Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1919-01-07
o CHAPTER XVI.
All Quiet (?) on the Western From

NfAP TX NHVl.
All Quiet (?) on the Western Front
AT brigade headquarters | happened
to overhear conversation between
our G. o. c. general officer COM
manding) and the divisional comman-
der. From this conversation | learn
ed that we were to lombard the
German lines for eight days, and on
the first of July the big push" was
to commence
In few days orders were issued to
that effect, and it was common prop
erty all along the line
One afternoon of the eighth day
of our "strafeing,' Atwell and | were
sitting in the front-line trench smok-
ing flags and making out our reports
Of the previous nights tour of the
trenches, which we had to turn in
to headquarters the following day.
when an order was passed down the
trench that Old Pepper requested
twenty volunteers to go over on
trench raid that night to try and
get a few German prisoners for in
formation purposes. | Immediately
volunteered for this job, and shook
hands with Atwell. and went to the
rear to give my name to the officers
in chargt of the raiding party.
| was accepted, worse luck.
At 9:45 that night we reported to
the brigade headquarters dugout to
receive instructions from Old Pepper.
After reaching this dugout we lined
up in semicircle around him, and
he addressed us as follows.
All | want you boys to do is to
go over to the German lines tonight,
surprise them, secure a couple of
prisoners, and return Immediately.
Our artillery has bombarded that sec
ton of the line for two days and per-
sonally | believe that that part of the
German trench is unoccupied. so
Just get couple of prisoners and re-
turn as quickly as possible"
The sergeant on my right, in an un-
dertown, whispered to me:
"Say Yank, how are we going to
get a couple of prisoners if the old
fool thinks personally that that part
OF the trench is unoccupied, sounds
kind of fishy, doesn't it mater"
| had a funny sinking sensation in
my stomach. and my tin hat felt as
if it weighed about ton and my en-
thusiasm was melting away. Old
Pepper must have heard the ser
geant speak because he turned in
his direction and in a laundering
voice asked
What did you say?"
The sergeant with a scarlet look
on his face and his knees trembling.
smartly saluted and answered:
Nothing, sir
Old Pepper said:
"Well, don't say it so loudly. the
next time"
Then Old Pepper continued.
I'm this section of the German
trenches there are two or three ma
chine guns which our artillery, in the
last two or three days, has been
unable to tape. These guns command
the sector where two of our commun-
ication trenches join the front line
and as the brigate is to go over the
top tomorrow morning | want to can
ture TWO orthree men from these
guns crews, and from them may
be able to obtain valuable information
as to the exact location of the guns
and our artillery will therefore be
able to demolish them before the at
tack, and thus prevent our losing
lot OF men while using these COM
munication trenches to bring up re-
endorsements"
These were the instructions he
gave us:
rake off your naturalization disks
strip your uniform of all numerals
insignia, etc, leave your papers with
your captains, because I don't want
the Boches to know what regiments
are against them as this would be
valuable information to them in orr
attack tomorrow and l don't want
any OF you to be taken alive. What
1 want is two prisoners and If 7
get them l have way which will
make them divulge all necessary in
formation as to their guns. You
nave your choice of two weapons-
you may carry your 'persuaders' or
your knuckle knives, and each man
VIII arm himself with four Mills
bombs, these to be used only in case
of emergency"
A persuader is Tommy's nickname
lor club carried by the bombers
IL is about two feet long. thin AT
one end and very thick at the other
Inc thick end is studded with sharp
steer spikes, while through the center
Oh the club there is nine inch lead