Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PAGE TWO ^ -jg | over j look "Over the Top" A* lnn<h By An American Soldier Who Went I abou near ARTHUR GUY EMPEY ?Mochtne Gunner Serving in France keep gj ]g a Zei tCoprrigbt, li'17, by Arthur Uuj Mai p*y) ()f j( 8YNOPSIS. was mnkt CHAPTER I? Fired by the news of the eiihni jinking of the L.usttanla by a German ' fubmarlne, Arthur Guy Empey, an Amerl- Are an. leaves his office In Jersey City and way, ?oes to Englund where he enlists in the British army. turn* L CHAPTER It-After a period of train- nut |ng. Empey volunteers for Immediate serv- gcoiit See and soon finds himself In rest billets ["somewhere In France." where he first Snakes the acquaintance of the ever-pres nt "cooties." CHAPTER III?Empey attends his first i |chureh services at the front while a GerBnan Fokker circles over the congregation. CHAPTER IV? Empey's command goes Into the front-line trenches and Is under ; ^lre for the first time. CHAPTER V?Empey learns to adopt * the motto of the Hrtlsh Tommy, "If you are going to get It, you'll get it. so never fworry." CHAPTER VI?Back 1n rest billets. Emfpey gets his first experience as a mess icrderfy. CHAPTER VII?Empey learns how the IBrltlsh soldiers are fed. CHAPTER VIII?Back In the front-line | trench, Empey sees his first friend of the 'trenches "go West." CHAPTER IX?Empey makes his first visit to a dugout In "Suicide Ditch." CHAPTER X?Empey learns what constitutes a "day's work" In the front-line J trench. w CHAPTER XI?Empey goes "over ths top" for the first time In a charge on the German trenches and Is wounued by a bayonet thrust. CHAPTER XII?Empey Joins the "suicide club" as the bombing squad Is called. CHAPTER XIII?Each Tommy gets an official bath. CHAPTER XIV? Empey helps dig an Advanced trench under German fire. CHAPTER XV?On "listening post" In Ho Man's I^and. CHAPTER XVI?Two artillerymen "put one over" on Old Pepper, their regimental commander. CHAPTER XVII?Empev has narrow escape while on patrol duty In No Man's ILi&nd. CHAPTER XVIII?Back In rest billets JEmpey writes ard stages a farce comedy, oring CHAPTER. XIX?Soldiers nave many norm ways to amuse themselves while "on their own." "IK CHAPTER XX-Empey volunteers for strep machine Run service and goes back Into , the front-line trenches. 1 CHAPTER XXI? Empey again goes ' danu *'over the top" In a charge which cost his | jjt, company 17 killed and 31 wounded. CHAPTER XXII?Trick with a machine In gun silences one bothersome Frit*. dutnt CHAPTER XXIII?German attack, pre- .... ceded by gas wave. Is repulsed. " 1 CHAPTER XXIV? Empey Is forced to "T take part In an execution as a member of the tiring squad. CHAPTER XXV?British prepare for Af the Big Push?the battle of the Somme. tlip ] CHAPTER XXVI?In a trench raid, own preceding the Big Push. Empey Is desperately wounded and lies unconscious In scen< No Man's I.and for 36 hours. whir CHAPTER XXVII?After four months , In a Rrltlsh hospital, Empey Is discharged as "physically unfit for further war serv- | ever; _____ ! Tlie CHAPTER |. Lord IriK < From Mufti to Khaki. of It whs In an ofllee in Jersey City. ' I was fdttinK :it my desk talking to H(<" a lieutenant of the Jersey National "n A Guard. On the wall was a big war | Amo map decorated with variously colored ' 1 ,1:1 little fines sluivvln? th? I keen opposing armies on the western front J|j" In France. In front of me on the desk ( lay a New York paper with big flaring .. . headlines: ^ LUSITANIA SUNK! AMERICAN 1>r LIVES LOST! j J1''0' The windows were open and a feel- , lng of spring pervaded the air. ( l'"1?! Through the open windows came the: .' strains of a hurdy-gurdy playing In the "" ' street?"I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be n,ytt a Soldier." ' 1 "Lusltania Sunk! American Lives Lost!"