_- INTERNATIONAL FALLS PRESS, JANUARY9, ltl9 PAGE SEVEN S?? cl6se~ln on me, and await intions. head in the door ofthe billet, saying: business. you blokes want to Tiear a low-roofed, wooden buildingT Across in a bloody draft. It's a good thing we "The captain~says to stop that Infernal this story through, don't Interrupt.*! the way frpni me was a long row of have a navy with the likes o' you "Leftenant Newall's voice, in a very noise." HapJjy vouchsafed no answer. stretchers, each stretcher holding ~h blokes in the army, we certainly need Highly insulted, Ikey stopped, With: low whisper, came to us: About ten minutes after the fellows wounded Tommy, some lying flat, others one." "Some people 'ave no Idea of music." "'Boys, the men in our trenches left for the. stretcher, French gotl bullet a D.C.M. propped up by folded blankets. A snicker went up from the patients. have received orders not to fire' on account through the left arm."i§f Others were Sitting on their stretchers Then a Tommy on my left answered We agreed with him. of our reconnoitering patrol being Sailor Bill interrupts! here: tenderly caressing an arm bound,up this outburst with: Somewhat mollified, he started: out in front. A strong German "How do you know-it was ten minutes?" with white bandages. "Bloody nerve, I call it. 'Ere 'e is, By Corporal French is the same bloke raiding party has just circled our left, Occasionally a stretcher," reclining a' covered with blankets, and grousin' Sergeant Arthur Guy who just returned from Blighty and and is making for our trench. It's up Ikey blushed and answered: about a little drawft, and not many on which was a muaay ana wooay to us to send word backu- We can't joined the Third section yesterday." Empey "French told me when he got back hours back 'e was lyin' in a bloomin' soldier, would be- carried down the all go, because we might make "tod to the trench. You see, he carried the shell 'ole, with the wind a-blowin' thewhiskers aisle by two stretcher bearers. This Author of "Over the Top," (Author's Note—The incident here related much noise and warn the German party, officer back through that fire, because off 'im, ajnd 'e a-pravin' for is a true happening. Corpora] stretcher would be placed in an open "First Call," Etc. so it's up to one of us to carry the French won the D. C. M. in tne manner the stretcher bearers took too space in the row opposite. stretcher bearers. I'll wager a quid 'e described by Honney. I will not attempt news back to the trench that the raiding long in coming out." belongs to the Royal Irish Rifles." to give it in the cockney dialect.) I could hear a hum of conversation O-O-O .. party is on its way. With this I asked Ikey how Corporal French, The man on my right retorted: all about me, and as my brain cleared "We were holding a part of the line information it will be quite easy for being wounded himself, could carry "Naw, I'm not in the Royal Irish snatches of it became intelligible. up Fromelles way, and were about Mr. Empey's Experiences our boys to wipe them out. But its Leftenant Newall in, because I knew Rifles, but I belong to a .good outfit— My right hand seemed to be in a two hundred yards from the Germans. up to the rest of us to stick out here, During His Seventeen Leftenant Newall to be a six-footer the Royal Dublin Fujiliers, and I can vise. I could not release it. Squinnying This sure was a 'hot' section of the and if we go west we have done our and no lightweight. You see, he had lick the man that jffys they ain't." Months in theFirst in bed, which sent a sharp, shooting line. We were against the Prussians, duty in a noble cause. Corporal at one time been in command of my Just then, fronjBtorner ot the ward, pain through my left shoulder, I Line Trenches of the and it was a case, at night, of keeping French, you had better take the news platoon at the training depot in England. came the "voice of a stretcher bearer: tried with my unbandaged eye to see your ears and eyes open. No Man's British Army in Fiance back, because you are too valuable a "Jones, get the M. O. (medical officer). what was holding my wrist. land was full of their patrols and ours, man to sacrifice.' Ikey answered Hurry up—quick—this poor A Royal Army Medical corps man and many fights took place between "French, nnder his breath, answered: "Well, you blokes giye me the proper bloke's a-goin' west." was sitting on the floor at the head of them. (Copyright. 