North Carolina Newspapers

"Over the Top" By An American Soldier Who Went ARTHUR GUY EMPEY Machine Gunner Serving In Franc* I (Ouprrlftt, WIT, kj Arvbur Uuj Mtupai ) CHAPTER VII. Rations. Just dozing off; Mr. Lanoe Corporal batted In. In Tommy's eyes a lanoe corporal Is one degree below a private. In the corporal's eyes he Is one degree above ? general. He ordered me to go with him and help him draw the next day's rations, also told me to take my waterproof. Every evening, from each platoon or machine-gun section, a lance corporal and private go to the quartermaster sergeant at the company stores and draw rations for the following day. The "quarter, " ns the quartermaster sergeant Is called, receives dally from the orderly room (captalu's office) a slip showing the number of men en titled to rations, so there Is no chniuv of putting anything over on him. Many arguments take place between the "quarter" and the platoon noneom, but the former always wins out. Tommy says ine -quarter jror ms j??i? oecause he was n burglar In civil life. Then I spread the waterproof sheet on the ground, while the quartermas ter's hatnian dumped the rations on it. The corporal was smoking a fag. I carried the rations hack to the billet. The corporal was still smoking a fag. How I envied him. I$ut when the Issue commenced my envy died, and I real ized that the first requisite of u non commissioned officer on active service 1* diplomacy. There were 19 men In our section, and they soon formed a semicircle around us after the corporal had called out. "Rations up." The quartermaster sergeant had given a slip to the corporal on which was written a Hst of the rations. Sit ting on the tie ir, using a wooden ho# as a table, the issue commenced. On the left of the corporal the rations v ere piled. They consisted of the fol lowing : Six loaves of fresh bread, each loaf of a different size, perhaps one out of the six being as fiat as a pancake, the result of an army service corps man placing a box of bully beef on it dur ing transportation. Three tins of Jam, one apple and the other two plum. Seventeen Bermuda onions, nil dif ferent sizes. A piece of cheese in the shape of h wedge. Two one-pound tins of butter. A handful of raisins. A tin of biscuits, or as Tommy culls them "Jaw breakers." A bottle of mustard pickles. The "bully beef," spuds, condensed milk, fresh meat, bacon and "Mucono chle rations" (a can filled with meat, vegetables and greasy water), had been turned over to the company cook to make a stew for next day's dinner. He also received the ten, sugar, salt, pep per and flour. Scratching his head, the corporal studied the slip issued to him by the ?quarter. Then in a slow, mystified voice he rend out, "No. 1 section, 19 men. Bread, loaves, six." He looked puzzled and soliloquized in u musing voice : t "Six loaves, nineteen men. Let's see, that's three In n loaf for fifteen men ? well, to make It even, four of you'll have to muck In on one loaf." The four that got stuck made a howl, hut to no avail. The bread was dished out. Pretty soon from a far corner of the billet, three Indignant Tommies ac costed the corporal with : "What do you call this, a loaf of bread? Looks more like a sniping plate." The corporal answered: "Well, don't blame me, I didn't hake It ; somebody's got to get It, so shut up until I dish out these bllnkln' ra tions." Then the corporal started on the Jam. "Jam, three tins ? apple one, plum two. Nineteen men. three tins. Six In a tin makes twelve men for two tins, seven In the remaining tin." He passed around the Jam, and there was another riot. Some didn't like apple, while others who received plum were partial to apple. After a while differences were adjusted and the issue went on. "Bermuda onions, seventeen." The corporal avoided a row by say ing that he did not want an onion, and I said they make your breath smell, so I guessed I would do without one too. The corporal looked his gratitude. "Cheese, pounds, two." The corporal borrowed a Jarkknlfe (corporals are always borrowing), and sliced the cheese ? each slicing bring ing forth a pert remark from the on lookers as to the corporal's eyesight. "Raisins, ounces, eight." By this time the corporal's nerves had gone west, and In despair he said that the raisins were to be turned over to the cook for "duff" (plum pudding). This decision elicited a little "grous ing," but quiet was finally restored. "Biscuits, tins, one." Wlfh his borrowed Jackknlfe. the corporal opened the tin of biscuits, and told everyone to help themselves ? no body responded to this Invitation. Tommy Is "fed up" wltb biscuits. "Butter, tins, two." "Nine la one. ten In the other." Another rumpus. "Pickles, mustard, bottles, one." Nineteen names were put Jn u steel helmet, the last one out winning the pickles. On the next issue there were only 18 names, us the winner is elimi nated until every man In the section has won a bottle. The raffle is closely watched, because Tommy is suspicious when It comes to gambling with his rations. When the issue is finished the cor poral sits down and writes a letter home, asking them If they cannot get some M. P. (member of parliament) to have him transferred to the Royal Fly ing corps where he won't have to Issue rations. At the different French estaminets In the village and at the canteens Tom my buys fresh eggs, milk, bread and pastry. Occasionally when he is flush, he Invests In a tin of pears or apri cots. His pay is only a shilling a day, 24 cents, or a cent an hour. Just imag ine, u cent an hour for being under fire ? not much chance of getting rich out there. When he goes Into the fire trench (front line). Tommy's m?*nu takes a tumble. He carries In his haversack what the government calls emergency or Iron rations. Jl hey are not supposed to be opened until Tommy dies of star vation. They consist of one tin of bully beef, four biscuits, u little tin which contains tea, sugar nnd Oxo cubes (concentrated beef tablets). These are only to be used when the enemy establishes a cffrtaln of .shell fire on the communication trenches, thus preventing the "carrying In" of rations, or when in an attack a body of troops has been cut off from Its base of supplies. The rations are brought up at night by the company transport. This is a section of the company in charge of the quartermaster sergeant, composed of men, mules and limbers (two wheeled wagons), which supplies Tom my's wants while In the front line. They are constantly under shell fire. The rations are unloaded at the en trance to the communication trenches and are "carried in" by men detailed for that purpose. The quartermaster sergeant never goes into the front-line trench. He doesn't have to, and I have never heard of one volunteering to do so. The company sergeant major sorts the rations and sends them In. Tommy's trench rations consist of all the bully beef he can eat, biscuits, cheese, tinned butter (sometimes 17 men to a tin), jam or marmalade, and occasionally fresh bread (ten to a loaf). When It is possible he gets tea and stew. \Vh"t? things are quiet, and Fritz is behaving like a gentleman, which sel dom happens, Tommy has the opportu nity of making dessert. This Is "trench pudding." It Is made from broken biscuits, condensed milk, jam ? a little water added, slightly flavored with mud ? put Into a canteen and cooked over a little spirit stove known as "Tommy's cooker." (A firm in Blighty widely advertises these cookers as a necessity for the men in the trenches. Gullible people buy them ? ship them to the Tommies, who. Immediately upon receipt of same throw them over the parapet. Some times a Tommy fails for the ad, and uses the cooker In a dugout to the dis gust and discomfort of the other oc cupants.) This mess is stirred up In a tin and allowed to simmer over the flames from the cooker until Tommy decides that it has reached sufficient (gluelike) consistency. He takes his bayonet and by means of the handle carries the mess up in the front trench to cool. After It has cooled off he tries to eat It. Generally one or two Tommies in n section have cast-iron stomachs and the tin is soon emptied. Once I tasted trench pudding, but only once. In addition to the regular ration Is sue Tommy uses another channel to enlarge his menu. In the English papers a "Lonely Soldier" column Is run. This is for the soldiers at the front who are sup posed to be without friends or rela tives. They write to the papers and their names are published. Girls and women In England answer them, and send out parcels of foodstuffs, ciga rettes. candy, etc. I have known a "lonely" soldier to receive as many as five parcels and eleven letters In one week. CHAPTER VIII. The Little Wooden Cross. After remaining in rest billets for eight days, we received the unwelcome tidings that the next morning we would "go in" to "take over." At six In the morning our march started and, after a long inarch down the dusty road, we again arrived at reserve billets. I was No. 1 in the leading set of fours. The man on my left was named "Pete Walling," a cheery sort of fel low. He laughed and Joked all the way on the march, buoying up my drooping spirits. I could not figure out anything attractive In again occupying the front line, but Pete did not seem to mind, said It was all In a lifetime. My left heel was blistered from the rub bing of my heavy marching boot. Pete noticed that I wns limping and offered to carry my rifle, but by this time I had learned the ethics of the march In the BrltlRh army and courteously refused his offer. We had gotten half-way through the communication trench. Pete in my im