INSIDE A TANK

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 24

INSIDE A TANK

DIARY OF A WEEK'S WORK. " GRIMLY HUMOROUS." Tho week's work of a "tank" on tho Western front is told in diary form, in the Manchester Guardian, by a young Australian Soldier who was wounded while serving with one of these new engines of war: Monday. Out for first time. Strange sensation. iWorse than being in a submarine. At first unable to see anything, but imagined a lot. Bullets began to rain like hailstones On a galvanised roof at first, then like a series of hammer blows. We passed through rit all unscathed. Suddenly we gave a terrific lurch. I thought we were booked (through. Look-out said we were astride an enemy trench. "Give them hell" was the order. Wo gavo them it. Our guns j'aked and swept trenches right and left. Got a peep at frightened Huns. It was grimly humorous. They tried to bolt like scared rabbits, but were shot down in bunches before getting to their burrows. Machine guns brought forward. Started vicious rattle on our "hide." Not ■ tho least impression was made. Shells began to burst. We moved on and overtook some more frightened Huns. Out their ranks to xibbons with our fire. They ran like men possessed. Officer tried to rally them. They awaited our coming for a while. As soon as our guns began to spit at them they were off once more. Infantry rounded thorn up. and survivors surrendered. Very curious about us. Stood, open-mouthed anil wide-eyed, watching, but weren't much the wiser. Experience was not altogether pleasant at first. "Tank" sickness is as bad as seasickness until you get used to it. JOLTS AND "STRUMMING." Tuesday. Off for another cruise. Peppering begun At once. Thought old thing was going to be downed in shower of bullets. Thinßs quieted down quickly. Silly blighters thought they could rush the "tank" like they would a fart. Dashed up from all sides. We fired at them point-blank. Devilish plucky chaps some of them for all their madness. The survivors had another try. We spat at them venomously. More of them went down. The blessed old tub gave a sudden jerk. God in heaven, thought I, it's good-bye to earth; but it wasn't. Only some Hun dead and wounded we had skidded into. The rain of bullets resumed. It was like as if hundreds of rivets were being hammered into the hide of the tank. We rushed through. Soon the music had charms, and we got to like the regular rhythm of it. Suddenly a jolt, and our hearts jolted in our mouths in sympathy. Nothing doing in the mishap line. Only some unwonted obstacle. Heavier "strumming" on our keyboard outside, and more regular. Machine guns at it. now. Straddled on as though we liked it. A tremendous thud. Tho whole outfit seemed done for. Nearly jumped out of my skin. Looked at o»ich Other, and wondered what it was. Still a roof over our heads, thank God. Thought we had got on the rocky road to Dublin, but it was. only another Hun trench. Our "spitting devils" opened fire, and swept the trench clear of the enemy right and left. . Some Huns tried tho rushing dodge. Their rushing days are over. ANGRY GERMANS. Wednesday. Early 6tart. Roughest voyage yet. (Waves of fire seemed to break over us.

Tremendous crash. Then another, and Several others at intervals. .Silence for a time. Party of Huns came to meet us outside the village. Very .stout old gentleman in front. Thought it was the Mayor and village big-pots to give us a civic welcome. Mistaken. They meant to give warm reception, but not as we understood the word. Let fly with machine guns. Then tried silly boarding tactics. Wo laughed. Our guns answered theirs. Tank Reception Committee dispersed in a cloud of smoke and flame; no trailing clouds of glory. Fat old gentleman only visible member of deputation. Stood open-mouthed. Purple with rage. Tank bore down. Old gent started to run. Funnier than a sackrace. Old gent flung himself to earth with many signs of surrender. Thursday.

Got into tho village and passed down between two irregular rows of wrecked houses. Hundreds of Huns came rushing up from cellars and from behind ruins to see us. Some had eyes staring out of head. Looked surprised and frightened. One blighter made a rush at us with a clubbed rifle. Made a terrible swipe at the tank. Smashed his rifle, and made a nasty noise on our roof. Hurt himself more than he hurt us. Off for a joy rido after some nice Huns who took to flight as we came up. Friday.

Early afloat. Usual showers of bullets and a few shells on the way. Got right across a trench. Made the sparks fly. Went along parapet routing out Huns everywhere. Enemy terrified. Tried to run, but couldn't keep it up under our fire. Threw up the sponge, and surrendered in batches. One cheeky chap said he didn't think it was fair to fight with such things. Wo said that was our affair, and wo could stand tho racket Germany cared to make over it. Asked one chap if he thought we should have got permission from the Kaiser before using them. Didn't see the joke. Took about 200 prisoners. Killed and wounded as many more. Tired out when through. SMASHING AN ENEMY AMBUSH. Saturday. On the move before breakfast. Terrible crash first go off. Thought we had collided with a wandering world. Weathered tho storm. Got busy on enemy trenches. Rare good sport. Enemy tried a surprise for infantry—Yorkshiremcn—advancing to attack. We tried a surprise, too, and ours came off first. Huns weren't pleased. Didn't think it was playing the game according to Potsdam rules. We waddled into their ambush for the attacking troops. Never saw 7 men so frightened. Fled panicstricken in all directions. Only a few chaps stayed behind and tried to stop us by machine-gun fire. Smashed them to bits. and left their machine guns to be picked up by tho Yorkshiremen they hoped to surprise. Went snorting after the enemy wherever we could find them. Their losses were terrible. Later strong detachments tried to make their way b k supported by big guns.. Lined up across the road, and gave them hot time. Every time they tried to rush through we ripped their ranks to bits. At last they gave it up. Very wise of them. Sunday. Good work of frightening Huns continued. Better clay, better deed. Fritz didn't think that. Blighters opened rifle fire on us at 200 yards. It went like water off a duck's back. Fritz couldn't make it out. Kept up the fire, but got a bit merry as the blessed old thing kept waddling up to him. Ladled out death as you might vamp out indifferent music from a hurdy-gurdy. Fritz got fits. No fight left in him. Some of them acted as though they believed that we used our tanks for making sausages out of prisoners. We had a lot of trouble explaining that once they surrendered they were safe. Finished-an exciting week. Got plenty of fun, but one wants a good rest after a spell with a tank.