1917, by The McClur* Newspaper pip, and you can allsbloomin' well go Syndicate) The man holding my hand suddenly my stretcher, and had my wrist in his "One night we Would send bver a 'Sir, I've been out since Mons, and to h—," and he shut up like a clam. released his grip, and rising to his feet grasp. He was about twenty years Our gun's crew, as was Its wont, was trench-raiding party and the next night this is the first time that I've ever Hungry Foxcroft got up and silently hurriedly left the ward. A dead silence old, and looked dog-tired his chin sitting on the straw in the corner of over would comet Fritz. been insulted by an officer. If this withdrew from our circle. In about ensued. I tried to turn in the would gradually sink to his chest, as our billet, far from the rest of the section. There was a certain part of our patrol is going to click it, I'm going to ten minutes he returned, followed by direction from which the first voice if he were falling asleep then he The previous night we had been trench nicknamed Death alley, and the click it too. If we come out of this a tall, fair-haired corporal who wore had come, but the sharp pain in my would suddenly start, lift up his head relieved from the fire trench, and were company which held it was sure to you can try me for disobedience of orders, a little strip of gold braid on the left shoulder warned me that it was useless. with a jerk, and stare around the "resting" in rest billets. Our "day's click it hard in casualties. In five but here I stick, and I'll be sleeve of his tunic, denoting that he room. Pretty soon his eyelids would rest" had been occupied in digging a nights 'in' I clicked for three reconnoitering damned if 1 go in, officer or no officer.' had been once wounded, and also wore In a few seconds the door opened slowly close. I gave my arm a tug bombing trench, this trench to be used patrols. a little blue and red ribbon on the left and I could hear low voices down in and he quickly opened his eyes then for the purpose of breaking in wouldbe "John French—he was a lance corporal Newall, in a voice husky with emotion, breast of his tunic, the field insignia of the corner. I could see the Tommies across his face flashed a smile. To bombers. then—was in charge of our section. answered: the Distinguished Conduct medal. around me intently gazing in the direction me it appeared like the sun rising from Hungry Foxcroft was slicing away This was before I went to machine "'French, it's men like you that Hungry, in triumph, brought him of the voices. After a few behind a hill at daybreak. That smile at a huge loaf of bread, while on his gunners' school and transferred make it possible for "our Little Island" Into our circle and handed him a fag, minutes the door opened again, then sent a warm glow through me. I believe knee he was balancing a piece of "issue" to this outfit. This French certainly to withstand the world. You are a which he lighted in the flame from the closed, and Jones came back. I looked that right then I was in love cheese. His jack-knife was pretty was an artist when it came to scouting true Briton, and I'm proud of you.' up. at him and he solemnly nodded. candle on the mess tin, and then Hungry with his boyish face. Then he opened dull and the bread was hard, so every in No Man's land. He knew every "I was hoping that he would detail introduced him to us: One more son of Britain had paid his mouth and, as Is usual in such now and then he would pause in his inch of the ground out in front, and me to go back, but he didn't. Henderson Boys, I want you to meet Corporal the toll of war. cases, spoiled it all: cutting operation to take a large bite was like a cat—he could see in the was picked for the job. When French." My unbandaged eye suddenly became "Strafe me pink, but you do tyke dark. from the cheese. Henderson left Newall shook hands cloudy and misty and a hot tear He shook hands with all the boys. your own bloomin' time to come out Curly Wallace whispered to me: On the night that he won his D. C. all around. I felt queer and lonely. rolled down my cheek. Ikey got red and was trying to ease o' chloroform. 