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diff --git a/44511-h/44511-h.htm b/44511-h/44511-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c12ba0 --- /dev/null +++ b/44511-h/44511-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3855 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of With a Reservist in France, by F. A. Bolwell</title> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + +/********** CSS taken from HTML best practices ***********/ +h1 +{ + text-align: center; + font-size: x-large; + font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.6; +} + +h1 small +{ + font-size: small; +} + +h2 +{ + text-align: center; + font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.5; +} + +.spaced +{ + line-height: 1.5; +} + +.space-above +{ + margin-top: 3em; +} + +#half-title +{ + text-align: center; + font-size: large; +} + +@media print, handheld +{ + #half-title + { + page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; + margin: 0; + padding-top: 6em; + } +} + +#toc +{ + margin: auto; +} + +#toc th +{ + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; +} + +#toc td +{ + padding-top: 0.75em; + vertical-align: top; +} + +#toc td.chapnum +{ + text-align: right; + padding-right: 0.5em; +} + +#toc td.right +{ + text-align: right; + padding-left: 3em; + vertical-align: bottom; +} + + +/********** CSS taken from HTML best practices ***********/ + + h1.pg { font-size: 190%; + line-height: 1; } + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44511 ***</div> +<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, With a Reservist in France, by F. A. Bolwell</h1> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + <a href="https://archive.org/details/withreservistinf00bolwrich"> + https://archive.org/details/withreservistinf00bolwrich</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 394px;"> +<img id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" width="394" height="600" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p id="half-title">WITH A RESERVIST IN FRANCE</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h1>WITH A RESERVIST IN FRANCE</h1> + +<p class="center spaced space-above"> +A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF ALL THE ENGAGEMENTS<br /> +IN WHICH THE 1ST DIVISION 1ST CORPS<br /> +TOOK PART, VIZ.: MONS (INCLUDING THE<br /> +RETIREMENT), THE MARNE, THE AISNE, FIRST<br /> +BATTLE OF YPRES, NEUVE CHAPELLE, FESTUBERT,<br /> +AND LOOS<br /> +</p> + +<p class="center spaced space-above"> +<small>BY</small><br /> +<big>F. A. BOLWELL</big><br /> +</p> + +<p class="center spaced space-above"> +<i>WITH SIX SKETCH MAPS BY THE AUTHOR</i><br /> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 134px;"> +<img src="images/i003.jpg" width="134" height="134" alt="" /> +</div> + +<p class="center spaced space-above"> +LONDON:<br /> +GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD.<br /> +NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center spaced space-above"> +TO<br /> +THE LATE COLONEL KNIGHT<br /> +AND OFFICERS OF THE LOYAL<br /> +NORTH LANCASHIRE<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="right">CHAPTER</td><td align="left"></td><td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left">THE CALL, AND THE START</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left">THE LANDING IN FRANCE</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td align="left">THE RETIREMENT</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left">THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left">THE BATTLE OF THE AISNE</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left">THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left">THE FIGHT ON THE BIPSCHOOTE-LANGEMARCK </td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td align="left"> ROAD, OCTOBER 23RD, 1914</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left">LA BASSÉE DISTRICT</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left">THE BATTLE OF FESTUBERT, MAY 9TH, 1915</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left">LOOS</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h2>LIST OF MAPS</h2> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="right">MAP</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">1.</td><td align="left">The Fight on the Marne, Sept. 10th, 1914</td><td align="center">on page</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">2.</td><td align="left">Battle of the Aisne, Sept. 14th, 1914</td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">3.</td><td align="left">Ypres, First Battle</td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">4.</td><td align="left">Rough Sketch of the Fight on the Bipschoote-Langemarck Road</td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">5.</td><td align="left">The La Bassée Front</td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">6.</td><td align="left">Rough Sketch showing Attack at Loos</td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER I<br /> +THE CALL, AND THE START</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER I<br /> +THE CALL, AND THE START</h2> + + +<p>Being a Reservist, I was naturally called to the +colours on the outbreak of war between England +and Germany on August 4th, 1914, so I downed +tools; and, although a married man with two +children, I was only too pleased to be able to leave +a more or less monotonous existence for something +more exciting and adventurous. Being an old +soldier, war was of course more or less ingrained into +my nature, and during those few days before the +final declaration I was at fever heat and longing to +be away.</p> + +<p>As all the world knows, war was declared on the +fourth, which was a sign for all reservists to present +themselves at the post offices throughout the +country, there to procure their travelling allowance +and proceed to the depôt named by the authorities +on each Identity Life Certificate. This I accordingly +did early on the following morning. Late on +the night before the General Mobilization notices<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +had been posted up outside all newspaper offices +and public buildings.</p> + +<p>I had rather a long journey before me, having to +go from a town on the South Coast, where I then +resided, to a town in Lancashire, that being the +depôt of my Regiment. During the journey to +London I had a conversation with a clergyman, and +of course the topic was war. We agreed that it +could not last for any length of time, and I remember +telling him that I was going to try and get a +soft job, and that I expected to have a nice holiday. +Little did I think what was in store for me! +Waterloo and Euston were packed to suffocation, +men flocking to the colours from all parts of the +country. The excitement was intense, and the +scenes being enacted partially carried away my +thoughts of sorrow at leaving home.</p> + +<p>That evening I arrived at my depôt, and, after +reporting myself at the Guard Room, made my way +toward the block of buildings which my unit +occupied, these particular barracks being the depôts +of three units.</p> + +<p>I met on arrival several old faces, and, after renewing +our acquaintances, I there and then fell in +with a batch of men going up for medical inspection. +We were then examined by two doctors very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +thoroughly. The next place to visit was the Quarter +Master's Stores, there to be fitted up with uniform, +equipment, etc. After that, as it was quite dark, +we retired for the night, but not before we had all +taken advantage of a little refreshment kindly +supplied by some ladies who had come forward to +release men employed in preparing food for work +in the stores. That evening a party of 500 men +had been sent to join the Home Battalion then +stationed at Aldershot.</p> + +<p>Next day a similar body of men had become fit +to be sent away, and I proceeded with them to the +First Battalion at Aldershot.</p> + +<p>On arrival, we were placed into Companies and +Platoons. Most of us had left the service some +years ago, and had no idea of the existing new +formations. One man, on being asked by an +Officer where his Platoon was, replied: "I don't +know, sir. I haven't got it on me."</p> + +<p>However, after a week at Aldershot, we were +pretty well knocked into shape, and had also been +fixed up in accounts and allowances, and other +details. We also had a lecture on inoculation by +the Medical Officer, who hoped that every man +would consent to be operated on. Another and +more interesting speech was given by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +Commanding Officer, Colonel Knight, a man who +fully realized the seriousness of the situation and +evidently had a good idea of what the present war +would be like. His speech was to this effect:</p> + +<p>"Men of the 1st Loyal North Lancashire +Regiment! I wish to bring home to you the fact +that we have a hard task before us. We are out to +fight a great nation and men who are out for blood. +This Regiment have always been top-dogs even +with the boys" (meaning time-serving men: they +had that year won nine football cups out of a +possible eleven, besides other sporting competitions). +"What are we going to do now that we have +the men?" (meaning the Reservists). "None of you +men will come back—nor the next lot—nor the +next after that—nor the next after that again; but +some of the next <i>might</i>. But we'll give those Germans +something to go on with, and we'll give a +good account of ourselves! Remember, men, the +eyes of the whole world will be upon us, and I know +that you will perform whatever task is allotted to +you, like men."</p> + +<p>We were then interviewed by the King and the +Queen; and, later in the day, proceeded to Farnborough +Station <i>en route</i> for Southampton, arriving +that night, every one and everything being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +embarked by 11.30 p.m. No one of course knew for +what port we were bound, though many suggested +Belgium.</p> + +<p>We had no "send off" whatsoever; no shaking +hands or wet handkerchiefs—any one not knowing a +war had been declared would have had no suspicion +that these men were starting out on active +service. Yet every one was jolly; every one was +happy. They put us aboard an old China boat, and +stuffed us into the holds almost to suffocation, with +one large electric light burning in a distant corner: +it was most unhealthy. After an hour one could +have cut the air with a knife.</p> + +<p>No sooner had we left our moorings than we ran +down a lighter, killing one man on her and knocking +a big hole in her side. None of us below had the +slightest idea of what was happening; all we heard +was an awful noise, with the lowering of the anchor. +We all declared that we had been either mined or +torpedoed; but after a while things quietened +down, and we all tried to obtain a little sleep.</p> + +<p>There had been issued out to us on starting seven-pound +tins of jam with our other rations. One +was placed near the spot I had made for myself to +sleep in. It was one of the darkest parts of the +hold; and, being tired, I was soon fast asleep. On<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +awakening next morning, to my horror I found +myself covered from head to foot in jam—a sorry +plight indeed, as we were not allowed to carry more +kit than what we stood up in. However, after +fighting for a few drops of cold tea, which had to +satisfy me for a breakfast, and an hour in the sun +and wind on deck, I had become perfectly dry, but +my clothes were as stiff as a board. All I could do +was to cheerfully declare that at any rate my +armour was perhaps more bullet-proof than before.</p> + +<p>Having set sail on the eleventh of August, we +arrived at Le Havre on the morning of the twelfth, +after a journey of twelve hours.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER II<br /> +THE LANDING IN FRANCE</big></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> + + +<h2>CHAPTER II<br /> +THE LANDING IN FRANCE</h2> + + +<p>At Le Havre we were met by two men of the +French Army, who to our unaccustomed eyes appeared +very strange in their red trousers and blue +coats. We promptly dubbed them "The Pantomime +Army." They were to act as our interpreters, +and came forward with their credentials to +the C.O.</p> + +<p>After disembarking our transport, etc., we were +marched, through the docks, on to the dock road, +there to hang about all day long, amusing ourselves +as best we could. A sentry was posted to stop any +man from going into the town, but we were allowed +to let civilians bring us provisions.</p> + +<p>At nightfall we were formed up, and marched by +way of the sea-front through the town and away up +a steep hill at the back, where we found a camp +already pitched for us. That march and landing I +shall ever remember, and so will all those who took +part in it. We were among the first English troops<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +of the Expeditionary Force to put foot on French +soil, and the excitement was great. Over the +whole of the distance we travelled we were hemmed +in by crowds shouting <i>Vive l'Angleterre!</i> Often +they broke our ranks to embrace us. We stayed +only the one night at Le Havre, and recommenced +our journey on the night of the thirteenth.</p> + +<p>At Le Havre Railway Station we were packed +into horse-boxes, 36 men and N.C.O.'s in each box, +the total often reaching nearly 50 men. In that +condition we travelled the whole of the night, and +the next day passed through St. Amiens, Rouen, +and Arras. At each place we had a wonderful +reception—especially at Arras, where the Mairie +and other Civic officials turned out with bouquets +of flowers for the Officers; and there was a Guard of +Honour of French troops. The free giving of +chocolates and sweets by the populace was indeed +very gratifying to us: it made us feel more eager +for the work which was to follow.</p> + +<p>That night (the fourteenth of August) we detrained +at a village called Le Nouvain. It had come on to +rain, and we were very pleased to find our billets +situated in a large schoolhouse with plenty of clean +fresh straw for our beds. On the morning of the +fifteenth we marched out in Brigade order, as we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +always did on every occasion afterwards. My +Brigade, which was the 2nd, commanded then by +Brigadier General Bulfin, consisted of the 2nd +King's Royal Rifles, 2nd Northampton Regiment, +2nd Royal Sussex Regiment, and 1st Loyal North +Lancashire Regiment, each Brigade consisting of +four line Battalions. A smarter body of men, all +seasoned soldiers, one could not wish to meet (the +average of their service was not less than five years, +all the younger recruits having been left behind in +England as peace details). Our destination for +that day at any rate was not a distant one; we +proceeded only to a small village called Esquerries, +not more than three miles off. There we again +went into billets for four days. On arrival at the +farm at which I was billeted, the farmer's wife on +seeing us broke into tears—she thought that we +were the Germans! But, I am pleased to say, the +good woman, and her good man too, were more upset +when we left, on account of having become so +much attached to us.</p> + +<p>We spent those four days in route marches; and +all men under the age of twenty-five years were +then inoculated. The hard part of that stay was +that no man was allowed to write home giving his +whereabouts, or even to head the letter with his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +name or Regiment. Of course no Field Service +post-cards had been issued at that time.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the eighteenth we bade good-bye +to Esquerries, and continued in a three-days' +rush up-country to Mons. The first day we +covered something like sixteen miles, and came to +rest in the usual farm-buildings. Before we set off +the next day, any man who thought that he would +not be able to perform the task before us was +required to give in his name to the Officer Commanding +Companies. I believe we had two sent +back, one with a troublesome leg through a break, +and the other returned by the Brigadier on account +of his very low stature. He did not think that he +would be able to accomplish any forced marches we +might have to undergo. That day we did a matter +of twenty miles.</p> + +<p>On the third day out we passed through Mauberge. +We had only covered some seven miles +when a halt was called and we lay on the right of +the road for six hours. While there we were told +that a force of about 30,000 Germans was on our +front, and the Cavalry had gone out on a reconnaissance.</p> + +<p>At 5 o'clock they marched us into billets, but we +had not been settled more than an hour and a half<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +when a Staff Officer came galloping up with orders +to move at once. About four miles from Mauberge +we could hear a distant boom of a gun, and all lines +of communication had been cut. A halt was called +in the centre of Mauberge for one hour, and we +were told that no man was to eat his "iron +ration" i.e. emergency ration, or drink any of the +water which he carried in his water-bottle, as we +were expecting to go into action and probably should +not get the supplies up for four days. On we went, +and marched for two hours without a minute's rest. +The men began to tire, and their cry became the +opposite to that with which we set out. Then it +was, "Are we down-hearted?" now it had become, +"Dump us in a field!"</p> + +<p>After another hour we had passed the outer forts +of Mauberge, and were feeling our way very +cautiously. Suddenly we would go on with a rush; +then more slowly; and this sort of thing continued +until 2 a.m. We had had no real rest since 6 a.m. +the day before; but at length we arrived at a small +village south of Mons, where we found billets, one +company of my Regiment going further on to find +outpost duty. Thankful I was not to be in that +company!</p> + +<p>Our rest did not last very long. Arriving in as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +we did at 2 a.m., we were brought out again at 3.30 +a.m., with a remark from the Colonel that we were +a lazy lot of ——. Some of us could barely crawl, +being stiff and chafed from our long march of +nearly thirty-five miles—not bad for one day, considering +that we were fully equipped.</p> + +<p>Our next move was to a field two miles off. We +were moved so early from the last place because it +was thought advisable to shift us before daybreak, +owing to the probability of its being shelled by the +Germans. In this field the morning was occupied +by feet and rifle inspection. A German aeroplane +came over us, and we were all ordered to line the +hedges and seek cover, which we did in quick +time.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon we moved higher up toward +the enemy, staying in another village for a +few hours. We were put into another schoolhouse, +which was well stocked with vegetables in the +garden, so we set about preparing for ourselves an +enjoyable repast. Just on our front the batteries +were in action, and, whilst awaiting our dinner, we +sat upon the wall of the school and watched the +duel. It was a glorious sight! A flock of birds +in the distance was mistaken by all of us for a +Zeppelin through the haze. We were, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +doomed to go without the big dinner we had +promised ourselves, as we were given our marching +orders and were off before it was cooked.