The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-01-03

SlFucLlOnS.
Lieutenant NewaIrs voice, in very
low whisper, came to us:
"Boys. the men in our trenches
have received orders not to fire on ac-
count Of our accommodating patrol be-
ing out in front. A strong German
raiding party has just circled our left
and is making for our trench. It's up /
to us to send word back. We can't /
all go, because we might make too
much noise and warn the German par
ty, so it's up to one of us to carry the !
news back to the trench that the raid
ing party is on Its way. With this
information it will be quite easy for
our boys to wipe them out. But its
up to the rest of us to stick out here,
and If we go west we have done our
duty in a noble cause. Corporal
French, you had better take the news
back, because you are too valuable a
man to sacrifice
'eFrench, under his breath, an
swered:
"'Sir, I've been out since Mons, and
this is the first time that I've ever
been insulted by an officer. If this
patrol is going to click it, I'm going to
click it too. If we come out of this
you can try me for disobedience Of or
ders, but here I stick, and I'll be
damned If / go in, officer or no Off
cer.'
"Newall, In voice husky with emo
ton, answered:
"'French, it's men like you that
make it possible for "our Little Island"
to withstand the world. You are
true Briton. and I'm proud of you
ct was hoping that he would detail
me to go back, but he didn't. Hender-
son was picked for the job. When
Henderson left Newall shook hands
all around. I felt queer and lonely.
'sYou see, fellows, it was this way:
/ Henderson was to tell the men in the
trench that we had returned and that
| it was all right for them to turn loose
on the raiding party with their rife
and machine gunfire. without us click
4 ing theft fire. Lieutenant Newall sure
4 was lad, not 'arf he weren't.
"That next twenty minutes of wait
ing was hell. Then, from out of the
/ bIackness, over toward our trench,
rang that old familiar ALT, who goes
thereY We Rugged the ground. We
knew what was coming. Then, vol
ley from our trench, and four type
/ writer's (machine guns) turned loose.
Bullets cracked right over our heads
One hit the ground about foot from
me, ricocheted, and went moaning and
signing over the German lines.
Lieutenant Newall sobbed under his
breath:
"'God, we're in direct line of oul
own fire. The treneh-raiding party
must have circled u.s.
"Our boys in our trench sure were
doing themselves proud. The bullets
were cracking and biting the groun,
all around US.
an between our trench and on
party, curses rang out in German a.
the Boches clicked the fire from tn,
English trench. Star shells wer'
! shooting into the air and dropping il
No Mans land. 1t was a great bu
: terrible sight which met our eyes
Fritz's raiding party was sure beini
wiped out.
'aTen or fifteen dark forms, the rem
! nants of the German raiding party
: dashed past us in the direction of thu
: German trench. We Rugged tn
ground. It was our only chance. W.
knew that it would only be few
seconds before Fritz turned loose.
| we had legged it for our trench w
: would have been wiped out by on
t own fire. You see, our boys though
we were safely in.
'Then, up went Fritz's star lights
t turning night into day, and hell Gu
: loose. Their bullets were snippin
twigs from the hedge over our heads.
t Suddenly the fellow on my left
e MacCauley by name, emitted a mui
e fled groan, and started kicking tn
e ground; then silence. He had gon
< west. A bullet through the napper,
e suppose. There were now five of u
}. left.
d Suddenly Leftenant Newall, in
e faint, choking voice, exclaimed:
/ They've got me, French; it
through the lung and then fainter
you're in command. See that
His voice died away. Pretty soon b
started moaning loudly. The German
must have heard these means, becaus
they Immediately turned their fire Q
us. French called to me:
"'Honney, come here, my lad, OF
officer has clicked it.
81 crawled over to him. He ws
sitting on the ground with the leftel
ants head resting in his lap, and wt
getting out his first-aid packet.
) told him to get low or he would clio
d it. He answered:
III "Since when does a bloomin' lane
" corporal take orders from bloody pr
" vate? You tell the rest of the boys,
( they've not as yet gone west, to leg
back to our trench at the double ar