The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, June 06, 1918, Page 3, Image 3
j SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER I?Fired by the news of the
jinking of the Lusitania by a German j
ubmarine, Arthur Guy Empey, an American,
leaves his office in Jersey City and
goes to England where he enlists in the
British army. . ]
CHAPTER II?After a period of training,
Empey volunteers for Immediate service
and soon finds himself in rest billets
Somewhere in France," where he first
makes the acquaintance of the ever-present
"cooties."
CHAPTER III?Empey attends his first
church services at the front while a Ger*
man Fokker circles over the congregation. ;
CHAPTER IV?Empey's command goes
Into the front-line trenches and is under
| Are for the first time.
! CHAPTER V?Empey learns to adopt
the motto of the Brtish Tommy, "If you 1
,are going to get it, you'll get it, so never
jworry." _ _ _ ... _ .
f'CHARTER VI?Back "in rest billet*, Emjpey
gets his first experience as a mesa
joruerly.
| CHAPTER VII?Empey learns how the
[British 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 con'atitutes
a "day's work" in the front-line
Itwmch.
r CHAPTER XI?Empey goes "over me
top" for the first time in a charge on the
+ German trenches and is wounded by a
? bayonet thrust.
CHAPTER XII?Empey joins the "suicide
club" as the bombing squad Is called.
CHAPTER VIII?Back in the front
line trench, Empey sees his first
/ friend of the trenches "go West."
CHAPTER IX?Emnev makes his
fifst visit to a dugout in "Suicide
Ditch."
CHAPTER X?Empev learns what
constitutes a "day's work" in the
front-line trench.
CHAPTER XI?Empey goes "over j
the top" for the first time in a charge
on the German trenches and is;
wounded by a bayonet thrust.
CHAPTER XII?Empey joins the
"suicide club" as the bombing squad j
is called
CHAPTER XIII?Each Tommy
gets an official bath.
CHAPTER XIV?Empey helps dig j
an advanced trench under German
fire.
CHAPTER XV?On "listening
post" in No Man's Land.
CHAPTER XVI-?Two artillerymen
"put one over" on Old Pepper,
their regimental commander.
CHAPTER XVII?Empey has nar-'
row escape while on patrol duty in
No Man's Land.
CHAPTER XVIII?Back in rest
billets Empey writes and stages a j
farce comedy.
CHAPTER XIX?Soldiers have.
many ways to amuse themselves while
"on their own."
Chapter XX?Empey volunteers
for machine gun service and goes
back into the front line trenches.
CHAPTER XXI?Empty again goes
"over the top" in a charge which
cost his company 17 killed and 31
wounded.
CHAPTER XXII?Trick with a
machine gun silences one bothersome
Fritz.
Sunday my head seemed to burst
from a loud crack in my ear. Then
!my head began to swim, throat got
; dry, and a heavy pressure on the lungs
' warned me that my helmet was leaking.
Turning by gun over to No. 2, I
j changed helmets.
The trench started to wind like a
: snake, and sandbags appeared to be
floating in the air. The noise was horI
rible; I sank onto tte^fire step, needles
seemed to be pricking my flesh, then
blackness.
I was awakened by one of my mates
removing my smoke helmet. How deilicious
that cool, fresh air felt in my
'lungs.
A strong wind had arisen and dispersed
the gas.
They told me that I had been "out"
|for three hours; they thought I was
rdead.
4 A ?1* V. A J IN/vam MAVVIIIPA/1
xue auacii ijuu uccu xcpm.a'cvi an.?
fa hard fight Twice the Germans had
j gained a foothold in our trench, but
'had been driven out by counter-at|tacks.
The trench was filled with their
( dead and ours. Through a periscope
fl counted eighteen dead Germans in
} our wire; they were a ghastly sight in
l their horrible-looking respirators.
; I examined my first smoke helmet
r A bullet had gone through it on the
pleft side, just grazing my ear. The
[gas had penetrated through the hole
\ [made in the cloth.
Out of our crew of six we lost two
'killed and two wounded.
I That night we buried all of the dead,
i excepting those in No Man's Land. In
I death there is not much distinction;
(friend and foe are treated alike.
| After the wind had dispersed the
j gas the R. A. M. C. got busy with their
j chemical sprayers, spraying out the
{dugouts and low parts of the trenches
,to dissipate any fumes of the German
Igas which may have been lurking in
I same.
! Two days after the gas attack I was
sent to division headquarters, in anj
swer to an order requesting that cap-:
tains of units should detail a man
| whom they thought capable of passing j
i an examination for the divisional in-;
, telligence department.