</p> + +<p>On forming up with the remainder of the Brigade, +we were ordered to charge magazine, with one +round in the breach also. Things began to look +exciting, and in their agitation a few men let their +rifles go off, narrowly missing their comrades. We +then advanced through an avenue for a mile at the +double, when the word was given to halt and lie +down, no smoking and no talking, as we were now +in support to the South Staffords on our front, who +were expected to retire through us at any minute. +After laying there the whole of the night, and having +the Pioneer Sergeant run over by a pair of mules +attached to an ammunition limber, we were not +required! All we got for our night out was the loss +of the Pioneer Sergeant, with two broken ribs, and +one other man injured. It had been a pitch-black +night, and we had not noticed a trench just off the +road filled with straw, where we could have rested +our aching limbs.</p> + +<p>As soon as daybreak appeared, we were ordered +off that road; and we had no sooner left it than it +was heavily shelled. We dug some more trenches +that same day and retired from them just before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +they were blown up, so we were evidently +very fortunate on the twenty-second of August, +1914.</p> + +<p>On leaving the road, we retired to a thicket on +our left rear, but quitted it, and came to the trenches +aforementioned. Two batteries were just behind +us there, and they were having a bad time. Also +while there the Scots Greys, who were our brigade +scouts, came in with a report of meeting with a +body of Uhlans. They had evidently surprised +these Uhlans, and had given them a warm time, the +losses of the Scots Greys being only one man, I +believe, and two wounded. As I pointed out before, +we left those trenches in the nick of time; they +were not the trenches we have now in France, but +only what we call "one-man trenches"—very +little more than head cover, dug with our entrenching +tools and no good whatsoever against shell fire.</p> + +<p>After retiring from them we were kept on the +side of the road for the night; and for the next few +days were rushed from one position to another.</p> + +<p>Early one morning we set off to guard a +bridge, and, after going a mile or so, we were again +placed in a field. On the way we were handed some +corned beef and biscuits, also a grocery ration, i.e. +a tin of tea and sugar and two Oxo cubes, by some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +A.S.C. men who had been left with orders to issue +them to troops going into action. One of them +handed me mine with the remark: "You'll need +it, old man, where you're going!" Very cheerful, +I thought.</p> + +<p>We then advanced over some open fields in +Artillery formation, the Scots Greys going first, +probing all hedges with their swords. In this field +we were told to line the hedges.</p> + +<p>Two incidents worth relating occur to my mind: +one was the bravery of one of our flying-men—he +had just flown over the German lines, and on coming +back was being shelled by the German batteries—how +he escaped being hit I cannot think, as shells +were bursting no less than a dozen at once all +around him, and the fragments of shells were dropping +around us everywhere, though no one was hit. +Our Colonel, highly pleased with the steadiness of +the aviator, remarked that he felt proud to be an +Englishman.</p> + +<p>The other incident occurred in connection with +an order of the C.O. He gave out that the +Germans had advanced upon the Middlesex +Regiment, driving the civil population of various +villages in front of them and thus screening +themselves. He was very sorry to say that, if it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +was done to us, we should have to fire upon them, +as it was our duty to those at home. But happily +it did not occur then, or on any occasion on which +I faced the Germans, so I was spared the horror of +assisting in the slaughter of women and children in +such a cowardly way.</p> + +<p>However, the bridge we set out to guard in the +first place had, I believe, been taken by the enemy, +so our services were not required.</p> + +<p>Our fighting experiences at Mons were not very +severe, as the work fell to the lot of other Brigades. +The 1st Brigade, which contained two Battalions +of Guards, the 2nd Black Watch, and the Munster +Fusiliers, suffered far more heavily than did we, who +were moved from one place to another, mostly in +support. Operating as we did chiefly round the +outskirts of Mons, our casualty list was very slight.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER III<br /> +THE RETIREMENT</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER III<br /> +THE RETIREMENT</h2> + + +<p>It was from that field that we commenced the +great Retirement. My recollections of the villages +and towns we passed through on our way are now +slight, since we often marched at night, though I +have a clear remembrance of some of the larger ones +which we traversed by day.</p> + +<p>It was the twenty-fourth of August, on a blazing +hot afternoon, when we started upon our great +task. There was not a soul amongst the Officers +or the men who had the slightest idea as to what +was our destination. The first day or two we +tramped along happily enough. It was not, I +believe, until the evening of the second day that we +obtained an inkling of what was about to happen, +when we found ourselves passing through the outskirts +of Mauberge once more. Most of us got the +impression that we were retiring with a view to +taking up a better position. A rumour went the +rounds of the regiment that day to say that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +C.O. was leaving us for a Staff appointment; +and he did leave us, but returned again in the course +of the next few days.</p> + +<p>Most of the next ten days remain in my mind as a +nightmare. The weather was exceedingly hot, the +long roads with stone sets stretching as far as eye +could see were very wearisome, and the men were +utterly exhausted. On the third day out we took +prisoner a German mounted man, with two others, +one of whom got away, and a second was shot.</p> + +<p>On one occasion, just before entering a wood, one +of our aeroplanes came down near us, and the pilot +ran promptly to the General. After a few words, +our direction was entirely changed. Had it not +been for that aeroplane we should certainly have +been ambushed.</p> + +<p>We marched in Brigades, each day the lead being +taken in turns, the last Regiment finding rearguard; +and the same thing happened by Divisions, +three Brigades to a Division, and each Brigade +taking its turn to lead. The Provost Marshal and +Military Police went on in front to inform the +civilian population of towns and villages to clear +out as quickly as possible, and to publish notices of +the enemy's advance.</p> + +<p>The hardest time of all was when one's particular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +regiment found rearguard: then we often had to +march back for a few miles along the way we had +come, dig trenches, hold the enemy the whole of +the day, and then at night continue the march until +we picked up the main body again. Oftentimes on +reaching the main body it was found that they were +just ready to start again, so the rearguard would +be obliged to continue their march without intermission.</p> + +<p>It was a couple of days out of Mons and during a +rearguard action that the Munster Fusiliers received +a good drubbing, but not until after they had +held the enemy at bay for several hours. My regiment +was that evening doing rearguard to our own +Brigade when some of the Munsters retired through +us. One poor fellow going through told us how his +chum had had his jaw blown away by a piece of +shell, and the Germans on reaching the Munsters' +trenches had killed all the wounded with the very +entrenching tools they had been using. We expected +to see them coming in force that night, but +after waiting until dusk, we retired on the main +body. Unfortunately we did not get clear away +without casualties. An unlucky affair occurred in +this way: we had, the day before, passed through +Soissons, and I remember it was at this village that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +we caught up with the main body. On entering +the village we had to cross a bridge with a river beneath, +and the Northampton Regiment was guarding +it while the Engineers stood by ready to blow it +up when we were all over. My regiment was the +last to cross, and we had already done so with the +exception of one platoon, and were told to stand in +the centre of the village, when some one gave the +word that we were all over; and accordingly the +Engineers blew up the bridge. No sooner had that +happened than this platoon came marching down +the road. Of course the Northamptons mistook +them in the dark for the Germans, and opened rapid +fire upon them. I was afterwards told by a chum +who was in that platoon that a body of Uhlans +came galloping down the road not five minutes +afterwards; and he, with one or two others who +had survived the Northamptons' fire, were taken +prisoners. (This particular man fell ill, so they put +him into hospital, and when we fought the Battle +of the Marne we retook him; he was sent home, +and after a month or two convalescent leave he +rejoined us.) Naturally the Officer in charge of the +Uhlans was very wild when he found the bridge had +been blown up, as it was eight miles to the next +crossing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> + +<p>Most of our men had thrown away all their +heavy kit, such as top-coats, etc., and the Germans +of course made good use of them, some of them +putting the clothes on.</p> + +<p>At one place at which we were billeted five of +these Germans stopped in the house next to a barn +where a platoon of the Connaughts<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> were. Just +before daybreak these Germans gave the alarm, +and, as the Connaughts rushed out of their billets +to the alarm post, the enemy were awaiting them +with machine guns. This I got from a man who on +the following night laid himself down to sleep on +the pavement where I was doing sentry-go. Poor +fellow, he had on no hat or jacket, neither had he +any rifle or equipment. He had been following us +all day, and had had nothing to eat. So I took him +into the room of the house which we were then +using as a Guard Room, and the N.C.O. in charge +took him before an Officer. His story was proved +to be correct, so he was allowed to stay with the +Company for the night; but what became of him +after I know not.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> +<p>Next morning my regiment was finding rearguard, +so we marched through the town to an old +disused mill. Going through that, and crossing a +field, we came to a swiftly running stream, which +we waded across through water up to our armpits. +On the other side we had a very steep bank to +climb, and up which we had to drive two pack +animals. One of these, after climbing up a part of +the way, fell down and simply rolled over and over +till he reached the bottom. We had to shoot the +wretched animal, owing to a damaged fetlock. On +gaining the summit, we set off in skirmishing order +over a mile of open country, going through wheat-fields, +trampling the ripe wheat underfoot as we +went, until we struck a main road which ran +parallel with the one we had travelled the day +before. Just off this we dug the usual one-man +trench, and remained there all day long. The only +sight we had of the enemy was a patrol of cavalry +too far off to be within range.</p> + +<p>Towards four in the afternoon we commenced +again to retire, and had no sooner reached the +next village before the enemy began to shell us. +Again we were lucky in getting off with no damage +and no casualty. All this was all very well, but it +did not suit the men. This running away from the +enemy could not be stood at any price, and the +constant cry was: "Why don't we stand and +fight them? What are we afraid of? If you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +bring us here to fight, let's fight—otherwise put us +all on a boat and dump us down in England."</p> + +<p>On several occasions we passed food-supplies left +on the roadside—left for the Germans: whole +cheeses, tins of mustard, one of which I carried +for four days, but, on getting nothing to eat with it, +I threw it away.</p> + +<p>We would arrive outside a village, allotted for +billets, perhaps about 7.30 p.m., and, after having +marched the whole of the day, we were not allowed +to enter the village until eleven or twelve o'clock at +night to make ourselves comfy. The reason, I believe, +was that it might be shelled by the enemy. +No one was allowed to touch a thing—not even fruit—or +he would be punished for looting; yet we +knew very well that, perhaps on the morrow, the +Germans would secure it all.</p> + +<p>Various bulletins were issued during that Retirement, +I suppose to cheer up the troops. One I +remember contained the report of a German who +had been taken prisoner, and who had upon him a +diary, which—according to the bulletin—declared +that the German Army was starving. Another, a +very strong rumour, went the rounds, to the effect +that we were doing a strategical retirement for the +purpose of drawing the main body of the German<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +Army into France, whilst the Russians came in on +the East. Two days after that, a report was out +that the Russians were marching on Berlin, and +were within a few days' march of the capital itself. +Imagine our feelings, our delight. Remember, +we were absolutely cut off from all outside news. +What were we to think? Most of us expected +that the war would be over in a very short +time.</p> + +<p>After the first five days, we were given a day's +halt. The whole of the day before we had been +marching until three in the morning, and were told +on this day's rest that we had done so well, out-pacing +the enemy and outwitting them so successfully, +that we should no doubt be able to rest for the +next three days. On that day they paid us out, +giving each man five francs, which, however, were +of no earthly use to us, as we were all brigaded in a +large field, and there was not a shop for miles. Our +three-days' rest, however, did not materialize: we +were off again next morning, with the enemy hot on +our heels, having overtaken us by motors. So we +had to continue our weary task sooner than we had +anticipated.</p> + +<p>We were all fairly quiet on the country roads, but +as soon as we came to any large towns or villages<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +we would always knock out the strains of "Tipperary." +Another good point in Tommy's character +manifested itself—no matter how many miles +he had covered during the day, during which he +would be grumbling the whole of the time, he would, +immediately on striking camp, walk if necessary for +miles looking for a hay or straw stack on which to +find something soft and clean to lie upon.</p> + +<p>One turning point on that Retirement was a +small town, by name Bernay, I believe, in the +Champagne. There we arrived on a Saturday at +midday; the afternoon was spent in resting. A +few days before we had struck off south from +Meaux, and we heard that we were to defend Paris. +During the afternoon before we arrived at Bernay, +we had passed an encampment of refugees numbering +many thousands, and just outside Bernay were +many more. I was on outpost duty that night; +and a suspicious individual came up to me whilst I +was on sentry. I, of course, inquired his business; +but, as he could not understand my language, he +took no notice. As I could not leave my post, I +told another man who was off duty at the time to +bring him in. This fellow went out with his rifle, +but, although he was one of the fastest runners in +my regiment, he could not overtake the stranger,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +who got away. He may have been only a refugee +having a look round, or, on the other hand, he may +have been a spy.</p> + +<p>That day we finished our retirement from Mons: +it was the sixth of September, 1914.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> + +<h3>THE ADVANCE</h3> + +<p>The following morning we left Bernay behind, +and, going out the opposite side of the town from +which we had entered, we marched two miles along +the road until we came to a hill on the left of the +road about five hundred yards off. There we +advanced to the cover of the hill and were ordered +to lie down. We were then informed that a four-days' +battle was expected, and that a force of +40,000 Germans was on our front. Nothing, however, +came of it that day; so we advanced a few +more miles, and took rest in a field for an hour. +There we were told that all men who wished to do +so could grow a beard. From there we marched on +to billets in a village.</p> + +<p>The next morning we were away early, and during +that day we passed through a village from which +the Germans had obviously made a hurried exit, +for we found that many things had been left behind. +<i>We</i> were the ones that were doing the chasing +now, and a nice change it was to us! Of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +course, we could not go very fast, not as fast as we +had been made to go when retiring; and we were +allowed to march in greater comfort. During the +Retirement the infantry had had to put up with +many trials—for instance: we took the right of the +road and on the left we sometimes had Cavalry, +Artillery, and Transport, which made marching +most uncomfortable, whereas during the Advance +we had the road to ourselves.</p> + +<p>On the third day out we came across several dead +horses and dead troopers, where our advance party +had come into contact with the enemy's rearguard.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTE:</h3> +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> +The 88th Connaughts got badly cut up on the Retirement. +</p> +</div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER IV<br /> +THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER IV<br /> +THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE</h2> + + +<p>I will make a humble attempt to relate the Battle +of the Marne as it was fought by the 1st Division. +Our worst day—the one on which we did the most +fighting—was the tenth of September. On the +morning of that day we marched off particularly +early, and we must have done close on ten miles, as +we were halted for rest on two occasions. On +breasting a hill about two miles from the last halt, +we were again called to the halt, and the Artillery, +brought up from behind, opened out on each side of +the road and the crest of the hill. The word was +then passed down the ranks that a large German +convoy was expected to leave this village, and that +we were to capture it. Every one was in high +spirits, as food had been none too plentiful, and we +were all looking forward to the capture of this convoy +in the hopes of recompense.