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diff --git a/19814-0.txt b/19814-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0597d8c --- /dev/null +++ b/19814-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3764 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Three years in France with the Guns, by C. A. Rose + +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 +www.gutenberg.org. 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. + +Title: Three years in France with the Guns + Being Episodes in the life of a Field Battery + +Author: C. A. Rose + +Release Date: November 14, 2006 [eBook #19814] +[Most recently updated: October 18, 2021] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Geetu Melwani, Christine P. Travers, Sigal Alon and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN FRANCE WITH THE GUNS *** + +[Illustration] + + + + +Three years in France with the Guns + +BEING +EPISODES IN THE LIFE OF A FIELD +BATTERY. + +[Illustration] + +BY C.A. ROSE, M.C., +LATE OF THE +ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. + + Printed By +The Allen Lithographic Co., Ltd., +Kirkcaldy + + +[Transcriber’s note: Obvious printer’s errors have been +corrected. +The original spelling has been retained. +—The caption of the illustrations were unclear. +—Page 50: “serious of raids” has been replaced by +“series of raids” +—Page 76: “must against” has been replaced by “much +against”] + +Contents + + INTRODUCTION + I. Breaking Us In + II. Our First Battle + III. “Peace Warfare.” + IV. In “The Salient.” + V. On the Somme + VI. Messines + VII. Ypres Again + VIII. Cambrai + IX. At Arras + X. March the 21st + XI. The Turn of the Tide + XII. Through the Hindenburg Line + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +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. + +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. + +C.A.R. + + +Edinburgh, +_January_, 1919. + + +The “Grey Battery” at St. Omer, May 1917 The “Grey Battery” at St. +Omer, May 1917 + + + + +CHAPTER I. +Breaking Us In + + +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!! + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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 _en route_. 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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.e._, 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. + +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. + +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.e._, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER II. +Our First Battle. + + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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 T-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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER III. +“Peace Warfare.” + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +“Hullo! Is that Ack Battery?” + +“Yes, sir. Just a moment, sir. I’ll put you through to the mess, sir.” + +“Right you are, but look sharp about it, please. Yes. Hullo! Is that an +officer? Well, I say, have you been firing just now?” + +“Yes, sir. So-and-so is doing a practice shoot from the O.P.” + +“Put me on to him at once.” + +“Yes, sir.” + +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. + +“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?” + +“Just a moment, sir.” + +“Hullo! hullo!!” + +“Yes, sir. So-and-so speaking.” + +“What the devil are you firing at, young sir?” + +“Well, sir, I was given permission to fire a few rounds——” + +“Where?” + +“At the cross roads, sir.” + +“Seen any of them fall?” + +“Not as yet, sir.” + +“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.” + +“Very sorry, sir. Couldn’t make out where the shells were falling.” + +“Well, report to me as soon as you get back, remember. Have no time to +listen to an explanation now.” + +“Very good, sir. Good-bye, sir.” + +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? + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. +In “The Salient.” + + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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”! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER V. +On the Somme. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +’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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Division from Brigade R.F.A. Guards Division.” “Division from Brigade +R.F.A. Guards Division.” + + + + +CHAPTER VI. +Messines. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _via_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. +Ypres Again. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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!” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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? + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.e._, 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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. +Cambrai. + + +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. + +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? + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Skilfully concealed, at frequent intervals, were emplacements for both +trench-mortars and machine-guns, all heavily concreted and covered on +top with turf. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. +At Arras. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The latter was built entirely by the officers and their batmen, under +the personal supervision of our energetic B.C. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +The gunners prepared new battle and reinforcing positions, in case a +retiral should be necessary, and filled them with ammunition against +all eventualities. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER X. +March the 21st. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +They had seemingly experienced a veritable field day and thoroughly +enjoyed themselves on that occasion. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +We were not, however, any length of time in this sector, and were +removed to the adjoining one immediately to the south. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The Brigade, therefore, withdrew to the wagon lines, marched the +following day to Humbercourt, the village appointed for our resting +place. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. +The Turn of the Tide. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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.” + +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. + +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. + +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”. + +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. + +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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER XII. +Through the Hindenburg Line. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +It only remained for the Allies’ great Commander-in-Chief to deliver +the final knock-out blow at his own time and discretion. + +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. + +It is now a matter of history how our Armies, after hot and incessant +fighting, swept the enemy divisions out of France. + +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. + +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.” + +THE END. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN FRANCE WITH THE GUNS *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +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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