back Of the line ant
closing up again we made the coun,
all right except for one man-Fon-
taine We would have tried tn cover
up for him. except that they had al
ready discovered his absence Now
We thought. they will nab Fontain,
hut will not discover the escape OF N,
others.
But evidently they suspected some
thing, for soon they brought over a
petty officer from II. NJ 5 Nomad.
who had not been with Us before. and
forced him 10 call TIE roll from The
mastering papers, white they watched
the men as the answered. Then they
discovered that two NOR tesldes Fon-
tame We're missing aad began 70 search
for them
The other two spoke Gormat and
had been missing for ut least three
days and think. had escaped h this
time. They were not returned while
l was at Rrandeuburg
This was about a. m. They drilled
Us down 10 The little lake where the
cold was much greater. and Kept US
ftere until 3 q. M. without food ar
drink. A. about eight that morning
thy found Fautatae in French bar.
racks and kicked him all the WY -
the lake whore We were.
All day long We stood there falling
one by one ana getting hIched cir beat
n each tim unHl We drassod our
SELVES up again. Two or three died
l do not know the exact uumber. But
w had cuou-h strength when ordered
back To the barracks To kick Lon.
talne ahead II uS all the Way. w
ind not get anything To cat until seyea
the next HnE-tWeuty four hours
without food and water. ten of which
were spent Ia The snow without any
protection from tie cold ana wind.
W wonder wv kicked ioutaine for
bringing this puRishmrut,nu u, aud IN
danccring the two who had escaped
lie had simply strolled over - thu
French barracks and forgot to return.
Now. the food received WIS lust
about enough To keep us alive. | sup
pose. with true kultur. the Huns had
Inquired out just how much K would
take 10 keep man on this side or
the starvation line aud gave lis that
much and uo more SO We were always
talulshe1 always hungrior tha-a YOU
probably ever have been. But some.
tiaes whru We were raVenuuSiy nun.
cry and coGid not hoid out any longer
We would trace rafIons