</p> + +<p>The North Lancashires were the second regiment, +with the 2nd Royal Sussex leading, they and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +King's Royal Rifles taking the left of the road, and +the North Lancashires and Northamptons taking +the right. We then commenced to advance in +Artillery formation, three hundred paces distant +and fifty paces interval: this we did until reaching +the bottom of the hill and to the right of the village +half a mile away. In this village, by name +Preiz, were the Germans, and running out the other +side, but up the hill, was the German convoy +retiring, the village itself being in a basin. On +reaching the bottom of the hill, we had to cross a +stream: once on the other side we opened out in +extended order, our idea being to skirt the village +and come up with the Germans going over the other +crest. Unfortunately it was a wet morning, and +the men had taken the advantage of putting their +oil-sheets round their shoulders to keep them dry, +the oil-sheets when wet being of a similar colour to +the German uniform. In the distance our gunners +bombarded us, mistaking us for the retiring +enemy; and we had no sooner come into view of our +gunners than they let go. However, we plodded +on, going up in short rushes by platoons. We had +with us at the time a new man who had volunteered +for the front at the outbreak of war, offering to +enlist provided the authorities despatched him +straight out. This they had done, sending him to +the particular platoon to which I belonged. To +our sorrow, he happened to be the end man, and +should have given the word when the other platoon +had halted and got down, to enable us to advance. +That first platoon, having got down, opened fire, +and instead of our advancing under cover of that +fire, that man failed to give the word. I was +second man, and, after lying still with our heads +stuck into the ground for ten minutes, I asked him +if the other platoon had stopped—to which he +replied: "I do not know, as I cannot see them." +So I gave the order to advance. Consequently as +soon as we got up we were met with a heavy fire +from the enemy, losing at once one or two men. On +crossing a narrow track of road near the crest of the +hill we were joined by the C.O., who had come up +there by the road to give us final instructions. He +got hit by a piece of shell, which passed through his +horse's neck and entered his stomach: he died a +few minutes afterwards.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 900px;"> +<img src="images/i049.jpg" width="900" height="655" alt="" /> +<div class="caption">MAP 1.</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> + +<p>We were now getting quite close to the enemy +and bearing round on to the main road; but, as the +fire became too hot for us and as we had no +reinforcements, we had to fall back as far as the +stream. A quarter of an hour after that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +Guards 1st Brigade came up on our right, and the +Major who was then in charge of us said he was very +sorry that we had not taken the position, but that +we would try again: this time it would be an +easier task, as we had the Guards on our right to +help us.</p> + +<p>Once more we opened out into skirmishing order +and recommenced our task; meanwhile on the +right the Sussex were doing well, and the King's +Royal Rifles and Northamptons had succeeded in +driving the enemy from the village. So by the +time we had reached the crest again, the enemy had +flown and the Guards were not required. Coming +back into the village, we found the Artillery had +advanced through the village and from the top of +the crest were shelling the departing Germans on +the other side of the hill.</p> + +<p>We reorganized in the village, and when the roll +was called we found we were about fifty men short +of the number we attacked with. Needless to say, +we did not capture the convoy, neither were our +rations increased, but we had the satisfaction of +knowing that we had, at any rate, taken the village +and driven the Germans off one section of the +Marne. Our greatest loss was our C.O.; but we +also lost the Captain of B Company, who was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +reported missing and has never been heard of +since.</p> + +<p>In that battle my section was particularly fortunate, +losing only one man, and he the Sergeant +in charge, who had been hit in the knee by a bullet, +but it was only a slight wound. Moreover, on our +second advance over the rise we did not get the +shelling of our own gunners, as word had been sent +back to them informing them of their mistake.</p> + +<p>During the next three days we had only running +encounters with the enemy.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of the thirteenth of September—a +Sunday afternoon—we took up position on the +top of a large hill facing the valley of the Aisne. +Whilst there, one or two shells came over and we +had a few casualties, but the words of our Brigadier +were: "They will not give battle here, but over +there," pointing to some big hills about four miles +away, behind which lay the town of Laon. On +that morning we had anticipated some street +fighting at a place we had come through called +Bourge, yet, although they had had the streets well +barricaded, they did not show fight, but elected to +fall back. That night we were taken from our +position on top of the hill nearer the enemy to a +village and there put into billets. At eight o'clock<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +every one was fairly comfortable, and we were +settled in farm-buildings with plenty of good +straw; but how we managed to sleep so comfortably—with +the Germans only three miles off—I +cannot say. Why they never blew us off the face +of the earth with the big guns they possessed we +often wondered—anyhow they didn't! and we got +down, to dream of home, huddled into each other +the best way we could to keep warm.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER V<br /> +THE BATTLE OF THE AISNE</big></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER V<br /> +THE BATTLE OF THE AISNE</h2> + + +<p>We were roused next morning with kicks from the +platoon commanders, and, after much struggling +and putting on of wrong equipments, we marched +out, but not before each man had received two +ounces of Gold Flake tobacco, the first English +tobacco we had seen since leaving home.</p> + +<p>It was the fourteenth day of September, and +raining. Leaving the village, we marched down a +road for about five hundred yards, bordered on +each side by high banks. There a halt was called. +On our right we could hear the sound of shots, and +the Corporal in charge of the range-finder was sent +to the top of the bank to take the range. He could +not see very far, on account of a heavy mist, but +reported the King's Royal Rifles advancing. We +then doubled by platoons through an avenue of +trees exposed to the enemy's fire, and gained some +fields on the further side of the road, lining the +hedges. From there into the valley led one road<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +which was little more than a narrow defile; then +it wound away to the right front over the crest +which the Germans held. Halfway up this road +was a small village called Tryon. At the rear and +facing the crest held by the enemy was another and +smaller hill thickly wooded. Before taking us +through the defile and into the valley, the words of +the Brigadier were: "That ridge has to be taken +by nightfall—otherwise we shall be annihilated."</p> + +<p>That day witnessed one of the worst battles I +have ever experienced, as we were badly equipped +with guns, having mostly only eighteen-pounders—"pop-guns," +as the boys called them—whilst it +was the first day on which we met the really big +guns of the Germans—those promptly dubbed +"Jack Johnsons."</p> + +<p>Our particular front was facing a beet-sugar +factory just off the main road, and there the +fighting was very furious. By midday we had +taken several of the Prussian Guard and of the +Death's Head Own Hussars prisoners; also report +went round that we had captured twelve guns, +which news cheered us greatly. One prisoner, a +Prussian Guardsman, remarked on the way back: +"Never mind, boys; we shall soon be back in dear +old London again!"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 900px;"> +<img src="images/i059.jpg" width="900" height="657" alt="" /> +<div class="caption">MAP 2.</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a><br /><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> + +<p>On one occasion early in the day, having to retire +from the top of the crest down into the valley, our +Company-Sergeant-Major took us <i>viâ</i> the other hill +through the wood to the position at the summit of +the hill which the Germans held. It was a splendid +move, well carried out, and without the loss of a +single man.</p> + +<p>On gaining the summit on the first occasion one +team of our machine-gunners took up position and +held it the whole of the day, helping us greatly to +secure the position against all enemy assaults. The +men stood their ground splendidly, three of them +being recommended for the Distinguished Conduct +Medal. On our right was the 1st Brigade, and +connected up with us was the Black Watch. One +large shell of the Germans which pitched amongst +a platoon of theirs standing between two haystacks +completely wiped them out with the exception of +two men.</p> + +<p>We continued to advance and retire the whole +day through. First we gained ground and the +Germans drove us off again; then we came back +with redoubled energy, until towards evening we +began to hold on and the Germans to retire. On +the right of the road was a haystack on fire, and we +were in a small trench just thrown up behind it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +The bullets were flying from that rick as if a magazine +was on fire and it was very unhealthy. At one +time we were in a swede field, and a large shell burst +in front of us, covering us with dirt. A chum of +mine, being hit very forcibly with a flying swede, +up he jumped, shouting: "I'm hit, I'm hit!" +but came to the conclusion that he wasn't as bad +as he had thought.</p> + +<p>As darkness came on we all formed up in line, and +the Brigadier, coming to the crest, remarked: +"The Brigade will bivouac on the ground they +now hold. Dig in." There and then we commenced +a line of trenches, which are there to this +day.</p> + +<p>It had been a most awful and bloodthirsty day, +with two of the finest bodies of men that ever faced +each other opposed to one another. There was +bound to be a good fight, and it was the cleanest +and most sporting day's battle I have ever fought. +Of course there was no time for food, and we got +none that day; but we had the satisfaction of +knowing that we had accomplished what we set out +to do. We naturally had very heavy losses, +including our second C.O., several other Officers +and a large number of N.C.O.'s and men—in all +nearly four hundred. The rations came up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +that night while we were digging our trenches; +they were brought up under cover of the +darkness right to the front line and there dumped. +Those who were near when they arrived were fortunate, +as they got their shares; others who were +further away got none. I was one of the fortunate +ones, and filled my pockets with small biscuits and +a lump of cheese, on which I kept two chums all +next day.</p> + +<p>During the night we dug our one-man trenches +six-foot long and as deep as we could make them; it +was hard work at times, the soil being very rocky. +I got fairly well down nearly four feet by daybreak, +when my Platoon Sergeant came along and +ordered me to join my section further along the +line, another man whose section was near me +taking over my trench. It couldn't be helped, as +we had all got mixed up in the day action the day +before. When I joined my section I found the +trench I had to take over only about a foot deep, +and the whole week following, although I was +digging on every possible occasion, I could not get +down more than six inches, as I had to go through +sheer rock.</p> + +<p>Soon after daybreak the Germans were off again, +shelling our trenches with shells of every calibre.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +This continued for an hour, but did very little +damage. After that they continued to shell our +gun positions in the rear, our guns keeping up a +steady reply. One Howitzer battery of ours was in +a cave, running out by means of rails, situated in +the wooded hill behind our lines. The enemy continued +to shell with every kind of gun the whole +time I was on the Aisne—that is, over a month—and +the only casualty that battery had was one man +wounded. The German shells would burst round +it with a huge roar and a noise very much like +"Krupp," and this small gun would answer with a +short sharp bang, for all the world as if a little boy +had put his fingers to his nose at a policeman.</p> + +<p>Just behind the line and halfway down the slope +of the hill was the small village of Tryon, where +there was a public wash-house. A large shell had +pitched there, but never exploded; its weight was +not less than one hundred and twenty pounds. +There was another on the roadway, and two or three +of them in the valley: one stood up on its base. +We were down there one day getting wood, and a +chum of mine put his foot on it, knocking it over. +An Officer passing at the time remarked: "You +would have looked well if that thing had gone off!" +My chum did not wait to hear any more—he was off.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> + +<p>That valley, when we left it, was like a pepper-box +top—simply perforated every few yards. How +we managed to remain alive on the Aisne the first +week was simply a mystery. Food was scarce; +and once we had a single loaf issued out between +a hundred men. We tossed for it, the winner to +receive the lot, the others going without. After +the first week we were much better supplied, having +bread or biscuits, with a ration of cheese or bacon, +but precious little of that; and oftentimes I tossed +for the lot and lost all! Fortunately there were +plenty of potatoes and carrots in the ground—these +we dug up, boiling them, and, after straining the +water off, partook of them with a slice of cold +corned beef. Some would boil the beef with the +potatoes, thereby getting the salt from the beef +into the potatoes: this we called "bully stews."</p> + +<p>Our Division, I believe, took the extreme right +of the British line on the Aisne; anyway, the +French were joining us. They were very quiet by +day, but as soon as darkness set in they would start +a rapid fire all along their line, our boys remarking: +"The French have got the wind up." Our orders +were not to fire on any account, but to use the +bayonet. At night every other man in the front +line was posted as sentry, doing one hour, after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +which the alternate men would do an hour. This +continued until daybreak, when sentries were +lowered to one in three.</p> + +<p>The third night after taking the Aisne we expected +an attack from the enemy, and the whole +Regiment stood to till morning. It was truly +beautiful—it rained incessantly, and one could not +see more than a yard in front of one's nose! That +night a man of the Black Watch came in having +been left out since Monday's battle: he had nearly +every toe shot off and was almost blind. He had—so +he told us—been in one of the boilers of the beet-sugar +factory, and a German had fired several shots +into the boiler, killing some more men who were in +there with him. A Guardsman also came in, shot +all over.</p> + +<p>On the fourth night I was allotted a nice job. +My Section Sergeant, coming to me just after dark, +said: "I've a nice little job for you."</p> + +<p>"Oh yes," says I—thinking it was a nice little +berth behind with the transport—"what is it?"</p> + +<p>"Do you know anything about barbed wire?" +says he; "just twisting it around stakes?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," says I: "I may be able to do +it; anyhow I could have a try."</p> + +<p>"Well, out in front about forty yards," says this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +Sergeant, "you will find a lot of stakes and two +reels of barbed wire. Now you go out and I'll send +another fellow to knock in the stakes while you can +twist the wire round them and make some entanglements."</p> + +<p>I can't say I liked the job, because I didn't! +The enemy lay only a few hundred yards away, and +I had to go out there attracting attention by +knocking in stakes and twisting barbed wire +around them, a thing the enemy would be sure to +try their best to prevent. But it had to be done, so +off we started, creeping over the top. We were +looking for nearly an hour for this wire and, after +twice nearly walking into the enemy's lines, we at +length found it, and managed, after several volleys +from the enemy, to accomplish our task, and rig up +some sort of defence. Every night after that, +whenever we occupied the front line, I was one of +the men erecting the barbed wire entanglements, +and many were the narrow squeaks I had at the +hands of the Germans.</p> + +<p>At the end of the first week we were relieved by +the 21st Brigade, containing the Sherwood Foresters +and West Yorkshires. They were a new importation +from England. My word! didn't they +look smart, while we who had gone through so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +much looked worse than tramps, absolutely reeking +of mud. We were taken back to a village about five +miles in the rear, and on the way back we had again +to go through the defile by which we entered. Our +batteries were still there, but the stench from dead +horses was awful. This village was at the back of +the wooded hill aforementioned, and there were +several caves there, perfectly safe from the shells of +the biggest guns yet made. In these caves we +were lodged, and we had a chance of a rest—the +first real rest we had since commencing the Retirement. +At the bottom of the hill was also a river, +where every one indulged in a bathe.</p> + +<p>We were in those caves for two days; on the +third day we were called out at 4 a.m., and we +proceeded to a village on our right previously +occupied by the French. To get there we had to +cross a sky-line, fully in view of the German observers. +We men knew that sky-line, for while we +lay in our trenches the whole of the previous week +we had watched the Germans shell it when the +French troops marched over it. Unluckily for me, +my Regiment was the last regiment of the Brigade +to go over. The other three got through safely; +but, as the road was thick with mud, we had taken +to the field, and thus gave the Germans an even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +better view of us. Two companies were nearly +over before we had it: we were the last two, when +over they came in batteries, five shells at a time. +We were of course forced to fall back over the +crest, but not before we had had twenty-five +casualties, though we eventually reached our +objective without any further losses.</p> + +<p>That village was one of the very worst I had come +across—dead horses and dead men everywhere. It +was full of caves, in which we were kept; but we +stayed there only one day, during which an enemy +aeroplane passed over, and on seeing us dropped a +silver ball which slowly floated down to where we +were, thereby giving the range to the German +batteries. But they could not hurt us on account +of the good cover afforded by the caves. It was +the first silver ball we had seen, and at first we took +it for a bomb.</p> + +<p>That night we returned to our old caves once +more. I afterwards heard that the reason of our +being called out was that the 21st Brigade, which +had relieved us, had lost the trenches through a +great enemy attack, but had regained them by +nightfall. Whether that was the true reason or +not I was never really able to learn, but, on going +back to those trenches at the end of the week,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +which we did, we found a large grave, with a +heading which read: "Thirty-seven Officers and +Men of the Sherwood Foresters lie here." It was +a Thursday night on which we went back to our old +billets in the caves, and on the following Saturday +we once more returned to our old positions, only a +little further to the right, the 1st Brigade taking +over those we had dug in the first place. There we +spent another three weeks, two regiments taking +the front line and two in trenches in support a little +lower down the hill. First of all we worked this +arrangement alternately four days in the front line +and then four days in reserve, but this was soon +altered to forty-eight hours.