Before leaving for this assignment
I went alona the front-line trench sav
tj ii ?
mmcrn soldier
10 went * *
I? GUY IMPLY
IE (BNMER.JEWDBW fRAtfCE?
i ?1917 err
aftrmir air/ ejipey
| ing good-by to my mates and lording It
| over them? telling them that I had
r I
A Gas Helmet.
clicked a cushy job behind the lines,
and how sorry I felt that they had to
stay in the front line and argue out the!
war with Fritz. They were envious j
but still good-natured, and as I left the |
trench to go to the rear they shouted j
after me:
"Good luck, Yank, old boy; don't
forget to send up a few fags to your
old mates."
I promised to do this and left
I reported at headquarters with sixteen
others and passed the required examination.
Out of the sixteen applicants
four were selected.
I was highly elated because I was, I
thought, in for a cushy job back at the
base.
The next morning the four reported
to division headquarters for instruc- j
tions. Two of the men were sent to
large towns in the rear of the lines
with an easy job. When it came our
turn the officer told us we were good
men and had passed a very creditable
examination.
My tin hat began to get too small
for me, and I noted that the other man,
Atwell by name, was sticking his chest
out more than usual.
The officer continued: "I think I can
use you two men to great advantage
in the front line. Here are your orders
and instructions, also the pass which
gives you full authority as special M.
P. detailed on intelligence work. Report
at the front line according to your
instructions. It is risky work and I
wish you both the best of luck."
My heart dropped to zero and Atwell's
face was a study. We saluted
and left.
That wishing us the "best of luck"
sounded very ominous in our ears; if
he had said "I wish you both a swift
and painless death" it would have been
more to the point.
When we had read our instructions
we knew we were in for it good and j
plenty.
What Atwell said is not fit for pub- i
lication, but I strongly seconded his j
opinion of the war, army and divisional !
headquarters in general.
After a bit our spirits rose. We were ,
full-fledged spy-catchers, because our |
instructions and orders, said so.
We immediately reported to the j
nearest French estaminet and had several
glasses of muddy water, which j
they called beer. After drinking our ;
beer we left the estaminet and hailed j
an empty ambulance. [
After showing the driver our passes !
we get in. The driver was going to the !
part of the line where we had to re- j
port.
Hew the wounded ever survived a 1
ride in that ambulance was inexplicable
to me. It was worse than riding on
a gun carriage over a rock road.
The driver of the ambulance was a|
corporal of the R. A. M. 0., and he|
had the "wind up," that is, he had ani
aversion to being under fire.
I was riding on the seat with him
while Atwell was sitting in the ambulance,
with his legs hanging out of the
back.
As we passed through a shell-de-,
stroyed village a mounted military policeman
stopped us and informed the
driver to be very careful when we got'
out on the open road, as it was very
dangerous, because the Germans lately
had acquired the habit of shelling it..
The corporal asked the trooper if there !
was any other way around, and was j
informed that there was not. Upon !
this he got very nervous and wanted to j
turn back, but we insisted that he pro- j
ceed and explained to him that he |
would eret into serious trouble with his I
commanding officer if he returned !
without orders; we wanted to ride, i
not walk. I
From his conversaion we learned i
that he had recently come from Eng-J
land with a draft and had never been j
under fire, hence his nervousness.
We convinced him that there was not
much danger, and he appeared greatly
relieved.
When we at last turned into the open
roaa we were not so comment, un
'each side there had been a line of
trees, but now, all that was left of
them were torn and battered stumps.
The fields on each side of the road
were dotted with recent shell holes,
and we passed several in the road itself.
We had gone about half a mile
when a shell came whistling through
the air and burst in a field about three
hundred yards to our right Another
soon followed this one and burst on
the edge of the road about four hundred
yards in front of us.
I told the driver to throw in his
speed clutch, as we must be in sight
of the Germans. I knew the signs;
that battery was ranging for us, and
- 1
the quicker we got out of its zone of
fire the better. The driver was trembling
like a leaf, and every minute I
expected him to pile us up in the ditch.
I preferred the German fire.
In the back Atwell was holding onto
the straps for dear life, and was singing
at the top of his voice:
We beat you at the Marne,
We beat you at the Aisne,
We gave you hell at Neuve Chapelle,
And here we are again.
Just then we hit a small shell hole:
and nearly capsized. Upon a loud
yell from the rear I looked behind, and
there was Atwell sitting in the middle
of the road, shaking his fist at us. His!
equipment, which he had taken off;
upon getting into the ambulance, was j
strung out on the ground, and his rifle
was in the ditch.
