WHEN THE LINE WAS CUT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 7

WHEN THE LINE WAS CUT

THE BATTERY SIGNALLER'S "LITTLE GO,'' At tho height of a small engagement the signaller found himself alone with his section officer in the forward observing station. The battery was in action, doing its level best to support the infantry as they struggled towards the opposing trenches. The observation post itself was unmolested, but tho ground behind it was the site of a determined hostile .barrage. All at once the signaller looked up from his instrn. ment. "Lino's cut, sir," he said laconically. Tho officer thought with the speed of lightning. The line must obviously be repaired instantly. Until this were done the battery was out of action; the infantry would be left without the suppoit that they so sorely needed. His own duty was at his post, he must not leave it, oscept as a last resort; but it was a terrible job to order anybody else to undertake. The fire behind them was growing rapidly in intensity. The signaller saved him tho troublo of speech. "I shan't be long, sir," he said, and was gone. To the officer tho next few minutes seemed liko so many hours. He called insistently into the receiver,, but, no reply greeted him. He had made •tin his mind that tho man must be killed, or at least badly wounded, when, suddenly in answer to his call, a voice replied in his ear, and communication was established once more. But what of tjio signaller? A few seconds later the oflicer heard a step, and turned to see the man standing before him, his clothes torn and mud-spattcr6d, but himself uninjured, though obviously in a state of suppressed fury. "What's tho matter? Are you hit? aslced the officer between his orders. "No, sir, I'm not hit," was the reply. "I'm all right, but I've lost my blinking pliers, and they wero the only pair in the battery that fitted this ensued telephone!"— Major C. J. C. Skcct, iu War Office Publications,