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[Page 144]
and then the word advance was passed along, and we started to advance, and the woods on the top of the rise broke out in a perfect rattle of machine guns. The flash of his whizzbang batteries could be seen just through the trees not 500 yds away. Two huns were raceing back at the double and I started firing at them, but it was waste of ammunition, so I fired a few into the woods. The rest of the company were getting down, our no 1 was already lying down firing short bursts into the woods, so I thought its time for me too. I rubbed the dirt off the butt of the rifle and stepped sideways to lie down near No 1 so that he could have a magazine for the gun if he wanted one. As I was just stooping to get down along side him, I felt a blow on the face as if struck by an axe, and was thrown back in the opposite direction flat on the ground. I heard a sharp rip like calico, and a white mist flew before my eyes. I had no doubts as to what it was; for a few seconds before I could hear them whit whitting around, and see the dust flicked up here and there. No 1 said, Lou's hit and I tried to get up; don't get up yet, he shouted, they're still spraying. So I waited for a few seconds for a lull and then I struggle back into the trench we had left. I put my hand to my face to feel the wound and could feel the broken jawbone on the left side, and a great rush of blood came out onto my hand, my first thought was the jugular artery is cut, five minutes to live, shall I lie down or stand up. And I saw a little wooden cross before my eyes with my name and number on it, and I remember the dead fritz along the road I should be as they soon. Those words from Omar ring terribly true -: When the heavens shall be confounded and the grave give up its dead And the stars in space shall vanish and the bright sun overhead shall decline to attend [indecipherable] I will touch thy robe and say Lord the life was sweet thou gavest why so soon dids't take.