MODERN MANNA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume L, Issue 2649, 24 November 1919, Page 7

MODERN MANNA.

OF THREE MEN WHO WERE FED

FROM THE SKIES

"And to think them silly suffragettes used to do this for fun !"

"H'm ! It don't half give yer an appetite, anyway !" The speakers were my two companions in a shellhole ; their subject of conversation an "aching void" in the region of our steadily shortening belts. For the hundredth time we had finished turning out our packets and scouring our haversacks in the hope of finding just one more piece of biscuit lurking. And once again had been produced the same monotonous collection of clasp-knives, string, bits of candle, and an aeroplaneflare or two. Slowly the real situation began to dawn upon us—unless we succeeded in getting out that night or in finding some food we were* doomed to starvation.

Peering ever so cautiously over the edge of our crater, we were able at times to locate bodies of fallen comrades, and after dark had managed to' elude the snipers and salvage a tin of bully. Few, however, of our men had been able to come so far forward, and we felt anything were better than blundering, .while on a ration search, into a German outpost, of which there were plenty, though we didn't know their position.

It was, then, just a case of hanging on till the boys came on again. Towards evening an aeroplane came over.

"Got half a mind to risk a flare !" said Jono, who was of the party.

"Make an awful smoke !" we demurred, with visions of showers of bombs dropping in our crater. "Let's try half one !" And we agreed.

The powder was put ready, and everybody crouched, waiting.

"Here she comes !" And she did come, swooping down almost on our heads, her machinegun rattling away all the time, so close that for the moment we were deafened by the crack of the bullets leaving the gun. Not leaving for us, though. The bullets were to keep Fritz' snipers' heads low, so that they couldn't see the 'plane drop a sandbag a dozen yards away from us.

We got it after dark—bully, biscuits, chocolate, and cigarettes. Never shall I forget that feast ! "Guess them people in the Bible didn't get their manna from an aeroplane !"

"No. An' I guess it didn't taste so good as this bully !" agreed Jono. I hope that one day I may meet the good fellow who dropped us our manna.