</p> + +<p>It was a fine sight when we were in the trenches +in front to see the relieving battalions coming up to +relieve us: there were no communication trenches +then, and they had to advance in extended order—lines +and lines of them; and when the enemy +opened fire, as indeed they did occasionally, they +all dropped down as one man. As soon as the firing +ceased they were off again, and so on until they +reached the trenches, when they would fall down +just in rear, and on the word of an Officer we would +get out and they would get in. We would retire in +the same order as they advanced.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was plenty of work on the Aisne during +those days, the men in the front line connecting +each single trench up with another, so as to form +one long continual line; also the making of bunny +holes. During the day we had the usual order: +one man in three on sentry, now commonly termed +in the trenches "look-out"; and, at night, every +other man—if a quiet night, one would be on +sentry, one resting, and one taken for digging a communication +trench, each man taking his turn an +hour about. Those in the reserve lines would all +turn out with picks and shovels the whole of the +night, digging one main communication trench.</p> + +<p>One Sunday morning we came in for a bad time. +The enemy finding our reserve trenches, which we +then occupied with the 2nd Royal Sussex, with +enfilading shell-fire, put several sixty-pounders +amongst us, causing a lot of damage. After that +occasion those trenches were never occupied, but +we made up straw dummies in khaki, and set them +around each dug-out; and we used to get great fun +from watching the enemy shelling them, our boys +remarking: "That's it, Fritz! Go ahead, and +let them have it!" One shell went right through +the Officers' mess-cart while the Officers were at tea, +killing two. That cart had a history; how we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +came by it is worth relating. During the Retirement +we were ordered to give in our great-coats, +which were placed on the baggage-waggons. There +was also on one of these waggons my Company's +money for paying out the men. This was done +early one morning, and, when we marched off, the +Armourer Sergeant and a certain number of men +were left behind in charge, to follow on when +everything was ready. I was afterwards told by +one of this party that the Regiment had not got very +far down the road when the Germans entered the +village. One of our men, seeing the Germans +coming and noticing this Cape cart with horse +attached on the other side of the road, made a dash +for it, and drove hard after us. He succeeded in +getting away and joining the Regiment, but the +Germans had done their best to stop him, as the +cart was riddled with bullet-holes. The other men +rushed out the other side of the village, thereby +being cut off; there were about fifty of them from +various Regiments, and, when called upon to surrender, +preferred to make a fight of it. They lost +one killed and two wounded; and some then gave +in and some made off. One man who joined us +again told me they used the open country by night +and hid by day, for four days. They went about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +like that in khaki, and on the fifth day got into +a house and, procuring civilian clothing, made +their way to Dunkirk, whence, after seeing the +British Consul, they were sent to England. Of +course, as there was no line established like that +which the Germans have now in France, it was +possible to do so. The Armourer Sergeant was +amongst those taken, but he escaped from Germany +later.</p> + +<p>We were much better off now than at any time +before; supplies came up more regularly, and we +also had an issue of rum, as well as the Paris edition +of <i>The Daily Mail</i> every day. We learnt whom we +were up against—the great Von Kluck, immediately +dubbed old "One O'Clock," since every day at that +time they used to bombard us. It was here that +we first heard that we were "the contemptible +little army." Here we also received a draft of +reinforcements other than Regulars, the Special +Reserve joining the few remaining regulars.</p> + +<p>I had here an experience of being a sniper. I was +on sentry-go in the front line one morning when an +N.C.O. came up to me and inquired "what class +shot" I was. I replied "first class"—which I +was. "All right," he said, "you're the man we +want. Come with me to the Captain." After<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +putting another man on sentry, I followed him. +He stated my qualifications to the Captain. "Just +the man!" says the Captain; "the reason I sent +for you is that we are persistently being troubled +by a sniper, and I wish you to crawl out in front and +bag him." "Very good, sir," said I—no good +saying anything else; so I asked him the position +he thought the German was firing from. "Half +right," said he; "if you watch closely until those +leaves blow aside, you will see his head"; which +I did after a minute or so. "I want you to get +that man," said the Captain. Off I crept over the +top with loaded rifle, and, after going a couple of +hundred yards, I lay down and waited, rifle ready +cocked. As soon as the leaves moved I let drive +my whole magazine at him. Then I waited again. +The leaves moved once more, so he was still there. +I got suspicious and crawled nearer; but found no +enemy sniper—nothing but a post stuck in the +ground! No more sniping for me!</p> + +<p>Our stay on the Aisne was drawing to a close, +but I heard afterwards that two civilians—one an +old man and the other a girl—had been shot as +spies, the man for working an underground telephone +and the girl for sending off carrier-pigeons. +These people had lived the whole time along with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +other civilians in the little village behind the line; +they were found out by the French Division who +relieved us. Every day, as regular as clockwork, +the enemy had shelled us for an hour after daybreak, +and for an hour at midday, and again another +hour at dusk, with an occasional burst during the +night. Rifle-fire was always plentiful on the Aisne +at night on both sides.</p> + +<p>We left the Aisne in the small hours of the +morning of the sixteenth of October, being relieved +by a French Division, after we had been in the +trenches the whole of the time since the battle of +the fourteenth of September. Whilst the French +Division was coming up at midnight with the +utmost quietness and on a pitch-black night, the +enemy poured shrapnel into them, causing the loss +of fifty-two to that Division, which simply went to +show that the Germans had a pretty good idea of +what was afloat.</p> + +<p>That morning we marched to Braine, and there +we entrained for what we all thought was going to +be a rest, but really proved to be a harder task than +anything we had had before.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER VI<br /> +THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + + +<h2>CHAPTER VI<br /> +THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES</h2> + + +<p>From the Aisne we travelled in the usual fashion, +thirty-six to forty in a horse-box, <i>viâ</i> St. Denis to +Boulogne, where we stopped until 3 p.m. on the +Sunday afternoon of October the eighteenth. As +usual, many rumours were afloat, the strongest +being that we were going on garrison duty to some +quiet little place, to pick up strength once more. +That quiet little place turned out to be Ypres! +The reason of our stoppage in Boulogne was that +a train in front of us, also a troop train, had met +with an accident; seventeen men had been killed: +so we had to wait whilst the line was being cleared. +We were supposed to stay with the train, but a +good many men went into the town. Consequently +the train moved off suddenly, leaving one +hundred men and three Officers behind in Boulogne. +They eventually joined us, each man +receiving fourteen days Number One Field punishment.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> + +<p>Leaving Boulogne, we travelled some way up +the line, detraining at a small station called Arneke. +Early next morning they marched us on to Cassel, +where we stayed one day, marching out next +morning in brigade order. We proceeded <i>viâ</i> +Beaulieu and Poperinghe, resting for the night a few +miles north of the latter place.</p> + +<p>The following day we proceeded very slowly, and +scouts were sent out to our right into a wood on the +look-out for the enemy. Evidently everything was +in order, as we advanced through that wood during +the night. On the way we met many horse-ambulances +returning filled with wounded. Emerging +from the wood, we arrived at the town of +Boesnighe, and that night we found billets there. +Moving off early the next evening in a south-easterly +direction, after marching the whole of that +night with fixed bayonets and hushed voices, we +went into action the next morning.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 623px;"> +<img src="images/i081.jpg" width="623" height="900" alt="" /> +<div class="caption">MAP 3.</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER VII<br /> +THE FIGHT ON THE BIPSCHOOTE-LANGEMARCK ROAD,<br /> +OCTOBER 23RD, 1914</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII<br /> +THE FIGHT ON THE BIPSCHOOTE-LANGEMARCK ROAD,<br /> +OCTOBER 23RD, 1914</h2> + + +<p>We were, I believe, sent up in reserve to the 1st +Brigade. Whether that is correct or not, it is not +for me to state—all I know is that we formed up +well behind the front line, two companies taking the +first line in extended order and two companies the +second line in the same order. Thus we advanced +about a mile over flat open country to the front +line. We went up in short rushes, and a word of +praise is due to the men who took part in it. I +never even on the Barrack Square or drill-ground +saw a better advance: the men went up absolutely +in line, each man keeping his correct distance, and +that under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. Of +course some men got knocked over; but it made +absolutely no difference. One Officer, a Major +Powell, carried a chair with him the whole of the +way, and, on reaching a hedge, would mount this +chair to get a view of the enemy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> + +<p>Two hundred yards off the front line, we made +a combined rush into it. There we found the +Camerons, with the usual one-man trench. The +man I lay down behind told me that they had been +out there three days and had had no rations, and +also that they had had many men taken prisoners.</p> + +<p>In this front line we had a breather, the German +trenches being roughly three hundred yards away, +and a hedge was also running parallel between the +two lines of trenches, with a big gap facing us. +Through this gap we could see the enemy retiring +one and two at a time from their trenches. They +appeared like so many rabbits running from their +holes, and, as they ran, so we took pot-shots at +them. After we had had our breather, the word +was given to charge; and this we did, going through +in fine style. Just behind the front line of German +trenches was a house from which we took a number +of prisoners. The first man of ours to reach it was +a corporal. He called upon the Germans to surrender +and got a bullet through the brain for his +pains. The Germans then saw us, and were +obliged to surrender, and were given over to men +to take behind. One German Officer remarked: +"We don't mind—we've got Paris, and London is +in flames." One of our Officers turned round and +said: "You know that's not true." Whereon +he remarked: "I know, but the men believe it."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 900px;"> +<img src="images/i087.jpg" width="900" height="632" alt="" /> +<div class="caption">MAP 4.</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> + +<p>The troops we were fighting there were on the +whole very young, and they had new clothing and +equipment, and told us that they had left Germany +for what they thought would be manoeuvres in +Belgium, and did not expect seeing the firing line +for some months. I myself really thought the war +was over that day, as Germans surrendered from all +directions and we overran their trenches everywhere.</p> + +<p>I went on with the first line, right into the village +of Langemarck. We got to a windmill, where we +took up position—two Officers and thirty-four men, +the Officers being Captain Craig and Lieutenant +Gardiner (afterwards taken prisoner). As it began +to get dark, we set about trying to find the other +part of the Regiment, and another man and myself +were sent out to locate them. Creeping along +quietly for about three hundred yards, we came to +a trench. Thinking it was occupied by our own +men, we walked up, and found it full of Germans! +We were off with a volley behind us, but got safely +back, reporting the incident to the Captain. After +studying the map for some time, he came to the +conclusion that we were cut off, and had better wait<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +until it was quite dark. This we did, and successfully +found the remainder of the Regiment.</p> + +<p>We had done well that day and set to work with +a will during the night on a new line of trenches. +These we held the next day, being relieved again at +night by a French Division, with the exception of +about thirty of us, who were unfortunately left +behind.</p> + +<p>It had happened this wise: there was a sharp +bend in the trench, and my platoon was round the +other side of that bend. The French, on coming up +the communication trench in the dark, had gone +straight on, relieved the remainder of the Battalion, +and had left us there. The Battalion, on forming +up in the rear to march off, had found that we were +missing; they had waited for us in a field, naturally +thinking we should join up as soon as we had been +relieved. After waiting for an hour, daybreak +came, and the Germans had commenced to shell +them; so they had made off, leaving us behind.</p> + +<p>We in the trenches were rather worried by a +party firing over our heads, apparently from behind, +and the Germans were in front. Towards +daybreak the men on our left commenced firing +heavily, and the Officer in charge of us (Lieutenant +Gardiner) shouted out to know the reason of it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +After shouting several times and getting no answer, +he sent an N.C.O. down to inquire. When that +N.C.O. came back and reported that the trench was +full of French troops, we knew then the Regiment +had gone and had left us—anyhow, Lieutenant +Gardiner went behind and found the men who had +been firing over our heads to be French troops also. +They were in a ditch, evidently in the dark taking +this ditch to be the line of trenches. Of course, on +being told their mistake, they cheerfully came up +and let us fall to the rear.</p> + +<p>On the way back we inquired of every one if they +knew the whereabouts of our Regiment, but, as no +one knew, we were stranded. We then marched back +to our old billets in Boesinghe, which we had left a +couple of days before. We found no Regiment +there, so the Officer took us all into an estaminet +(beer-shop), and ordered us coffee and food. We +then heard from a Staff Officer that the Regiment +had gone on to Ypres. It was Sunday morning, +October 25th, 1914, when we arrived at Ypres. +The town was then practically in its normal state, +being full of civilians just returning from Mass, +and no German shell had yet visited the town. +There we found our Corps Headquarters, and the +Officer in charge of us, having reported the episode<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +of how we got left behind in the trenches and learnt +the whereabouts of the Regiment, was told that the +G.O.C. was highly pleased with our work of the +last two days, and that when he reported to the +C.O. (Major Carter), who had joined us recently +and had led us in the last attack, he was to +tell him that the men who had been left behind +were to be struck off all guards, fatigues, etc., for +the next twenty-four hours and to be given a +thorough rest.</p> + +<p>Thus ended the Langemarck engagement so far +as we were concerned. On October 26th, 1914, +General Headquarters issued the report, a copy +of which appeared in the current account of <i>The +Times</i> of November 17th, 1914, as follows:</p> + +<blockquote> +<div class="center"> +"THE GALLANT NORTH LANCASHIRES<br /> +"SPECIAL 2ND BRIGADE ORDER<br /> +"26TH OCTOBER, 1914<br /> +</div> + +<p>"In the action of the 23rd of October, 1914, the +2nd Infantry Brigade (less the 2nd Royal Sussex +Regiment left at Boesinghe) was allotted the task of +reinforcing the 1st Infantry Brigade and retaking +the trenches along the Bipschoote-Langemarck +Road, which had been occupied by the enemy. In +spite of the stubborn resistance offered by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +German troops, the object of the engagement was +accomplished, but not without many casualties in +the Brigade.</p> + +<p>"By nightfall the trenches previously captured +by the Germans had been reoccupied, about 500 +prisoners captured, and fully 1,500 German dead +were lying out in front of our trenches.</p> + +<p>"The Brigadier-General congratulates the 1st +Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, Northampton +Regiment, and the 2nd K.R.R.C. (King's Royal +Rifle Corps), but desires specially to commend the +fine soldier-like spirit of the 1st Loyal North +Lancashire Regiment, which, advancing steadily +under heavy shell and rifle fire, and aided by +machine-guns, was enabled to form up within a +comparatively short distance of the enemy's +trenches. Fixing bayonets, the battalion then +charged, carried the trenches, and occupied them; +and to them must be allotted the majority of the +prisoners captured. The Brigadier-General congratulates +himself on having in his Brigade a +battalion which, after marching the whole of the +previous night without food or rest, was able to +maintain its splendid record in the past by the +determination and self-sacrifice displayed in this +action.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The Brigadier-General has received special +telegrams of congratulations from both the +G.O.C.-in-Chief, 1st Corps, and the G.O.C., 1st +Division, and he hopes that in the next engagement +in which the Brigade takes part the high reputation +which the Brigade already holds may be further +added to.</p> + +<div class="right"> +"(<i>Signed</i>) B. PAKENHAM, CAPTAIN,<br /> +"Brigade Major 2nd Infantry Brigade."<br /> +</div> +</blockquote> + +<p>On October 26th, 1914, we left our billets on the +Melin Road, and proceeded further up, halting +about halfway between Ypres and Hooge, called +then by us the "black and white village." There +we were placed in a field, and, once more lining the +hedges, we stopped there the rest of the day. A +regrettable incident took place towards evening: +one of our own aeroplanes was brought down by +our own fire, under the impression that it was an +enemy. It caught fire five hundred yards up, and +burned furiously: both men, pilot and observer, +were killed.</p> + +<p>The following morning, October the twenty-seventh, +we filed out of these fields, and, passing +through Hooge, continued up the road as far as a +large wood on the left of the road and about three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +miles from Ypres town. At the north end of this +wood were some batteries of artillery behind a +large château, and in this wood we dug lines of +trenches with entrenching tools.</p> + +<p>Next day, the twenty-eighth, we were taken +from here to another wood on our left front nearly +half-a-mile from the last. We had a little difficulty +in reaching it, as the whole of the distance was +within view of the enemy. Anyhow, we did the +distance, by platoons, at the double and at a +hundred paces interval.