?"I Didn't Raise My Boy to nt " Be a Soldier." To us these did not ^ seem to Jibe. foun The lieutenant in silence opened one ' ' of the lower drawers of his desk and took from It an American flag which R".VI . he solemnly draped over the war map vnu on the wall. Then, turning to me with ,,v,'r a grim face, said: pear "How about It, sergeant? You had r better get out the muster roll of the r,,n' Mounted Scouts, as I think they will lirin: be needed In the course of a few days." took We busied ourselves till late in the ^hei evening writing out emergency telegrams for the men to report when the "teh call should coine from Washington. "nc* Then we went home. ''-V I crossed over to New York, and as I,ass I went ur> Fulton street to toir? ??.o. sorr subway to Brooklyn,'the lights In the j u,,u tall buildings of New York seemed to ?ns * he burning brighter than usual, as If '' ,ls they, too, had read "Lusitanlu Sunk ! American Lives Lost!" They seemed to be glowing with anger and righteous ( Indignation, and their rays wigwagged ^ the message, "Itepay Months passed, the telegrams lying handy, hut covered with dust. Then, one momentous morning the lieutenant *nhr with a sigh of disgust removed the "w"> flag from the war map and returned | I tenn to his desk. I Immediately followed rnn this action by throwing the telegrams Into the wastebnsket. Then we looked ?orr nt each other In silence. He wus trn" squirming in his chair and I felt de- nn'1 pressed and uneasy. trod The telephone rang and I answered It. It was a business call for me, re- up4( 1 questing my services for an out-oftown assignment. Business was not thH* ery good, so this was very welcome. to fl After listening to the proposition I seemed to be swayed by a peculiarly mnn strong force within me, and answered, "I am sorry that I cannot accept your ^ offer, but I am leaving for England P"* next week," and hung up the receiver. The lieutenant swung around in bis chair, and stared at me In blank aston- P'nf lshment. A sinking sensation came . V. I THE LANC me, but 1 defiantly answered his j ~"I beg your pardon?" with, "Well, It's so. I'm going." I Then I explained to hlra I went. i not sign It without first 1 e trip across was uneventful. I ; read It over and signed fo Hi at Tilbury, England, then got war. Some of the recruit a string of matchbox cars and They signed for seven yt eded to London, arriving there Then he asked me my I t tO p. ra. I took u mora In a hotel answered, "Ogden, Utah." St. I'ancras station for "five and He said, "Oh, yes. Jut fire extra." The room was minus New York?" fire, hut the "extra" seemed to With a smile, I replied, me warm. That night there was the state a lltt'e." [tpelin raid, but I didn't see much Then I was taken befoi , because the slit In the curtains and passed as physically too small and I had no desire to , Issued a uniform. Whei ? It larger. Next morning the tel- j hack to the lieutenant, 1 lie hell rang, and someone asked, that, being an American, you there?" I was. hardly. Any- crultlng service and try tc I learned that the Zops had re- of the slackers Into Jolnln d to their fatherland, so I went "All you have to do." h Into the street expecting to see go out on the street, and 1 ;s of uwful devastation and a cow- | a young fellow In niuft physically fit. just stop 1 I cost them. Guy Empey. j Conilnfr down the stre . . . A. , i younjr dandy, top hat and : populace, hut everything was fash|onubly ?rosspd ,r, >al. People were calmly proceed- ?lde ,?m j imittorodi .. to their work. < 'rosslncr the ... - ?; meat," ann wtion he cumi t, I accosted u Hobble with: nu, j stepped directly In 1 ;in you ?lirect me to the place of stopped hlin with my s\\ igc?" I saving: asked me, "What damage?" "You would look fine In surprise, I answered, "Why, the not change that top hat ige caused by the Zeps." helmet? Aren't you ashai Ith a wink he replied: H<>lf- ? ??isky young chap here was no damage; we missed when men are ne ; " trenches? Here I am, a ter several fruitless Inquiries of ___________ l>assersby, I decide<l to go on my In search of ruined buildings and ^ a of destruction. 