The Boy Allies on the Firing Line; Or, Twelve Days Battle Along the MarneHayes, Clair W. (Clair Wallace)
History
The Boy Allies on the Firing Line; Or, Twelve Days Battle Along the Marne
Hayes, Clair W. (Clair Wallace)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
From his stooping position Chester seized the German officer by the
knees before he could recover his balance and aim another thrust at
him, and, with a quick heave, sent the officer spinning over his head.
The German hit the ground with a thud, and as he was about to pick
himself up an English trooper ended his fighting days with a thrust of
his bayonet.
Chester seized the officer's sword and sprang forward into the thick
of the conflict again. Side by side, Hal and Chester advanced with the
victorious British troops, striking, cutting and slashing their way
through the dense bodies of the enemy.
Suddenly Chester fell to the ground beneath the feet of the struggling
men. A descending rifle butt had struck him a glancing blow on the
head. Hal, engaged at that moment with another German officer, saw his
friend's plight, and jumped back.
With his sword he swept aside a German bayonet which at that instant
would have been buried in Chester's prostrate form, but as he did so a
heavy blow fell upon the lad's head and he was sent to his knees.
Above him, with poised bayonet, stood a German soldier.
Death stared him in the face and the boy realized it. It was
impossible for him to regain his feet in time to ward off the thrust.
Quickly he threw himself to one side, and as he did so the German
toppled on top of him, lifeless.
Hal scrambled to his feet and saw that the man who had thus saved his
life was none other than Lieutenant Harry Anderson.
"Just in time," said Hal briefly, and turned to where Chester was now
struggling to his feet; and as the battle raged fiercely about them,
unmindful of his own danger, he gave his entire attention to his
friend.
Chester, shaking his head several times, announced that he was not
seriously hurt, and with Lieutenant Anderson by their side they again
plunged into the conflict.
But now the German retreat became more rapid. The enemy was unable to
stand under the fierce charge of the British and they were giving way
on all sides. The British pursued the foe rapidly and hundreds upon
hundreds of the enemy were cut down in their flight.
Unable to keep back the English and retreat orderly, the Germans broke
and fled. The retreat had become a rout. For some distance the British
pursued them, and then a halt was called.
The losses of the British troops had been extremely heavy, but not so
great as that of the enemy, who had suffered tremendously.
Now a thunderous roar broke out. The British artillery, unable to be
used while the hand to hand fighting was in progress, was in action
again, shelling the fleeing Germans.
The dead strewed the battlefield, and as Hal, Chester and Lieutenant
Anderson made their way toward the rear, they were forced to climb
over the dead and wounded, many with shattered limbs and maimed for
life. But the Red Cross was at work, and the wounded were being cared
for with the greatest possible haste and gentleness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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