</p> + +<p>This wood was larger than the one we had just +left, and we commenced at once to dig in at the rear +end. We had had no casualties on the journey, +although the Germans had shelled us with eighteen-pounders, +all shells, fortunately, bursting at each +side of the road. We stayed in this wood until the +next morning, then retiring to the one we had come +from. We had one or two casualties before we left, +losing one or two men wounded and a horse killed, +the enemy's observation having been attracted to +us by the smoke from a fire.</p> + +<p>That afternoon, the twenty-ninth of October, we +proceeded to advance once more. Getting nearly a +mile up the main road, we took the left side, going +out in extended order. Thence we advanced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +another half-mile, coming under shell-fire; when +we reached the rise, we lay down. All this time we +had seen nothing of the enemy, though bullets were +flying all around us. It was then dark, but we did +not stay there. Closing in on the right, we came to +a village: here the bullets were very thick, but we +continued to cross the village along the main road +to the right. The name of this village I never +heard; it is now in the enemy's hands. In its centre +was what looked like the ruins of a windmill: we +could see the arms and sails on the ground, but the +remainder appeared to be nothing but a huge pile +of stones.</p> + +<p>Crossing the village into some more fields, we +formed up into line, and there commenced to dig +another line of trenches—the King's Royal Rifles +on our left and on our right the 3rd Brigade, consisting +of the Queen's Royal West Kents, Welsh +and South Wales Borderers.</p> + +<p>That night we brought in a German sniper, who +had evidently been wounded in the stomach. He +could not give us any information, as he was too +badly wounded.</p> + +<p>Later on, while we were digging, the C.O. gave +out to us that there was to be no retirement +from here: we were to hold the position at all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +costs. The Rifles on our left were commanding +the top of the hill, and, as our line ran down a +slope, we were ordered to dig our trenches forty feet +long facing the enemy but in step fashion, one +behind the other. This we did, bringing the last +trench on the right of our line just in front of a wood. +We worked all night on these trenches, making them +as strong as possible, knowing that there was to be +no retirement.</p> + +<p>Next morning, the thirtieth, we were very +heavily bombarded, and the bombardment increased +in violence towards midday, when we were +ordered out of our trenches and to advance. We +again moved up about a thousand yards, but there +was still no sign of the enemy—shells were abundant. +In front of a farm-house we dug in again, and +then we began to see our troops retiring on the +right. Two or three of the Welsh passing near, we +inquired what was going on, when they replied: +"It's hell. The Queen's are absolutely cut up"—which +was true—what remained of them were +sent down the line for garrison duties. We then +began to expect a little excitement, but it did not +come off that day; and we were once more ordered +to return to the line we had left earlier.</p> + +<p>Next morning, the thirty-first, the Germans<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +bombarded us more violently than ever. This +continued for several hours. The next thing was +that we saw the Germans coming; and they did +come—in their thousands. We kept them off for +an hour or two when the C.O. of the King's Royal +Rifles consulted us, or rather our C.O., about +retiring. I remember the two Officers having a +heated argument over it, as they stood by a farm-house +immediately in rear of the line. I do not, +however, know what their argument was, but +heard afterwards that the King's Royal Rifles had +got short of ammunition. The words I did hear +from our C.O. were: "It's the General's orders +that we hold the position at all costs, and this I'll do +if I lose the whole regiment."</p> + +<p>We continued to fire until the Germans were on +our trenches and coming through the line the +King's Royal Rifles had vacated on our left. I was +in the third line of steps near the farm-house, where +I overheard some of the conversation of the two +C.O.'s. Just in front of the King's Royal Rifles' +trenches was a huge German Officer waving with +one hand to the retiring Rifles to surrender and with +the other waving his troops on. It did not seem +of much good for us few men to attempt to fight +that dense mass of Germans, but we did; and out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +of the thousand, or thereabouts, that we lined up +with a couple of nights before very few got away, the +enemy taking somewhere about four hundred of my +Regiment prisoners and our casualties being about +the same number.</p> + +<p>I had a run for my life that day. A chum of +mine who was with us had a cock-fowl in his valise +that morning from the farm; he had wrung its neck +but he had not quite succeeded in killing him; and, +as we ran, this bird began to crow. As for myself, +I had no equipment; I had run having left it in +the bottom of the trench. It is quite funny as I +come to think of it now—the old cock crowing as we +ran; but it was really terrible at the time. We +were absolutely overwhelmed, not only in our particular +spot but all along the line, and had to +concede nearly one thousand yards to the enemy. +We were also very unfortunate in losing our +Brigadier, General Bulfin, wounded on the cross-roads +by a piece of shell, I believe; also our +Brigade Major, who was killed with another piece +from the same shell. I am sure every man in the +Brigade felt very keenly the loss of the Brigadier; +it was he who took us out from Aldershot, and not +a better General or a braver or cooler soldier under +fire ever stepped on field of battle.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> + +<p>Most of my Regiment being gone and the remainder +mixed up with other Brigades which had +formed another line, two chums and myself went to +a farm-house fifty yards behind this newly made +line. There we had a field battery; and, after +getting a little rest, started out to find the remnants +of the Regiment. The enemy were still shelling, +and the battle was still going on; but by nightfall, +not finding any of them, we came back to the old +house and found the battery gone. We decided to +rest there for the night with some more stray men +of different Regiments. Just in front of us, and in +rear of the line, lay a wounded German. We +decided to bring him in, and did so: he had been +hit in the mouth, half of his tongue having been +taken away. The poor fellow was in agony, every +now and then lying on the ground and kicking. +One of our men volunteered to take him back to +the field ambulance, and did so.</p> + +<p>That night we slept <i>on beds</i> in the farm-house, and +next morning, November the first, after a hurried +breakfast of biscuits and beef, we all set out to join +our respective Regiments; but, after wandering +about for an hour and seeing no signs of any of +ours, my two chums—one of them now holds the +V.C.—decided to go back to the farm-house and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +make a dinner. There was plenty of vegetables in +the garden and an outhouse full of potatoes; and +we found a spirit-lamp and a pot; so we commenced +to prepare our meal. In a short time it was +all in the pot, when—alas!—the Germans began to +shell our house, sending over incendiary shells. +They let us have it battery fire. The first lot took +off the off fore-leg of a cow, which along with some +others was grazing at the back of the house; the +poor thing hopped around on three legs for a second +or two and then dropped, the other cows running +up to lick the blood from its wound. The next lot +hit the top of the house, one shell taking away the +roof of the scullery, behind which one of my chums +was standing; the other had already run into the +trenches fifty yards away. I was the last to go, the +other two having thought that I had been hit. I +did not leave the place until the house was well +alight; and three hours after, when the enemy's +guns had died down and the fire had burnt out +the house, I went over to see how the dinner had +got on, and found it done to a turn, cooked by the +heat from the burning house. Needless to say, we +did full justice to that dinner—all three of us.</p> + +<p>We then went into the trenches with the Scots +Guards and on the left of them were some of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +Gloucesters. On inquiring if they had seen any of +the North Lancashires they replied, "Yes; they +had gone back to the reserve trenches in the wood, +there to reorganize." There we found the Regiment, +or rather the few that were left of it—about one +hundred and thirty.</p> + +<p>That night we received from England a draft of +reinforcements one hundred strong. After resting +in those trenches that night, we were taken a little +farther back to a wood in the front of Hooge and on +the right side facing the firing line. There we dug +new trenches and dug-outs, and always came back +to them on after occasions to rest. We were never +once taken into Ypres or any buildings, since the +enemy had during the last few days commenced to +shell the town and some parts were on fire. This +information we got from our transport drivers, who +had gone back some way behind Ypres.</p> + +<p>We rested in these trenches for two days, and +were then called out—on the afternoon of the +second of November—in support of the 3rd +Brigade. We went up in the usual skirmishing +order, three other men and myself going on in +front to warn the C.O., when we came into touch +with the Welsh Regiment. We were very heavily +shelled going up, but reached the Welsh with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +insignificant losses. Lying in front of the Welsh +and around a farm-house were a party of French +troops. On the word that we had arrived and come +into touch with the Welsh, our Regiment was made +to halt in a wood just behind and lie down. We +were only just off the road a little to the right, and +I estimate the Germans were about seven hundred +to eight hundred yards off. While we were there +a 4.7 gun was brought up on the road, and at the +above-mentioned distance fired point-blank into +the advancing Germans. An hour afterwards, the +Welsh made a charge, and a fairly successful one it +was, meeting, as it did, the enemy in the open. +They returned to their original position, while we +took up a position to their right.</p> + +<p>That night we again dug trenches, and next day, +November the third, we had very little to contend +with—only shell-fire; and we continued during +the day to strengthen our trenches. At night we +again moved a little nearer to the enemy, and commenced +another line of trenches. By next morning +we were well dug in, and it was a good job that we +were, as the Germans bombarded us very heavily. +At that period we did not have lines of trenches +where one could walk about; merely the usual one-man +trench. The Germans shelled us from early<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +morning until darkness set in and our casualty list +was close on fifty, in addition to which we lost our +C.O. and our Adjutant, Major Carter and Captain +Allen, both killed.</p> + +<p>I had a fairly decent trench there, as I always +had everywhere, knowing that the harder I worked +on my trench the more chance I had of safety. I +here lost a decent chum, killed on that day, the +fourth of November, by a bullet through his brain, +whilst he was spreading jam on a biscuit. When +it became dark two of my comrades came into my +decent trench, and there we soon dropped off to +sleep, all three of us, the Germans shelling us all +the time. When we awoke, it was nearly nine +o'clock; we were roused from our sleep by some one +throwing, or rather showering, earth in upon us. +Up I jumped and inquired <i>sotto voce</i>: "Who are +you?" Back came the reply: "Who are you?" +On telling him, he replied that he was a Royal +Engineer digging a communication trench; we +were not sorry to hear that he was not one of the +enemy. He then inquired what we were doing +there, remarking that the Lancashires had been +relieved and gone back some time ago. After +wandering about for an hour, we found the Regiment +in the reserve trenches in the wood. Every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +one had settled down for the night, rations and rum +had been issued, and we had perforce to make the +best of it. I did not sleep so well as usual, feeling +the loss of my pal. However, next morning, +November the fifth, we were told that, as we had +had such a hard time of it of late, we were to be +put into reserve on some fairly easy trenches on the +left of the road and just in front of the wood we +occupied on our first coming up. All we had to +contend with was cross-fire from the enemy's +guns. It does not sound very dreadful, nor to us +men did it sound hard; most of us thought that +we were going to have a fairly easy time of it; so +into the trenches we went quite happily. But +the shell-fire there was terrible, and the way the +shrapnel whistled through those trees, to say +nothing of the high explosives, fairly made one's +hair stand on end.</p> + +<p>I was just in front of the wood, where we had one +company entrenched; fifty yards in front and the +other side of a hedge was another company. These +were the only two companies we had, as we had +become very weak. In this reserve trench my +company lay for twenty-four hours, exchanging +with the company in front of us at the end of that +time for another twenty-four hours; but we were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +kept in that line for another four days through an +unfortunate incident. We went into the front line +of the reserve trenches on Saturday, November the +sixth. In front of us were supposed to be the +Zouaves. On our right front fifty yards off was a +small house beside the road, the hedge just behind +us running parallel but gradually getting to a point +at the extremity of the trench, which ended in a +<i>cul-de-sac</i>. Just over the top and in line with the +main trench was a small trench, which we called +the Thirteen Trench, as thirteen men occupied it. +It was situated just off the road and commanded +a view straight up it. Fifty yards along the main +trench was a communication trench reaching to the +hedge, where it stopped, letting us out on the other +side. Sunday morning, November the eighth, +broke with a heavy mist; it was one of those hazy +mornings that denote heat. Every one was taking +things fairly easy, when a man next to me, on +glancing over the top, exclaimed: "Look! here's +the Germans."</p> + +<p>We thereupon sent for the Officer, but he could +hardly believe his eyes: we were then supposed to +be in reserve. The enemy was advancing upon us +in close formation fully a thousand strong, and our +full strength could not have been more than a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +hundred in that trench and a hundred in the +trenches behind, as I know that the whole Regiment +at that time was not more than two hundred and +thirty (not including Transport).</p> + +<p>They were advancing by way of the little house +and on to the Thirteen Trench. We kept up a +brisk fire for a considerable time into the advancing +masses; but we were hopelessly outclassed, and +had to fall back on our other company behind. On +reaching them, we all retired into the wood, drawing +the enemy in behind us. It proved to be a fine +piece of strategy, as we drew them on to unfamiliar +ground and away from the trenches. We then +turned round and made a counter-attack, driving +them well back and leaving heaps of them dead and +wounded behind.</p> + +<p>We had almost reached our original line, when a +chum of mine called to me by name. I went over +to him, and found him lying on the ground: he had +been hit and could not help himself, and he asked +me to take him back to the dressing-station. I +could not well refuse; so, dragging him and +carrying as best I could, I made for the road, and +there we nearly both got taken by the Germans, +who were coming down that road in hundreds, and +were only a few yards off. So I had to drag my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +man back into the wood, dropping into a ditch with +him at the side of the road, where I was able to +ascertain the extent of his wound. There was not +much to show—only a small bullet-hole through his +hip entering his stomach. In this ditch was a +Zouave; and he gave me some black stuff that +looked like coffee. Getting, a little later, into the +wood, I was able to take him that way to the +dressing-station. I heard a few weeks afterwards +that he had died from his wound.</p> + +<p>On arriving back, I found that the Regiment had +again retired a little way behind the trenches we +had before occupied; and I also found that I had +lost another old and valued chum, the one who had +originally enlisted with me and had up till that time +been through the campaign unscathed. I am +thankful to say he was not badly wounded, although +he lost the use of his left hand. There were not +many of us left; our ranks were more depleted than +ever; not more than seventy or eighty all told +remained—nevertheless, they were planning to +retake the trenches. On reaching the communication +trench unmolested, we started to file in, +myself going second man. Of all the trenches I +had been in that was quite the worst: we had to +absolutely walk the whole of the way over dead<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +bodies—our own men and Germans. It was eight +o'clock at night, and of course dark, which made our +task more unpleasant; but we reached the end of +the communication trench safely, though we had +not got more than three or four yards down the +main trench to the right, where it ended in a <i>cul-de-sac</i>, +before a German patrol of about twelve men +came walking along the top of the trench. We +waited until they were on top of us—then I let +drive. I can hear the yell of the fellow I hit to this +day, as he threw up his hands and dropped. The +man next to me on my left also let go, and I thought +he had blown the top of my head off!—he must +have had the muzzle of his rifle quite close to my +ear, as I was deaf for some time afterwards. He +thought <i>I</i> was hit!</p> + +<p>On gaining the end of the trench, I was, with +three others, sent into the communication trench +to clear out the dead. A London Scottish Officer—they +had only been out, or rather in action a +week—came up with his men to relieve us, and +remarked to our Captain, who was the C.O., that +he did not mind seeing dead Germans but he did +object to walking upon them; so we had the job of +clearing them out, which we did in this way: two +men stayed in the trench and two stood on the top<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +of it, the two in the trench each lifting a leg of the +dead man up to the two men on top, who then +hauled him over. We had been at work for about +an hour at this interesting job, when who should +walk along the top under cover of a hedge but +a German right up to where we were working! He +was fully equipped, but we had discarded our +equipment, on account of it hindering us at our +task. On reaching us, I exclaimed to my pal, who +was bending over in the trench: "Look, chummy, +here's a German!" The two men on top having +just gone further up had not seen him. On hearing +me speak, the German made a motion with his +hands and said, "Hush!" I was never more +surprised in all my life—he evidently took us for +Germans, too. I then said to my pal: "Find +us a rifle": there were plenty at the bottom of +the trench. He handed me one up, and, pointing +it at the German, I was foolish enough to say: +"Hands up!" He again said: "Hush!" I +said to my pal: "Hand me up some ammunition, +quick." He handed me up five rounds, and, +pulling one out of the clip, I placed it in the breech +of my rifle. When the German heard the bolt of +the rifle go home, he turned round and bolted off—but +he was too late: I had him right through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +the back. We thought it best, then, to return to +the company; and we did so.