1 hoarded a bus /j* h carried me through Tottenlium j t road. Hecruittng posters were t V r where. The one that lmpresse?l / . Kitchener with his finger point"our King and Country Need You." matter which way I turned, the ami - , jgHl sing linger followed me. I was IISSWbB merican, in mufti, and had a little rlcan llag in the lapel of my coat. 1 no king, and my country had ' Afcllnir*t?j tit not to need me. hut still that ting linger made me feel small and t ease. I got off the hits to try lissipate this feeling by mixing uH fe|A 1 the throng of the sidewalks. WH ^k| esently I came to ti recruiting of- ffjaa |g|S> B Inside, sitting at a desk was n tljri ^ y Tommy Atkins. I decided to in- R9 ew him in regard to joining the Mb jR< sh army. I opened the door. He i'd tip and greeted me with "I s\v. | ', want to tyke on?" i I^ : ' y - * r ? ooked at him and answered, "Well,' S >; ' # (ever ttint is, I'll take u ehunee ^ .j:- :?>&:? . - ? ithout the nid of an interpreter. I - . . _ , . .. , . .V . Swearing in a Re< 1 out that Tommy wanted to know " 'ared to Join the British army, lie rnmP four thousand miles (I me: "Did you ever hear of the Utah, Just outside of N il Fusiliers?" Well, in London. , fight for your king and eo know, Yanks are supposed to know he a slueker, buck up and ythlng. so I was not going to up- form; come over to the i ignorant and answered, "Sure." flee and I'll have you er "tor listening for one half-hour to | He yawned and answe iny's tale of their exploits on the, cnre if you came forty tin g line, I decided to Join. Tommy no one asked you to," an me to the recruiting headquarters, on. The girl gave me a si re 1 met a typical Kngllsh captain. I wns speechless, asked my nationality. I immedl- I recruited for three we t pulled out my American passport ly got one recruit, showed it to him. It was signed This perhaps was not Lansing. After looking at the stunt In the world, but il port, he Informed me that he was the officer who had told y hut could not enlist me. as it take anything over here." Id he a breach of neutrality. I spending a good lot of t ited that I was not neutral, he- time in the snloon bar c e to me it seemed that a real Sheaf pub (there was a v< riean could not he neutral when | blonde barmaid, who heltn things were In progress, hut thei I was not as serious In t aln would not enlist ine. I was a little later wh< Ith disgust In my heart I wi nt out, the front)?well. It was l he street, I had gone about a and my recruiting repor k when a recruiting sergeant who I was getting low In the followed me out of the office'maids haven't much ust >cfl me on the shoulder with his who cannot buy drlnksirger stick and said: "S'y, I can1 around for recruiting m you In the army. We have n Mef-j know a man on recruiting nt' down at the other office who a "bob" or shilling for do anything. He hns Just come' he entices Into Joining t of the O. T. O. (Officers' Training recruit Is supposed to ge s) and does not know what neu-1 would not be a recruit If ty Is." I decided to take a chance, i to this fact, would he? accepted his Invitation for tin In-1 Down at the end of tl notion to the lieutenant. I entered 1 young fellow In mufti w office and went up to him, opened . patriotic?he had nboui my passport and said: j Six" ales aboard. He as Wore going further I wish to state i could Join, showed me 1 I am an American, not too proud two fingers were mlsslni ght, and want to Join your army." that did not matter as " e looked at me In a nonchalant thing over here." The mer, and answered. "That's all the rifle hand as the pit t; we take anything over here." at the slope on the left st looked at him kind of hard and re- ly everything tn Englan d. "So I notice," but It went over left," even general truffle head. port side, e got out an enlistment blank, and I took the applicant c lng his finger on a blank line suld. quarters, where he was rn here." amlned. Recruiting su answered, "Not on jour tintype." busy In those days and i i ?a? 9 r- \ . 