Butler High School - Magnet Yearbook (Butler, PA)

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T : SENIOR Of AG N E T 17 He would not permit the officers to send him back to the base hospital. In the course of a few days, he was well and on the firing line again. In May 1916, the Germans launched an attack against the sector of the line Jacques’ regiment was holding. They were taken completely by surprise, and by the end of the day they were captured. “Forward march!” cried the German captain. Jacques and the prisoners had to march back to the prison camp. On the way, a few of the slightly wounded soldiers lagged behind. They were prodded with a bayonet until they would keep up with the others. One of Jacques’ pals dropped with exhaustion and could not go farther. A German soldier came up to him and said, “Peeg of a soldier, get up!” Jacques hurried to his companion’s side, and asked the guard what he meant by insulting a soldier. For an answer he received a crack over the face. Jacques hit him back and knocked him unconscious. While they were fighting a squad of German soldiers came up and saw Jacques hit the soldier. They grabbed him and hand-cuffed his hands. The penalty for his act was that he should receive a cup of water and a dry crust of bread a day until they reached the internment camp. The suffering that the captured soldiers endured on their march to the prison cannot be described. If anyone lagged behind he was goaded to death with a bayonet. Jacques was so worn out when they reached the camp, that when he was taken to his cell, he dropped unconscious. The cell in which Jacques and four other prisoners were kept was about sixteen feet long and twelve feet wide. There was only one window in the room, but it was large enough for a man to crawl through it. Only one guard watched the side of the building. After Jacques regained some of his strength, he began making plans to escape. He knew how often the guard passed the window, how far he patroled, when he was the farthest away from the building, and when he was the drowsiest. It was on a dark and misty night that he perceived it best to escape. He told his companions that he would try to free them as soon as he reached his own army again. He pulled his cap down over his face and after a last fare-well, he crawled through the window. Once outside, he stood erect for a few moments to survey the surroundings. He knew' that the slightest noise meant capture and probably death. The guard appeared when Jacques was standing here and saw him. He came up to him and said, “Who goes there?” There was a low thud and a stifling cry. Jacques had hit the guard over the head with a heavy club He quickly exchanged clothes with him, took his gun, and dragged him into a dark corner. It was dawn when Jacques came to a house. He was almost exhausted for he had been walking all night. He knocked at the door and a woman came. He told her that he was a German soldier and wanted something to eat. At this house there was another German soldier, the woman’s son, who was a captain in the army. From him Jacques learned the weakest and strongest points of the enemy. I pon departing, they gave him a horse to carry him to his regiment, thinking all the while that he was a German. At noon the next day. Jacques was within hearing distance of the firing line. He was beginning to meet squad after squad of soldiers marching to the front. He had to pick his way very cautiosly now for fear of being caught.