</p> + +<p>When we had reported this little episode, I +remarked to the Captain that I thought the man +had come from the Thirteen Trench. He replied: +"That's all bosh." While we had been away +there had evidently been a discussion over this +Thirteen Trench, and the Captain had asked a man +who had been in it early the day before we had been +driven out to go over the top—only a matter of +ten yards—and see who was occupying it then. +This man said that he knew a safer way round, +when the Captain said: "Take two more men and +go over." Again this man replied, asking if he +might not go round. Then the Captain, becoming +wild, said: "If three of you won't go, thirteen of +you go. If you prefer to go the other way round, go, +and I'll come and see you do go." I made one of +those thirteen, and we filed down the communication +trench; and, coming out on the other side of +the hedge, we crept along behind it amidst the +cries of several wounded soldiers of both sides until +we came to the gap in the hedge facing this small +Thirteen Trench a few yards away. The Captain +was leading, then another man, and then myself. +We had no sooner reached the top of the trench<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +than a guttural voice challenged "Halt!" and then +I could see the forms of the Germans: they were +packed in there like sardines. Of course, the next +minute they had opened fire, our Captain and +C.O. being killed on the spot; the remainder of us, +being unprepared, turned and ran. The Zouaves, +who had then taken up a position behind us, thinking +it was the Germans coming, opened fire on us, +too; and there were we running between two +fires! I remember on coming close to the Zouaves' +line that I took a flying leap clean on top of one of +them as he was about to shoot. I knocked him +down, of course; but, on getting up and seeing +who I was, he clasped his arms around me, very +pleased that I was not a German. Then, along +with the remainder of the men, I returned to our +old trench, reporting to the only Officer we had left +the death of our Captain.</p> + +<p>As we could not hand over the trenches complete, +the Germans having possession of the Thirteen +Trench, we were not relieved by the London +Scottish, as it is a rule with the Regular Army +that, on being relieved, trenches have to be handed +over precisely as they were taken over, any that +may have been lost having to be retaken. Consequently +we were kept in these trenches another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +forty-eight hours, and during that time we were, if +possible, to retake the one we had lost.</p> + +<p>As we were so very weak we were reinforced by a +platoon of the 2nd Black Watch and one machine-gun +belonging to them. The gun was fixed in +position at the bottom of the communication +trench close to the hedge, so as to cover any movement +of the enemy from the Thirteen Trench. At +the bottom of the main trench and in that traverse +we had eight men ten yards away, and in line were +the enemy occupying the Thirteen Trench. At +daybreak the next morning each of our eight men +received a bullet in his head from the waiting Germans, +six being killed outright and two wounded.</p> + +<p>I was then sent with five other men to fill their +places, and our orders were to lie down in the +bottom of the trench and not show ourselves, as our +machine-gun was trained directly over the top to +the Thirteen Trench beyond us, and on any move +being made by the enemy the gun would instantly +open fire directly over us. My comrades and myself +lay there the whole of the day; the stench from +the dead men who had been killed that morning was +sickening—indeed, the whole of that trench smelt +of blood, warm blood as from a slaughter-house, +which in fact it was. We all got very cramped<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +towards evening, and a great deal of grumbling was +going on, as in the ordinary course of events we +should have been relieved by that time and back +resting. Some one at length suggested going to the +Officer to ask for relief and beg him to exchange us +with some men higher up the trench, who had more +freedom. I was asked if I would be spokesman. +Replying in the affirmative, I went to the Officer +and explained the case, telling him how cramped +we had become. He asked me where I had come +from. When I told him, he asked me who gave me +permission to leave my post: I replied no one, but +that I was the oldest soldier, whereupon he came +with me to the bottom of the trench, and, addressing +the men, promised them he would relieve them +as soon as possible. He also said: "You have +nothing to fear while I am with you; the Germans +are ten yards off." After further promising to send +the relief, he departed. We then decided, as night +was falling, that three of us should keep watch for +the first hour and the other three for the second +hour, carrying on like that alternately throughout +the night.</p> + +<p>The night was very black and the gloom very +thick, and we could not see a movement of the +enemy ten yards away, but could imagine all sorts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +of forms and shapes in front of us. I think it was +during our second watch that we discerned what +we thought to be three forms moving behind the +enemy trench and making for the road; so one of +us fired. We heard a yell and concluded we had +got somebody. During the third watch my two +comrades grew very tired, and, getting down with +the other men at the bottom of the trench at my +bidding, were soon fast asleep. I then pulled two +of the dead bodies to the end of the trench and stood +them up against the wall facing the enemy to make +them appear as if there were more of us. I had +no sooner done this than a German got stealthily +out of his trench; and, creeping along behind the +hedge and to the rear of our line, up popped +another, and then another. Whereupon I sent +word of the enemy's movements <i>viâ</i> the next +traverse to the Officer, asking what I should do. In +the meantime I was doing all I could to awaken my +comrades; but they were so sound asleep that, +although I was kicking them, I could not get them +to budge. The word then came back from the +Officer to say we were to do nothing—not even to +fire a shot, as the machine-gun was trained upon the +enemy, waiting for them to come up. I was in a +very awkward position, as I could see the line of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +enemy trenches in front, and the one they were +coming out of on our flank, and I had to stand there +and say nothing whilst they crept around the back +of us. I began to get "wind up" (frightened), as +by this time they were six to one against me, and, +being the end man, I had no chance whatsoever. +No doubt I should have accounted for one or two +of them, but I should never have got away myself.</p> + +<p>This situation continued for about twenty +minutes. I had at last been able to arouse my +comrades, when an order came down for the North +Lancashires to file out: we were being relieved by +the West Riding Regiment. I may state that I +never heard such welcome words in my life! How +the West Ridings fared after that I do not know, +but I do know that I was well out of it!</p> + +<p>That night we returned to our old reserve +trenches for rest at Hooge; and next day a message +from General French was read out to us, praising +us for the work we had done and regretting that he +had had to keep us so long in action without a rest. +We had been either marching or fighting since the +middle of August, and it was then the middle of +November, but he did not think we should have +to go into the trenches again before we had had our +long-deferred and well-earned rest.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> + +<p>That night the 3rd Battalion Scots Guards, just +out from England, came into the wood also, and a +fresh Regiment of Zouaves joined us. We were all +very pleased to think that we were about to be +relieved, and I remember well taking a dozen field +post-cards from different men of the Scots Guards to +post as we went down the line. We marched out +at eight o'clock, every one convinced that we were +going to have our rest, when, on reaching the road, +instead of marching towards Ypres, they took us +towards the trenches. Even then we thought we +were going for our rest, some suggesting that we +were on our way to a meeting-place for the Brigade; +others took it to be another way round—"Yes, <i>viâ</i> +Germany," remarked some one. Well, we did <i>not</i> +get our rest: we went into the trenches again on +<i>two</i> occasions after that, and for forty-eight-hour +stretches. At length we were relieved by the +Guards Brigade, and went back to Hazebruck by +easy stages.</p> + +<p>I should like to say a few words about Ypres +before I close the account of my experiences there. +We were during the whole of the first Battle, from +October the twenty-third to the seventeenth of +November, 1914, fighting in the trenches all the +time, with the exception of the first three days. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +was in the Bipschoote-Langemarck-road engagement, +in what is now better known as "the Ypres +salient." From the time when I first went there +until October the thirty-first our front line was fully +six kilometres from Ypres town, but between the +twenty-third and the thirty-first of October the +Germans gained from us quite three to four kilometres. +We did not regard this as a defeat to the +British arms, as at that time the enemy were, without +exaggeration, six to one against us, and they were +also much better equipped with artillery. On the +contrary, I wish to pay my humble tribute to all +ranks who served during that time, short as they +were of men, sometimes even putting the military +police into the trenches, to say nothing of the +cavalry and cyclist corps. It was there that we +finished off the remainder of what was the original +Prussian Guards, as well as the Bavarian Guards; +and to-day the British nation has to thank those +troops who fought so well during that time, and +put a finish to the chance of the Germans ever reaching +Calais, and thence England.</p> + +<p>My Regiment entered Ypres not less than one +thousand strong, and while there we had five lots of +reinforcements: we came away with only seventy-five +men and one Officer, a Lieutenant. I do not,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +however, in my above remarks refer specially to +my own Regiment any more than to any other +Regiment in my Brigade or Division—all the +Regiments in the 1st Division were splendid: +though some may have been a little better than the +others where all were very good.</p> + +<p>We went then to relieve the 7th Division after it +had fought the rearguard action from Antwerp, +and we were only just in the nick of time, for the +Division had suffered very heavily. Altogether +with reinforcements the 1st Division must have +lost thirty thousand men in stopping the great rush +for Calais. When we entered Ypres everything was +normal; but when we came out of it the town was +in ruins and burning furiously in several parts.</p> + +<p>At Hazebruck we rested for close on a month. +By "rested" I mean away from the firing line. +Of work we had plenty. Two days before leaving +Ypres we were joined by a draft of six hundred +from home, which had been kept behind with the +Transport until we should come out of the firing +line. Captain Smart, who was with this draft, +took over the Temporary Commanding Officer's +duties during the three-days' march to Hazebruck, +where we arrived in a snowstorm, and were billeted +in private houses at the rear of the railway station<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +and running along near the line. Whilst there, we +received two further large drafts from England, +and we also had a lot of men sent back medically +unfit on account of defective teeth, etc. Even +there we were not left in peace, doing each day +either route marches or brigade training. To every +man new clothes and underlinen were issued; and +we all had to have a bath!—an amusing affair, that +took place in a rag-shop. A canvas bath had been +rigged up, and each Company took it in turn to +bathe, the water being fetched by the cooks in +dixies. We had about four of these dixies filled +with about twenty quarts of water to each bath, +with some strong disinfectant put in it. About +one hundred men would bathe to each bath, the last +dozen or so revelling in pea-soup. Every one <i>had</i> +to go in—as at that time we all had plenty of live +stock crawling over us—under the eyes of the +Company Officer and two or three N.C.O.'s. Enemy +aircraft was continually flying over us, and one +Sunday morning an airman dropped eight bombs, +which killed several civilians, mostly children, and +caused sixteen casualties amongst men of my +Regiment.</p> + +<p>We left Hazebruck on Monday morning by +motor omnibuses on December the twenty-first,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +going through Merville to Festubert. Four miles +from Festubert we left the buses, and during the +afternoon, waiting on the roadside for orders, we +for the first time came across our Indian troops. +The Meerut Division and 4th Corps were operating +around that district. On the cross-roads at Le +Touret we waited until dusk, and then moved up +the road about a mile to the Rue-de-L'Epinette, +Festubert, where we were told that each Regiment +in the Brigade had to attack and take at least one +trench. From the Rue-de-L'Epinette we were +taken across several fields for about a mile, when +the Brigade made a charge. It had then become +dark and we were on ground that we had never +been on before; but we succeeded in taking three +lines of trenches—the Regiment on our left taking +one, though that on our right was not successful. +I honestly believe that it was a ruse on the part of +the enemy, as we did not take a single prisoner, and +had only a few casualties ourselves.</p> + +<p>That night I was doing duty as an orderly, +bringing up the machine-gun section and also two +mess-waiters with refreshments for the Officers. +A funny incident happened on the way up. A house +just to the left of the farm where Battalion Headquarters +were posted had caught fire, and another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +orderly on the way down from there said to me: +"Be careful which way you go, as I think that house +which is burning is in the German lines; so bear +off to the right." This the two waiters and myself +did; and, after tramping along for some time and +crossing several ditches, I gave it up, declaring +that I had lost the way. In front we could see +some yew trees lining a ditch about a hundred +yards off, so we made up our minds to go as far as +that, and reached the trees safely; but as we got +there bullets began to fall with a plop into the +ground at our feet; so we thought we had better go +round the other side. It was, however, just as bad +there, and in front we saw a trench; so we thought +we would investigate a bit. Creeping up quietly +to the parapet, we peeped over: several Germans, +unarmed and burdened with two jugs of coffee and +a basket of provisions, greeted our eyes. We very +soon made off back again, and had not gone more +than a couple of hundred yards before we came to +a garden surrounding a farm-house. It turned +out to be the very house I was seeking, but of course +I could not then recognize it, as it was night-time, +nor was it familiar to me, as it had been night-time +when I first went into it. We were only about +thirty yards off and could hear a babel of sounds,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +but very unlike the English language. So I suggested +that the best thing we could do was to lie +down under cover of the hedge, and wait until +some one came along. If he proved to be English, +well and good; if German, we should have to get +out of it the best way we could. We had not long +to wait before three forms loomed in the distance +through the gloom; and then we were all of a +tremble! Fortunately they turned out to be three +of our own Tommies, so we waited till they had +passed, and then we went in. Many a laugh over +the affair have those two waiters and myself had +on after occasions.</p> + +<p>Next morning, December the twenty-second, we +were properly let in. The enemy commenced to +shell us, continuing for some hours; then they +came up in force. Unfortunately, by taking those +three lines of trenches the night before, we had got +too far in front; and consequently we were surrounded +before we knew where we were. Anyhow, +with bombs and rifle-fire (our machine-gun +section being behind and not in position by then), +we kept them off as long as we could—then we had +a run for it, as the Company on our left had had +to give in. There were very few of us left that +day; but our machine-gun soon got into action,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +and held the position until reinforcements came up, +when the remainder of us formed up in the Rue-de-L'Epinette. +When the roll was called we numbered +one hundred and thirty Officers and men out +of eight hundred and thirty who went into action +seventeen hours before. Our C.O., Major Powell, +was very much upset, remarking that there had +been a grave mistake somewhere, and he would +immediately go to the General for satisfaction: +we, of course, did not hear how he got on.</p> + +<p>That night we were taken to Lacature until all +the stragglers had joined up: they made the +Regiment up to about two hundred; and next day +we marched off to Essairs, just the other side of the +canal of Bethune, where we spent a quiet but not +joyous Christmas Day, as we felt greatly the loss +we had sustained two days before.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER VIII<br /> +LA BASSÉE DISTRICT</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> + + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII<br /> +LA BASSÉE DISTRICT</h2> + + +<p>Next day, Boxing Day, December the twenty-sixth, +1914, we once more packed our traps, and, marching +viâ Beuvry and Annequin, entered Cambrin. The +first four days we were billeted in houses and shops, +which had been shelled to pieces, and set to work +digging ways through the walls of cellars for +means to get out should the house be hit again by +a shell during a bombardment. That night a +night-attack by the enemy was expected and the +usual precautions were taken; it came to nothing. +Although this village was in ruins and only about +two thousand yards from the enemy's front line, +civilians continued to live there.</p> + +<p>Between the twenty-sixth of December and the +twenty-ninth of December there was "nothing +doing": most of the Regiment were employed in +the communication trenches, cleaning up and +carrying planks to lay on the bottom, some parts +of the trenches being deep in mud and water. In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +the "Old Kent Road," a trench running from the +church at Quinchy to the front line was in a really +dreadful state: one had to wade through mud and +water like whipped cream up to the armpits.