'ASTER NEWS, LANCASTER. S. C. much rime for thorough physical exumi that I would inatlons. My recruit wus passed as rending it. 1 "fit" by the doctor and turned over to r duration of a corporul to make note of his scars, s were lU'cky. I was mystified. Suddenly the corpo>ars only 1 ral burst out with, "Bllme me, two of birthplace. 1 his fingers are gone." Turning to me he said, "You certainly have your it outside of nerve with you, not 'alf you ain't, to bring this beggar In." "Well, It's up The doctor cume over find exploded, "What do you tnenn by, bringing in a re the doctor man In this condition?" fit, and was Looking out of the corner of my eye n I reported I noticed that the officer who had rehe suggested crulted me had Joined the group, and I go on re- i could not help answering. "Well, sir, ? shame some j was told that you took unythlng over ik the arm v." -? e said, "Is ts j think they called It "Yankee 1mtvhen you see pudence," anyhow It ended my recruttI who looks jngt llm and give Aren't you CHAPTER II. Itlsher, phys- j en your king Blighty to Rest Billets. Don t you next morning the captain sent S nt W'n i"" 'or me and Informed me: "Einpey, as \oung I i ton R recruiting sergeant you are a wash- , i?re am. an out>.. nmj S(Mlt I|ie to ? training depot. t < ante our After arriving at this place, I was > or >our na (o t|u, quartermaster stores yet, have not , . . ... , , * and reca'.'ed an awful shock. ihe Join? Now quartermaster sergeant spreail a waterproof sheet on the ground and comto get many ' >ut and see menced throwing a miscellaneous assortment of straps, buckles and otlyr II rosette of paraphernalia Into it. I thought he i, with three would never stop, but when the pile down. This reached to my knees he paused long ila and was enough to say, "Next, No. f>217, 'Arris, s of the cap. B company." I gazed In bewilderment stick and my at the pile of Junk In front of me, and lit Into Tot- then my eyes wandered nround looking *t of cunnon for the wagon which was to carry It to borrncks. I was rudely brought to ressed civil- earth by the "quarter" exclaiming, ugh they ap- "'Ere, you, 'op It; tyke It aw'y; blind d to myself, my eyes, 'e's looking for 'Is batman to s the army; 'elp '1m curry It." le dependent , struggling under the load, with fre? ( no nc- qUeD| pUUSt?g for n?gt, i reached our et I snw a barracks (large car burns), and my . ,, ... platoon leader came to the rescue. It 1 all, with a , . , , , , . . . was a marvel to me how quickly he walking be- ., , A. . . . You are my assembled the equipment. After he e abreast of ^nnipleted the task, he showed me lis path and how to lt on n,>' P?'r8,?n. I'retty 'agger stick NOOn I stood before him a proper Tomi my Atkins In heavy marching order, khaki wliv fueling like hn overloaded camel, for a steel ,ny fast wore benvy-soled boots, ned of vnnr- studded with hobnails, the toes and like you In heels of which were re-enforced hy eded In the steel half-moons. My lens were Inn American, cased In woolen puttees, olive drab in color, with my trousers overlapping ?????* them at the top. Then a woolen khaki tunic, under which was a bluish gray I woolen shirt, minus a collar; beneath this shirt a woolen belly band about six Inches wide, held In place by tie strings of white tape. On my head was u heavy woolen trench cap, with ; huge earlaps buttoned over the top. Then the equipment: A canvas belt, with ammunition pockets, and two wide canvas straps like suspenders, called "IV straps, fastened to the belt , In front, passing over each shoulder, crossing In the middle of my back, and attached by buckles to'the rear of the belt. <1n the right side of the belt hung a water bottle, covered with felt; on the