mediate rear. He had his hand on my shoulder, as men In a communication trench have to do to keep in touch with each other. We had Just climbed over a bashed-ln part of the trench when In our rear a man tripped over a loose signal wire, and let out an oath. As usual, Pete rushed to his help. To reach the fallen man he had to cross this bashed-ln part. A bullet cracked In the air and I duckedx Then a moan from the rear. My heart stood still. ' I went back and Pete was lying on the ground. Hy the aid of my flashlight I saw that he had his hand pressed to his right breast. The fingers were cov ered with blood. I flashed the light on his face and In Its glow a grayish blue color was stealing over his coun I tenance. Pete looked up at me and said: "Well, Yank, they've done me in. I can feel myself going West." His voice was getting fainter and I had to kneel down to get his words. Then he gave me a message to write home to his mother and his sweetheart, and I, like a great big boob, cried like a baby. I was losing my first friend of the trenches. Word was passed to the rear for a stretcher. He died before it arrived. Two of us put the body on the stretcher and carried It to the nearest first-aid post, where the doctor took an official record of Pete's name, num ber, rank and regiment from his iden tity disk, this to be used in the cas ualty lists and notification to his family. We left Pete there, but it broke our hearts to do so. The doctor Informed us that we could bury him the next ' morning. That afternoon five of the boys of our section, myself Included, j went to the little ruined village In the rear and from the deserted gardens of 1 the French chateaux gathered grass and flowers. From these made a j wreath. While the boys were making this 1 wreath, I sat under a shot-scarred j apple tree and carved out the follow ! ing verses on a little wooden shield which we nailed on Pete's cross. True to his Ood; true to Britain, Doing his duty to the last. Just one more name to be written On the Roll of Honor of heroes passed ? Passed to their Ood. enshrined In glory, Entering life of eternal rest, One more chapter In England's story Of her sons doing their best Rest, you soldier, mate go true, Never forgotten by us below; Know that we are thinking of you, Ere to our rest we are bidden to go. Next morning the whole section went over to say good-by to Pete, and laid him away to rest. After each one had a look at the face, of the dead, a corporal of the It. A. M. C. sewed up the remains In a blan ket. Then placing two heavy ropes across the stretcher (to be used In low ering the body Into the grave), we lift ed Pete onto the stretcher, and rev erently coy ed him with a large union jack, the ling he had died for. ^he chaplain led the way, then came the oltiee.s of the section, followed by two of the men carrying a wreath. Im mediately al ter came poor Pete on the r other to his sweetheart. While doing this I cursed the Prussian war god with all my heart, and I think that St. Peter noted same. The machine gunners In the dugout were laughing and joking. To them Pete was unknown. Pretty soon, in the warmth of their merriment, my blues disappeared. One soon forgets on the western front. CHAPTER IX. I Suicide Annex. I was in my first dugout and looked around curiously. Over the door of same was a little sign reading "Sui cide Annex." One of the boys told me that this particular front trench was called "Suicide Ditch." Later on I learned that machine gunners and bombers are known as the "Suicide Club." I That dugout was muddy. The men slept In mud. washed In mud. ate mud. and dreamed mud. I hud never before realized that so much discomfort and misery could be contained in those three little letters, MUD. The floor of the dugout was an Inch deep in water. Outside It was raining cats and dogs, and thin rivulets were trickling down the steps. From the air shaft Immediately above me came a drip, drip, drip. Suicide Annex was a hole eight feet wide, ten feet long and six feet high. It was about twenty feet below the fire trench; at least there were twenty steps lending down to It. These steps were cut lntov the earth, but at that time were muddy and slip pery. A man had to be very careful or else he would "shoot the chutes." The air was foul, and you could cut the smoke from Tommy's fags with a knife. It was cold. The walls and roof were supported with heavy square cut timbers, while the entrance was strengthened with sandbags. Nails had been driven into these timbers. On each nail hung a miscellaneous assort ment of equipment. The lighting ar rangements were superb ? one candle In a reflector made from an ammuni tion tin. My teeth were chattering from the cold, and the drip from the alrshaft did not help matters much. While I was sitting bemoaning my fate and wishing for the fireside at home, the fellow next to me, who was writing a letter, looked up and inno cently asked, "Say, Yank, how do you spell 'conflagration'?" I looked at him in contempt and an swered that I did not know. From the darkness in one of thtTcor ners came a thin, piping voice singing one of the popular trench ditties en titled: up your Troubles in your Old Kit Bag, and Smile, Smile, Smile." Lvery now and then the singer Taking Provisions to the Front. 