BIG BUTTLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1918, Page 3

BIG BUTTLE.

A SIDE I'ICTt’HE

FRANCE, It- was only yesterday that Jimmy went up to the guns. Always cheerful and bright, ho was our “Sunshine.” With a snatch of song, one of his quaint remarks or - everlasting quotations, he kept up cheerful when the hour 3 were sad. I came clown to tho wugon lines, took over his bed, and lie wont up. Threo hours later a. telephone message came saying he was wounded. I down to the busy ambulance To see him, and found him just recovering consciousness. He gazed at me dully and without recognition. Bandages covered his body and legs—tlodmade and all for that!

4 “Hullo, Jay I’’ at last. 1 gripped lxis rband. “Where am I ?'* He looked down at the bandages. “I’ve been hit.” I nodded. “Where?” “Legs and back.” His hand crept up to his head, and came down red. “Here’s another.” I looked behind his ear; it was.not much, and liad ben overlooked in the fearful rush, but the blood ran “Yes,” I answered, “your head is bloody, Jimmy.” He twisted his pale lips to a smile. “ ‘But unbowed,’ old top—unbowed.” And he fainted. That’s all: “Our heads aro bloody—but unbowed.” 7 “It matters not how strait the gate. How charged with punishments the )

| scroll, I am master of my fate, X am captain of my soul.” Wo had pushed up into a salient Our guns were far forward, and all ammunition’ must ho carried qn packmules, along the road which ran through the swamp. No other way was practicable, for the ground on cither side was shell ploughed and waterlogged, impassable for man or beast. Upon the stretch of road the enemy fired, neglecting other targets for that one vital artery of communication, k any cost, the ammunition must * be supplied to the 'guns,' so through that hell of bursting shells our men dragged reluctant mules in order that our firing might not cease. It is one thing to go “over the. top” at least seeing the enemy and rushing to grips with him, it is another £o take two terrified mules into a barrage from an unseen foe—to go into what seems certain death without chance of retaliation or reply. What wonder that the column broke; fhat gaps appeared in the train; that animals stampeded and wrenched themselves free! Our “pill-box” was beside the road; between it and the one which sheltered the guns, the Huns barrage crept up and down.v A convoy appeared outside our shelter, halted a moment, and then went on.' The Bochc fire increased in fury; shells fell like hail; mules stampeded, dragged the men along the road, off it, and into the mud. I left the “pill box" to keep up the rear. Opposite me k boy of about eighteen or nineteen V dragged two terrified brutes He turned to me, a scared and sickly grin upon his face: “Pretty warn, isn’t it sir?” / • Bang l A shell burst beneath his near mule’s belly and hurled the pair across the road. The lad and I were thrown into- the mud. He picked himself up and turned to be as I scrambled out of the filthy quagmire: “What shall I do now, sir ?” “Get back to that pill-box. Bun!” He looked back at the pill-box; looked at the convoy already crossing the " crest. “No sir, I’ll go on until we gev there.”

And crnpt<*handed he went. It wag a piece of useless braverythank God he returned safely—but it represents the spirit to-day. We are going on. Though everything he wrested from us, -though we go through hell we are going on.