True Stories of the Great War, Volume 1 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
History
True Stories of the Great War, Volume 1 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
But even if they had been willing to welcome them with open arms
they could not have helped them, as the mountaineers of Albania live
themselves all their lives on the ragged edge of starvation. The
catastrophe, therefore, was beyond human aid, and Serbia had to drink
the cup of bitterness to the dregs and witness the foundering of all
that was left of her manhood and national wealth. It was the death
agony of one of the bravest nations in Europe, of a people who had for
five long years fought four victorious wars for its national existence,
and at last succumbed to a combination of forces three times stronger
than itself.
TALES OF THE TANKS--WITH THE ARMORED MONSTERS IN BATTLE
_Adventures as Romantic as Mediaeval Legends_
_Told by the Men in the Tanks_
Here are four tales as strange as "Arabian Nights" direct from the
great battles of the Somme. It was on these battlegrounds that
armored monsters plunged into the enemies' ranks, spitting flame
and death, and creating consternation among the German soldiers.
These armored tractors are an American invention. While the huge
death-machines were constructed in England, they were built on
plans from the United States. It was for divulging secrets about
these tractors that Mlle. Mata Hari, the Dutch-Javanese dancer, was
arrested in Paris as a spy and sentenced to execution.
I--STORY OF A YOUNG AUSTRALIAN IN A TANK ON THE BATTLEFIELD
Monday.--Out for first time. Strange sensation. Worse than being in a
submarine. At first unable to see anything but imagined a lot. Bullets
began to rain like hailstones on a galvanized roof at first, then like
a series of hammer blows. We passed through it all unscathed.
Suddenly we gave a terrible lurch. I thought we were booked through.
Lookout said we were astride an enemy trench. "Give them hell!" was the
order. We gave them it. Our guns raked 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 the least impression was made. Shells began to
burst. We moved on and overtook some more frightened Huns. Cut their
ranks to ribbons 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 them up and survivors surrendered.
Very curious about us. Stood open mouthed and wide eyed watching, but
weren't much the wiser.
Experience was not altogether pleasant at first. Tank sickness is as
bad as sea sickness until you get used to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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