1 flag-draped stretcher, carried by four soldiers. I was one of the four. Be hind the stretcher. In column of fours, came the remainder of the section. To get to the cemetery, we had t<* pass through the little shell-destroyed village, where troops were hurrying to and fro. As the funeral procession passed these troops came to the "attention" and smartly saluted the dead. I'oor I'ete was receiving the only sa lute a private Is entitled to "some where In France." Now and again a shell from the Ger man lines would go whistling over the village to burst In our artillery lines in the rear. When we reached the cemetery we halted In front of an open grave, and laid the stretcher beside It. Forming a hollow square around the openlrvg of the grave, the chaplain read the burial service. German . machine-gun bullets were "cracking" in the air above us. but Pete didn't mind, and neither did we. When the body was lowered into the grave the flag having been removed, we clicked our heels together and came to the salute. I left before the grave was filled In. I could not bear to see the dirt thrown on the blanket-covered face of my com rade. On the western front there are no coffins, and you are lucky to get a blanket to protect you from the wet and the worms. Several of the sec tion stayed and decorated the grave with white atones. That night. In the light of a lonely candle in the machine gunner's dugout of the front-line trench I wrote two letters. One to Pete's mother, the would stop to cough, cough, cough, but it was a good illustration of Tommy's cheerfulness under such conditions. A machine-Kun officer entered the dugout and gave me a hard lo</K. I sneaked past him, sliding and slipping, and reached my section of the front- i line trench, where I was greeted by the sergeant, who asked me, "Where in 'ave you been?" I made no answer, but sat on the muddy tire step, shivering with the cold and with the rain beating in my face. About half an hour later I teamed up with another fellow and went on guard with my head sticking over the top. At ten o'clock I was relieved and resumed my sitting posi tion on the fire step. The rain sud denly stopped and we all breathed a sigh of relief. We prayed for the morn ing and the rum (To Be Continued.) ONE FINE 1)1 ROC JERSEY SOW and her seven pigs for sale. These pigs are her second farrow. Jos- ; epli G. (Jerner, Wilson's Mills, N. C. Route 1. NOTICE. The undersigned having qualified as Executrix on the estate of Hafton ' Hudson, deceased, hereby notifies all i persons having claims against said estate to present the same to me duly verified on t r before the 26 day of March, 1919 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery; and all persons indebted to so id estate will make immediate payment. I This 23 day of March, 1918. MATTIE E. HOLLEY, Ex. Benson, N. C., Route 2. BUSINESS NOTICES. OUR ARMY AND HOW TO KNOW IT for sale at THE HERALD of fice. Price 25 cents. Jl'ST RECEIVED BIG LOT CAN vas cloth for tobacco beds. Cotter Underwood Company. ALL THOSE MEMBERS OF THE congregation of the Baptist church having copies of the church's song books, "The Gospel Hymns, Nos. 1 to 6", in their homes will please return them to the church. They are needed. T. J. Lassiter, church clerk. FOR J .R. W ATKINS* MEDICINES and toilets go to Selma Supply Co'., Selma, N. C. TWO CARS OF STOVES AND Ranges just received. Cotter Hard ware Company. JUST RECEIVED AT COTTER-UN derwood Company's a car load of Red Rust Proof seed oats. TWO CARS OF STOVES ANl) Ranges just received. Cotter Hard ware Company. I HAVE A NICE JERSEY COW with young calf for sale. John H. Langston, Bentonville, Route 2 N. FOR J. It. W ATKINS* MEDICINES and toilets go to Selma Supply Co., Selma, N. C. TWO CARS OF STOVES AND Ranges just received. Cotter Hard ware Company. THREE HUNDRED TONS BEST grade fertilizers now in warehouse. Cotter-Underwood Co., Smithfield, N. C. IF YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR farm it will pay you to figure with with us. Abell & Gray, Smithfield, N. C. SEE US FOR ASPHALT ROOFING. Cotter Hardware Co. RINGLET BARRED ROCK EGGS, from fancy type. First prize win ners every year. $1.50, $2 and $3 per 15. Hamilton Bros., Smith field, N. C. SEE US FOR ASPHALT ROOFING. Cotter Hardware Co. WE ARE IN THE MARKET FOR several farms, of different sizes. If