left side was my bayonet and scabbard, and Intrenching tool handle, this handle strapped to the bayonet scabbard. In the rear was my Intrenching tool, carried In a canvas case, j This tool was a combination pick and . spade. A canvas haversack was strapped to the left side of the belt. :W while Mil my back was tin- pack, also . ;.? . of canvas, hold In place |?y two canvas straps over the shoulders; suspended on the bott<tm of the pack was my iness tin or canteen In a neat little ?????J canvas case. My waterproof sheet. ,ruH looking like a Jolly roll, was strapped on top of the pnck, with a wooden stick from Ogden, for cleaning the breach of the rifle proew York, to Jectlng from each end. On a lanyard untry. Don't I around my waist hung n huge Jackget Into unl- knife with a can-opener attachment, recruiting of- The pack contained my overcoat, an dlsted." extra pair of socks, change of underred, "I don't wear, hold all (containing knife, fork, msand miles, spoon, comb, toothbrush, lather brush, id he walked shaving soup, and a razor made of tin, neerlnglook; with "Made In England" stnmped on the blade; when trying to shave with eks and near- this It made you wish that you were at war with I'atagonla, so that you the greatest could have a "hollow ground" stamped t got back at "Made In Derniany") ; then your houseme, "Yes, we wife, button-cleaning outfit, consisting I had been of a brass button stick, two stiff ny recruiting j brushes, and a box of "Soldiers* >f the Wheat ' Friend" paste; then a shoe brush anil s?ry attractive a box of dubbin, a writing pad. Indeled kill time? | Ible pencil, envelopes, and pay book, hose days as J and personal belongings, such as a ?n 1 reached small mirror, a decent razor and a the sixth nay < shear or unanswered letters, and faffs, t was blank. | In your haversack you carry your Iron pocket?bar- rations, meaning a tin of bully beef, ? for anyone | four biscuits and a can containing tea, -so I looked sugar and Oxo cubes; a couple of aterlal. You pipe* and a pack of shag, a tin of rlflo ? service gets \ oil. and a pull-through. Tommy genevery recruit orally carries the oil with his rations; he army, the 't gives the cheese a sort of sardine t this, but he taste. he were wise Add to this a flrst-nld pouch and a long, ungainly rifle patterned aftsr th? te bar was a Daniel Boone period, and you have an 'ho was very Idea of a British soldier In Blighty, t four "Old Before leaving for France, this rifle ked me If he 18 taken from him and he Is Issued ds left hand, w'th a Lee-Enfleld short trench rifle if, but I said nni' H rRtl?n bag. we take any- I In France he receives two gas helleft hand Is niets, a sheepskin coat, rubber inack?ce Is carried dntosh, steel helmet, two blankets, tearinulder. Near- shell goggles, a balaclava helmet, d Is "by the Kleves and a tin of antifrostblte grease keeps to the which Is excellent for greasing the boots. Add to this the weight of his >ver to head- rn,'on8' ?nd can you blame Tommy for hurriedly ex- growling at a twenty-kllo roate inarch? irgeons were Having served as sergeant major In did not have the United States cavfclry, I tried to \ FRIDAY, M4RCH 22, 1981. teTI Hie English drITl sergeants their 1 \Mf) ? ip \ . business, but it did not work. They j J VOW to treat / Immediately put me na batman In their Y \ V-Im. Tf mess. Many a greasy dish of atew waa A Lrf)Mn\r.T^py|fl[[{y accidentally spilled over them. / A \/ J I would sooner flght thun be a waiter, / J*, a Tut'' 8alv? well so when the order came through from/utes\theneo?ert^wvi?fla^eTcEX headquarters calling for a draft otf Leavl the covering l^e i^undthe 260 re-enforcements for France, I vol> so thakthe soothing tfiodicrfted vapors ana. unteered. / iug msY l<K?en tha/chokinV phlegm and Then we went before the M. 0. ^ase 1,10 <?>?<*ult breathing. \Jne applies, (medical officer) for another physical I jf !