'Ere I've been, bloody "Three bob to a tanner, Yank, that he M. he had been out *n front with a patrol You see, fellows, it was this way: The door at the other end of the out of the candle light, when Sailor well balmy, a 'oldin' your bloomin' eats the cheese before he finishes slicing for two hours, and had just returned Henderson was to tell the men in the ward opened and two stretcher bearers Bill grabbed him by the tunic and held pulse." that 'rooty.'" to the fire trench. A sentry trench that we had returned and that entered, going in the direction of him. Out of the corner of my month I down on the right of Death alley re I whispered back It was all right for them to turn loose the dead man. Pretty soon they left Then Hungry Foxcroft carried on: asked him: "Nothing doing, Curly, you are ported a suspicious noise out in front, on the raiding party with their rifle a the ward, carrying a stretcher, on ir "French, I'm going to ask you "Where am Scotch, and did you ever see a Scotsman and our captain gave orders for an which was a still form covered with a and machine gunfire, without us clicking mighty personal question, and I know Still smiling, he hailed a stretcher other patrol to go out and invest! bet on anything unless it was a their fire. Leftenant Newall sure blanket. The Irishman on my right you'll answer I& How in h— did you, bearer across the way. gate. sure winner?" was a lad, not 'arf he weren't. was repeating to himself: hit in the left arm, bring Leftenant "I sye, 'Awklns, this blighter wants He answered in an undertone: "Corporal Hawkins was next on the Poor bloke, poor bloke he sure That next twenty minutes of waiting Newall back from that reconnoitering "Well, let's make It a pack of fags. list for the Job, but, blime me, he sure done his bit, and it won't be long before was hell. Then, from out of the patrol?" How about it, Tank?" had the wind up, and was shaking and he'll be pUshin' up the daisies blackness, over toward our trenrh, a French grew little red, and an­ trembltag like a dish of jelly. I acquiesced. (Curly won the fags.) rang that old familiar 'Alt, who goes somewhere in France. And before this swered: Sailor Bill was sitting next to Curly, "A new leftenant, Newall by warne, war is over, there'll be lots more in the there?' We hugged the ground. We "Well, you see, boys, It was this way. and had our mascot, Jim—a sorry-looking had Just come out from Blighty, ami a knew what was coming. Then, a vol same fix." Honney and 1 stuck out there with mut—between his ^nees, and was pretty fine officer, too. Now, don't you One of the Tommies, In an effort to ley from our trench, land four typewriters' hlin, and, taking the slings from our picking hard pieces of mud from its chaps think because this chap was be brave,' addressed Jones: (machine guns) tamed loose. paws. Jim was wagging his stump of rifles, Honney made a sort of rope Rifled that I say he was a good offi Bullets cracked right over our heads. "What's 'is nyme, Mike? What battalion which he put around my shoulder and cer, because, dead or alive, yon would One hit the grott&d about a foot from is 'e from?" -X under the arm of the leftenant, and have to go a bloomin' long way to get me, ricocheted, and went moaning and Jones answered: another man like Newall. Out this Honney, getting the leftenant by the sighing over life German lines. "James Collins, a lance corporal out legs, we managed to get him into the young leftenant was all «a®erness to "Lefteinaa*. Newall sobbed nnder his of the Royal Warwicks five machine trench. You know, I got a D. C. M. out get out in front. Tou see, it was his breath: gun bullets through the right lung— first time over the top. He noticed of the affair, because I was the corporal "'God, wefre 4n direct tine of our hemorrhage." In charge. Damned unfair, I that Hawkins was shaky, «nd so did own fire. The trench-maiding party The door opened again and two French. French went «p to the officer call it, because they only handed Honney must have circled us.' stretcher bearers entered, carrying a and said: the Military medal, but If the true "Our boys In our trench sure were Tommy, his head lying flat, and a "'Sir, Corporal Hawfefofs has been facts were known he was the bloke doing themselves proud. The bullets smell of ether pervaded the ward. We a feeling queer for the last couple of who deserved, not a D. C. M~, but V. were cracking and biting the ground knew it was a case from the Pictures days, and I would dee® lit a favor if I CL tVictoria Cross)." all around Us. (operating room). The stretcher bearers could go in his place? We all turned In Honney^s direction. "In between our trcnch and our placed him on the right of the "Now, don't think that Hawkins was Bill, in his interest, had released his party, curses Tang out in German as Irishman. a coward, because he Was not, for the hold on Honney's tunic and Honney the Bodhes clicked the fire from the Jones now left me, and, getting a little had disappeared. best of us are liable 1o get the 'shakes' English trench. Star shells were white basin, went over to the new at times. You know, Hawkins was Happy asked French if the leftenant shooting into the air «nd dropping in arrival. The Tommies turned inquiring killed