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.Nulli Secundus -
'Second to None'
by Terence Cardwell Chapter
Thirty - Open Fire
At three hundred yards the sergeant major roared, ‘Open
fire! Open fire!’
Jack, along with the other soldiers, commenced firing,
moving from target to target as each fell over. His
professional training took control as he loaded and
fired over and over, firing at fifteen rounds per
minute. The very best possible firing rate was thought
to be twelve rounds per minute. His rifle was firing so
rapidly the barrels were getting hot.
‘They’re not people, they’re just targets,’ Jack kept
trying to tell himself. But it did not work, as he could
clearly see the faces of the oncoming soldiers.
He aimed again, and the white face in his sights
suddenly changed to red as the soldier toppled
backwards. He immediately shifted to the next soldier,
who stopped in his step, dropped his rifle and held his
chest as he fell.
The rifles were firing so rapidly that they sounded like
machine guns, an almost continuous string of explosions
running up and down the trenches.
The Germans changed tactic, throwing themselves on the
ground then, at a command, leaping up and rushing
forward en mass. They stopped to fire at their target
and then rushed forward again. But their numbers were
less each time they rushed forward.
‘This is stark bloody murder,’ George said, firing as he
spoke. ‘These poor buggers haven’t got a hope.’
‘As long as they don’t get us, I’m not worried,’ Jim
replied, stilting his words as he fired.
British shells were now exploding among the advancing
German troops, killing and wounding large numbers of
soldiers as they hit, throwing them into the air.
A group of Germans made another rush forward, leaping up
from the ground. They were only a hundred yards from the
allied line, led by two officers waving guns and
encouraging the soldiers forward, taking the lead
themselves. Jack sighted on the first officer, knocking
him over with a bullet to the chest.
‘Got the other bugger,’ said Paddy O’leary, two
Guardsmen up from Jack.
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