I shouted to the driver to stop, and
In his nervousness he put on the'
brakes. We nearly pitched out head- i
first But the applying of those brakes
saved our lives. The next instant
there was a blinding flash and a deaf,
ening report. All that I remember is
that I was flying through the air, and
wondering if I would land in a soft
spot. Then the lights went out.
When I came to, Atwell was pouring
water on my head out of his bottle.
On the other side of tlfe road the corporal
was sitting, rubbing a lump on
hie- 1 /"V-pf hon/1 TTrVlflo
in& iui cnrau v>nu mo icii nauu)
his right arm was bound up in a bloodsoaked
bandage. He was moaning
very loudly. I had an awful headache
and the skin on the left side of my
face was full of gravel and the blood
was trickling from my nose.
But that ambulance was turned over'
in the ditch and was perforated with
holes from fragments of the shell. One
of the front wheels was slowly revolving,
so I could not have been "out" for
a long period.
The shells were still screaming overhead,
but the battery had raised its!
fire and they were bursting in a little!
wood about half a mile from us.
Atwell spoke up. "I wish that officer
hadn't wished us the best o' luck."
Then he commenced swearing. I
couMn't help laughing, though my i
head was nigh to bursting.
Slowly rising to my feet I felt myself
all over to make sure that there were j
no broken bones. But outside of a few j
bruises and scratches I was all right. I
The corporal was still moaning, but;
more from shock than pain. A shelf
splinter had gone through the flesh of
his right forearm. Atwell and I, from
our first-aid pouches, put a tourniquet
on his arm to stop the bleeding and
then gathered up our equipment.
We realized that we were in a dan-1
gerous spot. At any minute a shell.
might drop on the road and finish us
- ?Ml 1 j 1 _ ^4.
on. xne vniage we nuu leu was uui
very far, so we told the corporal he
had better go back to it and get his
arm dressed, and then report the fact
of the destruction of the ambulance to
the military police. He was well able .
to walk, so he set off in the direction
of the village, while Atwell and I continued
our way on foot.
Without further mishap we arrived i!
at our destination, and reported to bri- ,
gade headquarters for rations and bil- (
lets.
That night we slept in the battalion
moruM oJ
I 4m iwv
jjjj ^ JlttX
I
1 ARE YOU "BITING AT G!
I SO, QUIT IT.
i MFN WHO r.OMF AROlll
I PROPOSITIONS LEAVE iHOM
THEY HAVE "STUNG" EVERYBi
LET US KEEP OUR MONE"!
OUR OWN COMMUNITY. THAT
FOR:
BANK Yi
WE PAY FOUR (4) PER C
POUNDED QUARTERLY,
BUY U. S. WAR SAVING
I Farmers & M<
| RHRHAR1
%
sergeant major's dugout. The next
morning I went to a first-aid post and
had the gravel picked out of my face.
The Instructions we received from
division headquarters read that we
were out to catch spies, patrol trenches,
search German dead, reconnoiter in No
Man's Land, and take part in trench
raids and prevent the robbing of the,
dead. j
I had a pass which would allow me
to go anywhere at any time in the sector
of the line held by our division. It i
gave me authority to stop and search
ambulances, motor lorries, wagons and
even officers and soldiers, whenever
my suspicions deemed it necessary.
Atwell and I were allowed to work together
or singly?it was left to our
judgment We decided to team up.
Atwell was a 'good companion an?
very entertaining. He had an uttA
contempt for danger, but was not foolhardy.
At swearing he was a wonder,
A cavalry regiment would have been
proud of him. Though born in England,
he had spent several years ic
New York. He was about six feet one,
and as strong as an ox.
We took up our quarters In a large
dugout of the royal engineers, and
mapped out our future actions. This
dugout was on the edge of a large
cemetery, and several times at night
in returning to it, we got many a fall
stumbling over the graves of English,
French and Germans. Atwell on these
occasions never indulged in swearing,
though at any other time, at the least
stumble, he would turn the air blue.
A certain section of our trenches
was held by the Royal Irish rifles. For
several days a very strong rumor went
the rounds that a German spy was in
our midst. This spy was supposed to
be dressed in the uniform of a British
staff officer. Several stories had been
told about an officer wearing a red
band around his cap, who patrolled the
front-line and communication trenches
asking suspicious questions as to location
of batteries, machine-gun emplacements,
and trench mortars. If a shell
dropped in a battery, on a machine gun
or even near a dugout, this spy was
blamed.
The rumor gained such strength that
an order was issued for all troops to
immediately place under arrest anyone
answering to the description of the
spy.