at La Bassee a couple of months had died' in No Man's land. No Alan's land. It mas a great but "What's the Matter? Am I Wounded?" looks in his direction. Answering ago—killed while going over the top. French, with tears tn his eyes, answered terrible sight which met our eyes. these glances, he read from the tag "There were seven in this patrol— a Fritzs raiding party was sure being Moemin' map of Frawnce 'e wants pinned to the tunic of the patient: Leftenant Newall, Corporal French, myself "No, but the poor lad went west wiped «out. to know where 'e is." "Shell wound, left foot—amputation." and four more from company. after we got him to tire first-aid dressing "Ten or 'fifteen datfk forms, the *Awkins, across the way, answered: Jim Was Wagging His Stump of a Tail "About sixty yards from Fritz's station, and next -day we buried •"Tell 'im 'e's bloomin' well in Sam naats 'of ^the Gernpa raiding party, and Watching Intently. Then and there I knew that I had trench an old tfttch—must have been Isaac's fish 'ouse down Tottenham dastietl past us in the ^direction of tt*e a lost my prestige. the bed of creek, but at that time hlin in the little cemetery at Fromel a tail and was intently watching Hun* German trench. We hugged the les. He sure done his bit, all right, was dry—ran parallel with the German Court Road, awaltln' for Is order oP gry's operation on the bread. Every ground. It was our only chance. We In a short while the form on the blime me, and here 1 «m, Meomin' well barbed wire. Lining the edge of fish and chips." time Hungry reached for the cheese knew 'that lit would only be a stretcher began to mumble. This this ditch WiftSia scrubby sort of hedge swankin' with a ribbon on my chest.* This brought a general laugh from Jim would follow the movement with seconds before Frit* fturned loose.' If mumbling soon turned to singing that A dead silence fell on the crowd. which mjwJe .'a 'fine hiding place for the Tommies opposite me and on my his eyes, and his tail would wag faster. we Uiad legged it for our trench we Tommy sure could sing! He must have Each one of us was admirtag the modesty right and left. a patrol. Why fFritz had not sent out Hungry, noting this lorik, bit off a wotfld 'have been wiped out by ear been a comedian in civilian life, because of those two real wen, French a working sp&ifty and done away with Somewhat incensed at their merriment, small piece of the "cfoeese -and flipped rora ifire. You see, «wr boys thought the Tommies were soon roaring and Honney. this screen was a mystery to us. I retorted: It in Jim's direction. Jim deftly caught TO were safely in. with laughter so was I, as much a9 But such is the way in «£he English follojKeiLhJ^Leften "Quit your kidding for the love of imouth and then the fun befun lit Ktfe's atar lights, my wounds would permit. Harry Tate, army—the man who wiss tihe medal always Mike, have some sense. What's the turning night Into d*£, and ftdll art the famous English comedian, in his trailing bc&fcnd, -we crawled through a seehim spit It oi*t and sneeze. says that the «thar fiellow deserved Am I wounded?" Blatter? Uoh€. Their ^bullets were snipping palmiest days, never had a more appreciative sap under etur ibarbed wire leading out Ikey Honney reached onmr, took the it The stretcher bearer, still with the t»* ^s afrom the hedge ©war our heads. audience. After a while the to a listening jost .in No Man's land. candle, and started searching in his And Germany is still wondering why sanny smile on his face, which made "£&3{lenly the fellow on -my left, We each had thnee bombs. Newall singing ceased, and the Tommies be£ pack, amidst a chorus of growls from they cannot smash through tihe English me feel a little ashamed at my resentment, M'i«nasnlci.y by name, emitted a muffled carried a one of, those gan conversing among themselves. Tk% us at bis rudeness in thus depriving us lines. answered: imw, snd Started kicking the .main topic was—"Blighty—What Yankee Colts—ibis cane". Blime me, of light. was watching Man fllosely "Naw, you ain't wounded, myte. ground ithen silence. He l)ad. gone I believe that officer slept with that Hopes?" Each one was hoping his, and suspected what .was coming. .Sure You just 'appened to fall down in west. A shullet through the napper, cane. He never we*rt without it. The wound was serious enough for him ta enough, oat same that harmonica .and the bloomin' road and one o' those Blighty! "What suWMMse, 'Khere were now Jfive us be sent to England. The stretcher rest of us were armed with bombs and I knew it was up to me to start the blinkfn' tanks crawled over you." left. rifles, bayonets fixed. We had previously bearers were being pestered with questions ball of conversation rolling before be This rather frightened me, and in 'Suddeso^r leftenant Newall, in blackened our bayonets so the? as to what chance the Tommies began playing, because, after he bad Hopes?" a pleading voice I asked: clM5ikiBg voice, exclaimed^ would not shine in the of a stai fnint, had of reaching their coveted goal. I once started, nothing short of a German "Please tell me what is the matter :shell. 