“KAMERAD!”
The word _Kamerad_ has come to possess a significance not at all
in keeping with its original meaning. On the western front the French
and English have probably solved the problem of what to say and do
when greeted by this well-known form of Boche salutation. Picture to
yourself two trenches filled with soldiers, a barbed wire in front of
each and “No Man’s Land” stretching out endless between the two. French
cannons in the rear are hammering away with remarkable precision,
dropping deadly shells into the German lines, and all machine guns on
the French front-line parapets manned and ready for business. At the
same instant hands go up in the German trenches and soldiers climb
out on top with the shout of “_Kamerad_” on their lips. Their
arms are extended over their heads in token of surrender. They have
no rifles and no side arms, nothing with which to attack and only the
expression of joy upon their faces.
At this moment a battery of machine guns are trained upon them and
ready to wipe out the handful of Germans in less than five seconds, but
not a shot is fired as they advance. Men in the French trenches go so
far as to expose themselves in order to assist the surrendering enemy
on their way to the rear as prisoners of war.
Suddenly, at a distance of twenty feet, the hands of the Germans dive
into their pockets and each man cracks the cap on two hand grenades,
and, at this distance, throws them with deadly accuracy all along the
machine-gun positions in the French trench, killing or wounding all the
occupants and disabling their guns, thus allowing their own infantry to
cross “No Man’s Land” without danger.
Does not an episode of this nature afford us some substance for a
moment’s reflection? Suppose you had been one of the occupants of the
French trench and had escaped injury, and the following week you were
again detailed for duty in the front-line trench. Also, suppose you
were at the trigger of a machine gun when a handful of men climbed out
of a German trench yelling “_Kamerad_.” Now what do you think you
would do? You bet you would.
On a certain night when one could hardly see six feet away, a French
patrol was sent through our wire into “No Man’s Land.” Headquarters
had information to the effect that the German division in the lines
opposite our position had been changed, and the patrol was to learn
just what division had taken its place. To do this it was necessary to
capture a prisoner and search him, for all men carry numerals on their
uniforms as well as certain papers, which, even though they be of a
personal nature, serve to identify them. I might here point out to what
extent such data is of military importance.
French, English and German troops in their three years of war know from
direct contact on different sectors of the front just which regiments
of any army are “shocking” or attacking troops, and which are what we
term “holding troops,”—used merely to defend trenches after they are
captured. If a man is identified as belonging to a division of “shock
troops,” great precaution is taken by the different commands against
what may be considered a certainty. Prepare for an attack—that’s the
rule. If he is merely of a “holding” division, there is not so much to
worry about.
This is what happened that night. The patrol was instructed to capture
a prisoner if possible and bring him in. Just after dark two young
French boys were posted in a shell hole in “No Man’s Land” in front of
the French barbed wire to await events. They felt quite secure of being
observed from the enemy parapet, when star shells were sent up. They
stayed in this position for quite a while.
[Illustration: French Infantry Enroute to the Trenches]
At the expiration of a half hour three figures appeared in front of
them, all walking cautiously. Suddenly they stopped, talked very low
for a few moments, then separated. Two men went one way and the third
in exactly the opposite direction, which was toward the position that
the boys occupied. This man was instantly covered and could have been
shot down had either of the French boys so desired, but he was allowed
to proceed, and, at the proper time, was challenged and commanded to
halt. The German, knowing full well that rifles were trained upon him,
and that he had not the slightest chance to escape, called out clearly:
“_Kamerad, Kamerad._”
He was commanded to throw up his hands and advance, which he did. It
was impossible to note that slung behind his uplifted hand was a Leuger
revolver. On he came until he could discern both figures very clearly,
and, at six spaces, fired pointblank at each.
One was wounded so badly that he died soon after, but the other so
slightly that he was able to get in one good smash with the butt end
of his gun, which laid the Hun low—then dragged him into a French
trench.
The prisoner proved to be a German lieutenant, and, under pressure,
gave out some valuable information. This goes to show that the code of
surrender is violated by German officers, as well as by their men, and,
while the two Frenchmen were instructed not to shoot, but to bring in
a prisoner, no man is expected to take the least chance with an enemy.
No bullets are fired nowadays just to wound an opponent. They are all
fired for one purpose only, that is—to kill.
Another incident which impressed me as being a very sad one happened
during an attack in the Somme, to a young lieutenant attached to the
same division as I. He became noted for his fearlessness and daring. He
was found in the very hottest of everything and always at the head of
his troops in a charge across “No Man’s Land.” Not only did he enjoy
the confidence of his men, but also the confidence of the government,
which, in recognition of his bravery, decorated him with the _Croix
de Guerre_ (French War Cross) and the _Medaille Militaire_
(Military Medal), two of the highest honors that can be conferred upon
a soldier.
One day, after a very brilliant charge, his company captured the Boche
front-line trench, and, as he was jumping down into the trench, he
saw a German officer lying prostrate, his head and face covered with
blood. At this instant a French poilu ran up and was just about to
put the finishing touches on the German when the latter began yelling
“_Kamerad! Kamerad!_” The lieutenant waved the poilu aside as
the man seemed very badly wounded. He then asked the German if there
were any men in a certain dug-out, pointing to one leading off from
the front-line trench. The officer replied “No, but there are some in
that one,” indicating another located down a small communicating trench
toward which the lieutenant forthwith started, revolver in hand. But
he had no sooner turned his back when the Boche officer rolled over
on his side, whipped out a revolver, and shot him through the back,
killing him instantly.
Bravery had brought this French lieutenant the highest honors in the
army, and human consideration for a dying man brought about his own
death.
_Kamerad!_—how I loathe that word in its German significance.
In another attack the French Infantry went forward and captured all
the front-line Boche trenches on a certain sector. The artillery fire
that had been directed against their trenches and the lines behind them
rendered it impossible to deliver rations to their men in the front
line for over two days before the attack.
This situation, coupled with the terrific strain of the intense
artillery fire, had turned them into a pitiful-looking crowd. Finally,
two Frenchmen started to bring the German prisoners back to their own
lines and at this particular point the German trench was very deep
and hard to climb out of. So they foolishly marched them along through
their front-line to a place where they could crawl out more easily.
All along in a front-line are boxes filled with hand grenades with
which to repel attack quickly. The line of march along the trench was
zigzag, making it impossible for the front of the line to be viewed
from the rear or _vice versa_, and, as they turned a corner in
their line of march, a couple of the Boches dug into one of these
grenade stations and killed nine infantrymen before they themselves
could be laid low.
Take another instance, one that occurred during the recent invasion of
Italy. The Austrian command instructed their troops to do everything
in their power to gain the confidence of the Italians, in the hope
of fraternizing with them, and when they had succeeded, the command
secretly pulled out the supposedly friendly Austrian troops and put in
their places German “shock troops,” which fell upon the Italians like
a stroke of lightning, and murdered them without mercy.
The same thing occurred in Russia, and, therefore, I hope that my
countrymen will never make the same mistake. Never take your eye off
the Boches. They are not to be trusted under any circumstances. I know
that this is a very difficult attitude to assume, but chances should
never be taken with men whose officers misuse _Kamerad_, and the
terms of surrender. When I read that Germans are made prisoners I
wonder why.