Atwell and I were on the qui vive.
We constantly patrolled the trenches
at night, and even in the day, but the
spy always eluded us.
One day while in a communication
trench, we were horrified to see our
brigadier general, Old Pepper, being
brought down it by a big private of the
Boyal Irish rifles. The general was
walking in front, and the private with
fixed bayonet was following in the
rear.
We saluted as the general passed us.
The Irishman had a broad grin on his
face and we could scarcely believe our
eyes?the general was under arrest.
After passing a few feet beyond us, the
general turned, and said in a wrathful
voice to Atwell:
"Tell this d?n fool who I am. He's
arrested me as a spy."
. Atwell was speechless. The sentry
butted in with:
"None o' that gassin' out o' you.
Back to headquarters you goes, Mr.
Fritz. Open that face o' yours again,
an' I'll dent in your napper with the
butt o' me rifle."
The general's face was a sight to behold.
He was fairly boiling over with
rage, but he shut uo.
(To be continued next week)
^ IB> ?i
Silk and metal ribbons appear in
floral patterns.
Drives Out Malaria, Builds Up System
The Old Standard general strengthening tonic,
GROVE'S TASTELESS chill TONIC, drives out
Malaria.enriches the blocd,and builds up the system.
A true tonic. For adults and children. 60c
it at mo/w cuvut 1
(OieSt. AdwvtiL ?
/oittmt/ I
ET-RICH-QUICK SCHEMES? IF
rtD PEDDLING "BLUE SKY"
E TO SELL THEM BECAUSE
ODYTHEY KNEW.
r "AT HOME" AND BUILDUP I
>e> vi/11 n-r /-mid dqkiw ctdwnc i
O wnni uun unnn umnuu j
rITH US |
ENT. INTEREST, COM- 1
ON SAVING DEPOSITS j
r AND THRIFT STAMPS. |
srchants Bank I
>T, S. C. I 1
i^A A^4. A^A A^A A^A A^A A^fc. Ak Ak J^kJ?kiBb4^
^ y"yfyt^t^ff^tyyyyy y *
|l Lighting Silver Cleaner t|
vt Guaranteed to clean silverware A
<? and not soil the hands. Saves >
?! the silver will not scratch. V
X - 1
X SlffC ,g1 Mendits [will save ?|
v j j you pots and x
| I sags' I I
| Buy Them And felt Recelvce,l: I
Help Win The War Sweeping Com- *
FOR SALE EVERYWHERE P?nn '
X X
| TOM DUCKER |
V PDONE15 NEXT TO COPELAND'S BAMBERG, S. C. V
<
A^A A^A .A A^A A^A A^A A^A
^ y ^ Ty t^V
V
*A? *4t *A?
S? !
11? -~it
? I BUY W. S. S. BUY W. S. S. I $
jfl | and Help and Help _ | gfe
V WIN THE WAR WIN THE WAK - ;r
|| W
j|i bought your summer clothes yet? jjj
We are now able to fill your wants in
3? cool cloth and palm beach suits. We *?
jjj have one of the best lines ever shown 3?
here, and as we bought early, we
J? * are in a position to save you some W
4i money. *?
1 HOW ABOUT THAT STRAW HAT? i
3:
We still have a nice assortment of
Panamas and leghorns. Come see 2 &
3T our line before buying. J j*
f? tfl ?
wintri o |
I W&&
? Buy Them And ||
| Help Win The Wai g
H VOR SALE EVERYWHERE ?i
I u r rniirrn II
i n. t. rvLiYtv. ji
jj| ! BAMBERG, S. 0. I J
mbbeb? ?~?????? mmmtm jj;
(Horses and Mules
We have a full stork on hand of
Horses and Mules. Our stock is seI
lected personally by a member of our 5
j firm, and each animal sold has the i
T T3r.^<- ' ciiorflnrdo ailH VOll 3
IJUIiCS J_> 1 UO. guuiuiivvv v-?v? .
know what that means. When you
need a horse or mule, don't fail to
come to our stables. We will take
pleasure in showing you. Our stock
is always in good condition?they are
bought sound and sold sound.
BUGGIES, WAGONS, HARNESS
We have a splendid line of Buggies,
Wagons, Harness, Lap Robes, Whips,
Etc. We have a number of styles in
Buggies and Harness, and we can suit
you. We handle only the best vehicles
to be had, and our prices are
always right. Come to see us; you
are always welcome. ^
Jones Bros. |
J RAILROAD AVENUE BAMBERG, S. C. | I
Sack The Boys Up at The Front Buy War Saving Stamps