'They'Vie «at me, Freneii It's believe they all envied the man under "five-nine" sbellburst would stop with mef through the lueg,' and then fainter— "Reaching the listening p©$$ Frencl ether, because, with a left foot miss-ing, him. So I slyly kicked Sailor Bill, who The stretcher bearer leaned over 'you're in caiawand. See «jat—* By told us to wait about five incites un he was sure to be sent to Blighty^ Immediately got wise, and then I and read from a little tag pinned to Hin voice #0d away. Pretty soon he til he returned from a little sc^utin^ A sergeant major of the Royal Army Sergeant Arthur Guy broke the ice with: my tunic: started moa«£tng lo»dly. The Gennans trip &f his own. When he left we, Medical corps entered the ward. The Empey "Sailor, I heard you say this afternoon, "G. S. W. left face—(two) left medical men promptly stood at attention, with every nerve tense, listened for his must have heard these moans, because shoulder. Cot." while we were building that Author of "Over the Tor* except one or two who were coming back. We could almost H?nr they immediately turned their fire on Then he carried on: traverse, that it was your opinion that "First Call," Etc taking care of serious cases. The ser* each other's hearts pumping, but not a us. French called to me: "H'it means that you 'ave a rifle darn few medals were really won that geant major ordered: -t sound around the listening post. Sudly '"Honney, come here, my lad, our It more or less an accident. Now, bullet" through the left side of your wimb "Get this ward in shape. The M. O. a voice, About six feet on my right O-O-O .officer has clicked it' just because your D. C. M, came up clock (face) and two bullets through is coming through in five minutes to whispered, 'Ail right the way is clear with the rations, and, as yon say, It "I crawled over' to him. He Was your left shoulder, and that you're a Mr. Empey's ExperiencesDuringHisSeven- Inspect cases and 'clear out.'" follow me and carry on.* was wished on you, there is no reason •ittlng on the ground with the leftenant's cot case, which means that "you won't The medical men went from cot to "My blood-, froze jn my, veins. It head resting in his lap, and was In my mind to class every winner of .'ave to bloody well walk. Two of us cot, carefully smoothing out blankets, was uncanny the way French approached a getting out his first-aid packet 1 teen Months in theFirst poor blokes will 'ave to carry you on medal asbelng 'accidentally lucky/ tucking in loose ends and picking up us without hetog heard. told him to get low or he would click This medal business was a sore point a stretcher. You sure are a lucky Line Trenches of the "fag ends" (cigarette butts). "Then, with backs bending low, out It. He answered: bloke pretty cushy, I calls It." with Sailor Bill tod lie came right The sergeant major left. British Army in France of the listening post we wept, in the a "Since when doeii bloomin' lance I asked him if the wounds were good t»ck at ine with: In about ten minutes the door direction of the ditch in front of the corporal take orders from a bloody private? for Blighty. ''Well, If any of yon lubbers can tell opened again and, with a smart "shun" German barbed wire. Werefcefeed the Yon tell the rest of the hoys, If He answered: me where a D. C.M. truly cameaboard from the sergeant major a dead silence (Copyright, 1H7. ^rTh* senshhy hedge and lay down, about six they've not as yet gone west, to leg It "Yes, you're good for Blighty, and In a (iipehape manner*-that Is, mp apart, reigned in the ward. The medical feet to listen. French end the back to onr trench at the double and the after i^ngplank—then fill strike rm a-thlnkin' that they're good-for a The battle of the Somme was still men all came to attention, then ottctf w#re on the right of far line. get a stretcher, and yon go with them. mj colort tnd lay up on a lac shore for discharge. That left h'arm o* your'n raging. I had been hit by three rifle the' doctor entered, followed by a About twenty minutes had elapsed This lad of ours has got to get medical tfrydock.