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diff --git a/19814-h/19814-h.htm b/19814-h/19814-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6556758 --- /dev/null +++ b/19814-h/19814-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4297 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Three years in France with the Guns, by C. A. Rose</title> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +div.fig { display:block; + margin:0 auto; + text-align:center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em;} + +p.caption {font-weight: bold; + text-align: center; } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Three years in France with the Guns, by C. A. Rose</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Three years in France with the Guns<br /> + Being Episodes in the life of a Field Battery</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: C. A. Rose</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: November 14, 2006 [eBook #19814]<br /> +[Most recently updated: October 18, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Geetu Melwani, Christine P. Travers, Sigal Alon and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN FRANCE WITH THE GUNS ***</div> + +<div class="fig" style="width:55%;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" style="width:100%;" alt="[Illustration]" /> +</div> + +<h1>Three years in France with the Guns</h1> + +<h3>BEING<br /> +EPISODES IN THE LIFE OF A FIELD<br /> +BATTERY.</h3> + +<div class="fig" style="width:100%;"> +<img src="images/img001.jpg" width="100" height="103" alt="[Illustration]" /> +</div> + +<h2>BY C.A. ROSE, M.C.,<br /> +LATE OF THE<br /> +ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.</h2> + +<h5> Printed By<br /> +The Allen Lithographic Co., Ltd.,<br /> +Kirkcaldy</h5> + +<hr /> + +<p> +[Transcriber’s note: Obvious printer’s errors have been +corrected.<br /> +The original spelling has been retained.<br /> +—The caption of the illustrations were unclear.<br /> +—Page 50: “serious of raids” has been replaced by +“series of raids”<br /> +—Page 76: “must against” has been replaced by “much +against”] +</p> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto"> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap00">INTRODUCTION</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">I. Breaking Us In</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">II. Our First Battle</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">III. “Peace Warfare.”</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">IV. In “The Salient.”</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">V. On the Somme</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">VI. Messines</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">VII. Ypres Again</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">VIII. Cambrai</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">IX. At Arras</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">X. March the 21st</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">XI. The Turn of the Tide</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">XII. Through the Hindenburg Line</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap00"></a>INTRODUCTION</h2> + +<p> +These brief notes of experiences with the guns for thirty-eight months in +France were primarily penned for my own satisfaction. Friends who read the +manuscript expressed much interest in it, and added the hope that it might be +given a more permanent form. Hence it is that it is now printed for private +circulation. +</p> + +<p> +The story is a simple record of the fortunes of my own Battery and Brigade, and +is intended as a tribute to the good comradeship which existed, under all +conditions, among all ranks. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +C.A.R. +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +Edinburgh,<br /> +<i>January</i>, 1919. +</p> + +<div class="fig" style="width:100%;"> +<img src="images/img002.jpg" width="600" height="384" +alt="The “Grey Battery” at St. Omer, May 1917" /> +<p class="caption">The “Grey Battery” at St. Omer, May 1917</p> +</div> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>CHAPTER I.<br /> +Breaking Us In</h2> + +<p> +On a morning early in August, 1915, the Brigade disembarked at Havre without +mishap to man, horse, or material, and proceeded to a Rest Camp on the +outskirts of the town. We were in France at last! The same evening the +Batteries started to entrain, and every two hours a complete unit was +despatched up the line—to an unknown destination. The men received +refreshments at various Haltes, and the horses were duly watered and fed, but +the journey was, on the whole, long and tedious. On one occasion only was the +monotony broken, and that unwittingly, by the humour of one of the officers. In +the course of the evening, the train stopped at a small station, and the +compartment in which the officers were settled drew up in front of the Buffet. +Some one asked where we were, and a subaltern, anxious to display his +newly-acquired knowledge of French, replied, “Bouvette,” which +called forth no response. Shortly afterwards the train proceeded on its way, +and the occupants of the carriage settled themselves down to sleep. All passed +quietly for the next couple of hours—then the train stopped once more, +and, as luck would have it, again our carriage came to a standstill directly +opposite the buffet of the station. At once a question was asked as to our +whereabouts. The same subaltern, shaking himself out of a deep slumber, +stretched, roused himself, and, peering out of the window, exclaimed, +“Good Lor’, still at this beastly hole, +‘Bouvette’!” He expressed much surprise at the +“unseemly mirth,” as he described it, which followed!! +</p> + +<p> +After detraining, the Battery marched through beautiful country, which reminded +one of the Borders, as it was not unlike the valley of the Tweed, and we were +at once taken to the hearts of the inhabitants of the good village of +Seningham, which place was destined to be our home for the next few days. The +officers were afforded spacious accommodation in the house of the Maire, whilst +the men had comfortable billets in the neighbourhood. Time was spent making our +unit shipshape after its travels by land and sea, and the “hairies” +obtained as much grazing as possible, to make them fit for what was in store +for them. It was wonderful how quickly the men adapted themselves to French +ways, and much amusement was caused by their eager, if somewhat unsuccessful, +attempts to master the language of our Allies. +</p> + +<p> +When it became known that the officers were anxious to increase their knowledge +of the language of the country, the maidens of the village vied with one +another to obtain posts as instructresses, and there was nearly a free fight +amongst them for the possession of our worthy Senior Subaltern, whose taking +ways did not fail to catch their attention! +</p> + +<p> +But, alas! our peaceful warfare was not to be for long! One morning sudden +orders came through to prepare for the line in a couple of days’ time. +All was instant bustle, extra grooming was given to the horses, and finishing +touches were put to the howitzers and vehicles. We were to be given a trial in +action to show how we would comport ourselves before joining the +“Feet” of our own Division, the Guards, who at that time were out +at rest. For this purpose we were to be placed under the orders of the C.R.A. +of an Indian Division, to reinforce the Batteries already in positions and +receive instruction from them. +</p> + +<p> +At last the morning arrived to move off, the column, skirting the town of St. +Omer, took the main road to Hazebrouck, and, as we passed through the village +of Arques, we caught a first glimpse of our future infantry. They appeared +equally keen on seeing their new artillery, and inspected us with a critical +eye. The march was made in easy stages, and on the morning of the third day the +Brigade arrived at Merville, a quaint old town in Flemish Flanders. After a +hasty lunch, the officers rode ahead, in order to get into touch with the unit +we were to support in the line, and another amusing incident happened <i>en +route</i>. One of the Junior Officers owned a sturdy mare, whose reputation as +a charger was apt to be ridiculed by his companions, as she was notorious for +her slow gait. When the party had proceeded some distance at the trot, +“Halting Hilda” was observed, to the astonishment of everyone, to +be gradually taking the lead. This fact called forth the remark from her +master, “By Jove, she is pulling extraordinarily hard to day: what can be +the matter with the animal?” It was then discovered that the rider had +been at her mercy for the last couple of miles, the bit clanking merrily from +side to side under her great jaw. In the hurry and excitement of departure, +after lunch! the bit had not been replaced in her mouth! +</p> + +<p> +The afternoon was spent in reconnoitering the gun positions allotted to us, +which were the alternative positions of the units already in line. As a rule, +each battery makes a second or alternative gun position, in case it should be +shelled out of its existing one, so that no delay takes place in getting into +action again. When night fell there was subdued excitement in the wagon line as +the time drew near to take the guns “in.” This was actually the +beginning of our first venture—would we have the luck to get there +without being caught in the enemy’s harassing fire? How would we behave +under shell-fire: would we be steady or otherwise? All these and many other +questions flashed through our minds, for a great deal depends, more than one +would believe, on how a new and inexperienced unit receives its baptism of +fire. +</p> + +<p> +At length a start was made, and the Battery moved off, and soon turned down the +long, straight main road leading to La Bassée, the trees on either side showing +signs of shrapnel scars, and even in the darkness it could be seen that the +cottages were, for the most part, in ruins. It felt distinctly eerie as the +small column proceeded silently on its way without showing lights of any +description; the stillness and darkness broken now and again by the barking of +a gun as we drew nearer the battery zone, and by an occasional Verey Light, +which seemed to reveal us in all our nakedness. That long stretch of road +seemed interminable—were we never going to reach our destination? +However, all remained quiet throughout our progress, and at last we arrived at +the entrance to the gun position, which was to be our home for the next +fortnight. The guns were speedily unlimbered and man-handled into the pits +awaiting their reception, the ammunition was unloaded from the vehicles, and +the teams were returned to the wagon line. +</p> + +<p> +The following morning the pieces were “layed out” on our particular +zone, and we had time to look round and take stock of our new abode, which was +a farmhouse standing in the centre of an orchard adjoining the main road. The +building itself was by no means intact, although, as yet, habitable. It gave us +enough shelter of a kind, and we soon adjusted ourselves to the prevailing +conditions, and the outhouses surrounding it afforded ample accommodation for +the detachments. The gun pits were cunningly concealed in the front portion of +the orchard, special care having been taken against the prying eyes of hostile +aeroplanes. We were fortunate in the choice of position made for our first time +in the line, for two reasons, firstly, it was an interesting +zone—including the village of Neuve Chapelle now immediately behind our +front line—and, secondly, it was quiet. The country there is extremely +flat, with the exception of Aubers Ridge, which, occupied by the enemy, +overlooked us to a certain extent, although the many trees and woods prevented +his having an uninterrupted view. Our tuition began at once, and we were +conducted to the front line through innumerable communication trenches, which, +at first, reminded one of a maze at an exhibition, the only difference being +that numerous notice-boards directed our movements. +</p> + +<p> +There we were welcomed, with smiling faces, by men of a Ghurka battalion, their +white teeth and flashing eyes showing up their brown skins. Now and then they +would stop sharpening their deadly-looking kukris, their dearest possession, to +allow us to pass along the trench. Nothing delighted these brave little men +more than to be permitted to go on a silent raid at night, when they wormed +themselves through the wire in “No Man’s Land,” and did as +much damage on the other side as possible. They have been known to enter the +enemy trenches without a sound, killing everyone within reach, and to return +radiant, quite unscathed. When questioned as to why they had not brought in any +prisoners for identification purposes, they would merely roll their eyes, shrug +their shoulders, and say, “Enemy all quiet, he asleep,” and calmly +remove the still warm gore from their knives! Continuing on our way, we next +struck a Highland regiment, the necessary complement of the one of stout little +men just left behind. It was most interesting, as one had heard so much about +the traditional good comradeship existing, in India, between Ghurka and +Highlander, and here they were still side by side in France. Their mutual +admiration is boundless and unconcealed, and it was most amusing to watch the +little men aping the ways of the big Highlanders, who look huge in comparison +with them. The Ghurka regiments have their own pipe bands, and play them as if +they, too, had been born and bred in the mountains and glens of Scotland. +</p> + +<p> +Soon we came to a fire bay, specially well placed to obtain a good view of the +enemy trenches, which had been converted into what is known as an O.P., +<i>i.e.</i>, an artillery observation post. These O.P.’s are manned +during daylight by the F.O.O. (Forward Observation Officer) and his signaller +assistants. Their job is to keep a close watch on hostile trenches, watching +for any unusual movement or for the appearance of new constructive works, such +as machine gun emplacements or new saps. The O.P. has numerous wires leading +into it, and these come from all the batteries in immediate support of that +part of the line, which are jointly responsible for its defence. Our own +signallers had been out early, and a wire had already been carefully laid and +labelled from our gun position to the O.P., so we were now ready to register +our howitzers on some definite object behind the enemy lines. A house, or some +such landmark which is shewn on our trench maps, is usually chosen to calibrate +upon. There is little trouble in effecting this, but, at first, there is some +difficulty in following the rounds as they fall, through a periscope, owing to +its small field of vision. It was, however, imperative to make use of that +instrument, in this case, as an enemy sniper, watchful and on the alert, had +already seen the top of it, and from time to time a bullet passed overhead +unpleasantly close. This served to remind us to be discreet and to run no risks +by exposing ourselves in the slightest degree above the parapet. Sometimes it +is very difficult to restrain one’s enthusiasm when there is an +interesting shoot taking place. +</p> + +<p> +The pieces being duly registered, the Battery is now ready for any emergency, +and theoretically we can engage any target in our arc of fire. It is then +essential to learn the country in hostile territory, and one looks out for +likely targets and for points at which one can inconvenience the enemy by +keeping him under constant harassing fire. This work must necessarily be done +from a point of vantage where a good wide view can be obtained, and, in most +cases, a house, tree, or high piece of ground well behind the lines, is +selected for a Rear O.P. +</p> + +<p> +In an incredibly short space of time every officer learns the country off by +heart, and can bring any gun to bear on a particular target at short notice. At +first Junior Officers are allowed practice shoots on targets well behind the +enemy lines, and as they gain confidence and experience, are entrusted with +“close shoots,” <i>i.e.</i>, firing on hostile emplacements, etc., +in the front line, a job which requires extreme caution and accuracy, as +“No Man’s Land” averages not more than 200 yards in width in +most places. Batteries can always communicate with Battalion Headquarters in +the line, a wire, usually buried, leading from there to our Brigade +Headquarters, and each Battery has its own private wire to the latter place. In +the same way one can be linked up with nearly every unit in a Division by means +of an Exchange run by the Royal Engineers. +</p> + +<p> +A few days sufficed us to make ourselves quite at home, and officers went +freely about “seeking whom they might devour,” visited old +established O.P.’s, and searched for new or better ones. It is a curious +fact that the average subaltern is never fully satisfied with an O.P., and is +always bent on discovering “something better,” although in few +cases is his ambition realised! One officer favours this O.P., another that, +and on this occasion the one which our worthy Battery Commander had a +preference for was a most unpleasant place, commonly known as “The +Doll’s House,” though why so called no one could tell. At any rate, +it was an abode to be avoided on all possible occasions, and the subalterns +were quite convinced it was the registering place of all the hostile batteries +within range and vision. At any rate, we daily found less and less of the +building, until one day the staircase was blown away as well as the perch on +top which afforded us our view. Great was the relief when the B.C. at last +declared the O.P. “out of action” until further notice. +</p> + +<p> +Nearly every O.P. has an appropriate name given to it, and so we repaired to +“Stink Farm” after abandoning our old love! We put in most useful +days of practice there, and the knowledge and experience gained was invaluable. +Our thanks were due to the enemy for his consideration in allowing us to +conduct our daily tasks almost unmolested: he showed himself to be most +lethargic and sleepy, and did not waken up unless we were unusually energetic. +Perhaps his chief reason for remaining so inactive was the absence of any heavy +guns on our side. Our largest piece was a 60 pdr., and he may have thought mere +Field Artillery beneath his consideration. Nor was he more active in the air; +his planes rarely passed over our lines, and when they did, it was at so great +a height that it was quite impossible for them to gather information. However, +one day, we were extremely fortunate in seeing a hostile plane, that had +ventured to cross over our lines at a lower altitude, brought down in flames by +a direct hit from an “Archie” battery lying in wait close behind +our own position. It is a rare sight, for, to tell the truth, anti-aircraft +batteries are not held in particularly high respect by anyone except by those +of their own ilk, and on only two other occasions did we ever see the like +again. +</p> + +<p> +Our fortnight soon sped by, and we were quite reluctant when the time came to +go “out.” We left our neighbours, who had befriended us so well, +with the sincere hope that we would have the good fortune to meet and lie +alongside of them again in the future. This hope, however, was not destined to +be fulfilled. We retraced our steps through Merville and Aire to the same area +from whence we came, to a village called Nielles, in order to concentrate as a +Division, which, when formed, was designated the Guards Division. +</p> + +<p> +The inhabitants, as usual, extended a warm welcome to us and showed us every +consideration, and we settled down to enjoy the peaceful surroundings bathed in +the warm and pleasant September sunshine, while the Senior Subaltern availed +himself of the opportunity of again laying siege to the hearts of his former +conquests at Seningham close by. Our own C.R.A. came to visit us here, and the +officers were severally introduced to him. He expressed satisfaction at the +report which came to him from the line, concerning our conduct in action, and +added that the high opinion formed of us at home had in no wise been +diminished, and that our reputation merited the distinction conferred on us of +being selected as the Artillery of the Guards from among the many units of the +new Army. +</p> + +<p> +Thus we waited, confident in the belief that, whatever we were in the future +called upon to do, we would at least put up a good show, and determined to be a +credit to the Division of which we now formed a part. We had not long to wait, +whispers passed round that we would be up and doing at no distant date, and +these rumours proved to be well founded. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>CHAPTER II.<br /> +Our First Battle.</h2> + +<p> +Our marching orders came within the next few days. Each unit was provided with +portable bridges, which were carried under the wagon bodies, and this, and +several other preparations, gave us a good indication that we were out for +business. A couple of days trekking brought us to the village of Nedonchel, +which proved to be another place of happy memory to our Senior Subaltern. Here +we were given a rough idea of the part we were to play in the coming +proceedings. Two army corps were to attack, on a six mile front, in the +neighbourhood of Loos and, if the assault was successful, the corps in reserve, +which included our Division, was to go through and exploit the victory to its +fullest advantage. We were to take no part in the initial attack. +</p> + +<p> +Large masses of troops were being moved up behind the battle area, and, in +order to screen our movements from hostile aircraft, the latter stages of the +journey were to be made under cover of darkness, so the whole of the next day +was spent in resting. At nightfall a diversion was caused by a Cavalry Division +passing through the village on its way up, and a splendid sight it presented, +as one famous regiment followed swiftly on another. It was now almost time for +us to make a start, and the good lady of the house had remained out of bed to +brew us hot coffee and see us off the premises. As we were about to depart she +told us that her old mother, aged 88, who was in the next room, had expressed +the desire to see us for a moment, and so we were conducted to the old +lady’s bedside. She was lying telling her beads, but sat up as we +approached and beckoned to each officer in turn, who advanced, knelt, and +received a blessing. The inhabitants knew well that a big battle was to be +fought quite soon, as the little village had been the scene of great activity +during the past few days and, although it was a considerable distance from the +line, the preliminary bombardment could be distinctly heard. The low muffled +rumble was incessant, and, to-night, seemed, if anything, more intense. Shortly +after midnight we set off and disappeared into the darkness, followed by words +of good cheer from the villagers and shouts of “Bon chance, messieurs, +bon chance.” +</p> + +<p> +Passing through Bruay we arrived a few miles behind the battle front on the +morning of the assault, which was delivered at an early hour, and soon the news +came back that, so far, everything was going well; the village of Loos had +already fallen into our hands. As the day wore on, however, and the expected +orders to advance were not forthcoming, we suspected that all was not as it +should be and our fears were confirmed soon afterwards by instructions being +given to prepare to bivouac overnight on the ground close by. What actually +happened was this:—The initial attack was successful in capturing and +overrunning the enemy’s front line trenches over the whole area, but, on +advancing to the second trench system a great deal of wire was found to have +been left unbroken or untouched by our artillery, and this held the infantry up +at vital places. The attack, however, was pressed with great courage and +determination, and in some places the flood of men swept on, but, +unfortunately, in others, little or no progress was made. The line, +consequently, soon presented a crooked, irregular shape, which made the +situation difficult and obscure. The enemy, moreover, had anticipated the +attack and had large reinforcements at hand which were at once thrown in, and +after a ding-dong struggle throughout the day the advance came to an abrupt +standstill. Two Divisions from the Reserve Corps were then sent in, and, on the +following afternoon, the Guards attacked and helped to a large extent in +straightening out a considerable portion of the line. It was not until +nightfall of the third day that we entered the battle and took up a position +immediately north of Vermelles Station in the back garden of a row of damaged +villas. On our way “in,” a couple of cavalry regiments, which had +been holding Loos for the last two days and which had just been relieved, +passed us. There passed also the remnant of one of the Scottish Divisions which +had fought so valiantly and paid so heavy a price. Footsore, weary, and caked +with mud from top to toe, with every sign of what they had been through upon +them, and heavily laden with “souvenirs” in addition to their full +kit, the men could scarcely crawl along. However, just as one battalion came +abreast of us, in such condition, the pipes tuned up and at once every head was +erect and not a man was out of step as they swung past us; such is the moral +force of the bagpipes. It was one of those moments in which a lump rises in the +throat and a thrill runs down the spine. +</p> + +<p> +In our new position we speedily learnt what we could do and what we could not +do. For instance, the signallers were able to introduce electric light into our +abode by tapping a live wire which ran outside, from one fosse to the next, for +we were now in the Lens coal district with mines dotted about here and there. +On the other hand, we soon learnt to refrain from sleeping or showing lights in +the second storey of our billet which was evidently under direct observation by +the enemy, who did not take long to acquaint us with the fact. +</p> + +<p> +There was always a good deal of firing to be done each day, for, although the +battle may be said to have finished after four or five days, there were several +side-shows before the line was adjusted to our liking, and the enemy’s +fire was almost continuous. This bothered the F.O.O. parties considerably, and +communication was difficult to maintain for more than a short time between the +front line and Battery. The wire was frequently broken in numerous places, and +this kept signallers and linesmen working at high pressure to repair the +damage. The O.P.’s were moderately good, with the exception of one in +“Gun Trench,” where our men held a portion, then came a sand bagged +wall occupied on the other side by our opponents which they were able to enter +by a <b>T</b>-shaped communication trench, then another sand-bagged wall with +our infantry beyond. Neither side could shell this trench for fear of injury to +their own party, but this did not prevent a lively exchange of bombs, +intermingled with various forms and sizes of “Minnies,” which were +hurled at frequent intervals. Sniping was also rampant, and periscopes, no +matter how small, survived not longer than a few minutes. It was from this +delightful spot that one of the subalterns arrived at the Battery one evening +with his head swathed in bandages like a Sultan’s turban. He had been +trying conclusions with a “Minnie,” and, as this was in the days +before the introduction of the steel helmet, the latter had easily come out on +top. When the wound was ascertained to be nothing like as serious as the size +of the bandage seemed to indicate, he was removed to the wagon line amid jeers +from his brother officers, and a few days’ rest sufficed to bring him +back to duty again. +</p> + +<p> +Now, in one portion of the zone which we were covering, “No Man’s +Land” extended some 1500 yards in depth, and midway, lying in the valley, +were what appeared to be two derelict enemy guns partially camouflaged This +aroused the curiosity of the Staff, who called for volunteers to go out and +make an investigation and report as to the condition of the sights, etc. Our +B.C. gallantly offered his services, in spite of the fact that he was over six +feet in height, and presented a most conspicuous figure, and would not be +deterred. He set off crawling through the long grass on his perilous journey, +and there was a huge grin on his face when he returned. After his report went +in we ascertained that the two pieces were nothing more than cleverly +constructed dummies formed from cart wheels, telegraph poles and trunks of +trees, but it was not until he almost came up to them that he made the +discovery. +</p> + +<p> +The detachments meanwhile had settled down, making improvements to their +billets and strengthening the gun pits, and were already proving themselves +seasoned warriors. On one occasion a nasty accident happened, due to the +explosion of a howitzer, caused, as was afterwards proved, by a faulty shell. +The complete gun crew, with the exception of the No. 1 in charge, was wounded. +Three of their number were temporarily buried by the earth thrown up by the +explosion, and it was probably due to that fact that no one was killed. The pit +naturally fell to bits and the debris was indescribable, but the Sergeant +managed to disentangle himself, and, standing stiffly to attention, reported to +the officer on duty, “No. 2 gun out of action, sir!” No time was +lost in digging out the injured men, and it was only found necessary to +evacuate three of the number to the nearest dressing station—the +remainder flatly refusing to go. The layer, in particular, deserved great +credit for his grit, for, in spite of having been buried, and having scarcely a +hair left on his head and devoid of eyebrows, not to mention the shock to his +nervous system, he was again serving his gun 24 hours later, on the arrival of +the new piece. Some idea of the force of the explosion can be gathered from the +fact that the barrel was found, in two pieces, some 150 yards away, having been +blown over a railway embankment, while the breech block, which weighs about a +cwt., was discovered, after a 12 hours’ search, embedded in the ground +six feet below the pit. At this period a considerable number of +“prematures” were taking place, and, on one occasion, we ascribed +this wounding of two gunners to this cause, but afterwards found out our +mistake. An S.O.S. went up after dark, and, at the time of firing No. 3 gun, +the layer and another gunner were both badly hit by what appeared to be a +“premature” just outside the bore of the piece. Throughout this +period we were firing nothing but high explosive shells. Great therefore was +our surprise when, three weeks later, letters arrived from both men, who were +in hospital, to say that in each case shrapnel bullets had been extracted from +them! What had actually occurred was this: At the same time that the trigger +was pulled and the shell discharged, a “pip squeak” must have burst +in front of the mouth of the gun pit, driving the bullets through the entrance. +</p> + +<p> +Day after day passed in much the same way, neither side attempting to make an +attack on any large scale, but on the morning of the 8th October, it was +observed that the hostile shelling was not normal, and had increased in extent +along the whole recently captured area. Preparations were therefore rapidly +made to meet any eventuality, and, as the day advanced and his bombardment +gained in strength, it was apparent to everyone that the enemy contemplated an +attack. At noon orders were received to be ready, at any time, to lay down a +destructive barrage on a certain zone. The Staff had happily anticipated the +point of attack accurately, and, by the time the enemy concentrated his final +burst of lire on his objectives, every gun in the neighbourhood which could +bear, was trained on the vital spot ready to open out. When at last the time +arrived, the bombardment ceased abruptly, and the enemy’s infantry +advanced to the assault wave upon wave, for the most part in mass formation and +with arms linked together. Emerging from a wood, they had a considerable +distance to cover across open ground before approaching our trenches, so both +our infantry and artillery fire was at first withheld. This gave encouragement +to the enemy, and, as his bombardment had been pretty severe, he expected more +or less of a “walk over,” and did not reckon on what was to follow. +When he had advanced to within 200 yards of our lines, suddenly rapid fire +spurted out from our rifles and machine guns, and guns of every description +spat H.E. and shrapnel, and his ranks were literally mown down. Then a curtain +was put down behind—a solid wall of fire—which made it practically +impossible for the troops to retire, and their plight was beyond all hope. +While they were cogitating whether to come on or go back, they were slaughtered +in heaps—raked by the deadly machine guns. Very few indeed survived to +tell the tale, but one prisoner claimed to be most indignant with the whole +proceedings, and expressed his opinion that we did not “play the +game” by withholding our fire, and that they imagined they had only to +walk into our trenches and take possession of them. This proved to be the last +big hostile counter-attack attempted, and indeed both sides were content to +remain in their own trenches. We made a smaller attack the next week, but it +was also unsuccessful, and little or no ground was gained. The enemy artillery +devoted themselves principally to counter battery work, and several British +batteries, which were ill concealed, had a most unpleasant time. Free use was +made of lachrymatory shell, our first taste of it. One clear, moonlight night +the battery was firing at a slow rate, and apparently the enemy saw our +flashes, for he speedily turned a 4.2 battery on to us, his shells landing just +short of each gun pit. No casualties resulted, but a shell entered the window +of one detachment’s billet and exploded, completely wrecking the room and +destroying the men’s equipment. Soon afterwards instructions were issued +to change positions, and this was effected without loss or mishap. The new +position was more favourably placed, some little way in front of the Fosse at +Annequin, and had been constructed by the French. We were now covering the +Hohenzollern Redoubt of evil memory. Another O.P. was constructed on the +railway embankment on the La Bassée-Vermelles line, which lent itself +favourably to the construction of a shaft for protection, the soil, for the +most part, being chalk, as indeed it was in all the surrounding neighbourhood. +It was our misfortune at this position to say farewell to our Battery +Commander, who left us to take up a Staff appointment with the Mediterranean +Expeditionary Force, and all ranks were sorry to lose a leader who had thus far +shared all their joys and sorrows. At the same time we were fortunate in +securing in his successor one who quickly and tactfully took up the reins of +office, and the Battery continued to run on equally smooth lines. +</p> + +<p> +It now became quite evident that operations would not resume the nature of a +battle, and it was no surprise to receive intimation that the Division would +shortly retire from the conflict. Nobody was sorry at the prospect of going +out, although useful lessons had been learnt and considerable experience had +undoubtedly been gained. +</p> + +<p> +The weather was beginning to break, and towards the end of the first week in +November we withdrew to the village of Sailly, preparatory to marching into the +next area for which we were bound. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>CHAPTER III.<br /> +“Peace Warfare.”</h2> + +<p> +When it became known that our destination was to be the sector immediately +adjoining the one we had already been in, facing Aubers Ridge, our delight knew +no bounds, for all were well aware that that locality was considered a +“cushy” spot which augured well for the coming winter. +</p> + +<p> +No delay was made in leaving Sailly, and, proceeding by way of Bethune and St. +Venant, we arrived at a small hamlet midway between the latter town and +Merville. The Battery remained in rest for a few days, while a couple of +“subs.” with a working party commenced construction on the new +position selected by the B.C. This entailed a considerable amount of labour, +for timber and all other material had to be carted from the R.E. dump at La +Gorgue some distance away. With an eye to comfort as well as concealment, it +was decided to dig the pits in an orchard, along some old assembly trenches +which had been used by troops before the battle of Neuve Chapelle. Close by was +a cluster of cottages and outhouses in a wonderful state of preservation. +</p> + +<p> +By the end of the week the guns were pulled in, although there still remained a +lot to do on the position. The house in which the officers quartered themselves +was intact, with the exception of a few slates on the roof and several broken +window panes. Moreover, there was a little furniture left and there were some +fine open fireplaces, so we had every reason to be satisfied. Within a short +space of time the gun pits were completed and camouflaged in keeping with the +nature of the ground, and great assistance was rendered us during this +undertaking by an airman who flew over the position from time to time and +pointed out the various deficiencies. At last when he reported that the +position could not be seen from a height of 2000 feet we concluded, rightly, +that nothing was to be feared in that direction. Thus we settled down to a +period commonly known as “Peace Warfare.” This may be summed up us +a time when one experiences the maximum amount of pleasure that is possible +under war conditions, with the minimum amount of discomfort. The enemy were +completely deceived as to our whereabouts, and took us to be in another vacant +position some way down the road, which was liberally shelled by them whenever +fire was opened by us, and we used to encourage this procedure by occasionally +ceasing in order to lead him into the belief that he was doing us damage. At +all events, the position was never shelled the whole time we were in possession +of it—a somewhat unique experience for a battery in France. +</p> + +<p> +The infantry were also kept busy at the commencement of this period, as we had +relieved another Indian Division, and on this sector the parapet had been built +for the most part by Ghurkas, who, however stout fellows they may be at heart, +have not the stature of Guardsmen. The result was the latter found their heads +and shoulders showing well above the parapet, and this necessitated the +immediate heightening of the same some two to three feet. +</p> + +<p> +The O.P. duties were divided equally between the subalterns, each doing a third +daily. The wagon lines were situated east of La Gorgue within easy reach, and +frequent visits were paid to them, although no officer remained there +permanently. +</p> + +<p> +During our stay here the Battery came under the direct orders of the C.R.A. and +was attached to no group in particular. Various tasks were alloted to us, and +these were, as a rule, most interesting and instructive. To further increase +our knowledge the B.C. gave the majority of these shoots to the Junior +Officers, briefly explaining the orders and then leaving us to our own devices +by departing for the rest of the day to the wagon lines on the pretext that he +had a birthday to celebrate. He had many of them. This plan was much to our +liking, and tremendous keenness was displayed by all. Great pains were taken to +carry out everything to the letter, and the signallers also carried out their +part with equal spirit. The gun detachments at this time rose to a high pitch +of proficiency and could get 10 rounds a minute out of the howitzers, which, +considering the double load and triple movement, was by no means a bad +performance. +</p> + +<p> +A fine level field ran alongside of the position, and it was speedily made use +of as a recreation ground. Goal posts were erected, and often a hot contest at +football would be interrupted by the shrill blast of a whistle summoning the +men hastily to action. Their task completed, they would calmly return and +finish the game. +</p> + +<p> +All kinds of mutual understandings existed between the opposing sides in this +area, which we soon learnt and respected. For instance, the village of Aubers +lay behind the enemy lines approximately at the same distance that Laventie did +on our side. Both were used as Brigade Headquarters and filled with troops. +Neither town was shelled unless the enemy accidentally dropped a shell into it, +when instant retaliation was forthcoming. On one occasion the placid calm of +Laventie was rudely shaken through the instrumentality of a young officer in +one of our sister brigades who, unconscious of what he was doing, planted +several shells into Aubers. The consequence was the following conversation took +place over the telephone between Headquarters and the offending subaltern. +</p> + +<p> +“Hullo! Is that Ack Battery?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, sir. Just a moment, sir. I’ll put you through to the mess, +sir.” +</p> + +<p> +“Right you are, but look sharp about it, please. Yes. Hullo! Is that an +officer? Well, I say, have you been firing just now?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, sir. So-and-so is doing a practice shoot from the O.P.” +</p> + +<p> +“Put me on to him at once.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, sir.” +</p> + +<p> +A brief interval follows, in which various mutterings are overheard by the +signaller in the exchange, who smiles to himself as he continues to listen. +</p> + +<p> +“Hullo! hullo!! Damn these young officers! Will they never learn to +answer quickly? Slow, slow is not the word for it. Will have to go round and +shake them up a bit. This is absurd. Hullo! there. Hullo! Is he never going to +come? Exchange, can’t you get him?” +</p> + +<p> +“Just a moment, sir.” +</p> + +<p> +“Hullo! hullo!!” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, sir. So-and-so speaking.” +</p> + +<p> +“What the devil are you firing at, young sir?” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, sir, I was given permission to fire a few +rounds——” +</p> + +<p> +“Where?” +</p> + +<p> +“At the cross roads, sir.” +</p> + +<p> +“Seen any of them fall?” +</p> + +<p> +“Not as yet, sir.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, for God’s sake stop firing at once, sir. Why, man, your +shells are dropping in Aubers, and they are retaliating like the very devil. +There goes another, just outside.” +</p> + +<p> +“Very sorry, sir. Couldn’t make out where the shells were +falling.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, report to me as soon as you get back, remember. Have no time to +listen to an explanation now.” +</p> + +<p> +“Very good, sir. Good-bye, sir.” +</p> + +<p> +An animated discussion now takes place in the telephone exchange, and the +unanimous opinion is that poor So-and-so is “for it” and will +perhaps even get the sack, and who will succeed to the Right Section if he +leaves the Battery? +</p> + +<p> +In these days a walk along the front line was a delight, and nothing gave the +F.O.O. greater pleasure than to take his morning constitutional from one end of +our area to the other and to peer over the side at frequent intervals by means +of a periscope. Sniping was sometimes indulged in, but a target rarely +presented itself for the simple reason that the enemy was hardly ever in his +front line trenches during daylight. From one O.P. we could often see one or +two men running along the trenches with lighted torches kindling fires and +causing smoke in order to lead us into the belief that the trenches were +powerfully manned. +</p> + +<p> +Now, about this time, a number of hostile batteries, whose positions could not +be located, gave us a certain amount of trouble, but a successful ruse was +carried out which enabled us to discover them. Operations were undertaken in +order to force the enemy to show his hand, and every indication was made by us +that we were about to institute a raid. Wire cutting was done by one battery, +and others registered strong points in rear behind the prescribed area. Then at +dusk, known as flesh time, when batteries are most likely to give their +positions away, all the O.P.’s were manned, spotting apparatus made +ready, and our barrage was put down on this sector. The infantry had been +provided with dummy figures, which they held aloft on poles, and in the +semi-darkness this gave the impression that they were preparing to quit the +trenches and go over the top, while high overhead hovered a number of our +aeroplanes waiting to assist. The plan worked admirably, and in a few minutes +the enemy’s counter preparation commenced. As the result of our efforts +his positions were pin-pointed and dealt with by our 60-pdrs. the next day, +after which we were not bothered by them to such a great extent. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after this episode there came upon the scene what were commonly known as +“Cook’s Tourists.” These were officers whose units were still +at home, and who were sent out to gain experience by being attached to +batteries for a short period. At times the tourist laid himself open to being +the victim of many practical jokes, and this certainly contributed to the +liveliness of the mess. A certain officer was escorted down to the front line +trenches one day, and, as usual, the party was armed with periscopes. All of a +sudden he emitted a cry of delight, as, gazing through the instrument, he told +us of how crowds of the enemy were walking along a road. Could we not get our +guns on to them quickly? This seemed an incredible occurrence, as, in this +sector, not a single German had been seen for days on end. The mystery was +speedily solved, however. By some means or other, he had been holding the +periscope so that it faced the opposite direction, and what he actually saw was +a party of our own men walking leisurely along the road some way behind our +lines. Needless to say, this officer came in for a considerable amount of +chaff, and, in course of time, was solemnly presented with a paper medal, +suitably inscribed, on which reversed periscopes figured prominently. +</p> + +<p> +The festive season was now drawing near, which necessitated the gathering of +provisions, for the men were to celebrate the 25th of December by having a +special dinner, and presently leave was opened to our unit and the first lucky +ones departed for “Blighty.” Some sort of gift was due the enemy on +this occasion, and it took the shape of a sharp five minutes’ +bombardment, from every gun in the area, on the stroke of midnight on Xmas Eve. +In spite of this gruelling, the enemy next morning showed signs of wishing to +fraternise with our men in the front line, but strict orders had been issued in +advance that this was not to be countenanced. The Germans showed themselves +freely above the parapet, and one could see that they had been dressed up +smartly for the occasion, probably in order to impress us with their +appearance. However, there was “nothing doing.” Little or no +sniping took place, but the artillery went through their usual routine, in fact +rather increased their fire that day. The men’s dinner was a great +success, and all seemed pleased with their fare—pork and potatoes, +vegetables, plum pudding and fruit, with plenty of beer or stout to wash it +down. The Officers’ Mess was lively also, and our first ’Xmas, +under war conditions, was voted most successful. Next day the Padre turned up, +and a service was held in one of the barns, but, in the middle of the address, +on “Peace on earth, goodwill towards men,” there was a sudden call +for “action.” A rush was made to the guns, and, after a few +minutes’ argument with the enemy, we returned and finished listening to +the discourse. Somehow or other one could not help feeling that the two +happenings were incongruous! +</p> + +<p> +We had a notion that perhaps the enemy would make an attempt to retaliate on us +at New Year for our little joke on ’Xmas Eve, and this proved to be +correct. He made rather a feeble demonstration, and it was speedily squashed, +as we were awaiting it. It was an extraordinary thing, but we always found our +foe very slow in the uptake: it generally took him quite a week to think out +some measure of retaliation, and when it came, it consisted, as a rule, in +copying what we had done to him. We could usually count on that and +consequently guard against it. +</p> + +<p> +One day instructions came through calling for a report on a new charge, for +reducing the flashes when night firing, which was supposed to be in our +possession. Our worthy Senior Subaltern was at that time in command, so he +decided to have the trial the same evening and put in his report at once. The +remaining officers were to “stand by” at the guns and first fire a +salvo with the ordinary charge and then one with the new one, while he stood +some distance in front to wait the results. All went well and the salvoes were +duly fired, although, at the battery end, there did not appear to be any +difference between them, which fact was unanimously agreed upon. However, that +was not the opinion of the Senior Subaltern, who waxed eloquent on the +“soft, velvety colour” of the new charge. This was all set down +presently, in a lengthy dispatch covering, at least, two columns of +“foolscap,” and sent to the Brigade. Nothing further was heard for +several days, then a telephone message came through which brought a smile to +the face of everyone in the mess except the officer concerned. It ran as +follows:—“Reference my B214 of the 9th inst. Report on flash +reducing charges is herewith cancelled. The production of same has not yet been +issued to batteries in the field A.A.A.” Both salvoes had been of the +same nature! +</p> + +<p> +Our Right Section Commander had a mania for spy hunting, and it was true that +spies were known to infest the neighbourhood and had sometimes actually been +caught. On every available occasion this officer would set out to scour the +countryside in quest of a suspect. One day this led to the waste of much energy +on his part. Having followed hard on the scent of a suspicious character, from +one end of our area to the other, the quarry suddenly doubled back along the La +Bassée road and disappeared into a house. Our friend entered also, and found +himself in a Brigade Headquarters, confronted by the “spy,” who +greeted him warmly, and asked him what service he could render him, at the same +time calling for tea. He had shadowed none other than the chief Intelligence +Officer of the Division the whole afternoon! There was nothing for it but to +own up and apologise as best he could, to the vast amusement of the Staff +Officer. After this incident, we were spared further wild-goose chases by this +enthusiast, and the keenness hitherto shown by him for these quests somewhat +abated. +</p> + +<p> +A good deal of excitement was caused, at this time, by the arrival of some +heavy artillery in our neighbourhood, so much talk had come to our ears +concerning them. The guns were duly placed in position, and on the afternoon on +which they were to open fire a large turn out of F.O.O.’s collected in +the O.P.’s to watch the enemy get a surprise. They did considerable +damage, but, at the same time, were largely responsible for stirring up a +veritable wasp’s nest of hostile heavies which had been lying dormant for +ages, and consequently our front again became active. +</p> + +<p> +While our F.O.O. was proceeding one day from the O.P. to the front line, he was +caught in one of those bursts of hate and separated from the telephonists who +accompanied him. On the conclusion of the shoot, a search was made for him, but +he was nowhere to be found. They returned to the Battery and reported the +circumstance to the B.C., who, much concerned, speedily organised a +search-party, and set out for the scene of action. After a couple of hours +weary tramping, they came upon a Company Headquarters in the front line, and +there, comfortably ensconced in an easy-chair, with a large whisky-and-soda by +his side and a cigarette in his mouth, sat the missing officer. Much +indignation was expressed and explanations followed, but, in future, it was +only in the last extremity that search parties were instituted! +</p> + +<p> +Thus the days sped by, until it came to the minds of those in authority that +the Division had vegetated quite long enough in this area, and, at the +beginning of February, we were pulled out and transferred to another sphere of +activity. +</p> + +<p> +Everyone regretted leaving this peaceful spot, and the period we spent there +was always looked back upon as the brightest and happiest time of our sojourn +in France. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>CHAPTER IV.<br /> +In “The Salient.”</h2> + +<p> +It soon became known that we were bound for Ypres. This town will, without +doubt, be the Mecca in France of the British soldier for all time. This place, +above all others, was always mentioned with a voice of reverence and awe, and +is hallowed by the presence of the gallant dead who helped in its defence. It +was truly the most ill-favoured sector on the whole of the front held by our +armies. +</p> + +<p> +Proceeding by way of Hazebrouck and Cassel, we entered the area immediately +behind the Salient and took up our quarters near the village of Arneke, for we +were not yet due for our spell of duty in the line. At this time the weather +was most unpropitious, and rendered training in any shape or form out of the +question. The ground was covered with snow to the depth of several inches, and +the roads were, for the most part, frost-bound. A Divisional Artillery Horse +Show was organised, however, and great keenness was displayed by all the +batteries, who spent most of their time horse coping until the day of the +event, which was held at Zeggers Capelle. Our Right Section Commander, with a +team of fine little blacks, managed to secure the second prize in the principal +event. +</p> + +<p> +Several days afterwards we relieved the Division who were holding the left +centre of the Salient, and took up our position on the northern extremity of +Ypres itself, close to the Dead End of the Canal, a short distance from +“Salvation Corner.” Here a short description of the position is +imperative, in order to give some idea of the awkward nature of this sector and +of the conditions attaching thereto. The distance between the jaws of the +Salient was some five miles across—from the banks of the Yser Canal at +Boesinghe on the north to the neighbourhood of St. Eloi on the south, while the +ground held by us extended about two and-a half miles east of Ypres in a +semi-circle. Nearly everywhere the enemy was established on rising ground and +overlooked our territory, and, with few exceptions, all that was visible to us +was his first line system. The enemy was thus enabled to detect any movement +behind our line, while we were more or less “blind.” +</p> + +<p> +Owing to the confined space through which an entrance into the Salient could be +effected, great difficulty was experienced in the matter of transport, as there +was only one main artery, namely, the Ypres-Poperinghe road. Every evening at +dusk this thoroughfare was crowded with all manner of vehicles, an endless +stream, coming and going throughout the night, and from Vlamertinghe onwards +the road was subjected to constant shelling, and was enfiladed from either +side. Piles of wreckage were always to be seen on the following morning, which +told the tale of the previous night’s work, and this long, straight piece +of road holds more sentiment for the British soldier than any other. +</p> + +<p> +It was soon quite evident that the enemy was acquainted with our location, and +it was imperative to prepare an alternative position. A site was chosen across +the road, in the garden of a private villa, well sheltered by shrubs and trees. +As soon as the work was completed and a communication trench constructed, +covered with turf and plants, we commenced moving the guns. This was done +without interference from the enemy until the last gun was in the act of being +placed in position, when, as luck would have it, a shrapnel shell burst in +front of the party, mortally wounding one layer and injuring another. Our B.C., +also, who was assisting, received a bullet through his arm, and was forced to +leave us. This was the second mishap we had suffered during the course of the +first few days, as the Right Section Commander had already been lost to us. +Having an insatiable thirst for knowledge, this Officer had left the O.P. with +his telephonist in order to explore the front line, which, as everyone who +knows the Salient will readily own, was somewhat difficult to recognise in +places, especially by a newcomer. Suffering as he did from acute +absent-mindedness, it was not surprising that this zealous officer awakened +suddenly from his day-dreams to discover that something was wrong, and found +himself standing with his companion waist high in a shallow disused trench, +which, on further investigation, appeared uncommonly like “No Man’s +Land!” After a brief consultation, they decided to retrace their steps. +Alas! all too late: a hostile sniper, reserving his fire in the hope that they +would continue to walk into the enemy trenches, on seeing them turn about, and +thus being baulked of his prize and the prospect of a fortnight’s leave +in his own country, fired a bullet which passed through the thighs of both men +one after the other. A party of our infantry, unable to attract their attention +and put them right in time, had witnessed this little drama, and proceeded, at +great personal risk and at the expense of at least one of their number being +wounded, to extricate the two unfortunates and convey them to the nearest +dressing station. It was not until a late hour that night that word came to us +at the Mess that the missing party had been passed through the prison at Ypres, +on their way to a C.C.S. Now, our Battery Commander, after great trouble, had +lately gained possession of an improved type of periscope, which he had been +persuaded to lend the F.O.O. on that day, and, on receipt of this news, his +first thought was for the safety of his precious instrument. The fact that two +valuable casualties had resulted did not seem to weigh with him in the least +compared with its loss, and he was not to be consoled until it was ascertained +that the periscope was in safe keeping. Only then could he be persuaded to make +enquiries as to the nature of their wounds and express his sorrow at their +misfortune. +</p> + +<p> +The Infantry found the trenches in an appalling state, and forthwith proceeded +to repair them, but the enemy would not allow this to go on long, and, after a +few days’ work had been spent on them, a couple of hours’ +bombardment would suffice to demolish anything that had been done. As it was a +case of labour lost, all attempts at building on a large scale were soon +abandoned. +</p> + +<p> +Many interesting excursions were made in and around the town. There was a +certain amount of splendour about the ruined place. The high battered remains +of the Cloth Hall Tower stood up in proud defiance in the centre of the +stricken city, while the ancient ramparts surrounding it gloried in their +battle scars and showed a dauntless front to the enemy. +</p> + +<p> +A good deal of annoyance was caused in getting about from place to place +through the uncongenial presence of a couple of hostile high velocity guns +which were commonly known as “Quick Dick” and “Silent +Sue,” his consort. They were so named on account of the rapidity with +which the shells arrived, and there was little or no warning of their coming. +Their chief object was to harass the neighbourhood, for they appeared to have +no definite target but just dropped a shell here and there, trapping the unwary +and doing considerable damage, as well as effectively raising a certain amount +of “wind”! +</p> + +<p> +As conditions suited the enemy admirably, many raids were made by him, and, on +one occasion, he launched four simultaneously, one on each sector of the +Salient, after a sharp and heavy bombardment. He attacked us between Wieltje +and Potijge, but was unsuccessful in his endeavour to obtain an identification. +The attempt was frustrated, and the only result was that he left a number of +prisoners in our hands. +</p> + +<p> +About the middle of May, the Division came out and returned to the area behind +Poperinghe. There was an unexpected treat in store for the Brigade, for it was +shortly sent down to the coast for a change of air. A two days’ march +brought the Battery to Cap Gris Nez, while the other batteries were distributed +along the small villages between Calais and Boulogne. It was a real holiday for +us, and a better part of the year could not have been chosen. All that was +expected of us was to exercise the “hairies,” which we did by +taking the guns a walk along the hard sand in the early mornings. +</p> + +<p> +A large field was secured, and for several hours daily the horses were put out +to grass, and, if ever animals showed signs of joy, they certainly did, and +their antics were most amusing to witness. It was expected that some difficulty +would be experienced in catching them again, but, after the first day, a +trumpet call was all that was required. On hearing the sound, they would throw +up their heads, and then slowly wander towards the entrance, where the drivers +awaited and secured them. +</p> + +<p> +The main feature of the day was, undoubtedly, the bathing parade, enjoyed +equally by man and beast. The horses knew at once what was in store for them +when they were led down to the beach. The men stripped, and, mounting the eager +horses, a wild dash was made for the water, and quite a number of the animals +proved themselves excellent swimmers, many remaining a considerable time in +deep water. On leaving the sea, they would gallop along the sands, showing +every sign of contentment, and we were glad that, at last, they were receiving +some reward for their patient devotion and faithful service, for we were all +fond of our four-legged comrades. +</p> + +<p> +Amusements were instituted for the men—all manner of sports by day and +concerts in the evenings. The officers lived out of doors, attracted by the +cliffs, from which Dover was visible on most clear days, and everyone voted +this peaceful place the next best thing to home leave. +</p> + +<p> +It was, therefore, with much regret that, at the end of twelve days, we +retraced our steps to Arneke, where we were to remain for the latter portion of +the rest. +</p> + +<p> +We had no sooner arrived at this place than the enemy started making himself +unpleasant in the southern portion of the Salient, and, attacking the Canadians +from Hooge as far as St. Eloi, succeeded in driving them back some distance +before he was finally held up. It was quite imperative to retake the ground +lost, as he had captured important points of observation overlooking the +Salient. A counter attack was set on foot, and we were suddenly called upon to +help in the preliminary bombardment and cover the assaulting troops, which +included a Brigade of Guards. Just before setting off, our B.C. rejoined us +once more, and at two hours’ notice we made a beeline for the scene of +our future activity. At dusk we entered the ruins of Ypres, and, without delay, +proceeded to dig ourselves “in,” behind a convent, not far from the +south side of the Cloth Hall. +</p> + +<p> +Owing to the number of extra batteries assembled for the operations, we found +ourselves without a billet until the genial Commander of a Pioneer Battalion, +affectionately known to the entire Dominion Forces as “Big Jim,” +and credited with innumerable deeds of “daring do,” took pity upon +us, and invited us to share his hearth and home. This offer we gratefully +accepted, and accommodation was also provided for the detachment, and all were +made most comfortable. +</p> + +<p> +The bombardment continued for three days, and it became clear, from the +enemy’s counter preparations, that he was not going to give up his newly +acquired gains without a struggle. A most stubborn resistance was offered, and +the infantry were forced to fight hard for every foot of ground that was +eventually recovered. The bombardment grew in intensity as the zero hour +approached. Shortly after midnight, the men went over, and, by breakfast time, +had gained all that was required of them, except at one or two points, which +were taken without much trouble later. +</p> + +<p> +By the time affairs had settled down normally again, the Division was due in +the line, so the Battery pulled out for one night, before transferring to our +new zone, which was in the most northerly sector, adjoining the one in which we +had already been, and which had an even worse reputation for unpleasantness. +</p> + +<p> +After crossing the Yser Canal, the ground gradually rises towards Pilkem Ridge, +and the enemy was ensconced thereon in a kind of stronghold known as the High +Command Redoubt. Our trenches lay beneath them, which gave us the feeling of +being in a cup encircled round the brim by our foes. During this particular +tour, the Battery was split up for the purpose of forming two forward sections, +and the greater part of the firing was done by the left section, whose position +was well inside the Salient. Its chief object was to harass a certain portion +of a hostile trench which was taken in enfilade by it! In order to accomplish +this successfully, the guns were placed in an old disused position in a field, +near La Brique, on the backward slope of a hill, and the low gun-pits were +completely covered with tufts of growing grass. The centre pits were occupied +by the two pieces and the outside ones were speedily converted into habitations +for the men. +</p> + +<p> +When the trenches were not being subjected to hostile shelling, the enemy +devoted most of his time in endeavouring to destroy the numerous O.P.’s +dotted about here and there. These were constructed for the most part of +reinforced concrete, but the particular one used by us, called +“Frascatis,” had not yet been discovered, so we were free to carry +out shoots to our heart’s content. +</p> + +<p> +A favourite diversion was sniping with one of our pieces, which was a +particularly accurate one, and several points of observation and snipers’ +posts were carefully registered. Then we would lie in wait, observe some +movement, and let fly one round only. This method exasperated and annoyed the +enemy exceedingly. +</p> + +<p> +One of the enemy’s principal forms of amusement was to blow parts of our +front parapet away and train a machine gun on the space left vacant, and snipe +at any unsuspecting person who happened to pass along. On many occasions we +were able to bring assistance to the harassed infantrymen, by spotting the +offending snipers, and by, in turn, sniping at them with our “How.” +till we finally silenced them. +</p> + +<p> +At dusk the enemy invariably harassed all roads of communication, and dropped +innumerable shells of large calibre into the stricken city; and we made a habit +of sitting at the entrance to the little shack, used as the officers’ +mess, smoking our evening pipes, interested spectators, while the shells +screamed overhead, and alighted somewhere in the town, sending up columns of +brick dust. +</p> + +<p> +All the batteries in the line were now busy constructing new battery positions, +while fresh O.P.’s were also erected, and it was thought that these +preparations were preparatory to making an attack to enable us to improve our +position by the capture of Pilkem Ridge, but, although the work was completed, +nothing further developed. +</p> + +<p> +Soon there were whispers of an impending gigantic attack away down in the +south, and for several days before the opening of it our shelling was +considerably increased, while the infantry made a series of raids. This was +done throughout the whole length of the front, in order to keep the enemy from +guessing the exact point of eruption, and we had a warm time in consequence. +For a long time after the battle had commenced, we continued making +demonstrations, which undoubtedly helped to prevent the removal of many +reserves from the locality. +</p> + +<p> +But we were not content to remain here. There was a great scrap taking place +elsewhere, and were we going to be left completely out of it, to eat our heads +off, in Flanders? It seemed very unlikely that the Division would not be called +upon on such an occasion, and great was the joy when one day orders came +through that we were soon to proceed to the scene of action. Within two days we +pulled out to our old resting place, where preparations were completed for our +transference to the battle area. +</p> + +<p> +Our first acquaintance with the dreaded Salient was at an end, and, although +the time spent there was always strenuous and difficult, we were not what could +be called uncomfortable, and our casualties happily did not exceed +expectations. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>CHAPTER V.<br /> +On the Somme.</h2> + +<p> +At the beginning of August, the Division detrained in the neighbourhood of +Doullens, and, proceeding in a southeasterly direction, the Brigade established +itself near the small village of Couin. In a few days’ time we went +“in,” and the Battery took up a position on the southern outskirts +of Hebuterne, overlooking the enemy stronghold at Serre. This portion of the +front was now in a normal state once more, as, on the opening day of the great +battle, the British assault from Hamel, northward to Gommecourt, had met with +no success, and the attack was not further pressed. The enemy was content to +remain quiet, and most of the firing was carried out by us. A considerable +number of hostile “Minnies” made conditions somewhat unpleasant for +the infantry in the trenches, and during the night the battery position was +subjected to indirect machine-gun fire, which necessitated a certain amount of +caution in moving about. The O.P.’s were well placed, and afforded us an +excellent view, for we overlooked the enemy’s lines, and could see some +distance beyond them. We were now on the fringe of the battle, and away half +right, on clear days, we could see the struggle progressing, as a considerable +dent had already been made. The sight was a very grand one, especially after +dark. The Verey Lights and various S.O.S. rockets, which were frequently sent +up by our opponents, made a fine spectacular display, far finer than any +firework exhibition we had ever witnessed in our own country in pre-war days. +</p> + +<p> +Gradually the Division was side-slipped to the south, and our next position was +close to the station of Mailly. We did not remain there long, however, as the +time had now arrived for us to put in an appearance in the battle itself. We +spent one night close to Amiens, and availed ourselves of the opportunity to +hold a dinner there, which was attended by all the original officers in the +Brigade—a last night of fun and merriment before the long, stiff fight +ahead of us, for who knew how many would survive the ordeal. The next day +brought us to Vaux, on the River Somme, and, in the first week in September, we +found ourselves immersed in the battle. We took up our first position in the +lately captured second line German system, facing Montauban and covering +Guillemont, which had just been taken by an Irish Division. +</p> + +<p> +Very stiff lighting was in progress on this sector, as we were now nearing the +summit of the Ridge, the possession of which would be invaluable, as the +enemy’s territory would be laid bare to us, and he would lose his +observation over us. It was not surprising, therefore, that he fought with the +courage of despair and initiated counter-attack upon counter-attack, all of +which we had to meet with great determination. The weather was extremely hot, +which added much to the discomfort: and, as progress had been very slow for +some time, it was impossible to clear up the battlefield, and the stench was +almost insupportable. At length the village of Guinchy was captured, and, with +our men installed on the further side of the slope, the fighting for position +came to an end. We were now entering on the third stage of the great battle, +which had commenced more than two months previously. An attack, on a large +scale, was planned, the object being to drive the enemy down the slope of the +hill into the low-lying country beyond. Field batteries were moved up into +forward positions, in order to assist the infantry, by placing a creeping +barrage—a new and most successful invention, afterwards employed on all +occasions—in front of the advancing waves of men: and the +“heavies,” of which, for the first time, we possessed a +preponderance, pounded the enemy communications far behind his lines. +</p> + +<p> +The assault was delivered over a wide area, early in the morning of the 15th of +September, but in no way did it come up to expectations—in fact, it might +almost be counted a reverse. Some divisions did well, and took their +objectives, but others were completely held up, at certain strong points, which +necessitated the withdrawal of the remainder, in order to keep the line +uniform. The Guards met with instant success, and took their final objectives, +only to discover that the Division on each side of them had made little +progress and could get no further. They were reluctantly forced to return, and +it was while doing so that heavy casualties were inflicted on them, as they +were raked with fire from the sides as well as in front. During the withdrawal, +a party of machine-gunners occupied a trench, and attempted to screen the +retirement of the main body of troops, by holding the enemy at bay. In order to +use this machine-gun to the best advantage, the piece was placed on top of the +parapet, exposed to the full view of the oncoming hordes, but our men never +wavered in serving it, and, as soon as one gunner dropped at his post, another +instantly took the vacant place, although it meant certain death within a few +moments. +</p> + +<p> +Next day they were pulled out to refit, and, as they marched back to rest, a +very touching sight was witnessed. A certain battalion, a mere remnant, swung +along, headed by its band. All the officers had become casualties, and the +Battalion Sergeant-Major was in command, but as many of the dead officers as +could be recovered were brought back on stretchers and placed each in his +proper position. Headed by the body of their late Commander, the column +proceeded on its way, the men marching at attention, and, although covered with +mud and blood-stained, they might have been proceeding down the Mall. Such is +the discipline of the Guards, and every tribute of respect was paid them by the +troops through whom they passed. +</p> + +<p> +The next battle was timed for the 25th inst., and our infantry came back to the +line a couple of days before that date. There was much suppressed excitement +and curiosity, for the mysterious Tanks were to participate on this occasion +for the first time, and it was thought that the secret had been so well kept +that they would come as a complete surprise to the enemy. This proved to be the +case, and the attack was a great success. What was known as the Flers line was +everywhere penetrated, and all gains were held. The Tanks did splendid work. +They advanced well ahead of the infantry, and battered down barbed wire, +overran trenches, smashed machine-gun emplacements, killing the gun crews, and +even waddled as far as the village of Gueudecourt. There they effected much +execution and caused great panic among the enemy reserves, which were +concentrating for the inevitable counter attack. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the battle continued, sometimes breaking out into fierce fights and at +other times reduced to isolated scraps, but all the time the enemy was being +gradually and relentlessly pushed down into the valley, and the villages of +Morval, Les Boeufs, and Gueudecourt fell into our hands. +</p> + +<p> +It was almost uncanny the way in which villages would completely disappear. For +instance, at the time when these hamlets first came within our vision, on our +reaching the crest of the hill, they appeared almost intact, but a few days +rendered them unrecognisable—they had become merely so many heaps of +rubble. There are many places on the Somme which have literally not one brick +standing on top of another, and one would never imagine for a moment that a +prosperous little village had ever existed there. +</p> + +<p> +Many changes of battery positions were made, and, whenever possible, we +burrowed down into the ground, as the enemy’s heavy pieces were out after +our blood. The great concentration of guns and the few suitable localities for +placing them in action added to our difficulties, and we were thus rendered an +easy target for the hostile counter batteries. Innumerable brigades were +huddled close together, in what was known as the Death Valley, for the simple +reason that there was no other suitable spot wherein to place them, and heavy +casualties resulted. We had the good fortune, however, to be somewhat isolated +from the others, and occupied a forward position, where the guns were hidden in +an old German communication trench. The enemy never found it, but subjected us, +now and again, to a general burst of harassing fire: his main volume of hate +passed us by far overhead. +</p> + +<p> +And, meanwhile, what of our friend the F.O.O.? In those days his lot was by no +means an enviable one, and it was a task of no mean magnitude to keep +communications going between the trenches and the guns. However, it had to be +done, or at least attempted, and the following is a brief account of a typical +day in the life of a gunner subaltern. +</p> + +<p> +Orders would be given that a certain hostile trench was to be subjected to a +severe, annihilating bombardment, and this necessitated the laying out of a +wire to a part of our front line, from which the shoot could be registered, as +the target could not be observed from any other locality than the trench +immediately opposite it. The F.O.O. rises early in the morning, and sets out +with his little squad of telephonists and linesmen. He requires to post a +signalman and linesman at frequent intervals, called Relay Stations, in order +to preserve communication, as the wire is being continually broken by hostile +gun-fire. Progress, in a case like this, is necessarily slow, and he has to +pick his way among the shell-holes, seeking as much protection, for the line, +as circumstances will permit. The signallers follow in his footsteps, +staggering along under the weight of a large reel of wire. All goes well until +they reach the summit of a ridge, when, suddenly, a barrage from a “whizz +bang” battery is placed right down on top of the party. There is nothing +for it but to remain crouched in a friendly shell-hole, which affords a little +protection, until the storm blows over or to risk the chances of being hit in +the open. The journey is then resumed, and much relief is felt when at last the +ground over a nasty dip is traversed without mishap, as this is known to be a +favourite target for hostile gunners. A muddy, unkempt communication-trench is +now entered, and the party proceed, up a slope, towards the support system, and +eventually arrive at their destination—a post in the front line +overlooking its objective. Difficulty is experienced in preserving the wire +from the unguarded feet of infantrymen, who look askance at the party as it +passes, cursing the idiosyncrasies of each fire bay. The instrument is +connected with the end of the wire, and all hold their breath in order to hear +the answering buzz which tells them that they are through to the battery. +Several futile buzzes may be made by the telephonist, and then, no response +being forthcoming, a linesman is sent down the wire towards the first relay +station. A break in the wire is discovered and speedily mended, the next +attempt is successful, and the battery is called to action. +</p> + +<p> +During registration the wire often breaks, and serious delays occur, but, at +length, the last gun is duly pronounced O.K. by the officer. Just in the nick +of time, too! for the enemy commences a sharp retaliation on the portion of the +trench occupied by the little party. Refuge is sought in an old enemy shaft +close by, and there it awaits the time for the “show” to commence. +Several other batteries also take part in the shoot, and it is quite impossible +to pick out the shells which belong to each one as they fall. Complete success +crowns the effort, but on the particular day here described the F.O.O. and +party failed to see the end of the bout, as they were subjected to very heavy +fire, and were all blown down the mouth of the shaft by the explosion of a +shell. Luckily, though badly shaken, all escaped without injury. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the wire has been broken in many places and is beyond repair, but it +has already served its purpose, and, when fire has died down, the party starts +on the return journey. On arriving at the first relay station, the telephonist +on duty is found dead at his post, the receiver still clutched in his hand and +held to his ear. A nasty gash in the forehead reveals the place where he has +been hit and instantly killed. His companion is nowhere to be found, although +bloodstains denote that he has at least been wounded, and, on investigation, it +is ascertained that the linesman has been hit, picked up by passing comrades, +and taken to an aid-post. The journey is resumed, the party carrying the dead +with them, and presently another hostile barrage is encountered. Again the men +lie low until it ceases, and then pick up the remaining linesmen, and return to +the battery utterly exhausted. Many questions are asked, and it frequently +happens that the F.O.O. is cursed by his Battery Commander for not keeping the +wire going, and even the Brigade joins in the chorus. The young officer pays +little heed, and inwardly reflects that they should be extremely thankful that +communication was established at all, and that those of the party who returned +did so in safety. So, in spite of everything, he consumes a hearty dinner and +retires to bed, sleeping the sleep of the just, and soon becomes oblivious of +all his little worries and sombre surroundings. +</p> + +<p> +Towards the middle of October the weather broke, and conditions became +intolerable. The roads, which had been partially repaired, were still soft and +broken, and developed into quagmires—mud and water to a depth of two and +three feet made vehicular traffic almost out of the question. All ammunition +had to be transported to the guns by means of horses carrying pack saddles, a +slow and tedious method, which took a lot out of men and beasts alike. As yet +no decca-ville railways had been constructed as far as battery positions. Very +heavy work thus fell on those at the wagon lines, who were kept busy most of +the day and night. Although the distance to the gun position was under five +miles there and back, the journey rarely took less than ten hours to +accomplish. If a horse fell down in this sticky mud, heavily laden as it was, +attempts at rescue proved unavailing, except on rare occasions, even with the +aid of drag-ropes, and the unfortunate animal had to be +“dispatched.” Was it a sense of humour that prompted those in +authority to send the subalterns, in turn, to the wagon lines for a +“rest”? Anyhow, it was considered anything but that by the poor +unfortunates who went, and right glad they were when the time came round for +their next period of duty with the guns! +</p> + +<p> +As the weather rapidly became worse, operations came to a standstill, and all +proceeded to dig themselves in for the coming winter. Every endeavour was made +to make our quarters water-proof, as well as shell-proof, and some attempts at +mining were commenced, but the condition of the ground was all against such an +undertaking, and the work was abandoned. Then whispers spread abroad that we +were to be relieved for a short rest, and, after ten weeks of incessant +fighting, we were withdrawn from the line and marched to a little village named +Hangest, a few miles west of Amiens. There we were glad to find ourselves +installed in billets with a roof covering us once more. A week of leisure +helped greatly to restore our spirits, and again we set out for the line. Our +destination this time was Combles, and we took over a battery position from the +French, who politely made us acquainted with our new surroundings. Our allies, +who had been fighting side-by-side with us on our right flank throughout the +great battle, were then withdrawn, and the British front was extended to the +south as far as the banks of the River Somme. Evidence was speedily forthcoming +to convince us of the severe nature of the recent fight. The ground was strewn +with wreckage and material of all descriptions, and many hostile guns were +found abandoned or lying where they had been put out of action by the +irresistible dash of the Poilus. +</p> + +<p> +The country, in this part, was undulating, and better suited to the concealment +of battery positions, and nowhere was the enemy able to overlook our territory. +Our area included the defence of the joint villages of Sailly-Saillisel, +situated on commanding ground, which the French had recently bravely stormed. +Combles, too, which lay in a basin shaped hollow, was interesting as having +been the centre of supplies for the southern portion of the German Army +operating in the battle, and much booty was discovered in the huge catacombs +which ran underneath the town. +</p> + +<p> +’Xmas passed in much the same way as in the previous year. A smart +bombardment was carried out in the morning in order to advise the enemy that +anything in the way of fraternising would not be countenanced by us. At mid-day +the men partook of their ’Xmas fare, which had been fetched from Amiens, +and a short service was conducted by the Padre in one of the gun-pits. A slight +disturbance took place at dusk, when the S.O.S. went up from the front line and +all batteries immediately opened out. It seemed a rather extraordinary +occurrence, as the evening was unusually quiet, and, presently, it was +discovered to have arisen through an error, due to the fact that the enemy had +put up a coloured light in between two ordinary Verey lights which constituted +our own S.O.S. +</p> + +<p> +About this time the enemy caused considerable annoyance to a certain Battalion +Headquarters, situated in a quarry close behind the lines, by occasionally +dropping a shell right into it, the position having probably been discovered by +his aircraft. Retaliation tactics were adopted, which consisted of subjecting +the hostile trenches to a sharp half-hour’s bombardment from eight +batteries, firing a total of 2,000 rounds. The enemy was well known to be very +thick-skinned, but these measures met with instant success, and it was only +necessary to remind him once again that we were not to be trifled with in this +way. +</p> + +<p> +After the New Year, a severe spell of frost set in, with an occasional heavy +fall of snow, and we were somewhat annoyed when orders came through to sideslip +our position further south, as we had made our quarters fairly comfortable by +this time, and expected to remain undisturbed throughout the winter. The new +position was situated behind the ruined village of Rancourt, facing St. Pierre +Vaast wood, and was one of the worst and most disagreeable localities it was +ever our lot to occupy, as we were, more or less, water-logged the whole of our +time there. Much difficulty was experienced by both friend and foe in entering +their respective front line, so much so that, by common consent, sniping by +rifle fire was discontinued until parapets were constructed and made fit for +occupation. However, sniping was still indulged in by the artillery, and no +parties of any size were permitted to go about freely near the front line under +observation. Affairs continued thus until the middle of February, when it +became apparent that something unusual was taking place in enemy territory, and +great explosions were heard, after which volumes of smoke were seen to rise in +large columns. These, as was afterwards proved, were due to preparations being +made by the enemy to evacuate the low-lying country, into which they had +reluctantly been forced, as the result of the battle of the Somme, prior to +falling back upon the great prepared defences known as the Hindenburg Line. +</p> + +<p> +Instantly every one was on the alert for further signs of evacuation, and one +morning a patrol reported that the enemy had vacated their front line. Further +patrols were at once pushed out, through St. Pierre Vaast wood, in order to +maintain contact with the retreating foe. Every precaution had to be taken, as +it was soon discovered that many forms of booby-traps had been cunningly laid +by him in his wake, and progress was necessarily slow. Added to this, there was +great difficulty in manœuvring the guns over the innumerable trenches +which existed in the neighbourhood, and the pieces sank up to their axles in +the clogging mud, and were only extricated after hours of labour. The enemy +retired slowly and most methodically, destroying everything of value and +wantonly reducing the small villages and hamlets to mere shells, by means of +incendiary bombs. The inhabitants also were removed beforehand, and, when the +troops advanced, they might have been traversing a wilderness, so complete was +the ruin and desolation on all sides. +</p> + +<p> +The time had now arrived for the Brigade to have a much-needed rest and also to +refit, so, at the end of March, we were withdrawn from the contest. Marching +westward, we arrived at the village of Morlancourt in the first week of April, +well content at the prospect of returning to civilization for a protracted +period. +</p> + +<div class="fig" style="width:100%;"> +<img src="images/img003.jpg" width="600" height="396" +alt="Division from Brigade R.F.A. Guards Division.”" /> +<p class="caption">“Division from Brigade R.F.A. Guards Division.”</p> +</div> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>CHAPTER VI.<br /> +Messines.</h2> + +<p> +It was not long before those in authority discovered that the neighbourhood of +Morlancourt was peculiarly favourable for the carrying out of manœuvres, +with the result that a period of “intensive training” set in. Drill +orders took place four days a week, and batteries were specially trained in the +methods of open warfare, while many hours were devoted to tactical schemes. +</p> + +<p> +At this time units were reorganised, all batteries were increased to six guns, +and there was plenty of work to keep everyone busy. The narrator of these +rambling notes, after a period of two years’ service with the Brigade, +here transferred his allegiance to the sister howitzer battery of the Division, +known as “The Grey Battery,” from the fact that all the horses were +of that colour. Sentiment ran strong for his “old love” and those +he was obliged to leave, but he was already well acquainted with both officers +and men of his new unit, and soon settled down happily amongst them. +</p> + +<p> +All guns were carefully calibrated on a range due west of Peronne, and the +“hairies” picked up rapidly in condition, owing to the good care +and attention that was bestowed upon them. The big battles of Vimy Ridge and +Arras were now in full swing, and it seemed unlikely that we would be called +upon to take any part in them so late in the day. +</p> + +<p> +Many forms of amusement were created for the men, and football matches, both +“rugger” and “soccer,” were freely indulged in between +batteries and brigades, while the full regimental band of one of the +Guards’ regiments was kindly lent to the Divisional Artillery. It gave +many a fine entertainment in the evenings. +</p> + +<p> +Time thus sped by at an amazing rate, and various visits of inspection paid us +by officers from the C.R.A. up to the Army Commander made it very apparent that +we were undoubtedly being “fattened up”—but for what? The +question was more than we could answer, but speculations were rife as to our +possible destination, for we knew that the Somme would see us no more—in +the meantime, at all events. +</p> + +<p> +Six weeks had come and gone, and yet we remained inactive in this peaceful +village; then sudden orders were issued for us to be ready to entrain at short +notice, and, in the second week of May, the Battery glided out of the station +at Meulte prepared for anything. A long and circuitous route was taken +<i>via</i> Amiens, Abbeville, Etaples, Boulogne, Calais, St. Omer, and at +length we arrived at Arques, near which we remained, in billets, for some +considerable time. It was while we were there that we learnt that it was the +intention of the British Commander to gain possession of the great Messines +Ridge, which towered over our lines, and was a stronghold of inestimable value +to the enemy. +</p> + +<p> +As long as he held this ridge, which was the keystone of his armies in +Flanders, he was immune from any vulnerable attack on our part, and was free to +launch any offensive operation from it by using it as a stepping-off place. +Added to this, the northern end of the heights afforded him an uninterrupted +view of the southern portion of the Ypres salient, which was a source of great +annoyance to our forces on that part of the front. It was vital, therefore, for +the future operations of the British Armies, that this important ridge should +be captured and kept in our hands. +</p> + +<p> +Preparations were accordingly set on foot, and artillery of all calibre was +silently concentrated from all parts, and proceeded to dig itself in for the +coming fray. For a long time this sector had been free from any serious +operations, and was considered a kind of resting place for exhausted troops, +but soon the peace and quiet of the neighbourhood was to receive a rude +awakening, when the tide of battle broke out upon it once more. +</p> + +<p> +Proceeding through Hazebrouck and Bailleul, the Brigade arrived at its wagon +lines, a short distance west of Neuve Eglise, and immediately each battery sent +work parties to the scene of action, in order to construct emplacements and +make its position habitable. The spot allotted to our battery was in a little +hollow close to the cut roads, near the small ruined village of Wulverghen. Our +front line was placed on the top of an undulating rise, with the ridge itself +beyond. +</p> + +<p> +Our principal business was to avoid attracting the attention of the enemy to +our preparations, and in this we were aided by the fact that there was a +considerable amount of cover beside us, in the form of trees and undergrowth, +the foliage of which was now in full leaf. +</p> + +<p> +Row upon row of batteries were placed in position behind hedges, or +artificially concealed, the barrels of the pieces peeping out from all +imaginable lurking places. The Divisional Artillery was situated in the most +advanced position, the 18 pr. batteries ranging from within 600 to 1,000 yards +of the front line, with the howitzer batteries immediately behind them. On +account of our proximity to the enemy, the two brigades had orders to remain +silent until the day of the show, and we were only allowed to fire enough +rounds to enable us to carefully register the pieces, and this was completed +without giving away any of the positions. +</p> + +<p> +All ammunition was conveyed to the guns by night, and was distributed in small +quantities near to them. Before long the enemy became alive to the fact that we +were contemplating some move, and consequently increased his devastating fire +by night, with the result that many dumps in the vicinity were exploded by him. +He was bound to hit something, the countryside was so packed with all manner of +ammunition. He had no idea, however, of the magnitude of our coming effort, and +firmly believed his position to be impregnable, and that it was beyond our +power to free ourselves from his grip. +</p> + +<p> +He contented himself with drenching our little valley with chemical shell +whenever conditions were favourable, but so accustomed were the men to their +gas masks that no serious consequences resulted, although it was distinctly +unpleasant to have to pass each night enveloped in these stuffy contrivances, +especially as the weather remained hot and oppressive. +</p> + +<p> +The Battery had more than their average share of good fortune throughout these +operations, and it is worthy of putting on record that the unit did not sustain +a single casualty to either man or horse. This was all the more remarkable as +the engineers had constructed a wide plank road, which passed through the +centre of our position, and could not be concealed from our foes, who lavishly +besprinkled it with shrapnel after dark. Many casualties were caused to the +transport, and the Officers’ Mess virtually became an aid-post, where +every assistance was rendered the wounded men. +</p> + +<p> +Our sister howitzer battery was lined up alongside of us, and, when the two +positions were first inspected, much chaff ensued as to which had the better +place, and the men of our battery were certainly all of the opinion that, had +the selection devolved upon them, we would unanimously have plumped for the +other one. They had no landmarks likely to attract hostile fire, and thus +occasion them the unpleasant sensation of living on top of a volcano, while we +were slap-bang in the middle of a conspicuous cross road, with a constant +stream of traffic coming and going through: yet, so strange and fickle are the +fortunes of war that, while we escaped unharmed, our comrades next door +suffered a heavy gruelling. +</p> + +<p> +The preliminary bombardment commenced, and continued throughout five days, but, +in order to deceive the enemy as to our weight of artillery, not more than +fifty per cent. of the guns in the line were allowed to take part at one time. +A row of O.P.’s had been constructed on Hill 65, which overlooked the +valley and town of Messines. A fine sight was witnessed as that stronghold was +gradually reduced to a mere shell by our heavies, which effected +extraordinarily good work in smashing the elaborate structures of the +enemy’s defence. +</p> + +<p> +The preparations were all that could be desired, and everything was carefully +worked out to the minutest detail: not a stone was left unturned to render the +operations a complete success. The labour and expense was well rewarded too, +for surely no battle ever ran so smoothly from first to last, and it will +always be looked back upon by the British soldier as a model of triumphant +organisation. The battle only lasted a single day, but in that time the +formidable network of trenches was neatly and clearly shorn off, and the enemy, +who relied so much on the security of these positions, found himself suddenly +pushed down the slope into unsuitable ground, where he could no longer be a +menace to us. +</p> + +<p> +The “feet” of our Division were not in the line, being held in +reserve, and, as it turned out, they were not called upon at all at this +juncture, so well did the course of the battle progress. We were covering the +infantry of an English Division, and, on the evening previous to the attack, +the troops passed us noiselessly and in perfect order on their way to their +various points of assembly. All were in excellent spirits, which augured well +for the next day, and a feeling of calm confidence appeared to prevail amongst +them. A stream of gas and tear shells was maintained by the foe throughout the +night, but it was mostly directed on the zone which contained the battery +positions, consequently the infantry was caused little inconvenience. +</p> + +<p> +Early the following morning, shortly before dawn, the attack was heralded by +the explosion of the mines, which had been in course of preparation for months +beforehand. This was the sign for the guns to open out, and the assault was +launched from north of St. Eloi in the Salient to the neighbourhood of +Ploegsterte in the south, the men following close in the wake of the now +familiar and popular creeping barrage. +</p> + +<p> +The force of the explosions was terrific, and the vibration was felt far and +wide; even strong concrete “pill-boxes” were swung to and fro, and +the occupants were tossed from side to side as if they were on board ship in a +rough sea. Some indication of the colossal nature of these upheavals may be +gauged from the fact that the craters were, in some cases, more than 200 ft. in +diameter, and that the earth thrown up obliterated every hostile trench in the +vicinity, completely burying the unfortunate garrisons who manned them. +</p> + +<p> +At the same moment the sky was lit up by all manner of S.O.S. lights and the +innumerable flashes from our guns, which were now showing their maximum +strength for the first time. They belched forth concentrated death, the roar +reached such a deafening crescendo that conversation was entirely out of the +question—indeed it was impossible to hear one’s own voice. However, +the scene was truly impressive, and the grandeur was beyond anything hitherto +seen. +</p> + +<p> +As daylight crept in, the infantry were observed to be making rapid progress, +although, here and there, stiff opposition was encountered. Soon the summit of +the ridge was gained, and the men swept on and disappeared over the crest, +leaving the mopping-up parties to complete their work. The Tanks bravely +waddled up after them, in a vain effort to keep up, for the attacking infantry +went so fast, in the first stages, that they easily outstripped those ponderous +giants and left them far behind. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the field batteries which had been in position farthest in the rear, +and so were already out of range, limbered up and dashed into action in front +of our Brigade. As soon as the next row was also out of action, they too +galloped past and took up their place again in “No Man’s +Land,” while the Engineers worked at their highest pressure to pull down +trenches and prepare the way for the gunners. Thus we were able to give the +fullest possible support to the infantry, and the fire never ceased, while the +men always found the creeping barrage laid down in front of them. +</p> + +<p> +Early on in the fray prisoners came dribbling back in a more or less dazed +condition, and, as they passed the array of guns, they paused and gazed in +evident wonder at the huge concentration—probably realising how fortunate +they were in escaping the fate of so many of their comrades. +</p> + +<p> +Now, the enemy, although he knew an attack was imminent, had failed to +anticipate the correct zero day, with the result that, on several portions of +this front, various reliefs were in process of taking place at the actual time +of the assault. The consequence was his defence was thrown into a state of +confusion, while the extra numbers in the trench offered a double prey for the +bayonets of our men, who were not slow in seizing the chances thus afforded +them. +</p> + +<p> +The whole of the first objectives were quickly in our possession, as well as +the villages of Messines and Wytscheate, and there was a slight pause to give a +breathing space to the infantry, and to allow time for the field guns to take +up their allotted positions beyond the recently captured enemy trenches, before +entering upon the second and final stage of the battle. When the creeping +barrage, which had remained stationary during this period, went forward once +more, the infantry encountered stronger opposition, but by this time the Tanks +were well up in support, and were instrumental in breaking up the machine-gun +nests and thus enabling the men to proceed up to schedule time. +</p> + +<p> +The enemy lost a number of field artillery pieces, but had taken the precaution +to withdraw most of the heavy ones several days before, when our bombardment +commenced. His shooting, therefore, was rather wild and erratic, as he +evidently had not had sufficient time to register his guns properly in the new +positions. The result was that, fortunately for us, most of his energy was +misplaced, and, for a battle of this magnitude, the casualties were not as +heavy as might have been expected. +</p> + +<p> +By early afternoon the final objectives were everywhere in our hands, and the +work of consolidating the fruitful gains that the last few hours had yielded +was immediately begun. +</p> + +<p> +Several counter-attacks were attempted by the enemy, but were not pushed with +much vigour, and no success was secured in that direction: our infantry +remained firm and could not be dislodged. +</p> + +<p> +Trenches were swiftly constructed, the work proceeding without intermission, +and by evening the men were, more or less, securely “dug in,” +except in a few places where the line was slightly irregular, and which was +afterwards rectified by means of a small operation. +</p> + +<p> +By the time the battle had finished we found ourselves the farthest back +Brigade in the line, the immense number of batteries which, at the beginning, +had been in our rear were now well in front of us, and on this sector the +Divisional Artillery were the only two Brigades who did not move forward during +the course of the fight. Moreover, by this time we were firing almost at +extreme range close to the enemy’s new front line, which gives some idea +of the distance our men covered. +</p> + +<p> +The day had been an exhausting one for the gunners, and, in order to give some +indication of the work and labour they had been called upon to do, our battery +alone fired over 4000 rounds of ammunition. This was by no means a bad +performance when one takes into consideration that each shell weighs 35 lbs., +and necessitated a goodly amount of manhandling, but the men all had their +“peckers well up,” and displayed much determination throughout. +</p> + +<p> +For a few days following the battle there were a number of small isolated +scraps for positions, and one or two enemy counter-attacks, before the new +front settled down into something like normal conditions again. Decca-ville and +light railways were pushed up smartly by the R.O.D., and the Engineers +constructed new roads, while Labour Battalions were busily employed repairing +the old ones and clearing up the litter of the battlefield. +</p> + +<p> +Ever since we came into action it had been no secret that our stay in this area +would be of short duration, and that we were only to be employed in the battle +itself, and were only to remain as long as our services were really required. +It was no surprise when, five days later, orders came through for us to +withdraw from the line. We pulled out back to our wagon line, and from there +proceeded through Bailleul to the little hamlet of Borre, a few miles east of +Hazebrouck, where we remained pending removal to our next destination. We all +had the feeling that our recent tour had been a great success, and were well +satisfied with the part we had taken in the operations, for this was the first +occasion on which we had witnessed a battle go smoothly, without a hitch from +start to finish, and was a great contrast to any previous one in which we had +participated. +</p> + +<p> +A few days in rest sufficed to put the Brigade shipshape once more, and we were +now ready for the next bout. No delay was made in transferring us to another +neighbourhood, and we set out in a northerly direction, which boded little +good, for we knew that unpleasant events were developing in that quarter. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>CHAPTER VII.<br /> +Ypres Again.</h2> + +<p> +In the middle of June the Division arrived in the neighbourhood of Ypres, and +at once took over from the Belgians from just below Boesinghe northwards. We +were thus back on familiar ground, as we had occupied the next sector to the +south in the previous year. Although we were not actually in the Salient +itself, we were situated at the northern re-entrant to it. The Yser Canal +constituted “No Man’s Land,” the eastern bank of which was +held by the enemy and the western by ourselves. +</p> + +<p> +The battery positions on this occasion were placed a considerable distance +behind, mainly around the village of Elverdinghe, as the enemy had close +observation and overlooked us from Pilkem Ridge. We did not take long to +discover that our opponents were well acquainted with the situation of our new +homes, for the majority of the batteries were subjected at once to an avalanche +of shells as soon as they opened fire in order to register the guns. It became +imperative for us to build alternative positions or go elsewhere, while other +sections moved forward and undertook most of the firing. We had not been +settled more than a few days when the enemy suddenly conceived a violent +attraction for the house occupied by the officers’ mess, and, after +several direct hits had been made on it, we decided that the place was becoming +too hot, and searched round for a more suitable abode. We packed up, made a +hasty flight, and secured accommodation in a house which was strengthened by +concrete, but even there we had to be wary, especially at night, for we were +very close to a road fork, beloved by the enemy gunners. +</p> + +<p> +The majority of the O.P.’s were also obvious to the keen eyes of the foe, +who paid them much attention on every possible occasion, and it was just as +well for the occupants that they had been strongly constructed with steel +girders and concrete. On one occasion an officer, doing a night O.P. duty, +along with his telephonist, was subjected to a full hour’s bombardment by +two hostile batteries, which fired salvoes regularly every minute. Next morning +there was nothing left of the house except the skeleton, with the O.P. +structure standing out defiant in bold relief in the midst of it. +</p> + +<p> +These then were the conditions on this sector at the time of our taking it +over, and it will be seen that the enemy did more or less what he chose, and +was undoubtedly top dog as far as gunnery was concerned. However, this was not +to remain long so, as almost immediately preparations were set on foot for the +coming offensive, which had already been decided upon. +</p> + +<p> +A host of new O.P.’s were erected, new roads and light railways +constructed, while large working parties prepared fresh gun pits in advanced +positions, and all were carefully camouflaged where they were exposed to enemy +view. Every day new units arrived, and the country appeared to be overrun with +troops. Most of the forward work had to be done during the night, and, as each +position was completed, the guns were silently concentrated. While this was in +progress, the Divisional Artillery only were maintained for the defence of the +line, as it was not advisable that the enemy should know until the last +possible moment that anything unusual was afoot. The scheme was a much more +ambitious one than that in which we had recently taken a part, and, if +everything went forward according to plan, it meant that we would be on the go +for a considerable time, and there even appeared to be a chance of getting a +taste of the long-talked-of open warfare. +</p> + +<p> +About this time a most amusing episode was witnessed by one of our Subalterns +who was doing a liaison with the infantry at a battalion headquarters. This +place was situated most unpleasantly, and was well known to the enemy, +consequently accommodation had to be sought underground as much as possible. +While the F.O.O. and his companion, the Intelligence Officer, were performing +their ablutions early one morning outside the mouth of the cellar, a Brigadier +with his Staff suddenly appeared on the scene to pay a visit to the Commander. +The two Staff Officers remained outside, and opened conversation with them. The +Intelligence Officer, being something of a wag, brandished his shaving brush in +one hand and with the other jocularly shoved the Staff Captain down the steps +into their retreat, and asked him what he thought of the bedchamber. The other +officer, although much amused, stood aghast, and, after the visitors had +departed, he asked his companion to whom he had been speaking. He replied that +he did not know, for, although the Captain’s features appeared familiar, +he could not “place” him, though he was a jolly sort of chap +anyhow. On being told that it was none other than the Prince of Wales that he +had been familiarly digging in the ribs for the past quarter of an hour, he was +incredulous, and exclaimed, “And to think I nearly killed the youngster +down these stairs!” +</p> + +<p> +At length preparations were completed, and the two Brigades of the Divisional +Artillery took up new advanced positions alongside the reinforcing batteries +already in line, while the heavies were thickly aligned close in the rear. The +preliminary bombardment broke out about the middle of July, and at first it was +keenly resented by the enemy, who perceived that we were gradually wrestling +the initiative from him, but when, day after day, our fire continued unabated, +he apparently resigned himself to his fate. Hurricane shoots by field batteries +soon began to make a difference in the appearance of his trenches, and the +heavies, by means of aerial registration, demolished his strongholds far back +over the crest, and destroyed many of his battery positions. Several thick +woods were facing us across the canal, and these grew thinner, and yet more +thin, disclosing cunningly concealed pill-boxes, which were then dealt with by +the heavies, until at last only a few stumps remained to indicate that a wood +had ever existed there. The enemy’s alarm grew daily, and soon our +aeroplanes reported that the hostile batteries were being withdrawn further out +of danger, and that work was proceeding feverishly upon new defences far behind +his lines. By this time we had complete control of the air, and the heavens +were alive with our aircraft, though the enemy tried his best to equalise +matters by bringing along his famous “travelling circus” to the +scene of action, and many thrilling fights were witnessed. The batteries were +subjected to much chemical shelling during the night, and the enemy were known +to bring forward special guns under cover of darkness for this purpose, and to +withdraw them out of range again before daybreak. +</p> + +<p> +It was during this period that he introduced the new mustard gas for the first +time, and it must be admitted that he surprised and inflicted considerable +casualties on us at first by this latest specimen in his assortment of poison. +</p> + +<p> +Our initial attack had to be postponed for several days, as the French, who +came in immediately on our left, were delayed in putting in their appearance, +consequently they had many hours’ bombardment to make up, but, when it +did commence, it was no uncertain one, and the noise was terrific. In the +meantime our bombardment was continued also, though in a lesser degree, and the +destruction of the enemy’s lines was, as far as we were able to judge, +thorough and complete. +</p> + +<p> +This delay proved a blessing in disguise to the Guards, who were to deliver the +assault on our sector. The problem of effecting a crossing of the canal was a +most serious and difficult one, and it had been arranged to send the men over +on floating mats, as a good deal of water still remained in parts of the bed. +In others so much mud and slime were encountered, while carrying out a series +of raids, that it was almost impossible to cross without some such assistance, +and it will be readily understood that it was imperative to waste no time in +this manoeuvre, especially as the foe was awaiting them on the further bank. +Whether it was that the enemy could not maintain communications between his +front line and the rear, on account of our intense bombardment, or whether, as +has been suggested, he suspected a repetition of Messines, and that we had +mined underneath the canal bed, at all events three days before the attack he +evacuated the canal bank and retired just over the crest of the hill some 800 +yards beyond. This movement, however, had not been carried out unperceived by +our valiant airmen, who, flying at a low altitude, returned and reported the +situation. Immediately strong patrols crossed the canal and pushed up the slope +on the other side, in order to remain in contact with the enemy and gauge his +whereabouts. A series of posts were thus established 500 to 600 yards east of +the canal, and orders were given to hold them at all costs, so that on the day +of the battle our infantry could start off from there without having any +serious obstacle in their way. Many men crossed the canal by means of hastily +constructed foot bridges or floating rafts made of biscuit and petrol tins +ingeniously lashed together. +</p> + +<p> +On this occasion we will follow the fortunes of the F.O.O.’s detailed to +accompany the infantry on their journey over the top on the first day of the +battle. The party consisted of two officers and fourteen signallers and +linesmen from the Brigade, who, during the past fortnight, had received full +instructions as to their duties. Every detail had been carefully worked out +beforehand: the men had been divided into several groups, each armed with +telephones, reels of wire, flags, and Lucas lamps, all these things being +necessary for the provision of each relay station. One of the officers was to +accompany the attacking waves of infantry with his staff, consisting of a +telephonist, linesman, and signaller, while the duty of the other was to work +in conjunction with him and to maintain, as far as possible, uninterrupted +communication with the Brigade after laying down the wire. The morning before +the battle, the wire was laid out over the canal as far as the series of +outposts, in order to save time on the following day. The same evening, at +sunset, the party set out, after receiving wishes for the best of good luck +from those who had been fortunate enough to escape being detailed for this +arduous task. Officers and men proceeded to their appointed places in the front +line, or rather in what had once been an enemy support trench, though now it +was scarcely recognisable as such, owing to the effects of our bombardment, +there to remain for the night and await coming events. +</p> + +<p> +Now, in consequence of the enemy’s premature retirement over the crest, +he lost most of his observation on us, but he was aware we had effected a +crossing and held posts on his side of the canal. He therefore lavishly +besprinkled this area with all manner of high explosive shells—one here, +one there: never two in the same place—and the members of the party began +to wonder whether they would survive to witness the fortunes of the battle. It +always appears to be a matter of conjecture as to what are the real feelings of +an F.O.O. about to take the plunge, so perhaps it might be of interest in this +case to acquaint ourselves with them. As he lies out there with his men, where +are his thoughts? Are they of his home, his parents, wife, or children? Will he +ever see their dear faces again? No—! all that agony has been fought out +over and over again long ago, during the previous fortnight or so, since he has +been detailed for this particular job. Then, what does he think about? If the +truth be told, he is rapidly running over in his mind all the little things +which may perhaps, at the last moment, have been omitted or forgotten. He +questions Gunner “So-and-so” to make certain that that extra piece +of wire has been brought along, and asks what the h—l Gunner +“Somebody else” is doing standing there without a +“tin-hat” on, and enquires of the Bombardier if he has adjusted the +Lucas lamp properly, which has been giving some trouble previously. These and a +hundred-and-one other such questions flash through his brain as he lies on the +ground with his little party, all vigorously puffing pipes or cigarettes. The +hours go by very slowly, and conversation on any old topic is attempted from +time to time, sleep being entirely out of the question, as everyone is much too +excited for anything of that nature. Meanwhile the bombardment continues +without intermission, and the night becomes intensely cold and eerie. Will the +darkness never pass and let us get started on the job? +</p> + +<p> +Soon after midnight the infantry, who are to make the assault, arrive at their +places of assembly, full of quips and jests, a sure sign that they are cheery +and in good form for the coming fray. Rum is served out, and the men lie down +in little bunches, either to snatch a few minutes’ sleep or else to +resume their constant arguments and bickerings on every subject under the sun +except anything connected with the war. Zero hour at last draws near, and +everyone grows more restless, for this period is much the most trying time to +endure, and all topics of conversation have long since been exhausted. Then a +short, sharp order passes down the line, and the answering shouts announce that +all are present and ready—the “quarter to zero” has arrived. +Another crisp order comes along, and there are a series of ominous clicks as +each man adjusts his bayonet to the rifle, then the men line up in perfect +extended order, ready for the word to go. A faint grey appears in the sky to +the east, but only the next man is visible to his neighbour, as the darkness is +still upon us. The F.O.O.’s and party are also up and ready, final +instructions being rapidly given to the signallers, who nod assent that +everything is prepared and understood. Then suddenly the guns bark out afresh, +and a creeping barrage drops down like a curtain in front of the men, who +follow after it at an easy walk. Fortune attends the little party, as the wire +has only been cut in three places, and these are speedily repaired; and, as +soon as the second wave of men is clear of the trench, the line is laid out as +rapidly as possible behind them. The ground is difficult to traverse, being +full of deep craters, so the party progresses more slowly than the infantry, +and presently the third wave gains on and passes it by. At first the enemy puts +down a nasty barrage, just beyond our stepping-off place, but most of his heavy +stuff falls on the canal bank, and, as the majority of the troops have already +crossed, the damage is not severe. By this time the party has gained the top of +the crest, and, after establishing a relay station in a pill-box lately +occupied by their opponents, the remainder proceed on their way. Many are the +temptations to dawdle, instead of getting on with the work, so much of interest +is taking place around them, including the amusing, and at that time not too +frequent, sight of scores of the enemy, with uplifted hands, emerging from pill +boxes, where they must have been packed like sardines. +</p> + +<p> +An auxiliary wire tapped into the main F.O.O. line is led to another pill-box, +now to be used as a new infantry headquarters for the time being, and the party +comes under the fire of a hostile machine gun emplacement, which necessitates +their lying in a shell-hole for a while. On arrival there, the “mopping +up” party is found still at work, but it soon completes its grim task. +The officer who has proceeded with the infantry now sends his first message +through to the effect that the first objectives are taken, the wire fortunately +holding out well at the moment, every sound being clear and distinct. The Lucas +lamp is then fixed on top of the relay station, and communications established +in case the wire goes, but the morning dawns in mist, and signalling by this +method is unsatisfactory. +</p> + +<p> +After a short pause, the infantry proceed on the second stage of their +adventure, the F.O.O. and party following up and laying out wire close behind +them. More messages are sent through to Brigade, and the wire breaks on several +occasions, but is speedily dealt with by the linesmen, who are kept busy +patrolling up and down the line. Meanwhile, items of extreme interest are +taking place around the pill-pox of the Central Relay Station. Numerous batches +of prisoners are drifting back, for the most part unattended, composed entirely +of youths of nineteen and twenty years of age, the Guards having refused to +kill these babies, only “despatching” the older men, for the +Division up against them was very mixed, and may best be described as a +“dud” lot, and it did not put up much of a fight. The lads all look +weary and mud-stained, although there is an expression of relief on their +faces, as they steadily munch the bread that has been good-naturedly handed to +them by their captors, for they have been starving for the past three days or +so, no food having reached them on account of the terrific bombardment. An +aid-post is hastily placed in a huge shell-hole close by, and the wounded +straggle back; those who are but slightly hit and can walk help each other +along, while the others are carried on stretchers. Here, a man, ghastly +wounded, minus one leg and with the other almost severed, lies on a stretcher, +calmly puffing at a cigarette given him by the bearers, and attempts to raise +himself on his elbow that he may gaze at the curious scenes taking place around +him. Others just stagger along, their pinched faces showing signs of suppressed +pain, yet all have a quip or a jest on their lips as they smoke the inevitable +cigarette. The sight is truly a wonderful one! The courage and calm that these +wounded display in the midst of their sufferings is beyond words, but they are +“Greatheart’s all.” Reinforcements are passing all this time +on their way up to the battle line, ready to throw themselves into the conflict +when their time arrives. +</p> + +<p> +Again the infantry move forward to the third and final objective, under cover +of the friendly barrage, and, by the time they arrive at their allotted +destination, an advance of some three miles from the canal bank has been +effected since morning. The wire is linked up, and the F.O.O. selects a good +point of vantage, and makes himself and his staff as comfortable as possible, +and then proceeds to gather as much information as he can obtain to send back +over the line. The infantry are now busy digging themselves in, and are being +subjected to heavy shell-fire, but they stubbornly resist all efforts to +dislodge them. By this time the batteries have all limbered up and advanced to +new positions, mostly out in the open, and an order comes over the telephone +from the B.C.’s for the F.O.O. to register the guns afresh: so he at once +picks up some dependable landmark, and with much difficulty observes the rounds +as they fall, and thus gives the necessary corrections. +</p> + +<p> +Then the wires break on account of the shelling, and some time is lost before +communications are again established. The enemy has now recovered somewhat from +the initial shock of the attack, and displays much determination to recover +lost ground—counter attacks are launched without success. The F.O.O. now +has an important message to convey, but, when the telephonist endeavours to +send it through, there is no answering buzz. Thereupon the linesman is +despatched as a runner, and, on reaching the first relay station, he transfers +the written message to another linesman, who immediately sets out for the next +relief, and so on, until the message duly arrives at headquarters. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the day wears on: sometimes direct communication is possible, and at +others the wire is “dished,” but, on the whole, a good deal of +information is passed through. The relay posts are constantly shelled, and the +bombardier in charge is wounded, while one runner was killed in his gallant +endeavour to pass through a heavy barrage with an important communication. In +the evening the party, much exhausted with the strenuous and never ending work +of the day, is relieved by a fresh group of officers and signallers, who take +over from them, and the little party wind their way homewards profoundly +thankful to find themselves back with their unit safe and sound. +</p> + +<p> +The situation, at the end of the opening day of the battle, was roughly +this:—In the north all had gone well, and most of the objectives aimed at +were successfully taken, but, such stiff resistance was met with further south, +that the assaulting troops were held up after they had gained only about half +of those allotted to them, and, although they fought stubbornly and +determinedly, they were unable to make further ground. Thus the left wing was +forced to mark time while the troops on the right made a series of attacks in +order to straighten out the line, otherwise the army to the north would have +found itself enclosed in a nasty salient. The artillery, over the whole battle +front, also encountered great difficulty in advancing the guns, the ground was +so ploughed up by the effects of the long preliminary bombardment. Even the +horse gunners, who were detailed to move up in immediate support of the +infantry, were unable to proceed further than a few hundred yards on the other +side of the canal. Huge craters, placed lip to lip, met them in all directions, +and an advance was found to be out of the question till new tracks were +prepared and the road cleared of debris. This naturally took some time to +accomplish, and, meanwhile, all the field batteries were advanced as close to +the canal bank as possible, but even then they were much too far behind, and +were firing at almost extreme range. +</p> + +<p> +No serious attack could be delivered, therefore, for some ten days, until +sufficient time had elapsed to enable the gunners to occupy new positions some +way across the canal, and, on this occasion, Langemarke fell into our hands, as +well as the line of the Broombeke. Progress remained slow further south, +consequently our front became stationary. Now, it so happened that most of our +batteries were in extremely awkward positions, as we had expected to be moved +forward at any time. They were right out in the open, devoid of any cover, and, +for the most part, placed in shell holes which had been hastily converted into +pits. Here we were subjected to the most “gruelling” time that was +ever our lot to endure, and the battle developed into a gigantic duel between +batteries, in which our position was no worse than the others. We lived in +shell holes, scantily covered with corrugated iron and a layer or two of +sand-bags, scarcely splinter proof, nor had we any means of making ourselves +more secure. The enemy’s heavy counter batteries swept and searched over +the slope where the majority of our batteries were congregated, and never +before or after were they seen to reach such a pitch of efficiency. +</p> + +<p> +Never a day passed without casualties, and often a number of gunners were +buried as the result of an explosion, and had to be hastily dug out, and early +on we lost one of our subaltern officers, who was borne away to the dressing +station with no less than a dozen wounds on him. It was with great difficulty +that the battery was kept in action sometimes, and, though we soon shifted our +position to a flank, this did not relieve the situation. A 60 pdr. battery not +far behind us developed the fatal habit of becoming particularly active during +“flash time,” and, as its flash was notoriously conspicuous, it was +not surprising that its location was promptly pin-pointed by the enemy, who +proceeded to knock it out: and this they succeeded in doing without much delay. +During this particular contest we always got the short rounds, and, as they +were not peas that were coming over, but 8″ and 11″ shells, the +atmosphere was unpleasant, to say the least of it! +</p> + +<p> +We considered ourselves lucky if we could keep 50 per cent. of the guns in +action at the same time, while every nerve was strained to dig out the +remainder, and it was a very heartless job, as a gun had no sooner been +recovered and set up in position than it was knocked out again almost +immediately. One morning, after a wild night of shelling by the enemy, on going +to ascertain the damage, we found one gun with its barrel buried deep in the +ground, the trail standing perpendicular pointing towards the sky; another +completely turned over on its back pointing in the opposite direction, while a +third had been blown right out of the shell hole in which it had been placed, +and hurled a considerable distance away. Casualties to our establishment +mounted at a most alarming rate, and one night our B.C. was mortally wounded by +a high explosive shell, and, although such assistance as it was possible to +give was rendered, he did not survive long after reaching the casually clearing +station. His loss was much felt, not only by reason of his own cheerful +personality, but also on account of the way in which he inspired all those +under him to do their utmost, especially in times of stress and danger, when he +always proved himself a true leader. The Captain now succeeded to the command +of the battery, and the Senior Subaltern became second-in-command. It soon +became evident that we could not carry on much longer under these conditions, +and in the last week of September we were pulled out to refit, and remained +near the village of Herszeele for a few days before again entering the fray. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile a subaltern with a working party was busily occupied preparing new +emplacements for our reception, and on the day of their completion he was +wounded while riding his bicycle back to his billet: thus we lost yet another +officer. But, try as we would, it was impossible to escape the vigilant eye of +the enemy, who engaged battery positions one after another, and the number of +guns knocked out was prodigious. Through a lucky chance it had been decided to +take the guns “in” at dawn, instead of during the night, and by +reason of this we escaped a most violent hostile bombardment which was directed +against the position, and which damaged at least two of the pits and completely +destroyed several dug-outs which the work party had recently striven so hard to +build. We set to work and repaired most of the damage, and, whether or not it +was the enemy thought he had disposed of us thereby, at all events he did not +repeat the performance beyond subjecting us to the ordinary night harassing +fire. +</p> + +<p> +Another attack was impending, which again necessitated the forward movement of +all batteries, and this time we were more fortunate in the selection of a site, +and had several German pill-boxes in which to live and take refuge. Owing to +the congestion on the one and only good road in the neighbourhood and the +hostile shelling thereof, it was a matter of luck to find ourselves safely +installed behind Abri Wood, and we immediately set out preparing for the new +fight. Unfortunately, the weather again came to the assistance of our foe, and +a spell of rain and wind made conditions extremely difficult for both infantry +and gunners. However, the battle was proceeded with, and the result was an +advance over the mud and slime of the river Broombeke as far as the outskirts +of Houthoulst Forest, a distance of about two miles; our French allies, on the +left, keeping in step with us throughout this operation. Then the inevitable +forward move of the batteries was resumed, and this time we occupied positions +down the further slope of the hill immediately across the rivulet of the +Steenbeke. In consequence of torrents of rain, which continued daily, the +low-lying ground became flooded, and it was all we could do to prevent the guns +sinking in the sodden earth, and they frequently disappeared in the mud up to +their axles. Dry accommodation was nowhere to be found except in a great +pill-box, which we added to and strengthened, and it was popularly called the +“Rabbit Hutch,” for the obvious reason that it held the majority of +the four batteries of the Brigade. +</p> + +<p> +Now, our last attack had advanced us considerably further than the men on the +right, who throughout the past month had encountered very stiff opposition, so +we had perforce to remain stationary and mark time, while the battle continued +to the south. On several occasions we rendered assistance by putting up what is +commonly known as a “Chinese barrage,” <i>i.e.</i>, the artillery +carries out the ordinary programme preceding an attack, but no action follows +on the part of the infantry. Conditions were equally disagreeable at the wagon +lines, which speedily developed into quagmires, and it was almost impossible to +walk about the lines unless attired in waders, and, even then, there was always +the possibility of completely disappearing in the mud. Over and above that, the +wagon lines were subjected every now and then to the attentions of a high +velocity gun, as well as frequent visits from hostile night bombing machines, +which were following the example set by our airmen and were endeavouring to pay +us back in our own coin. Much damage was done in and around the neighbourhood, +but our lines escaped exceedingly lightly. The question of ammunition supply +became acute, and the use of pack saddles was again necessitated, and, because +of the great distance between wagon lines and gun position, the round journey +sometimes took eighteen hours to accomplish, and naturally the strain +eventually told greatly upon both men and horses. +</p> + +<p> +The battery positions were not long in being located by the enemy, who expended +great quantities of ammunition in his attempts to destroy them: and he made +much use of chemical and mustard shell, which in time saturated the low-lying +ground on which the guns were placed. In this way he effectively gassed the +B.C., a subaltern, and several of the men, who were all despatched to the wagon +line, and the Captain assumed command for the time being and brought up reliefs +with him. By this time the Battery was again in a very bad way, and a rest was +promised on several occasions, only to be held up time and again with the +exhortation to hold out yet a little while longer. Winter was rapidly +approaching, and it was necessary to adjust our line before fighting came to a +standstill: and a considerable distance had yet to be traversed before the +goal—Passchendaele and the ridge on which it was situated—could be +reached. +</p> + +<p> +The battery, meanwhile, waited on in patience. All the remaining officers were +affected by the mustard gas, as well as the majority of the gunners, and a +sorry sight we presented when, in the first week in November, an incoming +battery took over from us. We then proceeded to the new wagon lines, near +Proven, in an utterly exhausted condition. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>CHAPTER VIII.<br /> +Cambrai.</h2> + +<p> +Everyone thought that our long-expected rest was now forthcoming, so it was a +great surprise when we were ordered to hold ourselves in readiness for a long +march. +</p> + +<p> +What did it all mean? Were we marching into our new area and having our rest +there or were we to be pitchforked into another scrap? +</p> + +<p> +No indication of our destination was given, and everything seemed most +mysterious: and, when the Brigade arrived in the neighbourhood of Merville, +there did not appear to be any sign of a definite halt. At all events the +journey was being performed in easy stages, as if we were filling in time, and +we were always making further south, till, passing behind Bethune, the vicinity +of Arras was reached. Here news of the surprise attack at Cambrai first reached +our ears, the secret of which had been kept so well, and, heading in the +direction of Bapaume, we were acquainted with the fact that we were again +“for it.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, the initial attack, which came as a complete surprise to the enemy, had +met with instant success, and, with the aid of a considerable number of Tanks, +the great Hindenburg line had been breeched over a distance of from 6 to 8 +miles, with the result that the fall of Cambrai a centre of great importance to +the Germans appeared imminent. +</p> + +<p> +However, after the first couple of days, the attack was not pressed home as it +might have been, for some reason or other, and the fight came to an abrupt +standstill, leaving our troops in a particularly baggy salient. These were the +conditions that prevailed when the Division gradually moved nearer the scene of +action. +</p> + +<p> +In the beginning of the fourth week of November, we entered the battle, taking +over from a famous Scottish Division which had fought with great distinction on +the opening days. +</p> + +<p> +The battery was placed in action to the north of Flesquieres, well inside the +salient facing Bourlon Wood, in a position only recently completed by the enemy +and which had not even been occupied by him. There was plenty of accommodation +for everyone in the deep mined dug-outs prepared by him some thirty to forty +feet below the ground, and the officers’ quarters were spacious and +lavishly constructed. +</p> + +<p> +From this point the domes and the spires of the city of Cambrai could be +clearly distinguished; indeed, they appeared such a short distance away, it +looked as if a saunter would carry us into the heart of the town. +</p> + +<p> +It was most interesting and instructive studying the elaborate system of the +Hindenburg defences. First, there were three separate belts of closely-entwined +barbed wire, each being some thirty yards wide, and behind them came a deep, +narrow forefield trench that was only intended to be lightly manned. +Communication trenches led back to the main Hindenburg trench some distance +behind, in most cases being out of immediate view from our lately occupied +positions. +</p> + +<p> +This trench was both deep and wide, being some twelve feet across and +duck-boarded throughout, raised on wooden stakes to prevent the water reaching +the level of the pathway. At short intervals shafts led down to the spacious +dug-outs beneath, which were all connected and linked up with one another. In +fact, practically speaking, one could walk from one end of the line to the +other below the surface of the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Skilfully concealed, at frequent intervals, were emplacements for both +trench-mortars and machine-guns, all heavily concreted and covered on top with +turf. +</p> + +<p> +The enemy must have thought himself very secure in this vast stronghold, but in +a way this very fact contributed, in a great measure, to his undoing; for, it +is common knowledge that the more one frequents deep dug-outs the less +inclination there is to emerge from them when a scrap is taking place. +</p> + +<p> +Finally, some 500 yards in the rear, a support line ran along, which, though +not constructed with the same strength, was formidable enough in itself. +</p> + +<p> +To judge by the indescribable mess, and by the mass of material left littered +about, the enemy must indeed have beat a hasty retreat. The dug-outs were +filthy to the last degree, and there was no sign of any system of sanitation +having been used by these people, who considered their “Kultur” to +be superlative, and who desired to impose it on the rest of mankind. All +through the campaign, whenever one had the opportunity of inspecting hostile +trenches and billets, one always found the same thing, filth and lack of +sanitation. +</p> + +<p> +Now, for some little time our hold on Bourlon Wood had been precarious, so a +further attack was initiated, and the Guards went in to straighten the line. +They swept through the Wood, taking the villages of Bourlon and Fontaine, but a +gigantic counter attack pressed them back again owing to reinforcements being +late in arriving to render assistance. They were so badly mauled and cut up +that it was necessary to withdraw them from the line to refit, and infantry +from an “Old Contemptible” Division took their place. Bourlon Wood +became so saturated with gas that, after a great tussle, neither side was able +to tenant it any longer, and so withdrew, leaving a screen of outposts to +prevent any surprise attack. +</p> + +<p> +This was the situation when dawn broke on the 30th of November, a day which +proved to be one of ups and downs for us, and caused many misgivings to arise +in the old country. The object of the enemy was to pinch either side of the +jaws, and, if his attack on the north had met with equal success with that on +the south, there would have been little hope for the troops in the salient, who +undoubtedly would have been surrounded and cut off. However, as events turned +out, our men held out and remained firm. Moreover, it was afterwards discovered +from captured documents that the enemy’s scheme was a large and ambitious +one. Not only was it his intention to retake the whole of our recent gains, but +to press on further through Havrincourt Wood, and establish himself on a line +beyond it. +</p> + +<p> +The Germans employed the same tactics as we used on the opening day of the +battle—there was no preliminary bombardment, and their troops advanced +under cover of a heavy mist and preceded by a creeping barrage. They put an +overwhelming number of troops into the fight, the odds against our men being +something like three to one, but our infantry in the north fought valiantly, +although they were forced to give ground step by step in the initial stages. As +the day wore on and the mist rose, we were able to see the hostile infantry +advancing in masses, but they were paying a heavy toll at the hands of our +machine gunners, who cut many a line in their ranks. +</p> + +<p> +The situation became tense when the enemy succeeded in driving our men across +the Bapaume-Cambrai road, and were seen to be approaching Anneux and +Graincourt. The 18 prs. batteries which were lying alongside of us dragged +their guns out of their pits on to the crest in front, and proceeded to rake +the enemy, firing as rapidly as they were able, through open sights, the +gunners stripped to the waist, toiling and sweating in their endeavour to stop +the oncoming tide. The fight swayed backward and forward throughout the whole +day, but finally the enemy was held in check without gaining further ground, +and he incurred very heavy casualties. +</p> + +<p> +In the south the situation was very obscure, and somehow or other the enemy +broke a gap in the defences between La Vacquerie and Gouzeaucourt, capturing +the latter place as well as the village of Gonnelieu, and commenced streaming +through. He had advanced a considerable distance before the importance of his +move was fully realised, consequently most extraordinary incidents occurred, +stories of which are now familiar to everyone. Battery positions were rapidly +overrun, and even wagon lines were captured, while Labour companies, working on +the roads far behind the front, on looking up, discovered the foe almost on top +of them. +</p> + +<p> +There were no reserves in immediate support, and affairs were taking on a most +serious complexion. Something had to be done and that right speedily! Therefore +the Guards, who had only two days previously been withdrawn from the fight, +were again called upon. They were lying in rest around Bertincourt, Ytres and +Ruyaulcourt, and were hurriedly conveyed in ’buses and motor lorries to +Metz, where they formed up and set out on their big counter-attack, supported +by our sister Brigade and another gunner unit which chanced to have been pulled +out on the previous night. Now, the enemy troops appeared to be as much +surprised at their success as we were, and continued advancing in a bewildered +kind of fashion, astonished at the little or entire lack of opposition with +which they met. Suddenly, however, they came face to face with the full +strength of the best disciplined troops in the world, whereupon they paused, +staggered, and at length commenced to fall back, in confusion and disorder, +with the result that the day was saved just in the nick of time, and most of +the ground was recovered, in addition to some 50 guns. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the wagon lines were situated in the village of Ribecourt, right +inside the salient, and, although it was known that a scrap was taking place, +no one had any idea as to its stupendous nature. The fact that the village lay +in a valley, surrounded by hills, prevented much noise of the conflict reaching +those in it. However, shortly after breakfast, it became apparent that +something was amiss, and the place became subjected to a heavy bombardment. The +horses and vehicles were evacuated as quickly as possible, without suffering +undue casualties, and collected on the hillside a short distance away, facing +Bourlon Wood, where they “stood to” awaiting further orders. +</p> + +<p> +Hostile aeroplanes put in an appearance, flying daringly low hither and thither +across the salient, endeavouring to pick up as much information as possible, +and sometimes dropping bombs. Many a tussle took place between them and our +airmen, who did not allow them undisputed sway for long. +</p> + +<p> +At noon instructions came through to be prepared to withdraw the guns at any +moment, but in the end this was found unnecessary. Even at this time we were +unaware that the enemy had penetrated our line to the south, and the first +indication we had that something unusual was taking place, was the arrival of +some reinforcements, who hurried along the top of the hillside behind us, and +took up positions facing in the opposite direction! A short time elapsed, and +then we were astonished and horrified to see a creeping barrage roll along, top +the crest, and gradually draw nearer us from the rear. Fortunately, it stopped +before actually reaching us, for by this time the enemy had attained his +furthest point of penetration, and the counter attack had already been +launched. Throughout the rest of the day the wagon line “stood to” +ready for any emergency, and at dusk the limbers were sent up to the position, +and the guns were withdrawn the same night and placed in action in the railway +cutting immediately behind the ridge to the south of Flesquieres. +</p> + +<p> +It became evident, after the experiences of the previous day, that, as long as +we remained in this awkward salient, we would undoubtedly be exposed to further +attacks at the hands of the enemy. The Germans meanwhile had concentrated huge +forces in the vicinity, so a continuation of our advance was now out of the +question, and a modification of our front was decided upon. The infantry +constructed a new line running north of Flesquieres Ridge, and, as soon as it +was completed, our troops fell back on it under cover of darkness, unperceived +and therefore unmolested by the enemy, who only made the discovery on the +following day, and then cautiously followed up until they came in contact with +us once more. The salient presented a curious aspect at night to those inside +it, and we seemed to be almost surrounded by Verey lights, as indeed we were, +except where the narrow neck led out towards Metz. +</p> + +<p> +The enemy did not, as was expected, attempt any further operations on a large +scale, but contented himself with making things very uncomfortable for us. In +spite of our withdrawal, the line was still saggy to a large extent, and he +could bring his guns to bear on any part of the salient and enfilade it. He +also paid much attention to bombing, and his planes came over at dawn and dusk +and caused a good deal of damage. The wagon lines came in for their share of +unpleasantness, and in the course of a fortnight we were forced to quit no less +than three positions in turn. The battery was specially handicapped by the +colour of its horses, and was evidently easily spotted by hostile aircraft, for +we had more than our share of ill fortune at this period. To take the worst +case that befell us, one night the wagon line lost 35 horses. A covey of enemy +planes had been over at daybreak, and apparently made a mental note of our +location, as they returned the same evening and dropped several bombs, though, +strange to say, no damage was effected. However, towards midnight, a 4.2 +battery suddenly opened fire with instantaneous fuse action, and many +casualties were inflicted before the horses could be removed, owing to +difficulties in the pitch darkness. +</p> + +<p> +The most wonderful fact in the whole proceedings was that, although there was +little or no cover for the men, who were ensconced in bivouacs, except a few +who were in an old disused trench close by, only a couple of them were hit. The +officers were rudely awakened by large splinters entering their tent, and only +just missing their heads as they lay on their valises, while the sergeants had +a most miraculous escape. They had formed a Mess in a bay of the trench, the +sides supported and heightened by some of the Q.M.S.’s stores, and +covered on top by a large tarpaulin. A shell dropped practically on top of +them, fortunately detonating instantly against several boxes of iron rations, +which undoubtedly contributed to saving their lives. An officer arrived on the +scene immediately afterwards, and found them all lying unconscious as the +result of the explosion, but they soon revived and took a stout part in +rescuing the horses. The construction was completely wrecked, and the clothes +they wore were stripped into ribbons, but only one of them had a scratch on +him. +</p> + +<p> +No delay was made in attending to the wounded horses, and in conveying the +remainder to a place of safety. The drivers were all splendidly cool and +collected under the trying circumstances, but many of the poor beasts were +beyond human aid, and had to be destroyed. +</p> + +<p> +The scene next morning was a gruesome one, and it was a most pathetic sight to +watch the drivers, with tears running down their cheeks, bidding a last +farewell to their lost charges before burial, for the men become exceedingly +attached to their four-legged comrades, especially when they have had charge of +them for a considerable time. No time was lost in selecting a new locality, as +it was considered wise to get out of the salient altogether, and thus avoid the +risk of incurring further unnecessary casualties; so the wagon lines were +removed to the vicinity of Ruyaulcourt. +</p> + +<p> +A spell of hard frost set in, with an occasional fall of snow, which added to +our difficulties as well as to our discomforts, for it must be remembered that +both battery position and wagon line were occupied at a moment’s notice, +and no time could be spent in making any preparations beforehand for our +reception. Affairs were now settling down for the winter, and nothing unusual +was taking place beyond a good deal of artillery activity on both sides, +consequently we were only awaiting orders to withdraw from the line. These came +through in a few days’ time, and the Brigade pulled out in the middle of +December to the ruined village of Beaulencourt, situated south east of Bapaume. +On the following day a long march was undertaken, and we proceeded by way of +Achiet-le-Grand, Ayette, and Beaumetz to the village of Montennescourt, due +west of Arras, a distance of 25 miles. +</p> + +<p> +It says much for the battery that it accomplished this long trail with no less +than 43 horses below establishment, and without any outside assistance, in +spite of the heaviness of the roads. The guns were pulled by six-horse teams, +and the vehicles and other baggage wagons by four-horse teams, made up by +requisitioning all the available outriders, yet none of the horses suffered to +any great extent from the extra strain imposed on them. +</p> + +<p> +It was with feelings of great gratification that we learnt that at last we were +going to have our long-delayed rest, and that it would fall to our lot to spend +the coming Christmas-tide and New Year season in more congenial surroundings +than had been the case in the two previous years. All were prepared to enjoy +themselves on this occasion, as it was felt, on reviewing the past six months, +during which time we had been fighting incessantly in “pukka” +battles, in which we had acquitted ourselves not badly, that we had thoroughly +earned a week or two of complete rest and quiet. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>CHAPTER IX.<br /> +At Arras.</h2> + +<p> +The next fortnight was spent under most happy conditions, and all ranks had an +enjoyable time. As Christmas approached, active preparations were made to excel +anything we had ever had before in the way of festivities, and this was +possible now that we were out of action. Quarter-Master-Sergeants, puffed out +with importance, were to be seen strutting hither and thither, returning with +mysterious sacks and parcels, presumably filled with good cheer. +</p> + +<p> +Plucked geese and turkeys appeared in large numbers, suspended from the +ceilings of billets, and several large barrels arrived on the scene, and were +duly placed under lock and key in the canteen, awaiting the auspicious day. +Much competition took place between batteries for the possession of the only +two live pigs in the village, which eventually went to the highest bidders, +while the remainder procured their joints in the form of pork from Doullens. +One of the batteries meanwhile grew so attached to its prospective Christmas +fare that it was almost decided to spare his life and adopt him as a mascot. +His fate was sealed, however, when one day it was discovered that he had +disposed of several parcels of food which had, inadvertently, been placed +within his reach by some of the men. +</p> + +<p> +Concerts were arranged, and the village school-room was kindly lent and +artistically decorated for these occasions. The weather was all that could be +desired now that we were safely lodged in billets, and it was a typical +old-fashioned yule-tide, with a plentiful fall of snow followed by hard frost. +The little village was in a sheltered hollow, and a small rivulet passed +through it on its way down the valley, while the scenery might have been that +surrounding any hamlet in the south of England. +</p> + +<p> +An open air service was conducted by the Padre, for the Brigade, on ’Xmas +morning, and the rest of the day was given over to sports and concerts, and the +climax of enjoyment was reached at night when the men partook of their dinner. +Gramaphones were well to the fore, but all kinds of musical instruments took +part in the gaiety which followed. +</p> + +<p> +A certain amount of latitude was given the men for a few days after, in order +that they might recover from the orgy, for indeed they had never had such a +gorge since their arrival in France. All were in excellent spirits, and these +were by no means diminished when it became known that our next area was in +front of Arras. It was recognised to be an enviable part of the line to be +situated in, especially during the winter months. It was also a locality with +which we had not as yet made acquaintance, and it was always interesting to +visit a new portion of the front, as we disliked being too long in the same +surroundings without a change of scene. +</p> + +<p> +The day following New Year, the Division entered on its period of duty in the +sector north of Monchy to the vicinity of Gavrelle, with the heights of Vimy, +which had fallen into our hands in the previous spring on its left. +</p> + +<p> +The battery position was reached by following the Arras-Plouvain road along the +valley of the river Scarpe, and we took over from a Scottish Division. The +enemy lines were everywhere overlooked, consequently he wisely refrained from +showing much activity. +</p> + +<p> +A magnificent view was obtained from the rear O.P. on the heights facing Vitry, +and, on a clear day, Douai was plainly visible and even the country far beyond +it. +</p> + +<p> +Our front line ran along at the bottom of the slope, having the ruined piles of +Roeux, which was the scene of such furious fighting in the latter stages of +Arras battle, immediately in its rear. Half right, to the south of the river +Scarpe, what remained of the village of Monchy stood out like a sentinel on the +top of the hill. This point afforded a splendid view in all directions and was +the veritable keystone of the whole position. Four of our pieces were placed in +a quarry, a few yards off the road leading through Fampoux, on its western +extremity, while the other two guns were moved forward, east of the same +village, behind a bank, and carefully camouflaged. As this sector was +extraordinarily quiet and there was not sufficient work to keep everyone +occupied, the Battery Commander decided to commence construction and endeavour +to make our position a model one. Two pits, which were already in existence, +were pulled down and rebuilt, and two others were constructed alongside, and +all of them were placed just as near the front bank of the quarry as would +permit of the guns clearing the crest. The whole position was completely +camouflaged, as, it will be readily understood, a quarry made a conspicuous +target for the enemy at any time, and if he suspected the presence of a battery +therein, there would have been little peace or quiet for us. However, as things +turned out, we had evidently made a good job of our work, and to our surprise, +not a single shell dropped in the quarry during our period of occupation. +</p> + +<p> +Walls were white-washed and ammunition and charge shelves elaborately painted, +the platforms were neatly tiled or bricked with material taken from the +surrounding ruins, and all manner of “eye wash” was employed in +making the pits look well. A communication trench was dug from one extremity to +the other, rivetted and duck-boarded throughout, and led to the men’s +quarters. These when completed were palatial, and put in the shade any +headquarter unit in the line. +</p> + +<p> +The near side of the quarry, which consisted of chalk, was easily and rapidly +mined, and, in the course of three weeks, the men had comfortable quarters. +Beds made of wire netting stretched on wooden frames, a spacious dining hall, +telephone pit, cook house, and they even possessed a moderate sized bath room, +which was highly valued and put to great use. The officers’ quarters were +no less sumptuously fitted out. Each had sleeping accommodation, in cellars of +the ruined houses, running along the main street close to the quarry, nicely +lined with wood and canvas to keep the damp out, while the Mess itself was a +work of art. +</p> + +<p> +The latter was built entirely by the officers and their batmen, under the +personal supervision of our energetic B.C. +</p> + +<p> +The floors, walls and roof of the cellar were lined with three inch timber, and +one day a subaltern, who had been out exploring, came back triumphant, bearing +in his arms a huge roll of wall paper found buried under some rubbish, at a +spot which probably denoted the one time existence of a decorator’s shop. +The Mess was therefore duly papered, with frieze complete, and with the +addition of easy chairs, book shelves, a stove and gramaphone, there was +nothing left to wish for, and the place was most cosy and snug. The entrance, +too, was the admiration of everybody, nicely tiled and decorated with fancy +carvings from the utterly destroyed church. Iron girders, beams, and countless +bricks to the height of several feet rested on top of our home. It is not to be +wondered at, then, that this model position was frequently visited by high +personages, brought hither by our Brigade-Commander or C.R.A., who appeared +almost as proud of the place as we were ourselves. Moreover, as we were in such +close proximity to the road leading up to the front line, it was only natural +that officers should drop in to this half way house and rest and regale +themselves before resuming their journey, so before long our Mess was known as +“The Pub” throughout the Division. +</p> + +<p> +The forward position was treated in the same fashion, and never before had both +officers and men had such comfortable quarters. Thus we settled down to a life +of ease, such as we had not known since the Laventie days of two winters ago, +and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy ourselves. +</p> + +<p> +Frequent trips were made into Arras, either on horseback or by river, for there +was a steamboat service, running daily on the Scarpe, which landed one close to +the Officers’ Club, a large wooden erection similar to a Y.M.C.A. hut, +run by the Expeditionary Force Canteen. +</p> + +<p> +The town had not been irreparably destroyed, and in most parts the inhabitants +had returned, and were carrying on their usual routine, while many shops were +re-opened and doing good business. The Cathedral was badly damaged, as well as +other prominent buildings, but, on the whole, the town had escaped wonderfully +considering how close the enemy had been to it for so long. Now, of course, the +enemy was over six miles away, and the city could not be reached by any other +than his high velocity guns, and they seldom troubled to shell the place, and +when they did so, from time to time, the fire was chiefly directed on the +railway station and sidings in the vicinity. +</p> + +<p> +An equally peaceful time fell to the lot of those who were at the wagon lines. +They were situated just off the main Arras-Souchez road, within easy reach of +the former place. Accommodation for Officers and men was provided by Nissen +huts, containing stoves, while the horses had good covered-in standings, with +mud walls surrounding them for protection against bombing raids. +</p> + +<p> +The transport of ammunition to the guns was easily conducted, as excellent +roads ran the whole way, and every care was taken to keep the horses up to +condition. The frost did not continue and in the early months of the year the +weather was wonderfully bright and mild, and many a good gallop could be had in +the neighbourhood, as there was a fine stretch of open ground close to the +wagon line. +</p> + +<p> +The horses undoubtedly had a better time than it is usually possible to give +them during the winter months. The war horse is an extraordinarily intelligent +animal and appreciates anything done for him in the way of comfort. He also +becomes very cute and cunning, and always knows the routine of the day, and can +tell his time of feeding almost to the minute, and, if allowed, would go by +himself automatically to the water troughs and return to his own particular +standing in the stable. +</p> + +<p> +One horse familiarly known by the name of “Shrapnel,” owing to +several wounds of that kind which refused to close up, and completely heal, +knew at once when he was “warned” for the line. Now, he disliked +going out at nights, and consequently was in the habit of +“scrimp-shanking,” and proceeded forthwith to go lame. At first he +managed to fool everybody, but on close investigation it was discovered that +nothing at all was the matter with him. +</p> + +<p> +Another fine beast, which at one time must have been ill-treated, when he came +to us had a bad rope gall on his near hind, and was extremely nervous at being +touched. After hours of coaxing he allowed his section officer and driver to +handle him, and, at length, showed great affection to them both, but woe betide +any other member of the battery, who attempted to go near him, back went his +ears and out went his feet at once! +</p> + +<p> +About the middle of February, a feeling of uneasiness evidently entered the +minds of those in authority. It was known that the enemy was transferring large +numbers of troops, which had been released by the collapse of Russia, to the +Western front. Consequently every unit got busy at once, the Infantry dug new +trench systems in rear of their existing ones, constructed strong points, and +mile upon mile of barbed wire was laid down. +</p> + +<p> +The gunners prepared new battle and reinforcing positions, in case a retiral +should be necessary, and filled them with ammunition against all eventualities. +</p> + +<p> +In a little more than a month everything was completed, and during the third +week of March, the troops were warned of an impending great enemy offensive, +and became fully on the alert. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a>CHAPTER X.<br /> +March the 21st.</h2> + +<p> +The morning of the 20th broke calm and the enemy did nothing to indicate that +anything out of the ordinary was about to take place, but this did not deceive +us, as it was known to our Command that the blow was going to fall on the +following morning. Silence reigned supreme, except for the ordinary harassing +artillery fire, up till midnight, but shortly afterwards the German guns opened +out their annihilating fire, and drenched our forward system and battery +positions with a severe gas bombardment. +</p> + +<p> +In this area the majority of batteries had, at the last moment, taken the +precaution to change their positions, as these were known to the enemy, and +thus avoided being entirely demolished by the heavy concentration which poured +all manner of shell into those they had lately vacated. +</p> + +<p> +At dawn, which, unfortunately for us, broke in a thick mist, after a sustained +bombardment of some four to five hours’ duration, the enemy launched his +gigantic attack over an area of fifty miles, from Guenappe, immediately below +Monchy in the North, to the neighbourhood of La Fere in the south. Under cover +of the mist, he congregated large numbers of field guns, which were able to +accompany and closely support the attacking waves, while at some places he +employed his new Tanks. These, however, though rendering some assistance to +him, by no means came up to expectations, and were ponderous and clumsy, in +spite of the fact that he had previously captured several of ours from which to +copy, but they proved to be far behind ours, both in construction and +usefulness. +</p> + +<p> +A “Chinese barrage” was put down by the enemy on our sector, but no +attack developed. The same evening the Division was hurriedly withdrawn from +the line, and heading in a southern direction arrived in the neighbourhood of +Tilloy and prepared for instant action. +</p> + +<p> +In spite of the favourable conditions, our foes made little or no ground, +throughout the day, on the whole of the Army front, and were held in our +forefield. Further south, much the same thing happened, although they +penetrated further in some places, but nowhere had they broken through, so the +news on the whole was good and reassuring. +</p> + +<p> +The German attack was renewed on the following day, and still the Northern Army +remained firm, but they succeeded in effecting a serious breech in the Army to +the south, where the British had lately taken over from our French allies. So +swift was the enemy’s progress at this point that our troops on either +side of this bulge soon became endangered, and a general retirement was +immediately necessary in order to keep the line straight. +</p> + +<p> +This applied to the Northern Army also, but not to anything like the same +extent. The Division again moved south, and took up positions behind the Henin +Ridge, between the village of that name and St. Leger, for the purpose of +covering the retirement. +</p> + +<p> +The whole line thus became mobile, and, for several days, a stiff rear-guard +action was fought, which resulted in very heavy casualties being inflicted on +the enemy. He was by this time flushed with his success further south, and +attempted to advance as if he were already the conqueror, which led to his own +undoing, as virtually he was only permitted to gain ground at our time and +will. It cannot be denied, however, that the days were anxious ones and the +infantry were kept very heavily engaged and became much exhausted. However, +they made the most of their opportunities, and had hitherto rarely found such +ready targets, and their machine guns effected great execution on the enemy +ranks as the men came along laden with full packs. A story is told, and is +believed to be true, of one machine gunner that, in the course of his +morning’s work, he slaughtered over 200 German’s single handed with +his weapon, after which he became a raving lunatic and had to be forceably +removed. +</p> + +<p> +The infantry, too, admitted that they were getting tired of killing Boches, and +the casualties inflicted on our men were a mere nothing as compared with those +suffered by our foes. The gunners were equally busy dropping into action here +and there and falling back as the circumstances required, until at the end of a +week, the line became more or less stationary. The front line now ran through +Mercatel, Boisleux and Moyenneville and thence, in a south westerly direction, +towards Serre. Thus the Germans were again almost back on the line they had +held, prior to the big retreat on the Hindenburg line in the spring of 1917. +</p> + +<p> +It seemed a great pity to vacate the Henin Ridge, for the opposing sides found +themselves facing each other in a hollow, with rising ground on either side, +which made battery positions difficult to conceal. So many disused trenches, +which had previously formed part of the old German line system, helped to +shelter us, to a great extent, for we were at this point nearly two miles east +of the permanent line of a year ago. +</p> + +<p> +Everyone feverishly sat about digging and constructing new trenches, and an +enormous amount of work was accomplished in a comparatively short space of +time, for it was felt that the enemy had by no means expended all his strength, +and would endeavour, in the near future, to resume active operations. There +could be no doubt that he would be dissatisfied to remain where he was, +especially as, so far, he had little to shew on this particular part of the +front for his gigantic effort and huge loss of men. +</p> + +<p> +It was no surprise therefore when, at the beginning of the second week in +April, after a short sharp bombardment, the enemy made a strong attack from +Monchy, north to the Vimy Ridge, with the object of seizing Arras and the +heights before mentioned. The result was a costly failure, as he was everywhere +held up in our forefield system, and the British Divisions opposed to him had +the time of their lives. We were very interested to hear about this battle, as, +of course, it was fought over the sector in which we had lately spent a number +of happy months and where we had done such an amount of work. It was distinctly +gratifying, too, when a wire was received from the Division who took over from +us thanking our Division for the wonderful defensive construction made by us. +It was due to that work that they were enabled to bring the enemy so quickly to +an abrupt standstill. +</p> + +<p> +They had seemingly experienced a veritable field day and thoroughly enjoyed +themselves on that occasion. +</p> + +<p> +After this unsuccessful effort, the enemy evidently gave up the attempt to gain +possession of Arras and Vimy by a frontal attack and turned his thoughts +elsewhere. +</p> + +<p> +Unfortunately, however, in the course of these operations, Monchy had to be +evacuated by the British, which enabled the Boche to gain observation on the +city which, thereafter, came in for a good amount of shelling, and again the +inhabitants were forced much against their will to leave the stricken place. +</p> + +<p> +All manner of heavy shell fell in the town, and the damage caused was +considerable, and it was no longer the haven of rest for the troops which it +had been a few months previously. Our wagon lines, meanwhile, had not escaped +undamaged, and were forced to change positions on several occasions until, at +last, comfortable quarters were obtained in the little village of Bretencourt, +where the houses still had roofs covering them, as the hamlet was just outside +the devastated area. When affairs settled down once more, the battery positions +were gradually advanced, and we dug a new position east of Ficheux, where the +guns were meanwhile situated. +</p> + +<p> +A forward section was established ahead in the railway cutting of the +Arras-Albert line, and we subjected the enemy to as much unpleasantness as it +lay in our power to devise. +</p> + +<p> +We were not, however, any length of time in this sector, and were removed to +the adjoining one immediately to the south. +</p> + +<p> +The line required rectifying in several places, and in a brilliant minor +operation, the village of Ayette was carried and remained firmly in our hands. +</p> + +<p> +Our new position was situated on the high ground to the north of Adinfer Wood, +immediately behind the village of the same name, but the neighbourhood was much +more peaceful than that which we had recently quitted, as everywhere we had +observation over the enemy, and naturally he never created trouble under such +circumstances. +</p> + +<p> +The wagon lines were again moved, this time much further behind, to the small +village of Gaudiempre, where one might have imagined one was completely out of +the war area, it appeared so quiet. +</p> + +<p> +The place was intact and all were ensconced in snug little billets, while the +horses were well off also, as opportunities for grazing were afforded round +about the neighbourhood. +</p> + +<p> +Then the enemy’s second great offensive opened on the Lys, and all eyes +were turned in that direction, but everyone held the opinion that, sooner or +later, he would be brought to a standstill, which proved to be the case. +</p> + +<p> +In fact, throughout the whole of this trying period, the confidence among all +ranks was extraordinary. No one had the feeling that we were going down and +under, and it would have done the pessimists at home a world of good to have +caught a glimpse of conditions out in France and of the cheery optimism that +prevailed there. There was even disappointment, in some quarters, that the +enemy had not attempted to attack us on this front, but he evidently thought +discretion was the better part of valour, for the defences were, by this time, +very strong, and it would have been strange if he had managed to penetrate to +any depth. +</p> + +<p> +About the middle of May, it was the will of those in authority to rest the +Division a while, and although we were not in any urgent need of a rest, we +were not disinclined for it, as the season of the year was favourable, and we +pictured all manner of good times in store. +</p> + +<p> +The Brigade, therefore, withdrew to the wagon lines, marched the following day +to Humbercourt, the village appointed for our resting place. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap11"></a>CHAPTER XI.<br /> +The Turn of the Tide.</h2> + +<p> +It invariably happened, when the Brigade came out for a period of rest, that +expectations of a real holiday were never fully realized, and although the time +passed pleasantly enough and we were favoured with fine weather, all ranks were +kept pretty busy. Many tactical schemes were practised, and we had always to +hold ourselves in readiness to render assistance, at short notice, to the +troops who were in the line, for our Command was taking no risks and had not +entirely given up the possibility of a hostile attack on this area. +</p> + +<p> +It must be admitted, however, that in the end everybody enjoyed rehearsing +these schemes, and we would have been well acquainted with our duties had the +emergency arisen. Our resentment, also, at being called upon to partake of +violent exercise so early in the morning, completely disappeared after a while, +the country looked so beautiful at dawn, and we usually returned in time for +breakfast, with well-whetted appetites, after some three or four hours in the +saddle. +</p> + +<p> +Unfortunately, at this time, the scourge known as “Flanders +Grippe,” which had been prevalent throughout the Army, developed in our +Brigade. For a considerable time this epidemic paralysed us, more or less, as +about half our number was down with the disease at the same time. Although it +passes after taking its three days’ course, one is left very weak and +groggy for some time, and several of the men were very seriously ill. +</p> + +<p> +Inevitable inspections by Corps Commanders and minor officials passed off +without incident, but, of course, much labour and “eye-wash” was +expended as is always the case on these occasions. The Divisional Horse Show, +held towards the end of our rest, was undoubtedly the principal diversion of +our time out, as each unit naturally did its utmost to outshine all others. The +battery entered a gun team complete, consisting of six dapple-grey horses, and +we succeeded in securing the second prize in the gunner’s Derby. +Curiously enough, the winners, our sister howitzer battery, won with five, out +of six horses which had been shown, over two years previously at Zeggers +Capelle, in Flanders, and who then carried off second prize in the competition +with a team of blacks. H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught afterwards inspected the +prize-winners, and evinced much interest on being told that ours was a complete +battery of grey horses. +</p> + +<p> +Paris leave opened for both officers and men as a consolation for home furlough +being stopped, and many availed themselves of the opportunity of having a few +days’ enjoyment in the “Gay City.” +</p> + +<p> +In the first days of June the Division returned to the line and occupied the +sector we had already been in prior to moving to Adinfer. The area had become +very quiet with one or two exceptions, and the enemy did not subject our +infantry to much shelling, and contented himself with occasionally annoying +them with trench mortars. But if, at any time, he discovered the location of a +battery position, that unit had a most unhappy time. Four of our guns were +placed in the railway cutting, where we had previously had a forward section, +and the remainder were again detached some distance away. Mine shafts, which +were already in existence, were enlarged and the men had plenty cover on top of +them. +</p> + +<p> +Some little time afterwards certain indications pointed to the fact that the +enemy contemplated business once more on this front, and as our guns were +situated awkwardly where it would be impossible to withdraw them quickly, we +were directed to construct a new position further behind. The work proceeded +briskly, and, when completed, four of the pieces were withdrawn and placed +there, the other two remaining in the railway embankment. The main position was +a long way back, and the guns could only just reach the enemy support trenches, +consequently they were only to be fired in case of a general S.O.S., and all +the shoots were accomplished by the forward section. Much time was spent in +making our new quarters shipshape, and the ground was well suited for mining, +as it consisted principally of chalk, and eventually all ranks were comfortably +installed in spacious underground quarters, although, at the moment, they were +quite unnecessary, and many lay out in the open during the warm summer nights. +The principal thing to do now was to make sure that the officers and men did +not stagnate for lack of occupation and to find means to keep them hard and +fit. Physical exercises were indulged in during the morning, and sports of all +kinds were organised, both at the battery positions and at the wagon +lines—the latter having taken up their quarters at the village of +Baillemont. +</p> + +<p> +A modified kind of base-ball, introduced by an energetic and enthusiastic +Canadian subaltern, became very popular with the men, while the corps ran a +polo-club of sorts for the officers. A fairly level patch of ground was +selected which possessed a certain amount of grass, and the numerous shell +holes were filled in and levelled off by fatigue parties, with the result that +it became moderately good. The polo ponies, however, left something to be +desired, and it was no uncommon sight to see a young officer appear mounted on +a stalwart wheeler, the best he could do for himself from among the horses in +his section. Possibly the explanation was that he had found a horse which he +could suitably “rein in”. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the enemy’s third big offensive had come and gone and the +British Commander-in-Chief’s famous “back to the wall” order +of the day to his armies. Still we waited, but nothing unusual happened; then +in the middle of July the French were heavily attacked, and once more the +clouds appeared on the horizon. There was great enthusiasm when it became known +that our Allies had counter-attacked, and were driving the enemy out of the +Marne pocket, and when the daily bulletins arrived there was always a scramble +among the men to read them. Then the British stroke fell south of the river +Somme at Villers Brettonneux, and excellent news, as to our progress, came +through, which raised everyone’s hopes to a high degree. Our artillery +fire was increased daily, and affairs became more lively, while flying was in +full swing and continued night and day. Both sides paid much attention to +bombing, and our Airmen freely besprinkled enemy territory with their bombs by +day, whereas the foe rarely attempted raids over our lines during daylight. +However, after dusk, the air was filled with the planes, as the weather was +particularly favourable, and the hum of the machines coming and going was +incessant throughout the whole night. At times one could scarcely get any sleep +for the continual drone they made, like the hum of gigantic bees around their +hives. One thing certain was that we had almost complete control of the air and +both out-numbered and out-witted the enemy to a marked extent. It was most +unpleasant to hear the noise of the hostile planes drawing nearer, for one +could not mistake the beat made by the German machines. The amount of bombing +experienced by us was quite bad enough in all truth, but we used to smile when +contemplating what our foes must be suffering at the hands of our Airmen, as +truly it was ten times worse. +</p> + +<p> +During this period the two counter offensives were progressing favourably in +the south, and we suspected that something would be doing on our front before +long, as the din of battle was creeping further north. It came as no surprise, +therefore, when serious fighting commenced north of the Somme, and the enemy +retreated from Serre and later withdrew in error from Ablainzevelle. As soon as +he discovered his mistake he attempted to retake it, but, by that time, our men +were firmly lodged there and could not be shifted from the village. +</p> + +<p> +In the middle of August, to everyone’s satisfaction, it became known that +we were to be up and doing at no distant date, and preparations were +immediately and silently set on foot. Throughout each night a continual stream +of teams and wagons conveyed thousands of rounds of ammunition up the line to +battery positions, and fresh dumps were placed in forward localities. New +battle positions were constructed in advanced positions and stocked with +shells, and we only awaited the order to occupy them. Instructions were issued +to wagon lines that all surplus kit and stores were to be left behind, as a +strenuous time was in store for us, and all ranks responded with a will to the +hard work these preparations necessitated. Drivers were elated at the prospect +of a change from their humdrum existence, and their enthusiasm knew no bounds. +New reinforcing batteries appeared like mushrooms during the night, and lay +safely ensconced in their appointed places in readiness for the coming fray, +while the neighbourhood behind the lines bristled with activity and also with +new arrivals. We believed that probably these preparations were being made in +order to take the Henin Ridge in front, and no one imagined that the coming +operations would consist of more than a local attack with a limited objective, +as little or no information had been given to anyone. It is true that rumours +were abroad, that our opponents were preparing to withdraw during the coming +winter to their defences in the Hindenburg Line, which meant that we would be +left most uncomfortably situated in the wilderness throughout that season. +Little did we dream, however, that this was the commencement of a long series +of hammer blows, lasting over several months, and employing millions of men, +and destined to be the last and greatest battle the world has ever seen, ending +with the complete demoralisation of the enemy’s forces. The turn of the +tide was at hand at last! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap12"></a>CHAPTER XII.<br /> +Through the Hindenburg Line.</h2> + +<p> +Before the serious work ahead of us could be undertaken, it was necessary to +shear off an awkward little bulge in the enemy’s line, which included the +ruined hamlet of Moyenneville. The corps on our right were to take part in an +assault two days previous to the commencement of our own advance, so it was +considered expedient to accomplish the above task at the same time. +Consequently, during the big attack, delivered in the south on the 21st of +August, which brought our troops level with the Arras-Albert railway line, our +small side-show passed off successfully almost unnoticed. Desperate fighting +had also taken place in the neighbourhood of Morlancourt, just north of the +river Somme, in which the enemy troops had been driven back after stubborn +resistance. They thereupon evacuated the town of Albert, as the place was +getting too hot for them, and retired on positions to the east of it. Our guns +were now moved into their battle positions, and on the eve of the attack +everything was ready and in order. For once in a way the weather was +favourable, and this augured well for the speedy advancement of the guns, which +was essential for the success of the operations. +</p> + +<p> +At dawn, therefore, on the 23rd inst., without any preliminary bombardment, +but, preceded by a dense creeping barrage and supported by innumerable tanks, +the infantry set out on their long journey. The men swept on, capturing the +villages of Boyelles and Hamelincourt at an early hour, without meeting much +opposition or suffering undue casualties. The day went well throughout and all +objectives were taken, and by nightfall, the vast machinery in the rear +commenced to move slowly forward. Batteries were advanced and supplied with +ammunition, by their echelons, ready for the next bout, and wagon lines +occupied the positions only just vacated by the guns. The attack was continued +on the following morning, which necessitated the moving up of the guns once +more, and the same thing continued day after day. The enemy was slowly and +relentlessly pressed back without a pause or breathing space, and once this +gigantic force was set in motion it was exceedingly difficult to stop it, as +our opponents were soon to find out to their cost. +</p> + +<p> +As the fight proceeded, our comrades on the left joined in, and gradually the +battle spread further north, assuming huge dimensions, until it reached the +river Scarpe. The enemy was caught napping before Monchy, and the Dominion +forces in one bound everywhere overwhelmed their opponents, not only capturing +the village but gaining ground to the extent of two miles beyond it. By this +time, Croisilles and St. Leger had fallen into our hands, but the enemy made a +most determined stand in front of Ecoust, and a very stiff tussle took place +for several days before we eventually gained possession of it. +</p> + +<p> +Some extraordinary incidents took place during the course of these operations. +The long-hoped for open warfare was upon us at last, and the gunners’ +dream of galloping into action and firing with open sights at close range was +an accomplished fact almost before we were aware of it. On one occasion, the +whole Brigade, immediately at the close of executing a creeping barrage, +limbered up, and topping the crest in front came face to face with the enemy, +and dropped into action alongside our advancing infantry. The enemy machine +gunners were lined up on a ridge some four hundred yards away, but on seeing us +they decamped with all speed, probably believing us to be a regiment of +cavalry. At any rate, if they had stood their ground and manned their guns, +they would have assuredly wiped us off the face of the map almost before we +could have opened fire on them. At the end of another day’s work, our +battery position was scarcely two hundred yards behind our front line, where +the infantry had installed themselves. +</p> + +<p> +The wagon lines were now well over late enemy territory, on the ground where +his batteries had been situated, and the mess was almost beyond description. In +some cases his positions were entirely obliterated, which spoke volumes for the +accuracy of the fire of our heavies, directed by our gallant airmen, and if it +had not been for the quantities of ammunition and dead horses littered around, +it would have been impossible to have known that positions ever existed there. +Mine shafts had been entirely closed up by the explosion of the great shells, +and a conglomeration of huge craters marked their locality. There was no rest +for anyone these days, and no men were called upon to perform more strenuous +work than our little drivers, whose untiring and never failing energy was +worthy of the highest praise and admiration: not only had they to care for +their pair of horses, but were incessantly on the go twixt gun positions, +dumps, and wagon lines under the most trying and difficult circumstances, and, +at the same time, the latter were changing positions frequently. However, they +never faltered or grumbled, and had always a cheery smile on their faces, even +when they returned in the middle of the night dead beat. For days on end it was +impossible to get out of one’s clothes, and sleep was almost an unknown +quantity: however, what did it matter as long as we continued to advance, and +in spite of everything—this was a long way better than the monotonous +routine of trench warfare. Everybody looked upon it in this light, and the +excitement and never ending novelty of the experiences under which we were +living, carried us on through thick and thin. +</p> + +<p> +The corps on our left, meanwhile, had by a superhuman effort penetrated the +great Drocourt-Queant switch of the Hindenburg line, and firmly maintained +their grip on the ground to the east of it, and all counter attacks made by the +enemy, to dislodge them, proved unavailing. The troops to the south had also +effected good progress, and the ill-fated town of Bapaume had again changed +hands and passed for the last time into the keeping of the Allies. Thus it came +about that the enemy troops, in spite of their very determined resistance in +the neighbourhood of Ecoust and Mory, found themselves in a most perilous +position, as the Dominion forces were now well in their rear, and were carrying +out a turning movement from a northerly direction. Therefore, they were forced +to do something, without further delay, which resulted in a swift retirement on +to the Hindenburg line some six miles to the rear. +</p> + +<p> +It was a most interesting and instructive chase, and the enemy retreated so +fast that it was with the greatest difficulty that we could keep up and +maintain contact with him. The battery had reluctantly to abandon a captured +German field gun which had been doing valiant work as the seventh gun for +several days against its late owners, for we had neither time or the means to +convey surplus equipment along with us. It was the kind of day that one reads +about in “Field Artillery Training” or even endeavours to imitate +while manœuvring out in rest, but for the first time we were doing it in +reality. The battery dropped into action on innumerable occasions during the +course of the day, and had only time to fire a few rounds before the enemy had +decamped out of range. Then we would limber up with all speed, the teams +waiting the orthodox two hundred yards in rear and to the flank, and gallop +forward and take up a new position right out in the open, and help the enemy on +his way with a few reminders that we were up and after him, and that he would +do well to hurry. +</p> + +<p> +By evening our foes had snugly entrenched themselves behind the great +Hindenburg barrier, and we again came face to fare with this formidable +obstacle. The line had, meanwhile, been kept in an excellent state of +preservation, and it was quite out of the question to make a frontal attack on +it without first cutting the belts of broad wire and treating the emplacements +to a prolonged bombardment. Another formidable hindrance in our way and placed +between us, moreover, was the famous Canal Du Nord, which was entirely dry in +most places. It was a considerable breadth across, and could obviously not be +bridged as long as the enemy kept watch over it from the opposite side, and it +varied from forty to seventy feet in depth. Thus, for the time being, the line +settled down stationary until this task could be accomplished, for it was not +the intention of our Command that we should sit down for the winter before this +great fortress, as our enemies wished and expected us to do. +</p> + +<p> +Our opponents were too busily engaged removing their heavy pieces of Artillery +back to a place of safety to subject us to a great amount of annoyance, and, as +the weather remained good, the work of bringing our heavies up was accomplished +quickly and effectively. The battery took up a position in our former front +line facing Bourlon Wood, with the ruined village of Mouevres immediately +ahead, while the forward section was placed in part of the Hindenburg line +itself, south-east of Pronville. Wire cutting was undertaken and carried out by +all field batteries, and the heavies pounded enemy emplacements and +communication trenches in the rear. +</p> + +<p> +Bombing by aircraft became intensive on both sides, and the enemy adopted new +tactics by coming over after dark, and, waiting for the gun flashes, proceeded +to drop bombs on the batteries. A fine spectacle was witnessed two nights in +succession in the form of a super-Gotha bombing machine brought down in flames. +Our small fighting planes were in the habit of flying at a high altitude, +keeping watch over our lines and lying in wait for these monsters. As soon as +one of them was picked out in the rays of a searchlight, others would +concentrate at once on it, whereupon the archies immediately opened fire. Then +far above a light would twinkle out several times, which was a sign for the +anti-aircraft batteries to cease fire. Everything remained still for a while, +the searchlights always focused on their prey, which endeavoured to dodge out +of the brilliant light, but in vain, owing to its unwieldiness. Then suddenly +from out of the darkness a little object shot alongside the giant plane and +spat tracer bullets into it, whereupon it instantly caught fire, and slowly +heeling over commenced its downward journey to destruction. +</p> + +<p> +Fierce fighting continued to the south, and by a series of brilliant operations +our troops had everywhere come in contact with the Hindenburg Line, and +commenced pounding its defences for the further advance. At the beginning of +the fourth week in September preparations were almost complete for the coming +assault, which would require all the energy and fortitude we could display. The +Division was side-slipped down to the neighbourhood of Havrincourt, as it was +familiar ground to us, after our experiences in November and December of the +previous year. The policy at this juncture was, as far as it could be carried +out, to place Divisions in localities with which they had already become +acquainted. Our battle position was situated on the outskirts of the small +hamlet of Demicourt, and we were to cross the canal a few hours after zero by +means of a ramp already prepared and carefully camouflaged at a point where it +passed through our lines. If all went according to expectations we were to +follow a line due east, and, passing to the north of Havrincourt, take up a +position, already known to us, on the railway cutting south of Flesquieres, +although as yet it was in enemy possession. +</p> + +<p> +The great battle opened on the morning of the 27th inst., under excellent +conditions, and it is now known to everyone how the crossing of the canal was +effected by means of scaling ladders, and, in some instances, by the use of +life-belts. +</p> + +<p> +From first to last the day went smoothly and well, and by nightfall the great +Hindenburg Line, upon which the enemy depended so much and in which he had such +faith, was everywhere behind us, and we were through, at last, to open country +beyond! +</p> + +<p> +It only remained for the Allies’ great Commander-in-Chief to deliver the +final knock-out blow at his own time and discretion. +</p> + +<p> +At this time the writer was reluctantly forced to leave the Battery on account +of ill health, and was sent home, and it is a source of keen regret to him that +on that account he missed the closing weeks of the great campaign. +</p> + +<p> +It is now a matter of history how our Armies, after hot and incessant fighting, +swept the enemy divisions out of France. +</p> + +<p> +On Armistice Day, the Division was in possession of Maubeuge, and thus the +Guards found themselves on territory which they had occupied in the early days +of the War, prior to the retreat from Mons. +</p> + +<p> +After three and a half years of strenuous warfare, the Battery is now lying at +rest in Cologne, where it keeps its silent “Watch on the Rhine.” +</p> + +<h3>THE END.</h3> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN FRANCE WITH THE GUNS ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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