you want to sell see us. Abell & Gray, Smithfield, N. C. IF YOU NEED A GOOD SEWING machine for your wife buy the New Home. For sale by J. M. Beaty, Smithfield, N. C. SEE US FOR ASPHALT ROOFING. Cotter Hardware Co. WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED A CAR of Muriate of Potash. Come quick if you want any. Cotter-Under wood Company. I HAVE FOR SALE ONE MILCH . .cow. C. W. Willaims, Selma, N. C., R. F. D. No. 1. WE HAVE THE JOHN DEERE Corn Planters. Cotter Hardware Company. WE HAVE THE JOHN DEERE Corn Planters. Cotter Hardware Company. THE SMITH FIELD BUILDING & Loan Association has helped a num ber of people to build homes. It will help others, and maybe you. New series of shares now open. See Mr. J. J. Broadhurst. WE HAVE THE JOHN DEERE Corn Planters. Cotter Hardware Company. SEE US FOR NEW WAY ENGINES. Cotter Hardware Co. WE HAVE ON HAND A FEW GOOD mules and horses for sale. Cotter Underwood Company. WANTED. White men between the ages of six teen and twenty-one to operate ma chines in Tobacco Factory. Good wapes. Come at once. BLACKWELL'S DURHAM BRANCH, Durham, N. C. BUY YOUR ACID AND COTTON seed meal from the Cotter-Under wood Company, Smithfteld. Full supply now cn hand. SAVE THE QUARTERS and SEE THE DOLLARS GROW. BUY WAR-SAVINGS STAMPS! ANOTHER SUPPLY 'TEN NIGHTS in a Barroom" just received. Five cents each. By mail, eight centa. Herald Book Store. PURE BREI) S. C. WHITE LEG horn eggs for sale. $1.50 per setting. Mrs. C. S. Braodhurst, Smithfield, N. C. THE WORLD ALMANAC EOR 1918, cloth bound. A book of 290 pages now. Cotter Hardware Co. WANTED 25 GEESE. WILL FAY highest price for same. Joel John son, Route 1, Smithfield, N. C. DON'T PUT OFF SCREENING house. See us at once. Cotter Hard ware Company. FOR SALE? 5 ROOM COTTAGE, electric lights, good garden, three blocks from Selma Graded School. Bargain for quick purchaser. Reas on for selling, moving away. Apply ,C. W. Stallings, Box 140, Selma, N.C. JUST RECEIVED A LARGE LOT of New Testaments, ranging in price from ten cents to $1.40 each. Herald Book Store, Smithfield, N. C. DONT PUT OFF SCREENING house. See us at once. Cotter Hard ware Company. SEE US F<>R NEW WAY ENGINES. Cotter Harware Co. "THE SALT OF THE EARTH" A novel of life in Germany. For sale at The Herald Office. MEADOWS FLOUR MILLS. BU\ one of these. Produce and make your own flour at home. You will then be independent and can help your neighbor to become likewise. Roberts-Atkinson Co., Inc., Sclma, N. C. IF YOU WISH TO SELL YOUR farm it will pay you to see us. Abell & Gray, Smithfield, N. C. IF YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR farm to the best advantage see us. Abell & Gray, Smithfield, N. C. SEE OUR BIG TYPE TESTAMENT, big enough for very old people to read. Herald Book Store. TWO CAR LOADS BUGGIES JUST unloaded. Cotter-Underwood Com pany, Smithfield, N. C. WANTED. White men betwen the ages of six teen and twenty-one to operate ma chines in Tobacco Factory. Good ages. Come at once. BLACKWELL'S DURHAM BRANCH, IF YOUR HOUSE LEAKS LETS cover it. We have the Shingles and the roofing, also the man. Selma Suppy Company. A NICE LOT OF BIBLES JUST RE ceived. Prices from 35 cents each to $4.00. Herald Book Store. MAKE FARMING A PLEASURE r.nd success with our No. 4 Interna tional Harvester Co's Pivot Axle Riding Cultivator. Can use disc, shovels or sweeps. Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. ? Roberts-Atkinson Co., Selma, N. C. FARM FOR RENT, ONE OR TWO horse, team furnished. Most any terms you want to rent on. Tobacco Cotton and Corn. 1 mile of Micro, on Selrna road. J. F. Batten, Micro, N. C. LET US SCREEN YOUR HOUSE now. Cotter Hardware Co. MERCHANTS WILL NEEI) FLOUR Certificates to be signed by their customers and we have the blanks for sale 100 for 35 cents, 200 for 60 cents or 500 for $1.25. Apply to Beaty and Lassiter, Smithfield, N.C. IF YOU WANT YOUR HOUSE hold goods moved let us know where you are at and where you want to "we've got you." Selma Supply Company. STERLING CORN MILLS MAKES the best meal for least investment. This mill and one of our gasoline engines will do the work. They are not expensive. Get our prices. Rob erts-Atkinson Co., Inc., Selma, N. C. FRESH JERSY COWS FOR SALE. E. F. Boyett, Smithfield, N. C. MRS. A. C. G. MITCHELL Registered Nurse and Masseuse 211 North 4th Street Phone 192 Smithfield, N. C. NOTICE. The undersigned having qualified as Administrator on the estate of L. E. Parker, deceased, hereby notifies all persons having claims against said estate to present the same to me duly verified on or before th<? 21 day of March, 1919 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery; and all persons indebted to said estate will make immediate payment. This 21 day of March, 1918. Q. C. PARKER, Admr. JAMES D. PARKER, Attorney.