** will be out o* commission for the rest •4 clerk and a R. A. M. C. sergeant. He bullets, one through the left cheek, when middealj, directly in fljont of the attention, and damned qnick, too, If we Ikey Honney had just taken 6 long, o' your life. Your wife. If you've got stopped at each cot carefully read the other two through the left shoulder, G^man win* WP, eonld see dartc, shadowy want to stop this bleeding Indrawn breath, and his cheeks were one, will blbomlh' well *ave to cut the tag on the wounded man occupying while engaged, in a trench raid form* rise from the ground and pom out like a Walloon, preparatory "Jpst then a German stir shell landed your meat for you, that Is If you're for prisoners, and was on my journey it passed a few remarks which move along th» wire. Silhouetted to bloving It into thf ftarmoiiica, whUb about ten feet from lis^ and In Its lucky enough to get any bllnkln' meat to Blighty. the clerk jotted down on a pad of against the: skyline |liese forms.looked he had at his llpsr hot paused, and, re* white, ghostly light I could see French on the pension the Top 'Ats 'ome will paper, and as he left each wounded I remember being carried down a like huge gla$t* *(& took, on horrible .'and you." moving the, musical Instrument of torture^ sitting like a bloomin* statue. Ids hands soldier he made a cheering remark to flight of steps and placed on a white Shapes. My- heart almost stopped heating, he exploded: covered with blood, trying to make a A feeling of pride surged through him table In a brightly lighted room, a I counted s'xty-two in all, as the tourniquet ont of a bandage and his me. In a hospital of wounded soldiers "Bliine me, I know of a bloke who When he came to me he asked: doctor and a sergeant bending over last form faded into the blackness on bayonet. -f~r a severely wounded case is more or won a Dr C. If,, and It wasn't accidental "Well, how are you feeling, my me—a delicious drink of ale, then the niy left. less looked up to, while a man with a' or lucky, either. I was right "I told the rest to get in andf get the whispered word "chloroform something lad?* at the same time stooping over "A whisper came to my ears: superficial wound is treated as an ordinary out in front with him. Blime me, I stretcher. They needed no second my tag. like a gas helmet being placed "'Don't move or make a sound, a sure had the wind up, but with French mortal. I could read respect urging, and soon French was left there "Hum—three rifle bullets well, my bver my nose and mouth, a couple of strong German raiding party is going perhaps intermixed with a little envy, It was 'business asuaual.' He just alone, sitting on the ground, holding long, indrawn, gasping breaths, a lucky fellow, it means England for across.' was French's voice. I did it in the eyes of the surrounding Tommies carried on you." his dying officer's head in his lap. A rumbling in my ears then the skyline not hear him approach me, nor leave. and medical men. We all chirped iiT, on, Ikey, "Come I could have kissed that doctor. of New York suddenly appeared. This pretty picture, I call it. He sure was Yank, he. must' have got his training The door at the end of the ward let's have the story." Then he parsed to the Irishman on was quickly followed by the Statue a man, was French—with the bullets with the Indians on your great plains opened. A howl came from the cot at "I will if you'll just let me play this my right. Stoopirig over him, he ««?id: of Liberty shaking hands with the cracking overhead and kicking up the of America! r: my right, and a gruff Irish voice one tune first," answered Ikey. "How are you, my lad?" Singer building a rushing, hissing dirt around him." "I could hear a slight scraping noise shouted:_ He started in and was accompanied The Irishman answered: sound in my ears, like esqaping steam, Just then Happy butted in with-: on my right and left. Pretty soon the ie "Close that damned door. You by a dismal, moaning howl from Jim. "I'm sick and I want to get and then—blackness. i^fWere you one of the men'who went whole reconnoitering patrol was lying bloomin' hospital men have no sinse Ikey had been playi about a minute, ojrtof-h£re_i I want _to get out of here. rig in for the stretcher?" si! I opened my eyes. I was lying-^f in a circle, heads in. French had, -mts at all. Here I am, knocked about by a J* Ek#„ when _the, orderly sergeant his a stretcher..covered with*blanket*&& J.'JJsey answered:: "None of your d— in to!*.noiseless, way, given^ orders^ for shell,, and the likes o' youse puts me (To be continued next week) 4a*-'"r ".I- J?'-'" *..• as*?. ttsi-4