TALES
FROM A DUGOUT
TALES
FROM A DUGOUT
BY
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Author of "Over the Top," etc.
NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1918
Copyright, 1918, by
The Century Co.
Published, October, 1918
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
TO THE
"Army of the People Who Stay at Home":
the overaged, the women, the physically unfit
and the children. These are the ones to be
pitied, the ones who suffer most, because
their hearts are on the battlefields
of France, although their bodies
must stay at home.
FOREWORD
Picture a dugout in one of the front line trenches of France, dampand evil smelling, hardly deep enough to protect the inmates from athree-inch shell-burst. This hole in the ground will comfortably housefour soldiers. Put seven of them with full equipment and a machine gunin it, and what results? I dare say in civilian life there would beonly one outcome—TROUBLE. Well, in the army on the Western Front, thissituation spells GOOD FELLOWSHIP.
If it were only possible for a giant dictograph to be invented, thetransmitter being placed in any dugout of the American Army in France,while at the receiver, across the Atlantic, the American Public"listened in," many a heartache would disappear, worry for the "boysat the front" would more or less vanish in mist. If the mothers,fathers, wives, sweethearts, sisters and friends, could only hear theseconversations, their hearts would be filled with joy and pride for thefighting men of America. Of course, at times, few and far between,they would be slightly shocked, as most eavesdroppers are, but on thewhole, they would listen to wonderful sentiment, clean and wholesomeAmericanism.
It has been my misfortune not to have occupied an American dugout asyet, but I have crowded into one with the Britisher, with good oldTommy Atkins. We are of the same family, the same blood runs throughour veins, so Tommy's ideas and conversations are identical with thoseof our brave American boys. Therefore, I hope that in a way these Talesfrom a Dugout will help fill the void of the absent dictograph.
It is only a matter of time before our boys and our Allies, God blessthem all, will victoriously return to "Blighty," and be received in thearms of their waiting dear ones.
PREAMBLE
There were seven of them composing the crew of Gun No. 2, of the ——thBrigade Machine Gun Company. Their gun was the Vickers, light, .303,watercooled.
They were nicknamed as follows:
Curly, a Scotchman. Dubbed Curly on account of a cute little Delia Foxcurl. He gave more attention to this curl than to his rifle. Many girlswrote to him, and he wrote to many girls.
Happy, a Londoner. He earned his title from his happy disposition. Hehelped Curly with his correspondence.
Hungry. His nickname needs no explanation. He was. Once Mr. Hooverdined with him, hence his food conservation idea. Hungry hailed fromLondon.
Ikey. He was. Came from the East Side, London. Brave as a lion, and toour discomfort, musically inclined.
Dick. Irish, from Dublin. Always ready. Greatly admired the Kaiserbecause he started such a glorious scrap.
Sailor Bill. A Welshman. He had had a "cruise" in the Navy, and wantedeverybody to know it. They did. He was detailed with the gun's crew tocarry "ammo" (ammunition).