* ft n'ght examination. This was very brief. He ! druggists, asked our nnmes and numbers and \ftPQRHRfy IIITP said "Fit," and we went out in flght. wWmMP ^WflLlEi We were put Into troop trains and \ sent to Southampton, where we de- A trained, and bad our trench rifles Is- tf* 1 /l/l fifl P f? ?\T A D?\ sued to us. Then in columns of twos ip A l/l/. II Mm ff /\ fl 11 we went up the gangplank of a little . steamer lying alongside the dock. ? . .... ... I Will Ko .? l.a # *- a A. - - me neuu or tne gangplank there '"r ??"* UI I,,e ,01" was an old sergeant, who directed that j lowing escaped conv.cts from lamwe line ourselves along both rails of | caster County ClinlnganR, delivered the ship. Then he ordered us to take to me at Lancaster, S. C. life belts from the rocks overhead and put them on. I have crossed the ocean several times and knew 1 was not sen- M '-EKLEY \\ ILLIAMS Escaped sick, hut when 1 buckled on that life June 6, 1917. Age, 20 years; belt 1 had a sensation of sickness. j helgth, 6 feet 1 inch; weight, 160 After we got out into the stream all lbs.; color, very black with thick I could think of was that there were a I lips; stands very erect and stammllllon German submarines with a tor- i mers very much. Has scar over left pedo on each, across the warhead of i (,ye which w.H Inscribed uiy name and ad- f dress. fter five hours we caiue alongside WILL "YANKEE" DRAKEFORIJ a* pier nnd disembarked. I had nt- ?Escaped October 1916. Age, 25 tallied another one of my nmbltlons. years; height, F> feet 7 inches; I wns "somewhere In France." We J weight, 155 lbs.; color, very black; * slept In tl e open that night on the side has thlrk rollinK np8 At tlnies of the road. About six the next morn- ... , . , , ? , , . . . , , whites of eyes turn very red; talks Ing we were ordered to entrain. I , looked around for the passenger hoarse and very ?l?wly; stutcoaches, but all I could see on the aid- fusing were cattle cnrs. We climbed into ??? these. On the side of each car was THURLOW 11 ELK?Escaped Aua sign reading "Homines 40, Cheveaux 8." When we got Inside of the cars. KU8t 17 1917- A*?' about yearB: we thought that perhaps the sign height, 5 feet 6 inches; color, very puinter had reversed the order of black with large eyes and very thick things. After 48 hours in these trucks lips. Has scar over one eye. we detrained at Rouen. At this place _____ we went through an Intensive training for ten days. FRANK PETERSON (Calls hitnThe training consisted of the rudl- 8e" "The BLACK JEW")?Escaped ments of trench warfare. Trenches Sept. 9, 1917. Age, 3 9 years; had been dug, with barbed wire en- height, 5 feet 7 inches; weight, 145 tanglements, bombing saps, dugouts, ihs.; coiort very black. Has scar observation posts and machine gun em- over ,eft near t f head UofiR nlnp.mi.mtu -I - ? ............a..-.. nr 11 ?-l r KIVCII U BIUUl* . . ,, , . , " , , , s . . ,, *. ? not talk plainly and ia bow-legged, tering of trench cooking, sanitation, bomb throwing, reconnoltering. listen- The abjvo reward offered for the Ing posts, constructing and repairing delivery of each convict to Lancasbarbed wire, "carrying in" parties, ter, S. C. methods used In attack and defense, JOHN P. HUNTER, Sheriff, wiring parties, mass formation, and . . ? . , . ' - Lancaster County, the procedure for poison-gas attacks. On the tenth day we again met our Lancaster S. C. friends "Homines 40, Cheveaux 8." . Thirty-six hours more of misery, and we arrived at the town of F . qq WHEAILESS D/ICfS After unloading our rutions and equipment, we lined up on the road in osrno brtancsACtnts. columns of fours waiting for the order pastry or breaktast y to march. POCOS CX)N TAIN ING "WHEAT. (To be Continued.) LUCKY STRIKE CIGARETTE \ IN a year it has become famous; the man's cigarette for the men who are ? i -; ' - ' wvjiiviug over xiere, unQ fighting over there. The reason? Because it's made of Burley pipe tobacco and because?