t for one purpose, the
undermining of civilian morale. To accomplish that
purpose it set systematically about the establishment
of a reign of terror; and so complete was its success
that half the population of a state was in headlong
flight within two hours. It was, first, mysterious;
secondly, deadly, and within a very few hours it had
built up a reputation for invincibility. Judged on the
basis of its first twelve hours' work alone, it was the
most successful experiment of the war. Its effect on
civilian morale was incalculable." (_Strategic Lessons
of the War of 1941-43._--U. S. War College. Pp. 80-81.)

Two of the members of Observation-Post Fourteen gaped after the
retreating monster. Sergeant Walpole scribbled on the official form.
Just as the monstrous thing dipped down out of sight there was a
vicious, crashing report from its hinder part. Something shrieked....

Sergeant Walpole got up, spitting sand. There was blood on the
report-form in his hand. He folded it painstakingly. Of the two men who
had been with him, one was struggling out of the sand as Sergeant
Walpole had had to do. The other was scattered over a good many square
yards of sandy beach.

"Um. They seen us," said Sergeant Walpole, "an' they got Pete. You'll
have to take this report. I'm goin' after the damn thing."

"What for?" asked the other man blankly.

"To keep it in sight," said Sergeant Walpole. "That's tactics. If
somebody springs somethin' you ain't able to fight, run away but keep it
in sight an' report to the nearest commissioned officer. Remember that.
Now get on. There's monocycles in the village. Get there an' beat that
damn Wabbly thing with the news."

He saw his follower start off, sprinting. That particular soldier, by
the way, was identified by his dog-tag some days later. As nearly as
could be discovered, he had died of gas. But Sergeant Walpole picked up
one of the two rifles, blew sand out of the breech-mechanism, and
started off after the metal monster. He walked in the eight-foot track
of one of its treads. As he went, he continued the cleaning of sand from
the rifle in his hands. The rifle was useless against such a monster,
of course, but it is quaint to reflect that in that automatic rifle,
firing hexynitrate bullets, each equivalent to a six-pounder T.N.T.
shell in destructiveness, Sergeant Walpole carried greater "fire-power"
than Napoleon ever disposed in battle.