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16 7 : 5 E N 10 R €M A G N E T JACQUES, THE LAGGARD Bernard Cohn N a small town called La Quierre, in France, lived a boy whose name was Jacques Pierre. Jacques’ parents died when he was four years old. Mis parents being old, left him nothing but a few francs. Jacques is now fifteen years old and has lived with his uncle in the same province ever since his parents died. Jacques did not like to go to school, nor could he be pursuaded to study his lessons. Often times he received severe whippings from his uncle in order to make him study his lessons, lie was lazy and would not do anything he was told to do. For these reasons he received the name Jacques, the laggard. Six years later there came to the region of La Quierre the news of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife of Austria. The news spread from mouth to mouth like wild-fire, until everybody in France knew about it. On this day, Jacques was plodding homeward after work, when he saw a large crowd standing around the corner. He hurridly ran to this place and was eager to know the cause of the excitement. “Archduke Ferdinand assassinated!’’ “Austria’s mobilizing! Germany is preparing for war!’’ These were some of the exclamations that reached his ears when he came up to the crowd. In a few days Austria declared war on Serbia, and France which bordered on Germany, declared war on Germany. In a tew days, volunteers were called for. Jacques, the laggard was the first to join, in spite of the protests of his uncle and friends. Even the officers in charge of the enlisting station w'ere a bit afraid to let him join for they, knowing how lazy Jacques was. thought that it would be hard on him to obey orders all the time. In a few’ days the troops were marching to the front with Private Jacques Pierre among them. ° . Ta-ra-ta-tat—T a-ra-ta-tat. It was the call of the bugle in the still air of “No man’s land.” “Over the top,” shouted the captain. It was Jacques's regiment that went over the top. I he roar of the guns was deafening. There was a continuous ric-ric of machine guns. W hen the command to go over the top came, Jacques was the first one out of the trench. He ran across to the enemy’s trenches and fought like a demon. In the midst of the fray, Jacques was separated from the rest of the regiment. I he command came for the regiment to retreat to the trenches, on account of the severe losses. W hen Jacques turned around to retreat, he was confronted by five German guardsmen. He gritted his teeth, uttered a short prayer, and started to light them. I le shot the first two, and bayonetted the third. Just then a shell burst nearby and the other Germans were wounded. Jacques received several slight wounds but was able to crawl back to the edge of the trench. Just as he was on the edge of the trench he fell unconscious and was dragged into it bv a comrade.

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18 7 ■ E SENIOR £M AG N I- T Back about a mile from the firing line was a dense woods. It was here that Jacques dismounted for the day. He gave his horse a crack so that it run away and he could hide more safely. He hid in some dense foliage and began making plans to get through the enemy’s line that night. It was well on towards sunset when Jacques heard footsteps coming towards him. He kept as quiet as possible and the soldier passed within a foot of him without touching him. The soldier met another one near where Jacques was hiding. They spoke in German, but he could understand them. “I searched my section and there wasn’t a sign of him,” said one. ”1 didn’t find him, either,” said the second, “but we must go back and report now.” Jacques surmised that they were hunting for him, and thanked God that he had such a place to hide in. ‘Wait until I light a cigarette, said the first. “We sure are going to surprise them beggars next Monday when we attack, ain’t we? “Another plan,” said Jacques to himself, “I must get through the enemy’s lines tonight to warn my company of the attack, or die.” At midnight, Jacques started out on his hazardous trip. He got through the back trenches safely and didn’t encounter any one until he was out on no-man’s land. Here he was spied by the outpost. He thought that he might be able to fake an excuse bv telling the guard that he was on a scouting expedition to the enemy’s land. (He still had on his German uniform) The guard was going to let him pass when he saw the insignia of the enemy’s troops around his neck. He muttered a curse, drew his gun and was about to shoot when a shot rang out in the darkness. The guard dropped dead instantly without a cry. Jacques had shot him first. Immediately there was a confusion on both sides of “no-man’s land. Jacques dropped on his stomach, for in the next instant a star shell burst, lighting the heaven as if it was daylight. Searching parties were sent out to investigate the shot. Luckily, Jacques was fleet enough to cover the distance he had to go in a few seconds. He had little trouble getting through the outpost guard of his regiment. I le was greeted by his companions who asked him all kinds of questions. The next day, he reported the plans of the enemy to the general. As a reward for this gallant service, he was promoted to captain and shifted to the front on which the Americans were now fighting. He learned afterwards that his timely warning saved the army from a great defeat. Jacques was in his dug-out reading a letter from home when a subordinate came to him and said that he was wanted at headquarters. He reported and was told that the section that he was commanding was to attack at daybreak the next day. The general explained to him that this was going to be a joint attack. That is the whole line was going to attack at once. It was one supreme effort to crush the German power. At daybreak the next day the army attacked. Jacques’ section fought bravely, but alas! a shell burst near him and he was killed. In the midst of the fury he died unnoticed. His identification was lost. After the battle, the dead were gathered together and buried. On a little white cross, that stood erect over Jacques’ grave was the inscription: