Continued:

"I was helping to dig a communicating trench from our line to Fritz's. I dropped my shovel and ran and notified an officer and then the N. C. O.'s in No. 3 section. Our section was hurriedly got together. I grabbed a box of twelve bombs and beat it over the open ground. You would scarcely believe it, but it was an act of Providence, me getting as far as I did, because it was already bright daylight (6:30) and the hail of lead was terrible.

Several times I said to myself, 'I will never get back for a second trip.' I was running double when I came to a shell hole. I jumped in for a second and looked back for the other fellows, but I was all alone. I beat it on again. I had taken only a couple of steps when one bullet went through my steel helmet. It dazed me but there was no scratch. A second after I felt a burning sensation in my shoulder and the power left my arm. I had just about reached the trench, but it was useless for me to go in there wounded, so I left the box within reach and beat it back, waiting for a pink in the back any time..."