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-ninth we received a draft of +sixty-nine men and three Officers straight from the +base. They were sent into the trenches the next +day on the Givenchy side of the canal to reinforce +the 2nd Royal Sussex. All they had had on leaving +the base had been their rations of bully-beef and +biscuits, and, on coming out twenty-four hours +afterwards, had had to join the Regiment and go +into a charge with the Scots Guards on the Quinchy +side commonly known as the "Brickfields." In +these fields, and about two kilometres from La +Bassée, were three huge brick-stacks, around which +we built fortifications; these stacks were also very +useful for our snipers and observers, who took up +positions on the top. On the left of the fields was +the railway track, and in rear of that, running +parallel to it, was the canal; on the other side of +which lay Givenchy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 900px;"> +<img src="images/i129.jpg" width="900" height="640" alt="" /> +<div class="caption">MAP 5.</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> + +<p>On Wednesday, December the thirtieth, we had +one Company in the trenches as I have already +stated; on Thursday, the thirty-first, report came +through that the enemy had broken through the +King's Royal Rifles lines. This was late in the +afternoon; and two hours afterwards we were +called out and taken into Quinchy. On the way +there we passed the Black Watch, who were billeted +just in front of us; they were preparing to enjoy +New Year's Eve. Arriving at Quinchy, I was sent +back to find and bring up the other Company from +their present trenches to join the Battalion, which +I did. They fully expected to be taken back to +billets, for they were in a terrible condition, as it +had been raining all day long. Therefore I did not +mention the place to which we were bound. Fortunately +on the way we came across the Medical +Officer, who, on seeing the state they were in, most +of them suffering badly from rheumatism, would +not consent to let them join up, but posted those +suffering the least on barricade guard. I then +joined the Regiment on the road at Quinchy near +the railway track: and, advancing along its side, +the Scots Guards taking the right, we succeeded in +driving the enemy from the position they had +gained earlier that day, and occupied the trenches, +where we stayed all next day.</p> + +<p>On January the first some shelling and artillery +duels took place, otherwise it was calm.</p> + +<p>On Saturday, January the second, we were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +relieved by the 1st Brigade, leaving about thirty +men on barricade guard on the main La Bassée +Road. We went back into Cambrin.</p> + +<p>On Sunday the third we left for Beuvry, three +kilometres to our rear and one and a half kilometres +from Bethune. We arrived there at 6.30 +p.m., and went into billets. A lot of our men were +sent back from here with trench-feet, which we then +called frost-bitten feet; they were the first cases +we had of it. On Saturday, January the second, +ninety-four N.C.O.'s and men left us, and next day, +Sunday, thirty-four more went off.</p> + +<p>On Monday the fourth we rested, enjoying a bathe +and change of linen at the Girls' College in Bethune.</p> + +<p>On Tuesday the fifth we again left for Cambrin +and relieved the King's Royal Rifles from the +trenches, Major Powell, who had joined us at +Hazebruck, going away sick. We arrived at +Quinchy at 5.30 p.m., and the Regiment took over +the trenches in front of that village, two Companies +occupying the front line, one Company being in +support behind the first brick-stack and the other +in reserve behind the other two brick-stacks, whilst +Headquarter Company took over and guarded a +culvert running from the road under the railway-line +to the canal bank.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> + +<p>That night and during the next day little happened +beyond artillery duels. Around this sector +of the line snipers were very prevalent.</p> + +<p>Thursday the seventh was a wet day; nothing +occurred with the exception of a German mistaking +his way in the early hours of the morning and +walking into our machine-gun emplacement. He +came in with two cans, one with hot water and the +other with hot tea. The boys, after making him +taste a little of each, took possession of them for +their own use. On being taken down the communication +trench this German had the audacity to +remark that our trenches were very dirty—not +nearly so clean as theirs, as they had working +parties cleaning up each day.</p> + +<p>On Friday the eighth there was a great deal of +shelling on both sides between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., +and also a heavy cannonade and rifle-fire during the +afternoon, but no attack.</p> + +<p>On Saturday the ninth the part of Headquarter +Company doing guard at the culvert were relieved, +as they were no longer required, and were put on +fatigue duty, carrying all necessary things to the +firing line, to save the men in the firing line from +becoming continually wet through walking up and +down the communication trench. These men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +continued at this work until the Regiment was +relieved, retiring at night into a cellar at Cambrin +to dry their clothes as best they might. About +1 p.m. there was an hour's bombardment of the +enemy's lines.</p> + +<p>On Sunday the tenth there was a terrible bombardment, +and seven men of each Company volunteered +to capture an enemy's machine-gun advanced +post, which was taken very successfully, +with only slight casualties and some prisoners.</p> + +<p>Monday the eleventh and Tuesday the twelfth +were very quiet, with the exception of a bombardment +each day.</p> + +<p>On Wednesday the thirteenth I left the Regiment +early in the morning, and proceeded to Annequin, +a small village just behind Cambrin, there to find +billets. We found a draft awaiting us there of +four hundred and eighty N.C.O.'s and men and +three Officers, and the Regiment was then relieved +by the 2nd Royal Sussex, going to Annequin for +rest, and staying there the next two days.</p> + +<p>On Saturday the sixteenth we fell in, in the +afternoon, to return to the trenches; but before we +went the Brigadier gave us a few words, saying: +"To-morrow, Sunday, January the seventeenth, +is the Kaiser's birthday, so be on your guard, as we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +are expecting an attack in honour of it." This +attack did not mature: the day was one of the +quietest I had experienced in the trenches. A +mistake had been made: the Kaiser's birthday is +the twenty-seventh of January.</p> + +<p>On Monday the eighteenth we were again relieved +by the 2nd Royal Sussex, and returned to Annequin.</p> + +<p>Tuesday the nineteenth we spent in resting, +going into the trenches again on Wednesday the +twentieth, again relieving the 2nd Royal Sussex, +who took our billets at Annequin.</p> + +<p>On Thursday the twenty-first the whole Brigade +was relieved by the 1st Brigade; we went to +Bethune, where the 1st Brigade had just completed +eight days' rest. I was then on the staff of billeting +orderlies, and helped to find billets at that town. +It was a very unenviable berth, as the majority of +French people objected to have soldiers billeted on +them, and our Officers were often very dissatisfied +with the billets we found for them. We settled +down to what we thought was to be an eight-days' +rest; but early on Monday morning, January the +twenty-fifth, the enemy began to shell Bethune—the +first occasion on which it was shelled. The +Brigade got the order to stand to, and moved out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +Bethune once more for the trenches, after having +had only three days' rest out of our eight. The +report was circulated that the enemy had broken +through on the right of La Bassée canal, at the +brickfields at Quinchy. It was true; they had got +as far as Quinchy church, and had penetrated the +village itself, only to be blown back by the fierceness +of our artillery fire, after which we delivered a +counter-attack, going up in support to the Highland +Light Infantry 5th Brigade 2nd Division, who +were then operating around that district in conjunction +with the 1st Division, and also in reserve +to the 3rd Brigade. We did not on this occasion +succeed in retaking all our old trenches; we lost +one of the three the enemy had succeeded in +taking, and we lost one brick-stack. Our armoured +train was in action, and did great work in keeping +the enemy back whilst reinforcements were brought +up; but we were unfortunate in losing the engine-driver, +a Belgian, who stopped a fragment of shell +with his head: the naval men in charge of the +train buried him with honours, firing the last volley +over his grave. That night we returned to +Beuvry, and stood to in case of another assault.</p> + +<p>On Tuesday, January the twenty-sixth, we had +an unfortunate experience. It took place at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +time when the Regiment was holding orderly +room. Nearly all the Company Officers and +N.C.O.'s were attending, besides the C.O., Adjutant, +Machine-Gun Officer, Regimental Sergeant-Major, +Pioneer Sergeant, Signalling Sergeant, +Police Sergeant—in fact, every one of note in the +Regiment. There were also a number of men waiting +to be told off for various crimes; and they +were holding this office in a farmyard, on hard +cobbled stones, when a shell of large calibre dropped +amongst them, killing and wounding close on forty +Officers and men. The C.O. and Adjutant had a +marvellous escape, as the shell dropped at the foot +of the table without injuring either of them, whilst +most of the prominent Officers and N.C.O.'s were +killed, as well as three who held Distinguished +Conduct Medals. That afternoon we returned to +Quinchy, D Company going in support to the 2nd +Royal Sussex.</p> + +<p>On Wednesday the twenty-seventh we went +into the trenches, taking up bombs in readiness for +an attack. It was then 8.30 p.m. We found that +the keep, the first two brick-stacks, had now +become our firing line.</p> + +<p>We did not commence the attack until 4 a.m. on +Thursday the twenty-eighth, and succeeded in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +driving the enemy out with bombs, but returned to +our old line of trenches, where we received some +casualties. During that day we returned to +Cambrin to billets in reserve to the Sussex and +Northamptons.</p> + +<p>On Tuesday the twenty-ninth the enemy heavily +attacked the keep: fully 1,500 Germans got out of +their trenches, and, after advancing a couple of +yards, lay down, in preparation for a charge. Our +artillery then got to work, and, aided by our rifle +and machine-gun fire, accounted for every man, +only five out of the 1,500 being left, and these we +took prisoner. Very excellent work was done that +day by both the 2nd Royal Sussex and the Northampton +Regiments. That night we were relieved +by the Camerons and Black Watch 1st Brigade, +and returned to our old billets at Beuvry.</p> + +<p>Next day, Saturday, January the thirtieth, we +returned to Bethune, and were billeted there in the +Ladies' College, standing to at a half-hour's +notice if required.</p> + +<p>There we also spent Sunday. Next day I set off +with the billeting party to find billets at a small +place eight kilometres from Bethune and near +Choques. After we had arrived there, we arranged +billets, when a Staff Officer came up and ordered us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +to return to Bethune, as the enemy had once more +commenced to attack. Halfway on the road back +we were met by the Brigade despatch-rider, who +ordered us to return to Allouagne, the village where +we had secured the billets. All this time there was +a heavy cannonade going on in the direction of the +trenches; it was close on ten miles away—anyhow, +the attack by the enemy did not succeed, and we +proceeded as usual.</p> + +<p>The Regiment arriving here the next day, +Tuesday, February the second, we were joined +by a new C.O., Lieutenant-Colonel Bowlby. At +Allouagne we rested from February the second +until the twentieth of that month, having a similar +time and doing similar work to that which we had +done at Hazebruck, only on this occasion we were +not troubled by aircraft. We were joined there by +the 5th Sussex Territorials, making in all five +Regiments to the Brigade instead of four.</p> + +<p>On February the twentieth we moved a little +further up, about one kilometre from Allouagne. +On that march one of our men became a little intoxicated: +he was placed between an escort. On +the road he threw his rifle away, saying: "I'll +fight no more." Next morning, on being brought +before the C.O., he was told by the C.O., who had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +overheard what he had said the day before, that he +would receive fourteen days' field-punishment and +fight on. We stayed at this village, Lozingham, +for eight days, leaving on February the twenty-eighth +for Mont Bernischon, where we stayed the +night, and next day moved on to a small village, by +name Les Choques. All this time we were really +moving back to the trenches.</p> + +<p>On March the second five of our men were overcome +by charcoal fumes, Quarter-Master-Sergeant +Border and Private Sailor losing their lives.</p> + +<p>On March the tenth we were awakened by a +terrific bombardment of guns, and did not then +know that the Battle of Neuve Chapelle had commenced. +We were hurried off from our billets at +Les Choques and proceeded along the Lowe Canal +to Locon, where we were kept until the afternoon, +when, crossing the canal and marching to the right, +we went on to Le Touret. That night we stayed in +a field in reserve, but at ten o'clock went into billets.</p> + +<p>Next day, the eleventh, we moved higher up to +just behind the Rue-de-L'Epinette and occupied +breastworks, where we heard the report of the +capture of 2,000 Germans and six guns.</p> + +<p>On the next day, the twelfth, we again returned +to Les Choques to our old billets, which were not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +required. We did not, of course, take full part in +the Neuve Chapelle battle, but were there in reserve +to the 4th Corps, the 4th Meerut Division taking the +bulk of the work.</p> + +<p>On March the twelfth we moved to Essairs, to +the old billets we had occupied on Christmas Day, +and renewed many old acquaintances. We stayed +there five days, still in reserve and under an hour's +notice.</p> + +<p>On the eighteenth we removed nearer to La +Bassée canal and behind Givenchy to a place named +Goue. This time we found working parties in the +trenches between Festubert and Givenchy.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-second we left our billets at Goue, +and removed to our old position in the Rue-de-L'Epinette, +where we had lost so many of our men +just before Christmas. We did not relish going +there. I went as orderly to the Northamptons in +case of communication being cut off by telephone, +the Northamptons being more to our left in trenches +at the Rue-de-Bois.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-third we were relieved by the +King's Royal Rifles, and, going round by Richebourg +St. Vaast, we took the trenches on the Rue-de-Bois, +relieving the Indians. These trenches were really +barricades built up with sandbags. We had three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +companies in them, and one in reserve in billets +behind. We found there another implement of +torture used by the Germans, a three-pronged steel +or iron with sharp points: they were thrown out in +front of the trenches for men to step on—it +mattered not which part you stepped on: one of +the prongs would be sure to run into your leg. That +night we had one Lieutenant and one private killed, +and about thirteen casualties in all. We were in +those trenches for a week, until the thirtieth, and it +was one of the quietest spots of the whole line—scarcely +any rifle fire and little shell fire. These +trenches are linked up with from the right Givenchy +at the La Bassée canal end; then come Festubert, +Aubers Ridge, Port Arthur, and Neuve Chapelle, +all within a distance of five miles.</p> + +<p>We did not have many casualties during our stay +on the Rue-de-Bois, and returned to our old billets +at Les Choques on March the thirtieth, resting and +refitting until April the seventh.</p> + +<p>On April the eighth we marched to Neuve +Chapelle, and occupied the trenches at Port Arthur, +a portion of the line there having been given that +name. Another spot there was known as "Windy +Corner," on account of its treacherous nature, as it +was under a cross fire from the enemy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> + +<p>On April the sixth we were joined by a new +C.O., Colonel Sanderson, who came to us from +the 2nd Battalion, which was then serving +in East Africa. At Port Arthur we went into +reserve, one Company occupying the dug-out at the +rear and on the road. From this road our Engineers +had erected a wooden track and wooden +rails, for the purpose of taking by trolleys all +necessities for the trenches. We found this very +useful during our stay here of four days, after +which we were, on the twelfth, relieved by a +Territorial Division.</p> + +<p>We then proceeded to Mont Bernischon, for three +days' rest, leaving that village for Richebourg St. +Vaast, where we occupied billets in reserve. Here +I left the Regiment to join the 1st Divisional Headquarters +for a refresher course in signalling, as that +Regiment was at that time short of these specialists. +I remained at Locon until May the sixth, when the +class was broken up, and all men were sent to +rejoin their respective Regiments, in view of a great +advance that was then supposed to be about to take +place.</p> + +<p>During the time I was with the class, all qualified +signallers and Officers of the Regiment had been +attending lectures held at the 2nd Brigade Office<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +to learn the scheme of the proposed attack, which +was to be commenced by a huge bombardment of +guns on a front of less than two miles. Before we +left our billets at Les Choques we were told that it +was to be the greatest bombardment ever known; +and we had detailed instruction in the various parts +we were to play. We were all under the impression +that we were going to have an easy task of it, as we +were to take up our position and start from the +Rue-de-Bois, which place had always been so quiet +when we occupied it. That night we were taken to +a field near the canal at Locon expecting to proceed +to the trenches to be in readiness for the night; +however, we did not go up, and stopped there all +the next day, May the sixth, until 8 p.m. We +were then sent back to billets at Les Choques, the +advance having been cancelled for forty-eight hours. +Thus we left Les Choques on May the eighth in the +evening, and proceeded to the Rue-de-Bois, where +we occupied the reserve trenches, every one being in +and ready for the fray at 3 a.m. on the morning +of the ninth.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER IX<br /> +THE BATTLE OF FESTUBERT, MAY 9TH, 1915</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX<br /> +THE BATTLE OF FESTUBERT, MAY 9TH, 1915</h2> + + +<p>The signal for the bombardment was given by a +big gun at 5.30 a.m., when all the guns commenced +to blaze off. It was just as if all hell were let loose! +The German trenches, like ours, were built up of +sandbags; and within five minutes they represented +the waves of the sea beating against the +rocks. Débris was flying in all directions, and we +men stood on the tops of our trenches to see the +fun; but were very soon down again, as the enemy +during the whole of that bombardment repeatedly +sniped at us, and had the impudence to shout at +us: "Come on—we've been waiting for you for +twenty-four hours." At 8 a.m. the bombardment +ceased, and the attack commenced in earnest. Our +position was the centre, and we were led by the 2nd +Royal Sussex, followed by the Northamptons, +North Lancashires, 5th Royal Sussex, and we also +had the 9th King's Liverpools, a Territorial Regiment +that had recently joined our Brigade. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +were in reserve, with the 1st Brigade Black Watch +holding the front line whilst we attacked. The +distance between the two lines of trenches was not +more than three hundred yards, but we could +advance only halfway: we had to yield to the +enemy's machine-gun fire. Some of the men had +to lie there all day until nightfall, when, at 11 +o'clock, the whole of the 2nd Brigade retired to the +reserve line of trenches to reorganize, the 1st +Brigade still holding the front line. We accounted +for 430 of all ranks, not including machine-gun +men, who were still in position in the front line.</p> + +<p>Another bombardment was commenced again at +2 p.m., and, going into the front line, we prepared +for another attack. Towards 4 p.m. an order came +through for the North Lancashires to stand fast, +and the Black Watch, sending up two companies, +took our places, and then charged the enemy's +lines. After repeated attempts, they eventually +got into their trenches. Words cannot describe +that glorious piece of work—no praise could be +high enough. When they got into the trenches +the Germans took their rifles and equipment from +them, and, turning them out unarmed, told them +to get back to their own lines the best way they +could, turning their machine-guns on them as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +did so. We, of course, dared not fire, on account +of the possibility of hitting our own men. We had +the misfortune to lose our Armourer Sergeant, who +had taken part in the charge; also three Captains +killed, Captains Hay, Hill, and Adcock. Lieutenant-Colonel +Bowlby was wounded; Lieutenant +Fisher, machine-gun Officer, killed; Lieutenant +Garrod, sniping Officer, killed on the enemy's barbed +wire—altogether we lost nearly three hundred of +all ranks, the Northamptons losing more than we +did, and the whole Division losing nearly 8,000 +men, without succeeding in taking a single +trench.</p> + +<p>We held the front line until 3 a.m. of the morning +of the ninth, when we were relieved by the 2nd +Division and the Highland Light Infantry, 5th +Infantry Brigade. Proceeding to Le Touret, the +Battalion joined up, and, after calling the roll, we +marched on to Lannoy, there to rest.</p> + +<p>On the twelfth of May we left Lannoy and +marched to Bethune, where we occupied billets for +four days. I was fortunate enough to procure a +pass, and paid a visit to St. Omer, where my father +was stationed with a Motor Transport Company. +There I spent two very enjoyable days, but, on +getting back to Bethune, I found the Regiment had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +departed, taking with them my rifle and equipment. +They had not, however, gone far—only to +Beuvry, where I soon found them. That night the +47th Territorial London Division had by mistake +taken our billets. We, of course, turned them out, +upon which they began to sing:</p> + +<div class="poem"> +"Though the North Lancs pinched our billets, never mind!<br /> +We have slept in the fields before,<br /> +And we'll do the same as of yore,<br /> +So the North Lancs can have our billets—never mind!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>There we stayed six days, finding working parties, +etc., and then we moved up to Annequin for three +days in reserve. At Annequin there was a coal-pit, +which was shelled each day and nearly every +night, although the civilians still occupied it. The +church, typical of churches in the French villages, +came under the enemy's fire first. Just behind and +in rear was an estaminet run by two French girls. +How they could live there beats me, as there were +three large shell-holes in the walls, and a corner +had been knocked off the house. They had placed +barrels filled with earth over these holes, and +carried on business in the same old way, making +quite a good living from the English troops billeted +there. On Sunday afternoons they used to take +walks with some French Officers around what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +was then the French section of the line; our line +finished on the left of the La Bassée Road. We +stayed here four days, and on the afternoon of May +the twenty-fourth moved into the trenches, taking +over from the King's Liverpools the right of La +Bassée Road, originally occupied by the French. +We found on this part of the line the trenches very +good, with four lines of them, a front line, a support +line, and a reserve, called Maison Rouge: there +were three red-bricked houses in this line. Some +of the dug-outs in this line were also splendid, containing +beds and furniture brought by the French +from the ruined village of Cambrin just behind. +Whilst we were here the enemy blew up a mine, but +we had few casualties. In this village we had our +Transport 1st Line, and also the Brigade Office. +The Germans were quite eight hundred yards from +us, and in between the two lines was an aeroplane, +English or French, which had been hit and brought +down by the enemy. On several occasions we +went out at night to try to bring it in; but we found +the engine had been buried too far in the ground, +and all we could do was to take away parts. One +day I watched a man go out in broad daylight collecting +German helmets.</p> + +<p>We were relieved on the twenty-eighth by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +Regiment which we had relieved four days before, +the 9th King's Liverpools; and we returned to our +old billets at Annequin. Around this sector of the +line we were well backed by the famous French +75 gun.</p> + +<p>On June the first we relieved the 9th King's +Liverpools from trenches at the brickfields at +Quinchy. They had been moved from the trenches +on the right of La Bassée Road during our time of +reserve to those at the brickfields. We had a rough +time here for three days: the enemy exploded two +mines, which sent up the largest part of one of our +Companies (C Company) with them. We were also +much nearer the enemy than before, and were continually +bombed.</p> + +<p>On the fourth we were relieved, and proceeded +to Bethune, where we were billeted in a school. +The very first night we were again shelled. We +spent seven days here, enjoying the luxury of a +large swimming-bath.</p> + +<p>On June the eleventh we left for Cambrin to +relieve the 1st Brigade, and put two Companies in +reserve on the left of the road and in rear of +Quinchy and one on the right of the road at Maison +Rouge, one Company being in billets at Cambrin. +At Maison Rouge we had a transmitting station to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +the King's Royal Rifles, and from the 2nd Brigade +Headquarters, the King's Royal Rifles occupying +the front line on the right of the road, nicknamed +"Bomb Alley," on account of its being so near the +enemy and continually under bombardment. We +used sentries on each traverse to look out for +bombs: on seeing one coming and at what position +it would be likely to drop, the sentry would yell out +"Bomb right," or "Bomb left," as the case might +be, when the men would at once clear to the +opposite direction.</p> + +<p>On June the fourteenth we were relieved by the +2nd Division, and left for Bethune, where we went +into Corps reserve for four days.</p> + +<p>On the seventeenth we left Bethune for La Pugnoy, +there to rest: whilst here we received a draft +of 183 Officers and men who had been transferred +from a service Battalion of the Manchesters, on +account of the shortage of our own reinforcements +at the feeding Battalion then at Felixstowe.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-seventh we marched to Cambrin, +a distance of about sixteen miles, having our dinner +on the road in a thunderstorm; and, on entering +the trenches, we received a welcome from the +Herts Territorials, who had decorated the fire-step +with pieces of chalk (these trenches were of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +a chalky nature), out of small pieces of which they +had built the words: "Welcome to Kitchener's +Army." Fancy what the reading of that meant to +us men, some of whom had been through the war +since the very commencement! We did indeed +feel grateful, and we had cause to be so, as we were +supposed to have gone back to La Pugnoy for a +Divisional rest and were expecting at least a month, +whereas we got only three days of it. Whilst at La +Pugnoy several Brigades of Kitchener's Army had +passed through us and the 1st Division, those of +which occupied the trenches at the time expected +to get relieved by them. However, we had to go, +and we were shelled pretty heavily here; we had +three Companies in the front line, and D Company +in reserve. On July the fourth we were relieved +from the trenches, after having been in them for six +days, and we returned to Salle-la-Bourse. We had +then taken over trenches in front of Vermelles, +and, after spending a few days at Salle-la-Bourse, +we journeyed two kilometres to Noyelles; from +there, four days afterwards, we again occupied the +trenches for eight days. During this time operations +were very calm, and all around the district +one could see for some considerable distance—from +Vermelles one could see the "Tower Bridge"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +at Loos; and I often used to gaze at it and wonder +when it would become our property, little thinking +that my hope would be realized within a couple of +months. We did another few days in the trenches, +and then went back to Verquin, near Bethune. +The observation balloon used to go up here at the +back of the village, and on several occasions the +enemy shelled it, but never succeeded in hitting it.</p> + +<p>On July the twentieth we were again at Noyelles, +and on the twenty-third of that month I obtained +leave for the purpose of proceeding to England for +eight days, after having been on active service for +a period of nearly twelve months. I had nearly ten +miles to walk, fully equipped, to the railway station +to get my train. I need not describe my brief visit +home; needless to say I enjoyed myself never +better in my life.</p> + +<p>Arriving back at Bethune on August the first, we +learnt from Headquarters that the Regiment were +in the trenches at Vermelles, and, on arrival at that +place, we were just in time to see the Battalion +relieved, and had to march back that same night +again to Bethune, where we spent eight days, the +Division holding a horse-show and sports.</p> + +<p>From the eighth of August until a fortnight +before the Battle of Loos we took our turn, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +other Regiments in the Brigade, to go into the +trenches; and a fortnight before Loos we returned +to Lozingham to rehearse the coming battle. While +at Lozingham we did Battalion training, and +generally prepared ourselves. I had become somewhat +run down and felt fairly bad with sickness, +etc.; when the doctor examined me he found I +had a temperature of over 100. He asked me where +I felt ill, and on my telling him, he said: "You +ought to be admitted to hospital, but I'm afraid I +can't do that, as you are a signaller and we are short +of signallers." He told me to lie down in my billet +and rest. I was like this for nearly a week, and did +not feel much better at the end of that time; but, +as we were again on the move, I did not trouble him +any more.</p> + +<p>It was on September the twenty-first that we +moved to Marles, a village one kilometre from +Lozingham. On the twenty-second we marched +to the trenches at Vermelles in readiness for the +battle, arriving there at 3 a.m. on the twenty-fourth, +throughout which day we were busy teeing +in wires, etc., in readiness for our run to the German +lines on the morrow.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><big>CHAPTER X<br /> +LOOS</big></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER X<br /> +LOOS</h2> + + +<p>The 1st Division took the centre, with the 15th +Scottish Division on the right and the 9th Division +on the left. The 1st Division faced a part of the +line known as "Lone Tree," named after a tree +between the two lines and the only one there. The +Division had battle Headquarters at Larutwar +Farm, and Brigade Headquarters in a part of the +trenches known as "Daly's Keep." At 6.40 a.m. +on the morning of the twenty-fifth of September +the attack was to be launched, first by the Royal +Engineers letting off asphyxiating gas; when that +reached the German lines or was three parts of the +way across, the Infantry were to follow. Of the +2nd Brigade the 1st Loyal North Lancashires and +the King's Royal Rifles were the two Regiments +selected, and to them was given the honour of going +over first, the King's Royal Rifles on the right. +Punctually at the time given the gas was let off, +accompanied by smoke bombs, but unfortunately +before it had reached half the distance across, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +wind changed and blew it back upon us. However, +over we went, and, as our distance to the enemy's +lines was quite eight hundred yards, we covered +them by short rushes. On reaching the enemy's +wire entanglements we found that they had not +been sufficiently damaged to admit of our access to +the enemy's trench; so we held on for reinforcements, +which arrived in the form of the 2nd +Royal Sussex; but we could not make headway +against the enemy's machine-guns, although the +Divisions on our left and right had advanced a considerable +distance. A Brigade consisting of several +Territorial Regiments in the Division was then +sent to our aid, and this time we got through, taking +several hundred prisoners. The Divisions on the +left and right of us had advanced, the enemy +opposed to them had retired and were to all +intents and purposes cut off, so they had perforce +to surrender. This gave us practically a clear run of +about half a mile, and we saw, as we passed, that our +objective at the chalk-pit was the village of Loos on +our left. Fighting in Loos village was very furious +indeed. This chalk-pit is situated on the Loos-Lens +road, and on the left of it is a wood, where, after +charging through it for spare Germans, we dug in.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 900px;"> +<img src="images/i161.jpg" width="900" height="637" alt="" /> +<div class="caption">MAP 6.</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> + +<p>At 4 a.m. on the morning of the twenty-sixth +we were relieved by the 21st Division of Kitchener's +Army, as we had obtained our objective. We went +back to our old original trenches, leaving the 21st +Division to carry on. Our ranks were sadly depleted, +having lost many men: it was an awful and +ghastly sight coming back over the ground we had +taken. About two o'clock that afternoon we +heard that the 21st Division were not doing well, +and that a couple of field-batteries which had taken +up position immediately behind the old German +front line had been put out of action, as well as two +batteries to the right of Larutwar Farm, which +was packed from end to end with wounded, waiting +to be taken away. The motor-ambulances worked +night and day.</p> + +<p>Soon after this, the 24th Division, another of +Kitchener's Divisions, came into action to relieve +the 21st, very few of whom remained. This +Division stopped in for nearly twenty-four hours, +and retook some of the ground that the 21st had +lost. The afternoon before the Guards Division, +fresh from ——, where they had been in training, +and the New Welsh Guards also went into action, +making an attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt. +They did good work, I believe, in taking part of it.</p> + +<p>On the night of the twenty-seventh we were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +ordered out from our old line to the old German +support line in reserve; but next morning were +taken out again and sent back to Mazingarbe, a +small village behind Vermelles. We had eight +hours' rest here, and that same night proceeded to +the recently captured village of Loos, where were +packed piles of dead Germans and men of the 15th +Scottish Division. It was indeed an ugly sight. +From one cellar we turned out twenty Germans, and +we also took one who had been working an underground +telephone. We spent one night in this +cellar, and the following night proceeded through +the village to Hill 70, where we filled a gap and dug +a line of trenches, digging most of the time through +solid chalk. While there we were heavily shelled, +as also was Loos, where houses were crashing to the +ground every few minutes.</p> + +<p>Three days afterwards we were relieved by a +French Division and went back to Neaux-le-Mines +for a well-earned five-days' respite. After that we +were put into the trenches at Vermelles, and on +October the tenth the enemy made a determined +attack on the 9th King's Liverpools and Gloucesters +3rd Brigade, to whom we had then been attached. +The enemy were well driven off, but both regiments +had to be taken out that night, and we went up in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +the place of the King's Liverpools, and were situated +in our old trenches near the chalk-pit. Here, +on the morning of the eleventh of October, we were +badly shelled: we lost a machine-gun team and the +gun was knocked out. I was then ordered to take +a message into Loos village to the 3rd Brigade +Office, requesting them to send up another gun-team +at once.</p> + +<p>Coming back from this message I received my +wound, getting a nasty knock through the leg, +severing the arteries and smashing the bone. After +binding it tightly, I managed to make my way to +the first-aid dressing-station, a distance of nearly a +mile and a half. Thence I proceeded to Mazingarbe, +but, owing to hæmorrhage, I did not get +my wound dressed until I was sent back to Lozingham, +where I was sent to the operating tent of the +23rd Field Ambulance. Whilst awaiting my turn, +I watched the surgeons take from another man's +knee a bullet. Two days later I was sent to Rouen, +where I spent ten days; from there I came home to +Salisbury Infirmary, and I was in this hospital for +twelve weeks undergoing three operations. I +was, on becoming convalescent, sent to the Red +Cross Hospital, Salisbury; and here I spent another +month, and proceeded at the end of that time to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +house of Sir Vincent Caillard at Wingfield. At this +house I was given massage twice a day; and after +a month was sent on to Sutten Veney. After three +weeks I was given my discharge, and proceeded to +the depôt in Lancashire, where I finally signed my +papers and re-entered back to civilian life after +having had one year and 246 days on active service.</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>The 1st Division on landing in France consisted +of three Infantry Brigades, comprising:</p> + +<div class="center">1st Brigade</div> +<p> +Grenadier Guards.<br /> +Coldstream Guards.<br /> +Royal Highlanders (Black Watch).<br /> +Munster Fusiliers.<br /> +<br /> +</p> + +<div class="center">2nd Brigade</div> +<p> +1st Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.<br /> +2nd King's Royal Rifle Corps.<br /> +2nd Royal Sussex Regiment.<br /> +2nd Northampton Regiment.<br /> +<br /> +</p> + +<div class="center">3rd Brigade</div> +<p> +The Welsh Regiment.<br /> +South Wales Borderers.<br /> +Queen's Royal West Kents.<br /> +Gloucester Regiment.<br /> +</p> +</blockquote> + +<div class="center"><br /><br />PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY THE ANCHOR PRESS LTD. TIPTREE ESSEX</div> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="chap" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="transnote"> + +<h2>Transcriber's Note</h2> + +<p>Obvious errors of punctuation and diacritics were corrected.</p> + +<p>Hyphens removed: arm[-]pits (p. 118), brick[-]fields (p. 128), +half[-]way (pp. 129, 138).</p> + +</div> + +<p> </p> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44511 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |