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- margin-top: 1em; - margin-bottom: 1em; - padding: .5em; - } - - .covernote {visibility: visible; display: block; text-align: justify;} -} - </style> - </head> - -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of In The Firing Line, by A. St. John Adcock - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: In The Firing Line - Stories of the War By Land and Sea - -Author: A. St. John Adcock - -Release Date: September 27, 2016 [EBook #53151] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN THE FIRING LINE *** - - - - -Produced by Brian Coe, Charlie Howard, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="transnote"> -<p class="center">Transcriber’s Note</p> - -<p>The reasons for using extra spacing between some paragraphs -were unclear to the Transcriber, so they were just replicated -the same way in this eBook, and do not necessarily mean what -they do in other eBooks.</p> - -<p>Other Notes will be found at the end of this eBook.</p> -</div> - -<div class="newpage figcenter" style="max-width: 25.625em;"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="546" height="800" alt="Cover" /> -</div> - -<div class="newpage p4 center narrow10 xlarge bbox"> -<div class="bbox vspace"> -The Daily Telegraph<br /> -<span class="smaller bold wspace">WAR BOOKS</span> -</div></div> - -<h1 class="nobreak wspace b4">IN THE FIRING LINE</h1> - -<div class="newpage p4 center narrow35 bbox thickert"> -<table class="p1" summary="booklist heading"> - <tr> - <td class="tdc">Cloth <br /><span class="xxlarge bold">1/-</span><br />net<br />each</td> - <td class="tdc large bbox dbl vspace">The Daily Telegraph<br />WAR BOOKS</td> - <td class="tdc">Post<br />free<br /><span class="larger">1/3</span><br />each</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<p class="p1 center"> -<span class="bold">HOW THE WAR BEGAN</span><br /> -By W. L. COURTNEY, LL.D., and J. M. KENNEDY<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">THE FLEETS AT WAR</span><br /> -By ARCHIBALD HURD<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">THE CAMPAIGN OF SEDAN</span><br /> -By GEORGE HOOPER<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">THE CAMPAIGN ROUND LIEGE</span><br /> -By J. M. KENNEDY<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">IN THE FIRING LINE</span><br /> -By A. ST. JOHN ADCOCK<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">GREAT BATTLES OF THE WORLD</span><br /> -By STEPHEN CRANE<br /> -Author of “The Red Badge of Courage.”<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">BRITISH REGIMENTS AT THE FRONT</span><br /> -The story of their Battle Honours.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">THE RED CROSS IN WAR</span><br /> -By Miss MARY FRANCES BILLINGTON<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">FORTY YEARS AFTER</span><br /> -The Story of the Franco-German War. By H. C. BAILEY.<br /> -With an Introduction by W. L. COURTNEY. LL.D.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">A SCRAP OF PAPER</span><br /> -The Inner History of German Diplomacy.<br /> -By E. J. DILLON<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">HOW THE NATIONS WAGED WAR</span><br /> -A companion volume to “How the War Began,” telling how the world faced<br /> -Armageddon and how the British Army answered the call to arms.<br /> -By J. M. KENNEDY<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">AIR-CRAFT IN WAR</span><br /> -By S. ERIC BRUCE<br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">FAMOUS FIGHTS OF INDIAN NATIVE REGIMENTS</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">THE TRIUMPHANT RETREAT TO PARIS</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="bold">THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE</span><br /> -</p> -<p class="center"><span class="bold"><i>OTHER VOLUMES IN PREPARATION</i></span></p> -</div> -<div class="center narrow35 bbox thickerb b4"> -PUBLISHED FOR THE DAILY TELEGRAPH<br /> -BY HODDER & STOUGHTON, WARWICK SQUARE<br /> -LONDON, E.C. -</div> - -<div id="if_i_004" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 30.75em;"> - <img src="images/i_004.jpg" width="492" height="600" alt="" /> - <div class="caption"> - -<div class="floatl"> -<i>Drawn by Philip Daddd.</i></div> -<div class="floatr"><i>Copyright of The Sphere.</i></div> - -<p class="floatc"><span class="smcap">Charge of British Hussars against German Cuirassiers in a Village -of Northern France.</span><br /> -</p></div></div> - -<hr /> -<p class="newpage center xlarge vspace wspace bold"> -IN THE FIRING<br /> -LINE</p> - -<p class="p2 center wspace">STORIES OF THE WAR BY LAND AND SEA</p> - -<p class="p2 center vspace wspace large"><span class="small">BY</span><br /> -<span class="smcap">A. St. JOHN ADCOCK</span></p> - -<p class="p2 center large vspace wspace">HODDER AND STOUGHTON<br /> -<span class="smaller">LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO</span><br /> -<span class="small">MCMXIV</span> -</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><a id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h2> -</div> - -<table id="toc" summary="Contents"> -<tr><td class="tdr top">I.</td><td class="tdl">THE BAPTISM OF FIRE</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#I">7</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr top">II.</td><td class="tdl">THE FOUR DAYS’ BATTLE NEAR MONS</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#II">16</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr top">III.</td><td class="tdl">THE DESTRUCTION OF LOUVAIN</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#III">73</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr top">IV.</td><td class="tdl">THE FIGHT IN THE NORTH SEA</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#IV">90</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr top">V.</td><td class="tdl">FROM MONS TO THE WALLS OF PARIS</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#V">111</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr top">VI.</td><td class="tdl">THE SPIRIT OF VICTORY</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#VI">185</a></td></tr> -</table> -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7">7</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2><span class="larger">IN THE FIRING LINE</span></h2> -</div> - -<hr /> -<h2 class="nobreak vspace"><a id="I"></a>I<br /> - -<span class="subhead"><span class="smcap">The Baptism of Fire</span></span></h2> - -<div class="poem-container"> -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="iq">“<i>E’en now their vanguard gathers,</i><br /></span> -<span class="i4"><i>E’en now we face the fray.</i>”</span></div> - -<div class="attrib"><span class="smcap">Kipling.</span>—<cite>Hymn before Action.</cite> -</div></div> -</div> - -<p>The War Correspondent has become old-fashioned -before he has had time to grow old; he was made -by telegraphy, and wireless has unmade him. The -swift transmission of news from the front might -gratify us who are waiting anxiously at home, -but such news can be caught in the air now, or -secretly and as swiftly retransmitted so as to -gratify our enemies even more by keeping them -well-informed of our strength and intentions -and putting them on their guard. Therefore -our armies have rightly gone forth on this the -greatest war the world has ever seen as they went -to the Crusades, with no Press reporter in their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8">8</a></span> -ranks, and when the historian sits down, some -peaceful day in the future, to write his prose -epic of the Titanic struggle that is now raging -over Europe he will have no records of the actual -fighting except such as he can gather from the -necessarily terse official reports, the published -stories of refugees and wounded soldiers that -have been picked up by enterprising newspaper -men hovering alertly in the rear of the forces, -and from the private letters written to their -friends by the fighting men themselves.</p> - -<p>These letters compensate largely for the ampler, -more expert accounts the war correspondent is -not allowed to send us. They may tell little of -strategic movements or of the full tide and -progress of an engagement till you read them in -conjunction with the official reports, but in their -vivid, spontaneous revelations of what the man -in battle has seen and felt, in the intensity of -their human interest they have a unique value -beyond anything to be found in more professional -military or journalistic documents. They so -unconsciously express the personality and spirit -of their writers; the very homeliness of their -language adds wonderfully and unintentionally -to their effectiveness; there is rarely any note of -boastfulness even in a moment of triumph; -they record the most splendid heroisms casually,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9">9</a></span> -sometimes even flippantly, as if it were merely -natural to see such things happening about them, -or to be doing such things themselves. If they -tell of hardships it is to laugh at them; again -and again there are little bursts of affection and -admiration for their officers and comrades—they -are the most potent of recruiting literature, -these letters, for a mere reading of them thrills -the stay-at-home with pride that these good -fellows are his countrymen and with a sort of -angry shame that his age or his safe civilian -responsibilities keep him from being out there -taking his stand beside them.</p> - -<p>The courage, the cheerfulness, the dauntless -spirit of them is the more striking when you -remember that the vast majority of our soldiers -have never been in battle until now. Russia -has many veterans from her war with Japan; -France has a few who fought the Prussian enemy -in 1870; we have some from the Boer war; but -fully three parts of our troops, like all the heroic -Belgians, have had their baptism of fire in the -present gigantic conflict. And it is curiously -interesting to read in several of the letters the -frank confession of their writers’ feelings when -they came face to face for the first time with the -menace of death in action. One such note, -published in various papers, was from Alfred<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10">10</a></span> -Bishop, a sailor who took part in the famous -North Sea engagement of August last. His -ship’s mascot is a black cat, and:</p> - -<p class="p2">“Our dear little black kitten sat under our -foremost gun,” he writes, “during the whole -battle, and was not frightened at all, only when -we first started firing. But afterwards she sat -and licked herself.... Before we started fighting -we were all very nervous, but after we joined -in we were all happy and most of us laughing till -it was finished. Then we all sobbed and cried. -Even if I never come back don’t think I died a -painful death. Everything yesterday was quick -as lightning.”</p> - -<p class="p2">A wounded English gunner telling of how he -went into action near Mons owns to the same -touch of nervousness in the first few minutes:</p> - -<p class="p2">“What does it feel like to be under fire? -Well, the first shot makes you a bit shaky. It’s -a surprise packet. You have to wait and keep -on moving till you get a chance.” But as soon -as the chance came, his shakiness went, and his -one desire in hospital was “to get back to the -front as soon as the doctor says I’m fit to man a -gun. I don’t want to stop here.”</p> - -<p class="p2">“I have received my baptism of fire,” writes -a young Frenchman at the front to his parents<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11">11</a></span> -in Paris. “I heard the bullets whistling at my -ears, and saw my poor comrades fall around me. -The first minutes are dreadful. They are the -worst. You feel wild. You hesitate; you don’t -know what to do. Then, after a time, you -feel quite at your ease in this atmosphere of -lead.”</p> - -<p class="p2">“I am in the field hospital now, with a nice -little hole in my left shoulder, through which a -bullet of one of the War Lord’s military subjects -has passed,” writes a wounded Frenchman to a -friend in London. “My shoulder feels much as -if some playful joker has touched it with a lighted -cigar.... It is strange, but in the face of death -and destruction I catch myself trying to make -out where the shell has fallen, as if I were an -interested spectator at a rifle competition. And -I was not the only one. I saw many curious faces -around me, bearing expressions full of interest, -just as if the owners of the respective faces formed -the auditorium of a highly fascinating theatrical -performance, without having anything to do -with the play itself. The impression crossed my -mind in one-thousandth part of a second, and -was followed by numerous others, altogether alien -from the most serious things which were happening -and going to happen. The human mind is a -curious and complicated thing. Now that we -were shooting at the enemy, and often afterwards -in the midst of a fierce battle, I heard some<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12">12</a></span> -remark made or some funny expression used -which proved that the speaker’s thoughts were -far from realising the terrible facts around him. -It has nothing to do with heartlessness or anything -like that. I don’t know yet what it is. -Perhaps I shall have an opportunity to philosophise -on it later on.”</p> - -<p class="p2">There is a curious comment in a letter from -Sergeant Major MacDermott, who writes during -the great retreat from Mons, when everybody -had become inured to the atmosphere of the -battlefield.</p> - -<p class="p2">“We’re wonderfully cheerful, and happy as bare-legged -urchins scampering over the fields,” he says, -and adds, “It is the quantity not the quality of -the German shells that are having effect on us, -and it’s not so much the actual damage to life as -the hellish nerve-racking noise that counts for so -much. Townsmen who are used to the noise of -the streets can stand it a lot better than the -countrymen, and I think you will find that by far -the fittest are those regiments recruited in the -big cities. A London lad near me says it is no -worse than the roar of motor-buses in the City -on a busy day.”</p> - -<p class="p2">But the most graphic and minutely detailed -picture of the psychic experiences of a soldier<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13">13</a></span> -plunged for the first time into the pandemonium -of a modern battle is given in the <cite>Retch</cite> by a -wounded Russian artillery officer writing from -a St. Petersburg hospital.</p> - -<p class="p2">“I cannot say where we fought, for we are -forbidden to divulge that, but I will tell you my -own experiences,” he says. “In times of peace -one has no conception of what a battle really -means. When war was declared our brigade -was despatched to the theatre of operations. -I went with delight, and so did the others. When -we reached our destination we were told that the -battle would begin in the morning.</p> - -<p>“At daybreak positions were assigned to us, -and the commander of the brigade handed us a -plan of the action of our artillery. From that -moment horror possessed our souls. It was not -anxiety for ourselves or fear of the enemy, but -a feeling of awe in the face of something unknown. -At six o’clock we opened fire at a mark which we -could not distinguish, but which we understood -to be the enemy.</p> - -<p>“Towards midday we were informed that the -German cavalry was attempting to envelop our -right wing, and were ordered in that direction. -Having occupied our new position we waited. -Suddenly we see the enemy coming, and at the -same time he opens fire on us. We turn our -guns upon him, and I give the order to fire. I<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14">14</a></span> -myself feel that I am in a kind of nightmare. -Our battery officers begin to melt away. I see -that the Germans are developing their attack. -First one regiment appears, and then another. -I direct the guns and pour a volley of projectiles -right into the thick of the first regiment. Then -a second volley, and a third. I see how they -fall among the men, and can even discern the -severed limbs of the dead flying into the air after -the explosion.</p> - -<p>“One of the enemy’s regiments is annihilated. -Then a second one. All this time I am pouring -missiles in among them. But now the nervous -feeling has left me. My soul is filled with hate, -and I continue to shoot at the enemy without -the least feeling of pity.</p> - -<p>“Yet still the enemy is advancing, rushing -forward and lying down in turns. I do not -understand his tactics, but what are they to me? -It is enough for me that I am occupying a favourable -position and mowing him down like a strong -man with a scythe in a clover field.</p> - -<p>“During the first night after the battle I could -not sleep a wink. All the time my mind was -filled with pictures of the battlefield. I saw -German regiments approaching, and myself firing -right into the thick of them. Heads, arms, legs, -and whole bodies of men were being flung high into -the air. It was a dreadful vision.</p> - -<p>“I was in four battles. When the second began<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15">15</a></span> -I went into it like an automaton. Only your -muscles are taxed. All the rest of your being -seems paralyzed. So complete is the suspension -of the sensory processes that I never felt my -wound. All I remember is that a feeling of giddiness -came over me, and my head began to swim. -Then I swooned to the ground, and was picked up -by the Medical Corps and carried to the rear.”</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16">16</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="vspace"><a id="II"></a>II<br /> - -<span class="subhead"><span class="smcap">The Four Days’ Battle Near Mons</span></span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="poem-container"> -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="iq">“<i>And turning to his men,</i><br /></span> -<span class="i0"><i>Quoth our brave Henry then,</i><br /></span> -<span class="i0"><i>‘Though they be one to ten,</i><br /></span> -<span class="i2"><i>Be not amazed.’</i>”<br /></span> -</div> - -<div class="attrib"><span class="smcap">Michael Drayton.</span> -</div></div> -</div> - -<p>Most of us are old enough to remember how, when -we entered upon the South African Campaign -(as when we started the Crimean and other of -our wars) the nation was divided against itself; -passionate, bitter controversies were waged between -anti-Boer and pro-Boer—between those -who considered the war an unjust and those who -considered it a just one. This time there has been -nothing of that. Sir Edward Grey’s resolute -efforts for peace proving futile, as soon as Germany -tore up her obligations of honour, that -“scrap of paper,” and began to pour her huge, -boastedly irresistible armies into Belgium, we -took up the gauge she so insolently flung to us, -and the one feeling from end to end of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17">17</a></span> -Empire was of devout thankfulness that our -Government had so instantly done the only -right and honourable thing; all political parties, -all classes flung their differences behind them -unhesitatingly and stood four-square at once -against the common enemy. They were heartened -by a sense of relief, even, that the swaggering -German peril which had been darkly -menacing us for years had materialised and was -upon us at last, that we were coming to grips -with it and should have the chance of ending it -once and for ever.</p> - -<p>But immediately after our declaration of war -on August 4th, a strange secrecy and silence fell -like an impenetrable mask over all our military -movements. In our cities and towns we were -troubled with business disorganisations, but that -mystery, that waiting in suspense, troubled us -far more. News came that the fighting continued -furiously on the Belgian frontier; that -it was beginning on the fringes of Alsace; that -the Russians were advancing victoriously on -East Prussia; and still though our own army -was mobilised and we were eagerly starting to -raise a new and a larger one, we rightly learned -no more, perhaps less, than the enemy could of -what our Expeditionary Force was doing or -where it was. Last time we were at war we had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18">18</a></span> -seen regiment after regiment go off with bands -playing and with cheering multitudes lining the -roads as they passed; this time we had no glimpse -of their going; did not know when they went, -or so much as whether they were gone. One -day rumour landed them safely in France or -Belgium; the next it assured us that they were -not yet ready to embark; and the next it had -rushed them, as by magic, right across Belgium -and credited them with standing shoulder to -shoulder in the fighting line with the magnificent -defenders of Liège. But the glory of that defence, -as we were soon to find out, belongs to -Belgium alone; the Germans had hacked their -way through and were nearing Mons before our -men were able to get far enough north to come -in touch with them. Not that they had lost -any time on the road. It took a fortnight to -mobilise and equip them; they sailed from -Southampton on August 17th, and four days -later were at Mons and under fire. This much -and more you may gather from a diary-letter -that was published in the <cite>Western Daily Press</cite>:</p> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 1.—From Sapper George Bryant, Royal -Engineers, to his father, Mr. J. J. Bryant, of -Fishponds:</i></h3> - -<blockquote class="hang"> - -<p>Aug. 17.—Sailed from Southampton, on <cite>Manchester -Engineer</cite>, 4.45 a.m.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19">19</a></span> -Aug. 18.—Landed Rouen, 6.20 a.m. Proceeded -to rest camp at the Racecourse, Rouen.</p> - -<p>Aug. 19.—Left camp 9 p.m., and entrained to -Aulnoye.</p> - -<p>Aug. 20.—Marched to Fiezines.</p> - -<p>Aug. 21.—Marched to Mons, and proceeded -to the canal, to obstacle the bridges and -prepare for blowing up. Barricaded the -main streets. Saw German cavalry, and -was under fire.</p> - -<p>Aug. 22.—Severe fighting and terrible. Went -to blow up bridges with Lieut. Day, who -was shot at my side through the nose. Unable -to destroy bridges owing to such heavy -firing of the Germans. Sight heart-breaking. -Women and children driven from their -homes by point of bayonet, and marched -through streets in front of Germans, who -fired behind them and through their armpits. -Therefore, our fellows were unable to -fire back. They rolled up in thousands, -about 100 to our one. Went from here to -dig trenches for infantry retreating. Was -soon under fire, and had to retreat, and -infantry took our position, and were completely -wiped out (Middlesex).</p> - -<p>Aug. 23.—Severe fighting and bombarding of a -town, shells bursting around us. Retreated, -and dug trenches for infantry, but soon had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20">20</a></span> -fire about us, and retreated again and marched -to take up position for next day, which was -to be a rest, us having had but very little.</p> - -<p>Aug. 24.—Were unable to rest. Germans -pressed us hotly, and fired continually. One -of their aeroplanes followed our route, and -was fired at. One of our lieutenants chased -it, and eventually succeeded in shooting -the aviator through the head, and he came -to earth. Three aeroplanes were captured -this day. We had no close fighting, and -marched away to take up a position for -next day’s fighting, which was a hard day’s -work.</p> - -<p>Aug. 25.—We tried to destroy an orchard, but -drew the Germans’ artillery fire, which was -hot and bursting around us. We continued -our work until almost too late, and had -to retire to infantry lines, and had it hot -in doing so. I was stood next to General -Shaw’s aide-camp who was badly wounded, -but was not touched myself. We dug -trenches for infantry, and then marched -to join the 2nd Division, but fire was -too hot to enable us to do our work. -Germans were surrounded by us to the -letter “C,” and we were waiting for the -French to come up on our right flank, but -they did not arrive. On returning from the -2nd Division two shells, one after another,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21">21</a></span> -burst in front of us, first destroying a house; -the second, I received my wound in left leg, -being the only fellow hit out of 180. Was -placed on tool cart, and taken to Field -Hospital, but rest there was short, owing -to Germans firing on hospital. Orderlies -ran off and left us three to take our chance. -Germans blew up church and hospital in -same village, and were firing on ours when -I was helped out by the other two fellows, -and on to a cart, which overtook the ambulance, -which I was put on, and travelled -all night to St. Quentin and was entrained -there at 9.30 a.m. Aug. 26.</p> - -<p>Aug. 26.—Travelled all day, reaching Rouen, -Aug. 27, and was taken to Field Hospital -on Racecourse.</p></blockquote> - -<p class="p2">We shall have to wait some time yet for full -and coherent accounts of the fierce fighting at -Mons, but from the soldiers’ letters and the -stories of the wounded one gets illuminating -glimpses of that terrific four-days’ battle.</p> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 2.—From Driver W. Moore, Royal Field -Artillery, to the superintendent of the “Cornwall” -training ship, of which Driver Moore -is an “old boy” still under twenty:</i></h3> - -<p>It was Sunday night when we saw the -enemy. We were ready for action, but were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22">22</a></span> -lying down to have a rest, when orders came to -stand at our posts. It was about four a.m. on -Monday when we started to fire; we were at -it all day till six p.m., when we started to advance. -Then the bugle sounded the charge, and the -cavalry and infantry charged like madmen at -the enemy; then the enemy fell back about -forty miles, so we held them at bay till Wednesday, -when the enemy was reinforced. Then they -came on to Mons, and by that time we had -every man, woman, and child out of the -town.</p> - -<p>We were situated on a hill in a cornfield and -could see all over the country. It was about -three p.m., and we started to let them have a -welcome by blowing up two of their batteries in -about five minutes; then the infantry let go, and -then the battle was in full swing.</p> - -<p>In the middle of the battle a driver got -wounded and asked to see the colours before he -died, and he was told by an officer that the guns -were his colours. He replied, “Tell the drivers -to keep their eyes on their guns, because if we -lose our guns we lose our colours.”</p> - -<p>Just then the infantry had to retire, and the -gunners had to leave their guns, but the drivers -were so proud of their guns that they went and -got them out, and we retired to St. Quentin. We -had a roll-call, and only ten were left out of my -battery. This was the battle in which poor<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23">23</a></span> -Winchester (another old <em>Cornwall</em> boy) lost his -life in trying to get the guns away.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 3.—From Private G. Moody, to his parents -at Beckenham:</i></h3> - -<p>I was at Mons in the trenches in the firing line -for twenty-four hours, and my regiment was -ordered to help the French on the right. Poor -old A Company was left to occupy the trenches -and to hold them: whatever might happen, they -were not to leave them. There were about 250 -of us, and the Germans came on, and as fast as -we knocked them over more took their places.</p> - -<p>Well, out of 250 men only eighty were left, -and we had to surrender. They took away everything, -and we were lined up to be shot, so as to -be no trouble to them. Then the cavalry of the -French made a charge, and the Germans were cut -down like grass. We got away, and wandered -about all night, never knowing if we were walking -into our chaps or the Germans. After walking -about some time we commenced falling down -through drinking water that had been poisoned, -and then we were put into some motor-wagons -and taken to Amiens.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24">24</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 4.—From a Lincolnshire Sergeant to his -brother:</i></h3> - -<p>It came unexpectedly. The first inkling we -had was just after reveille, when our cavalry -pickets fell back and reported the presence of the -enemy in strength on our front and slightly to -the left. In a few minutes we were all at our -posts without the slightest confusion, and as we -lay down in the trenches our artillery opened -fire. It was a fine sight to see the shells speeding -through the air to pay our respects to Kaiser -Bill and his men. Soon the Germans returned -the compliment; but they were a long time in -finding anything approaching the range, and they -didn’t know of shelters—a trick we learned from -the Boers, I believe. After about half an hour -of this work their infantry came into view along -our front. They were in solid square blocks -standing out sharply against the skyline, and we -couldn’t help hitting them. We lay in our -trenches with not a sound or sign to tell them of -what was before them. They crept nearer and -nearer, and then our officers gave the word. -Under the storm of bullets they seemed to stagger -like drunken men, after which they made a run -for us shouting some outlandish cry that we -could not make out. Half way across the open -another volley tore through their ranks, and by -this time our artillery began dropping shells -around them. Then an officer gave an order, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25">25</a></span> -they broke into open formation, rushing like -mad things towards the trenches on our left. -Some of our men continued the volley firing, but -a few of the crack shots were told off to indulge -in independent firing for the benefit of the -Germans. That is another trick taught us by -Brother Boer, and our Germans did not like it -at all. They fell back in confusion and then lay -down wherever cover was available.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 5.—From Private Levy, Royal Munster -Fusiliers:</i></h3> - -<p>We were sent up to the firing line to try and -save a battery. When we got there we found that -they were nearly all killed or wounded. Our -Irish lads opened fire on the dirty Germans, and -you should have seen them fall. It was like a -game of skittles. But as soon as you knocked -them down up came another thousand or so. -We could not make out where they came from. -So, all of a sudden, our officers gave us the order -to charge. We fixed bayonets and went like -fire through them. You should have seen them -run!</p> - -<p>We had two companies of ours there against -about 3,000 of theirs, and I tell you it was warm. -I was not sorry when night-time came, but that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26">26</a></span> -was not all. You see, we had no horses to get -those guns away, and our chaps would not leave -them.</p> - -<p>We dragged them ourselves to a place of -safety. As the firing line was at full swing we -had with us an officer of the Hussars. I think -he was next to me, and he had his hand nearly -blown off by one of the German shells. So I and -two more fellows picked him up and took him -to a place of safety, where he got his wound cared -for. I heard afterwards that he had been sent -home, poor fellow.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 6.—From Sergeant A. J. Smith, 1st Lincolnshire -Regiment:</i></h3> - -<p>We smashed up the Kaiser’s famous regiment—the -Imperial Guards—and incidentally -they gave us a shaking. They caught me napping. -I got wounded on Sunday night, but I stuck it -until Thursday. I could then go no further, -so they put me in the ambulance and sent me -home. It was just as safe in the firing line as in -the improvised hospital, as when our force moved -the Germans closed up and shelled the hospitals -and burned the villages to the ground.</p> - -<p>We started on Sunday, and were fighting -and marching until Thursday. Troops were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27">27</a></span> -falling asleep on the roadside until the shells -started dropping, then we were very much -awake.</p> - -<p>I feel proud to belong to the British Army -for the way in which they bore themselves in -front of the other nations. No greater tribute -could be paid us than what a German officer, who -was captured, said. He said it was inferno to -stand up against the British Army.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 7.—From Private J. R. Tait, of the 2nd -Essex Regiment:</i></h3> - -<p>We were near Mons when we had the order -to entrench. It was just dawn when we were -half-way down our trenches, and we were on -our knees when the Germans opened a murderous -fire with their guns and machine guns. We opened -a rapid fire with our Maxims and rifles; we let -them have it properly, but no sooner did we -have one lot down than up came another lot, and -they sent their cavalry to charge us, but we were -there with our bayonets, and we emptied our -magazines on them. Their men and horses were -in a confused heap. There were a lot of wounded -horses we had to shoot to end their misery. We -had several charges with their infantry, too. -We find they don’t like the bayonets. Their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28">28</a></span> -rifle shooting is rotten; I don’t believe they could -hit a haystack at 100 yards. We find their -Field Artillery very good; we don’t like their -shrapnel; but I noticed that some did not burst; -if one shell that came over me had burst I should -have been blown to atoms; I thanked the Lord -it did not. I also heard our men singing that -famous song: “Get out and get under.” I know -that for an hour in our trench it would make -anyone keep under, what with their shells and -machine guns. Many poor fellows went to their -death like heroes.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 8.—From an Oldham Private to his wife -at Waterhead:</i></h3> - -<p>We have had a terrible time, and were in -action for three days and nights. On Wednesday -the officers said that Spion Kop was heaven to -the fighting we had on that day. It is God -help our poor fellows who get wounded in the -legs or body and could not get off the battlefield, -as when we retired the curs advanced and -shot and bayonetted them as they tried to -crawl away. They are rotten shots with the -rifles. If they stood on Blackpool sands I don’t -believe they could hit the sea, but they are very -good with the shrapnel guns, and nearly all our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29">29</a></span> -wounded have been hit with shrapnel bullets. -Each shrapnel shell contains about 200 bullets -which scatter all around, so just think what -damage one shell can do when it drops among a -troop of soldiers.</p> - -<p>On the Tuesday our regiment went to the -top of a hill which had a big flat top. An outpost -of a Scotch regiment reported to us on our way -up that all was clear, and we thought the enemy -were about five miles away. We formed up in -close formation—about 1,200 strong. Our commanding -officer told us to pull our packs off, and -start entrenching, but this was the last order -he will ever give, for the enemy opened fire at -us with five Maxim guns from a wood only 400 -yards in front of us. They mowed us down like -straw, and we could get no cover at all. Those -who were left had to roll off the hill into the -roadway—a long straight road—but we got it -worse there. They had two shrapnel guns at the -top of the road, and they did fearful execution to -us and the Lancashire Fusiliers, who were also -in the roadway. Any man who got out of that -hell-hole should shake hands with himself.</p> - -<p>This all happened before six o’clock in the -morning. I have only seen about sixty of our -regiment since. Our Maxim gun officer tried -to fix his gun up during their murderous fire, -but he got half his face blown away. We retired -in splendid order about 300 yards, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30">30</a></span> -then lined a ridge. Up to then we hardly fired a -shot. They had nearly wiped three regiments -out up to then, but our turn came. We gave -them lead as fast as we could pull the triggers, -and I think we put three Germans out to every -one of our men accounted for. Bear in mind, they -were about 250,000 strong to our 50,000. We got -three Germans, and they said their officers told -them that we were Russians and that England -had not sent any men to fight.</p> - -<p>They made us retire about five miles, and -then we got the master of them, because our -guns came up and covered the ground with dead -Germans. The German gunners are good shots, -but ours are a lot better. After we had shelled -them a bit we got them on the run, and we drove -them back to three miles behind where the battle -started. We did give it them. I will say this, -none of our soldiers touched any wounded Germans, -though it took us all our time to keep -our bayonets out of their ribs after seeing what -they did with our wounded. But, thank God, -we governed our tempers and left them alone.</p> - -<p>I said we got the Germans on the run. And -they can run! I picked up a few trophies and -put them in my pack, but I got it blown off my -back almost, so I had to discard it. I got one in -the ribs, and then a horse got shot and fell on top -of me, putting my shoulder out again and crushing -my ribs. Otherwise I am fit to tackle a few<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31">31</a></span> -more Germans, and I hope I shall soon be back -again at the front to get a bit of my own back.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 9.—From a private of the 1st Lincolns to -friends at Barton-on-Humber:</i></h3> - -<p>Just a line to tell you I have returned from -the front, and I can tell you we have had a very -trying time of it. I must also say I am very -lucky to be here. We were fighting from Sunday, -23rd, to Wednesday evening, on nothing to -eat or drink—only the drop of water in our -bottles which we carried. No one knows—only -those that have seen us could credit such a sight, -and if I live for years may I never see such a -sight again. I can tell you it is not very nice -to see your chum next to you with half his head -blown off. The horrible sights I shall never forget. -There seemed nothing else only certain -death staring us in the face all the time. I cannot -tell you all on paper. We must, however, -look on the bright side, for it is no good doing -any other. There are thousands of these -Germans and they simply throw themselves at -us. It is no joke fighting seven or eight to one. -I can tell you we have lessened them a little, but -there are millions more yet to finish.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32">32</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 10.—From one of the 9th Lancers to friends at -Alfreton:</i></h3> - -<p>I was at the great battle of Mons, and got a few -shots in me. Once I was holding my officer’s -horse and my own, when, all of a sudden, a -German shell came over and burst. Both horses -were killed. I got away with my left hand split -and three fingers blown in pieces. I am recovering -rather quickly. I shall probably have to lose -one or two of my fingers. I had two bullets -taken from my body on Tuesday, and I can tell -you I am in pain. I think I am one of the luckiest -men in the world to escape as I did. War is a -terrible thing. It is a lot different to what most -of us expected. Women and children leaving -their homes with their belongings—then all of a -sudden their houses would be in ashes, blown to -the ground. I shall be glad to get well again. -Then I can go and help again to fight the brutal -Germans. The people in France and Belgium -were so kind and good to our soldiers. They -gave everything they possibly could do.</p> - -<p>I have not heard from Jack (his brother, also at -the front). I do so hope he will come back.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<div id="ip_32" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 31.1875em;"> - <img src="images/i_032.jpg" width="499" height="600" alt="" /> - <div class="caption"> - -<div class="floatl"><i>Drawn by F. Matania.</i></div> -<div class="floatr"><i>Copyright of The Sphere.</i></div> -<p class="floatc"><span class="smcap">The British Expeditionary Force Lands in France, August, 1914.</span></p></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33">33</a></span></p> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 11.—From a wounded Gordon Highlander to -his father, Mr. Alexander Buchan, of Monymusk:</i></h3> - -<p>We had a pretty stiff day of it last Sunday. -The battalion went into small trenches in front -of a wood a few miles to the right of Mons, and -the Germans had the range to a yard. I was on -the right edge of the wood with the machine guns, -and there wasn’t half some joy.</p> - -<p>The shells were bursting all over the place. It -was a bit of a funny sensation for a start, but you -soon got used to it. You would hear it coming -singing through the air over your head; then it -would give a mighty big bang and you would see -a great flash, and there would be a shower of -lumps of iron and rusty nails all around your ears. -They kept on doing that all Sunday; sometimes -three or four at the same time, but none of them -hit me. I was too fly for them.</p> - -<p>Their artillery is pretty good, but the infantry -are no good at all. They advance in close column, -and you simply can’t help hitting them. I opened -fire on them with the machine gun and you could -see them go over in heaps, but it didn’t make any -difference. For every man that fell ten took his -place. That is their strong point. They have -an unlimited supply of men.</p> - -<p>They think they can beat any army in the -world simply by hurling great masses of troops -against them, but they are finding out their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34">34</a></span> -mistake now that they are put up against British -troops. The reason for the British retreat is -this—all up through France are great lines of -entrenchments and fortresses, and as they have -not enough men to defeat the Germans in open -battle, they are simply retiring from position to -position—holding the Germans for a few days -and then retiring to the next one. All this is just -to gain time. Our losses are pretty severe, but -they are nothing to the Germans, whose losses -are ten to every one of ours.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 12.—From Private J. Willis, of the Gordon -Highlanders:</i></h3> - -<p>You mustn’t run away with the notion that -we stand shivering or cowering under shell fire, -for we don’t. We just go about our business in -the usual way. If it’s potting at the Germans -that is to the fore we keep at it as though nothing -were happening, and if we’re just having a wee -bit chat among ourselves we keep at it all the -same.</p> - -<p>Last week when I got this wound in my leg -it was because I got excited in an argument with -wee Georgie Ferriss, of our company, about -Queen’s Park Rangers and their chances this -season. One of my chums was hit when he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35">35</a></span> -stood up to light a cigarette while the Germans -were blazing away at us.</p> - -<p>Keep your eyes wide open and you will have -a big surprise sooner than you think. We’re all -right, and the Germans will find that out sooner -than you at home.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 13.—From Private G. Kay, of the 2nd -Royal Scots, to his employer, a milkman, at -Richmond:</i></h3> - -<p>You will be surprised to hear I am home -from Belgium in hospital with a slight wound -in my heel from shrapnel. I had a narrow -escape in Wednesday’s battle at or near Mons, -as I was with the transport, and it was surrounded -twice.</p> - -<p>The last time I made holes in the stable -wall, and had a good position for popping them -off—and I did, too; but somehow they got -to know where we were, and shelled us for three -hours. Off went the roof, and off went the roof -of other buildings around us. At last a shell -exploded and set fire to our cooking apparatus -and our stables. We had twenty-two fine horses, -and all the transport in this stable yard. We -hung on for orders to remove the horses. None -came. At last a shell like a thunderbolt struck<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36">36</a></span> -the wall, and down came half the stables, and -as luck would have it, as we retired—only about -six of us—my brother-in-law, the chap you -were going to start when we were called up, -went to the right and I went to the left. Just -then a shell burst high and struck several down -in the yard—it was then I got hit—smashed the -butt of my rifle, and sent me silly for five minutes. -Then I heard a major say, “For yourselves, -boys.” I looked for my brother-in-law, but he -was not to be seen, and I have not heard of -him since. During all this time the fire was -spreading rapidly. I was told to go back and -cut the horses loose. I did so, and some of -them got out, but others were burnt to death.</p> - -<p>Then God answered my prayer, and I had -strength to run through a line of rifle fire over -barbed wire covered by a hedge, and managed -to get out of rifle range, three hundred yards -or four hundred yards away, and then I fell -for want of water. I just had about two teaspoonfuls -in my bottle, and then I went on -struggling my way through hedges to a railway -line.</p> - -<p>When I got through I saw an awful sight—a -man of the Royal Irish with six wounds -from shrapnel. He asked me for water, but -I had none. I managed to carry him about -half a mile, and then found water. I stuck to -him though he was heavy and I was feeling<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37">37</a></span> -weak and tired. I had to carry him through a -field of turnips, and half way I slipped and both -fell. I then had a look back and could see the -fire mountains high.</p> - -<p>I then saw one of my own regiment, and -called to him to stay with this man while I went -for a shutter or a door, which I got, and with -the help of two Frenchmen soon got him to a -house and dressed him. We were being shelled -again from the other end of the village then. We -were about fifteen strong, as some slightly wounded -came up and some not wounded. We got him -away, and then met a company of Cameron -Highlanders, and handed him over to them.</p> - -<p>I think I marched nearly sixty-three miles, -nearly all on one foot, and at last I got a horse -and made my way to Mons, where I was put in -the train for Havre.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 14.—From Sergeant Taylor, of the R.H.A.:</i></h3> - -<p>Our first brush with the enemy was on -August 21st, about thirty miles from Mons, -but Mons, my goodness, it was just like Brock’s -benefit at Belle Vue, and you would have thought -it was hailing. Of course, we were returning -the compliment. The Germans always found the -range, which proved they had good maps, yet<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38">38</a></span> -in their anxiety they tried to fire too many shells, -the consequence being that a lot of them were -harmless, and they did not give themselves time -to properly fuse them. Only on one day—from -the 21st to my leaving—did we miss an -action. In General French’s report you will, -no doubt, see where the 5th Brigade accounted -for two of the German cavalry regiments, of -which only six troopers were taken prisoners; -the rest bit the dust. One of these regiments -was the Lancers, of which the late Queen was -honorary colonel.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 15.—From Private J. Atkinson, of the -Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, -to his wife at Leeds:</i></h3> - -<p>Talk about a time! I would not like to go -through the same again for love or money.</p> - -<p>It is not war. It is murder. The Germans -are murdering our wounded as fast as they come -across them. I gave myself up for done a week -last Sunday night, as we were in the thick of -the fight at Mons. Our regiment started fighting -with 1,009 and finished with 106 and three -officers. That made 109, as we just lost 900. -It was cruel. At one place we were at there -were six streets of the town where all the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39">39</a></span> -women were left widows, and were all wearing -the widows’ weeds. The French regiment that -fought there was made up in the town and they -got wiped out.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 16.—From Private Robert Robertson, of the -Argylls, to his parents at Musselburgh:</i></h3> - -<p>The poor Argylls got pretty well hit, but -never wavered a yard for all their losses. The -Scots Greys are doing great work at the front—in -fact they were the means of putting ten -thousand Germans to their fate on Sunday -morning. I will never forget that day, as our -regiment left a town on the French frontier on -Saturday morning at 3 o’clock and marched till -3 a.m. on Sunday into a Belgian town. I was -about to have an hour in bed, at least a lie down -in a shop, when I was wakened to go on guard at -the General’s headquarters, and while I was on -guard a Captain of the crack French cavalry -came in with the official report of the ten thousand -Germans killed. The Scots Greys, early that -morning, had decoyed the Germans right in front -of the machine guns of the French, and they just -mowed them down. There was no escape for -them, poor devils, but they deserve it the way -they go on. You would be sorry for the poor<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40">40</a></span> -Belgian women having to leave their homes with -young children clinging to them. One sad case -we came across on the roadside was a woman -just out of bed two days after giving birth to a -child. The child was torn from her breast, and -her breast cut off that the infant was sucking. -Then the Germans bayoneted the child before the -mother’s eyes. We did the best we could for her, -but she died about six hours after telling us her -hardships.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 17.—From Private Whitaker, of the Coldstream -Guards:</i></h3> - -<p>You thought it was a big crowd that streamed -out of the Crystal Palace when we went to see the -Cup Final. Well, outside Compiègne it was just -as if that crowd came at us. You couldn’t miss -them. Our bullets ploughed into them, but still -they came for us. I was well entrenched, and my -rifle got so hot I could hardly hold it. I was -wondering if I should have enough bullets, when -a pal shouted, “Up, Guards, and at ’em!” The -next second he was rolled over with a nasty -knock on the shoulder. He jumped up and -hissed, “Let me get at them!” His language -was a bit stronger than that.</p> - -<p>When we really did get the order to get at<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41">41</a></span> -them we made no mistake, I can tell you. They -cringed at the bayonet, but those on our left wing -tried to get round us, and after racing as hard as -we could for quite five hundred yards we cut up -nearly every man who did not run away.</p> - -<p>You have read of the charge of the Light Brigade. -It was nowt to our cavalry chaps. I saw two -of our fellows who were unhorsed stand back to -back and slash away with their swords, bringing -down nine or ten of the panic-stricken devils. -Then they got hold of the stirrup-straps of a -horse without a rider, and got out of the melée. -This kind of thing was going on all day.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon I thought we should all get -bowled over, as they came for us again in their -big numbers. Where they came from, goodness -knows; but as we could not stop them with -bullets they had another taste of the bayonet. -My captain, a fine fellow, was near to me, and as -he fetched them down he shouted, “Give them -socks, my lads!” How many were killed and -wounded I don’t know; but the field was covered -with them.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 18.—From a private in the Coldstream -Guards to his mother:</i></h3> - -<p>First of all I sailed from Southampton on -August 12th on a cattle boat called the <i>Cawdor<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42">42</a></span> -Castle</i>. We sailed at 9.30 at night, and after -a passage of 14½ hours landed at Le Havre, on -the coast of France. We went into camp there, -and then left on August 14th, getting into a train, -not third class carriages, but cattle trucks. We -were on the train eighteen and a half hours, -and I was a bit stiff when I got out at a place -called Wassigny. Then we marched through -pouring rain to a village, where we slept in some -barns. The next day being Sunday, August 16th, -we got on the march to a place called Grooges, -a distance of about nine miles. We stayed there -till Thursday.</p> - -<p>Then we started to march to get into Belgium. -We got there on Sunday, the 23rd, just outside -Mons. We dug trenches, from which we had to -retire, and then we got into a position, and there -I saw the big battle, but could not do anything, -because we were with the artillery. We -retreated into France, being shelled all the way, -and on the Tuesday, the 25th, we marched into -Landrecies. We arrived there about one o’clock -and were thinking ourselves lucky. We considered -we were going to have two days’ rest, -but about five o’clock the alarm was raised. -The Germans got to the front of us and were trying -to get in the town. So we fixed our bayonets, -doubled up the road, and the fight started. The -German artillery shelled us, and some poor chaps -got hit badly. The chap next to me got shot,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43">43</a></span> -and I tried to pull him out of the road, so that -I could get down in his place, as there was not -room for us all in the firing line. We had to lay -down behind and wait our chance. I had got on my -knees, and just got hold of his leg, when something -hit my rifle and knocked it out of my hand, -and almost at the same time a bullet went right -through my arm. It knocked me over, and I -must have bumped my head, for I do not remember -any more till I felt someone shaking me. -It was the doctor—a brave man, for he came -right up amongst the firing to tend the wounded. -He bandaged my arm up, and I had to get to -hospital, a mile and a half away, as best I could.</p> - -<p>The beasts of Germans shelled the building all -night long without hitting it. We moved next -morning, and by easy stages left for England. -I am going on fine; shall soon be back and at -it again I expect. Keep up your spirits, won’t -you? I believe it was only your prayers at home -that guarded me that Tuesday night, simply awful -it was.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 19.—From a wounded English Officer, in a -Belgian hospital, to his mother:</i></h3> - -<p>I do not know if this letter will ever get -to you or not, but I am writing on the chance<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44">44</a></span> -that it will. A lot has happened since I last -wrote to you. We marched straight up to -Belgium from France, and the first day we -arrived my company was put on outposts for -the night. During the night we dug a few -trenches, etc., so did not get much sleep. The -next day the Germans arrived, and I will try -and describe the fight. We were only advanced -troops of a few hundred holding the line of -a canal. The enemy arrived about 50,000 -strong. We held them in check all day and killed -hundreds of them, and still they came. Finally, -of course, we retired on our main body. I will -now explain the part I played. We were guarding -a railway bridge over a canal. My company -held a semicircle from the railway to the canal. -I was nearest the railway. A Scottish regiment -completed the semicircle on the right of the -railway to the canal. The railway was on a -high embankment running up to the bridge, so -that the Scottish regiment was out of sight -of us. We held the Germans all day, killing -hundreds, when about five p.m. the order to -retire was eventually given. It never reached -us, and we were left all alone. The Germans -therefore got right up to the canal on our right, -hidden by the railway embankment, and crossed -the railway. Our people had blown up the -bridge before their departure. We found ourselves -between two fires, and I realized we had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45">45</a></span> -about 2,000 Germans and a canal between myself -and my friends.</p> - -<p>We decided to sell our lives dearly. I -ordered my men to fix bayonets and charge, -which the gallant fellows did splendidly, but -we got shot down like nine-pins. As I was -loading my revolver after giving the order to -fix bayonets I was hit in the right wrist. I -dropped my revolver, my hand was too weak -to draw my sword. This afterwards saved -my life. I had not got far when I got a bullet -through the calf of my right leg and another -in my right knee, which brought me down. -The rest of my men got driven round into the -trench on our left. The officer there charged -the Germans and was killed himself, and nearly -all the men were either killed or wounded. I -did not see this part of the business, but from -all accounts the gallant men charged with the -greatest bravery. Those who could walk the -Germans took away as prisoners. I have since -discovered from civilians that around the bridge -5,000 Germans were found dead and about 60 -English. These 60 must have been nearly all -my company, who were so unfortunately left -behind.</p> - -<p>As regards myself, when I lay upon the -ground I found my coat sleeve full of blood, -and my wrist spurting blood, so I knew an -artery of some sort must have been cut. The<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46">46</a></span> -Germans had a shot at me when I was on the -ground to finish me off; that shot hit my sword, -which I wore on my side, and broke in half -just below the hilt; this turned the bullet off -and saved my life. I afterwards found that -two shots had gone through my field glasses, -which I wore on my belt, and another had gone -through my coat pocket, breaking my pipe -and putting a hole through a small collapsible -tin cup, which must have turned the bullet off me. -We lay out there all night for twenty-four hours. -I had fainted away from loss of blood, and when I -lost my senses I thought I should never see anything -again. Luckily I had fallen on my wounded -arm, and the arm being slightly twisted I think -the weight of my body stopped the flow of blood -and saved me. At any rate, the next day -civilians picked up ten of us who were still alive, -and took us to a Franciscan convent, where we -have been splendidly looked after. All this -happened on August 23rd, it is now September -3rd. I am ever so much better, and can walk -about a bit now, and in a few days will be quite -healed up. It is quite a small hole in my wrist, -and it is nearly healed, and my leg is much -better; the bullets escaped the bones, so that -in a week I shall be quite all right. Unfortunately -the Germans are at present in possession of this -district, so that I am more or less a prisoner -here. But I hope the English will be here<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47">47</a></span> -in a week, when I shall be ready to rejoin -them.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 20.—From W. Hawkins, of the 3rd Coldstream -Guards:</i></h3> - -<p>I have a nasty little hole through my right -arm, but I am one of the lucky ones. My word, -it was hot for us. On the Tuesday night when I -got my little lot, what I saw put me in mind of a -farmer’s machine cutting grass, as the Germans -fell just like it. We only lost nine poor fellows, -and the German losses amounted to 1,500 and -2,000. So you can guess what it was like. As -they were shot down others took their place, as -there were thousands of them. The best friend -is your rifle with the bayonet. But I soon had -mine blown to pieces. How it happened I don’t -know.... I got a bullet through the top of my -hat. I will bring my hat home and show you. -I felt it go through, but it never as much as -bruised my head. I had then no rifle, so I was -obliged to keep down my head. The bullets -were whirling over me by the hundred. I stopped -until they got a bit slower, and then I got up and -was trying to pull a fellow away that had been -shot through the head when I managed to receive -a bullet through my arm. When I looked in -the direction of the enemy I could see them<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48">48</a></span> -coming by the thousand. Off I went. I bet I -should easily have won the mile that night. I -got into the hospital at Landricca amid shot and -shell, which were flying by as fast as you like. -I got my arm done, and was put to bed. All -that night the enemy were trying to blow up the -hospital, where they had to turn out the lights -so that the Germans could not get the correct -range. Then we were taken away in R.A.M.C. -vans to Guise, where we slept on the station -platform after a nice supper which the French -provided.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 21.—From Sergeant Griffiths, of the Welsh -Regiment, to his parents at Swansea:</i></h3> - -<p>The fighting at Mons was terrible, and it was -here that our 4th and 5th Divisions got badly -knocked, but fought well. Our artillery played -havoc with them. About 10 o’clock on Monday -we were suddenly ordered to quit, and quick, too, -and no wonder. They were ten to one. Then -began that retreat which will go down in history -as one of the greatest and most glorious retirements -over done. Our boys were cursing because -our backs were towards them; but when the -British did turn, my word, what a game! The -3rd Coldstreams should be named “3rd Cold<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49">49</a></span> -Steels,” and no error. Their bayonet charge was -a beauty.</p> - -<p class="p2">Among numerous other such letters that have -been published up and down the country is this -in which a corporal of the North Lancashire -Regiment gives a graphic little picture of his -experiences to the <cite>Manchester City News</cite>:</p> - -<p class="p2">When we got near Mons the Germans were -nearer than we expected. They must have been -waiting for us. We had little time to make -entrenchments, and had to do the digging lying on -our stomachs. Only about 300 of the 1,000 I -was with got properly entrenched. The Germans -shelled us heavily, and I got a splinter in the leg. -It is nearly right now, and I hope soon to go back -again. We lost fairly heavily, nearly all from -artillery fire. Altogether I was fighting for -seventy-two hours before I was hit. The German -forces appeared to be never-ending. They -were round about us like a swarm of bees, and -as fast as one man fell, it seemed, there were -dozens to take his place.</p> - -<p class="p2">There is one in which James Scott, reservist, -tells his relatives at Jarrow that British soldiers -at Mons dropped like logs. The enemy were shot -down as they came up, but it was like knocking -over beehives—a hundred came up for every -one knocked down. He thought the Germans<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50">50</a></span> -were the worst set of men he had ever seen. -Their cavalry drove women and children in front -of them in the streets of Mons so that the British -could not fire.</p> - -<p class="p2">A wounded non-commissioned officer of the -Pompadours, whose regiment left Wembley Park -a week before the fighting began, says that in -the four days’ battle commencing at Mons on -the Sunday, August 23rd, and lasting until -August 26th, they were continually under fire:</p> - -<p class="p2">We had to beat off several cavalry attacks as -well as infantry, and when the trouble seemed to -be over the Germans played on us with shrapnel -just like turning on a fire hose. Several of our -officers were hit on Wednesday. Heavy German -cavalry charged us with drawn sabres, and we -only had a minute’s warning “to prepare to receive -cavalry.” We left our entrenchments, and rallying -in groups, emptied our magazines into them as -they drew near. Men and horses fell in confused -heaps. It was a terrible sight. Still, on they -came. They brought their naked sabres to the -engage, and we could distinctly hear their words -of command made in that piercing, high tone of -voice which the Germans affect.</p> - -<p>The enemy had a terrible death roll before -their fruitless charge was completed, a thick line -of dead and wounded marking the ground over -which they had charged. We shot the wounded<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51">51</a></span> -horses, to put them out of their misery, whilst our -ambulances set to work to render aid to the -wounded. Our Red Cross men make no distinction. -Friend and foe get the same medical -treatment, that’s where we score over the -Germans.</p> - -<p>If they had been Uhlans we should not have -spared them, as we owe them a grudge for rounding -up some Tommies who were bathing. They -took their clothes away, and tied the men to trees. -We swore to give them a warm time wherever we -met them.</p> - -<p class="p2">A wounded corporal writes:</p> - -<p>It looked as if we were going to be snowed -under. The mass of men that came at us was an -avalanche, and every one of us must have been -simply trodden to death and not killed by bullets -or shells when our cavalry charged into them on -the left wing, not 500 yards from the trench I was -in, and cut them up. Our lads did the rest, but -the shells afterwards laid low a lot of them.</p> - -<p class="p2">The following is an extract from a letter -received by a gardener from his son:</p> - -<p>You complained last year of the swarms of -wasps that destroyed your fruit. Well, dad, -they were certainly not larger in number than -the Germans who came for us. The Germans are -cowards when they get the bayonets at them. -A young lieutenant, I don’t know his name, was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52">52</a></span> -one of the coolest men I have ever seen, and didn’t -he encourage our chaps! I saw him bring down -a couple of Germans who were leading half a -company.</p> - -<p class="p2">A fact that stands out continually in these -tales of eye-witnesses is the overwhelming numbers -in which the Germans were hurled upon -them. One says they seemed to be rising up -endlessly out of the very ground, and as fast as -one mass was shot down another surged into -its place; the innumerable horde is compared -by various correspondents to “a great big battering-ram,” -to a gigantic swarm of wasps, to -a swarm of bees, to a flock of countless thousands -of sheep trying to rush out of a field; to the -unceasing pouring of peas out of a sack. It was -the sheer mass and weight of this onrush that -forced the small British army back on its systematic, -triumphant retreat, and probably the -most striking little sketch of this phase of the -conflict is that supplied by an Irish soldier invalided -to Belfast, which I include in the following -selection of hospital stories.</p> - -<p class="p2">The last few weeks have been like a dream to -me, says a wounded private of the Middlesex -Regiment. After we landed at Boulogne we -were magnificently treated, and everyone was in -the highest spirits. Then we set off on our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53">53</a></span> -marching. We were all anxious to have a slap -at the Germans. My word! If they only knew -in our country how the Germans are treating our -wounded there would be the devil to pay.</p> - -<p>It was somewhere in the neighbourhood of -Mons, I believe, that we got our first chance. We -had been marching for days with hardly any -sleep. When we took up our position the Germans -were nearer than we thought, because we -had only just settled down to get some rest when -there came the blinding glare of the searchlight. -This went away almost as suddenly as it appeared, -and it was followed by a perfect hail of bullets. -We lost a good many in the fight, but we were all -bitterly disappointed when we got the order to -retire. I got a couple of bullets through my leg, -but I hope it won’t be long before I get back -again. We never got near enough to use our -bayonets. I only wish we had done. Talk -about civilized warfare! Don’t you believe it. -The Germans are perfect fiends.</p> - -<h3>In Hospital.</h3> - -<p class="in0">(1) <i>At Southampton.</i></p> - -<p>The first batch of wounded soldiers arrived -at Netley on the 28th August, coming from -Southampton Docks by the hospital train. A -<cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> correspondent was one of a -quiet band of people who had waited silently<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54">54</a></span> -for many long hours on the platform that runs -alongside the hospital for the arrival of the -disabled soldiers who had fought so heroically -at Mons; and this is his account of what he -saw:</p> - -<p class="p2">Colonel Lucas and staff were all in readiness. -Here were wheeling chairs, there stretchers. The -preparations for the reception of the broken -Tommies could not have been better, more -elaborate, or more humane. It was the humanity -of it all—the quiet consideration that told of -complete preparedness—that made not the least -moving chapter of the story that I have to tell. -And out of the train stern-faced men began to -hobble, many with their arms in a sling.</p> - -<p>Here was a hairless-faced, boyish-looking -fellow, with his head enveloped in snowy-white -bandages; his cheeks were red and healthy, his -eyes bright and twinkling. There was pain -written across his young face, but he walked erect -and puffed away at a cigarette. One man, with -arms half clinging round the neck of two injured -comrades, went limping to the reception-room, -his foot the size of three, and as he went by he -smiled and joked because he could only just -manage to get along.</p> - -<p>When the last of the soldiers able to walk -found his way into the hospital, there to be -refreshed with tea or coffee or soup, before he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55">55</a></span> -was sent to this or that ward, the more seriously -wounded were carried from the train. How -patient, how uncomplaining were these fellows! -One, stretched out on a mattress, with his foot -smashed, chatted and smoked until his turn -came to be wheeled away. And when the last -of these wounded heroes had been lifted out of the -train I took myself to the reception-room, and -there heard many stories that, though related -with the simplicity of the true soldier, were -wonderful.</p> - -<p>The wounded men were of all regiments and -spoke all dialects. They were travel-stained -and immensely tired. Pain had eaten deep lines -into many of their faces, but there were no really -doleful looks. They were faces that seemed to -say: “Here we are; what does it all matter; -it is good to be alive; it might have been worse.”</p> - -<p>I sat beside a private, named Cox. An old -warrior he looked. His fine square jaw was black -with wire-like whiskers. His eyes shone with the -fire of the man who had suffered, so it seemed, -some dreadful nightmare.</p> - -<p>“And you want me to tell you all about it. -Well, believe me, it was just hell. I have been -through the Boxer campaign; I went through -the Boer War, but I have never seen anything -so terrible as that which happened last Sunday. -It all happened so sudden. We believed that -the Germans were some fifteen miles away, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56">56</a></span> -all at once they opened fire upon us with their -big guns.</p> - -<p>“Let me tell you what happened to my own -regiment. When a roll-call of my company was -taken there were only three of us answered, me -and two others.” When he had stilled his -emotion, he went on. “So unexpected and so -terrible was the attack of the enemy, and so -overwhelming were their numbers, that there -was no withstanding it.”</p> - -<p>Before fire was opened a German aeroplane -flew over our troops, and the deduction made -by Private Cox and several of his comrades, -with whom I chatted, was that the aeroplane -was used as a sort of index to the precise locality -of our soldiers, and, further, that the Germans, -so accurate was their gunnery, had been over -this particular battlefield before they struck a -blow, and so had acquired an intimate knowledge -of the country. Trenches that were dug by our -men served as little protection from the fire.</p> - -<p>Said Cox: “No man could have lived against -such a murderous attack. There was a rain of -lead, a deluge of lead, and, talk about being surprised, -well, I can hardly realise that, and still -less believe what happened.”</p> - -<p>By the side of Cox sat a lean, fair-haired, -freckle-faced private. “That’s right,” he said, -by way of corroborating Cox. “They were fair -devils,” chimed in an Irishman, who later told<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57">57</a></span> -me that he came from Connemara. “You could -do nothing with them, but I say they are no -d—— good as riflemen.”</p> - -<p>“No, they’re not, Mike,” ventured a youth. -“We got within 400 yards of them, and they -couldn’t hit us.”</p> - -<p>“But,” broke in the man of Connemara, “they -are devils with the big guns, and their aim was -mighty good, too. If it had not been they -wouldn’t have damaged us as they have done.”</p> - -<p>A few yards away was another soldier, also -seated in a wheeling chair, with a crippled leg—a -big fine fellow he was. He told me his corps -had been ambushed, and that out of 120 only -something like twenty survived.</p> - -<p>On all hands I heard all too much to show -that the battle of Mons was a desperate affair. -Two regiments suffered badly, but there was no -marked disposition on the part of any of the -soldiers with whom I chatted to enlarge upon -the happenings of last week-end. Rather would -they talk more freely of the awful atrocities -perpetrated by the Germans.</p> - -<p>“Too awful for words,” one said. “Their -treatment of women will remain as a scandal -as long as the world lasts. We shall never forget; -we shall never forgive. I wish I was back -again at the front. Englishmen have only got -to realise what devilish crimes are being committed -by these Germans to want to go and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58">58</a></span> -take a hand in the fight. Women were shot, and -so were young girls. In fact, it did not seem to -matter to the Germans who they killed, and they -seemed to take a delight in burning houses and -spreading terror everywhere.</p> - -<p>“I have got one consolation, I helped to -catch four German spies.”</p> - -<h3>In Hospital.</h3> - -<p class="in0">(2) <i>At Belfast.</i></p> - -<p>About 120 officers and men arrived in Belfast -on August 31st, direct from the Continent. -They were brought here, says the <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> -local correspondent, to be near their friends, for -the men had been in Ulster for a long time before -leaving for the front, being stationed in Belfast -and later in Londonderry. They sailed from -this city for the theatre of war on August 14th, -to the number of 900. It was remarkable to -note how many of them were injured in the -legs and feet. All were conveyed to the hospital -at the Victoria Military Barracks. The men -were glad to see Belfast again, but those to whom -I spoke will be bitterly disappointed if they -do not get another opportunity for paying off -their score against the Germans.</p> - -<p>One soldier told me a plain straightforward -story, without any embellishments. What made<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59">59</a></span> -his tale doubly interesting was the fact that he -spoke with the experience of a veteran, having -gone through the South African War.</p> - -<p>Where the Germans had the advantage, -he said, was in the apparently endless number -of reserves. No sooner did we dispose of one -regiment than another regiment took its place. -It just put me in mind of the Niagara Falls—the -terrible rush threatening to carry everything -before it.</p> - -<p>No force on earth could have withstood that -cataract, and the fact that our men only fell -back a little was the best proof of their strength. -At one stage there were, I am sure, six Germans -to every one of us. Yet we held our ground, and -would still have held it but for the fact that -after we had dealt with the men before us another -force came on, using the bodies of their dead -comrades as a carpet.</p> - -<p>The South African War was a picnic compared -with this, and on the way home I now and again -recoiled with horror as I thought of the awful -spectacle which was witnessed before we left the -front of piled-up bodies of the German dead. -We lost heavily, but the German casualties -must have been appalling.</p> - -<p>You must remember that for almost twenty-four -hours we bore the brunt of the attack, and -the desperate fury with which the Germans -fought showed that they believed if they were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60">60</a></span> -only once past the British forces the rest would -be easy. Not only so, but I am sure we had -the finest troops in the German army against -us.</p> - -<p>On the way out I heard some slighting comments -passed on the German troops, and no -doubt some of them are not worth much, but those -thrown at us were very fine specimens indeed. -I do not think they could have been beaten in -that respect.</p> - -<h3>In Hospital.</h3> - -<p class="in0">(3) <i>At Birmingham.</i></p> - -<p>About 120 English soldiers who had been -wounded in and around Mons arrived in Birmingham -on September 1st, and were removed -to the new university buildings at Bournbrook, -where facilities have been provided for dealing -with over 1,000 patients. The contingent -was the first batch to arrive. Though terribly -maimed, and looking broken and tired, the men -were cheerful. About twenty had to be carried, -but the majority of them were able to walk with -assistance.</p> - -<p>In the course of conversation with a <cite>Daily -Telegraph</cite> reporter a number of the men spoke -of the terrible character of the fighting. The -Germans, one man said, outnumbered us by<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61">61</a></span> -100 to one. As we knocked them down, they -simply filled up their gaps and came on as -before.</p> - -<p>One of the Suffolk men stated that very few -were injured by shot wounds. Nearly all the -mischief was done by shells. The Germans, -he said, fired six at a time, and if you missed -one you got the others.</p> - -<p>One poor fellow, whose head was so smothered -in bandages that his features could not be seen, -remarked, “We could beat them with bladder-sticks -if it were not for the shells, which were -appalling. The effect could not be described.”</p> - -<p>A private of the West Kent Regiment, who -was through the Boer War, said there was never -anything like the fighting at Mons in South -Africa. That was a game of skittles by comparison.</p> - -<p class="p2">They came at us, he said, in great masses. -It was like shooting rabbits, only as fast as you -shot one lot down another lot took their place. -You couldn’t help hitting them. We had plenty -of time to take aim, and if we weren’t reaching -the Bisley standard all the time, we must have -done a mighty lot of execution. As to their -rifle fire, they couldn’t hit a haystack.</p> - -<p class="p2">A sergeant gunner of the Royal Field Artillery, -who was wounded at Tournai, owing to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62">62</a></span> -an injury to his jaw was unable to speak, -but he wrote on a pad:</p> - -<p>I was on a flank with my gun and fired about -sixty rounds in forty minutes. We wanted -support and could not get it. It was about -500 English trying to save a flank attack, against, -honestly, I should say, 10,000. As fast as you -shot them down more came. But for their -aeroplanes they would be useless. I was firing -for one hour at from 1,500 yards down to 700 -yards, so you can tell what it was like.</p> - -<h3>In Hospital.</h3> - -<p class="in0">(4) <i>At London.</i></p> - -<p>All the heroism that has been displayed by -British troops in the present war will never -be known. A few individual cases may chance -to be heard of. Others will be known only to -the Recording Angel. Two instances of extraordinary -bravery are mentioned by a couple of -wounded soldiers lying in the London Hospital -in the course of a narrative of their own adventures.</p> - -<p>One of them, a splendid fellow of the Royal -West Kent Regiment, told a <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> -reporter:</p> - -<p>We were in a scrubby position just outside -Mons from Saturday afternoon till Monday<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63">63</a></span> -morning. After four hours each of our six -big guns was put out of action. Either the -gunners were killed or wounded, or the guns -themselves damaged. For the rest of the time—that -is, until Monday morning, when we -retired—we had to stick the German fire without -being able to retaliate. It was bad enough to -stand this incessant banging away, but it made -it worse not to be able to reply.</p> - -<p>All day Sunday and all Sunday night the -Germans continued to shrapnel us. At night -it was just hellish. We had constructed some -entrenchments, but it didn’t afford much cover -and our losses were very heavy. On Monday -we received the order to retire to the south -of the town, and some hours later, when the -roll-call was called, it was found that we had -300 dead alone, including four officers.</p> - -<p>Then an extraordinary thing happened. Me -and some of my pals began to dance. We -were just dancing for joy at having escaped -with our skins, and to forget the things we’d -seen a bit, when bang! and there came a shell -from the blue, which burst and got, I should -think, quite twenty of us.</p> - -<p>That’s how some of us got wounded, as we -thought we had escaped. Then another half-dozen -of us got wounded this way. Some of -our boys went down a street near by, and found -a basin and some water, and were washing their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64">64</a></span> -hands and faces when another shell burst above -them and laid most of them out.</p> - -<p>What happened to us happened to the -Gloucesters. Their guns, too, were put out of -action, and, like us, they had to stand the shell-fire -for hours and hours before they were told -to retire. What we would have done without -our second in command I don’t know.</p> - -<p>During the Sunday firing he got hit in the -head. He had two wounds through the cap in -the front and one or two behind, and lost a lot -of blood. Two of our fellows helped to bind up -his head, and offered to carry him back, but he -said, “It isn’t so bad. I’ll be all right soon.” -Despite his wounds and loss of blood, he carried -on until we retired on Monday. Then, I think, -they took him off to hospital.</p> - -<p class="p2">A stalwart chap of the Cheshires here broke in.</p> - -<p class="p2">Our Cheshire chaps were also badly cut -up. Apart from the wounded, several men got -concussion of the brain by the mere explosions. -It was awful! Under cover of their -murderous artillery fire, the German infantry -advanced to within three and five hundred -yards of our position. With that we were -given the order to fix bayonets, and stood up -for the charge. That did it for the German -infantry! They turned tail and ran for their -lives.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65">65</a></span> -Our captain cried out, “Now you’ve got -’em, men!” But we hadn’t. Their artillery -begins with that to fire more hellish than ever, -and before you could almost think what to do a -fresh lots of the “sausages” came along, and -we had to beat a retreat.</p> - -<p>During the retreat one of our sergeants -was wounded and fell. With that our captain -runs back and tries to lift him. As he was -doing so he was struck in the foot, and fell over. -We thought he was done for, but he scrambles -up and drags the sergeant along until a couple -of us chaps goes out to help ’em in. You -should have seen his foot when he took his -boot off—I mean the captain. It wasn’t half -smashed.</p> - -<p class="p2">How a number of British troops made a dash -in the night to save some women and children -from the Germans was told by Lance-corporal -Tanner, of the 2nd Oxfordshire and Bucks -Light Infantry. On the Sunday the regiment -arrived at Mons.</p> - -<p class="p2">We took up our position in the trenches, -he said, and fought for some time. In the -evening the order came to retire, and we marched -back to Conde, with the intention of billeting -for the night and having a rest. Suddenly, -about midnight, we were ordered out, and set -off to march to the village of Douai, some miles<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66">66</a></span> -away, as news had reached us that the Germans -were slaughtering the natives there.</p> - -<p>It was a thrilling march in the darkness, -across the unfamiliar country. We were liable -to be attacked at any moment, of course, but -everyone was keen on saving the women and -children, and hurried on. We kept the sharpest -lookout on all sides, but saw nothing of the -enemy.</p> - -<p>When we reached Douai a number of the -inhabitants rushed out to meet us. They were -overjoyed to see us, and speedily told what -the Germans had done. They had killed a -number of women and children. With fixed -bayonets we advanced into the village, and -we saw signs all around us of the cruelty of -the enemy.</p> - -<p class="p2">Private R. Wills, of the Highland Light Infantry, -who also took part in the march to the -village, here continued the story.</p> - -<p class="p2">We found that most of the Germans had -not waited for our arrival, and there were only -a few left in the place. However, we made sure -that none remained there.</p> - -<p>We started a house-to-house search. Our -men went into all the houses, and every now -and then they found one or two of the enemy -hiding in a corner or upstairs. Many of them -surrendered at once, others did not.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67">67</a></span> -When we had cleared the village, some of -us lay down on the pavements, and snatched -an hour’s sleep. At 3.30 we marched away -again, having rid the place of the enemy, and, -getting back to camp, were glad to turn in.</p> - -<p>A sergeant of the Royal Field Artillery, who -was wounded by shrapnel just outside Mons -village, said that the German artillery fire was -good; once the enemy’s gunners got the range -they did well.</p> - -<p>Their shooting was every bit as good as -ours, and although our battery made excellent -practice, three of our men were killed, and -twenty out of thirty-six were wounded. I lay -on the field all night, and was rescued the next -morning. Fortunately, the Germans did not -come and find me during those long hours of -loneliness.</p> - -<p class="p2">In such tales of these men in hospital, and in -the letters they have written home, there is a -common agreement that the German rifle shooting -is beneath contempt—“they shoot from the -hip and don’t seem to aim at anything in particular;” -but their artillery practice is spoken of -with respect and admiration. The German -artillery is very good, writes Private Geradine, -of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, but their -aeroplanes help them a lot. It is a pretty sight<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68">68</a></span> -to see the shells burst in the night, he adds—it’s -like Guy Fawkes Day!</p> - -<p class="p2">I like too, such robust cheerfulness and gay -good-humour in face of the horrors of death as -sounds through the letter of Sapper Bradley:</p> - -<p class="p2">I have never seen our lads so cheery as they -are under great trials. You couldn’t help being -proud of them if you saw them lying in the -trenches cracking jokes or smoking while they -take pot shots at the Germans.... We have -very little spare time now, but what we have we -pass by smoking concerts, sing-songs, and story-telling. -Sometimes we have football for a change, -with a German helmet for a ball, and to pass the -time in the trenches have invented the game of -guessing where the next German shell will drop. -Sometimes we have bets on it, and the man who -guesses correctly the greatest number of times -takes the stakes.</p> - -<p>And surely no less do I like the equally courageous -but more sombre outlook of the Scottish -Private who complained of the famous retreat -from Mons, It was “Retire! retire! retire!” -when our chaps were longing to be at them. But -they didn’t swear about it, because being out -there and seeing what we saw makes you feel -religious.</p> - -<p>I like that wonderful diary kept by a driver of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69">69</a></span> -the 4th Ammunition Column, 3rd section, R.F.A. -It was sent over from Paris by Mr. Harold Ashton, -<cite>The Daily News</cite> correspondent, and is as naïvely -and minutely realistic as if it were a page out of -Defoe. The driver’s interests are naturally -centred in his horses, they hold the first place in -his regard, the excitements of the war coming -second. He records how he went from Hendon -to Southampton on the 21st August:</p> - -<p class="p2">Got horses on board all right, though the -friskiest of them kicked a lot. Got to Havre -safe. Food good—rabbit and potatoes and -plenty of beer, not our English sort, but the -colour of cyder. Us four enjoyed ourselves with -the family, had a good time, and left ten o’clock -next day well filled up. Our objective was -Compiègne. We got through all right, watering -our horses on the way from pumps and taps at -private houses. The people were awful kind, -giving us quantities of pears, and filling our water-bottles -with beer. That was all right. Our -welcome was splendid everywhere. At Compiègne -we got into touch with the Germans. -Very hot work. We marched from Compiègne -about eleven o’clock on the 31st, which was Sunday. -The way was hard. Terrible steep hills -which knocked out our older and weaker horses. -Collick broke out among them, too, and that was -bad. We lost a good many.... Slept until<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70">70</a></span> -5 a.m. and then marched on again, still retreating. -Hot as ——. Nothing to eat or drink. Plenty -of tea, but nothing to boil it with. At last we got -some dry biscuits and some tins of marmalade. -Bill ——, whose teeth were bad, went near mad -with toothache after the jam.... No dead -horses, thank God, to-day. I hope we have -checked that —— collick, but my horse fell into -a ditch going through the wood and could not get -out for over an hour. I couldn’t go for help, -because the Germans had got the range of the -place and their shells were ripping overhead like -blazes. Poor old Dick (the horse), he was that -fagged out by the long march. At last I got -him out and went on, and by luck managed -to pick up my pals.... The Germans were -lambing in at us with their artillery, and poor old -Dick got blowed up. I thank God I wasn’t on -him just then. Sept. 2.—More fighting and worser -than ever. I don’t believe we shall ever -get to Paris.... Now we come to Montagny, -and fighting all the time. Rabbits and apples -to eat gallore, but still no money, and no -good if we had because we carnt spend it. -Sept. 3.—We progressed this day four miles -in twelve hours. Took the wrong road, and had -to crawl about the woods on our stummoks like -snakes to dodge the German snipers. We had one -rifle between four of us, and took it in turns to -have goes. We shot one blighter and took another<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71">71</a></span> -prisoner. They was both half starved and covered -with soars. Then the rifle jammed, and we had -nothing to defend ourselves with. At last we -found the main body again. They wanted more -horses, and we were just bringing them up and -putting them to the guns when a German areyplane -came over us and flue round pretty low. The -troops tried to fetch him down, and some bullets -went through the wings, but then he got too high. -He dropped a bomb in the middle of us, but it -exploded very weak and nobody was hurt. Next -day we started on a night march, and got to -Lagny Thorigny, and camped outside the town, -where the people fed us on rabbits again. I said -I was sick of rabbits, and me and Bill walked -acrost to a farmhouse and borrowed three chickens, -which we cooked. It was fine.... Outside -Lagny there was more fierce fighting—20 miles of -it—and the Germans were shot down like birds. -Sept. 3 (continued).—Firing is still going on, but -it is not so fierce, though scouts have come in and -told us there are 10,000 Germans round us this -day. To-night I got two ounces of Navy Cut. -It was prime. Sept. 8.—We are marching on -further away from Paris. We shall never get -there, I guess. Sept. 12.—In the village of Crecy. -Plenty of food and houses to sleep into. Here we -have got to stay until further orders. Collick still -very bad.</p> - -<p>The calm matter-of-fact air with which he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72">72</a></span> -encounters whatever comes to him, the keen joy -he takes in small pleasures by the way; his -philosophic acceptance of the fate of “poor old -Dick”—the whole thing is so unruffled, so self-possessed, -so Pepysian in its egoism and so -artlessly humorous that one hopes this phlegmatic -driver will keep a full diary of his campaignings, -and that Mr. Ashton will secure and publish it.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73">73</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="vspace"><a id="III"></a>III<br /> - -<span class="subhead"><span class="smcap">The Destruction of Louvain</span></span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="poem-container"> -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="iq">“<i>Such food a tyrant’s appetite demands.</i>”<br /></span> -</div> - -<div class="attrib"><span class="smcap">Wordsworth.</span> -</div></div> -</div> - -<p>The stupid arrogance of the German military -caste has always made them ridiculous in the -eyes of decent human creatures; it was surprising, -amusing, and yet saddening, too, to -see an intelligent people strutting and playing -such war-paint-and-feathers tricks before high -heaven, but it appears that the primitive impulses -that survive in their character are stronger and -go deeper than we had suspected. There are -brave and chivalrous spirits among Germany’s -officers and men; that goes without saying; -but the savage and senseless barbarities that -have marked her conduct of the present war -will make her name a byword for infamy as long -as it is remembered. There seems no doubt—the -charges are too many and too widely spread—that -her troops have murdered the wounded, -have shot down women and children, have even<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74">74</a></span> -used them as shields, driving them in front of -their firing line; they have ruthlessly murdered -unarmed civilians, and have blasted farmsteads -and villages into ashes on the flimsiest provocation; -sometimes, so far as one can learn, -without waiting for any provocation whatever. -Even if their hands were clean of that innocent -blood, the wanton, insensate destruction of such -a city as Louvain is sufficient of itself to put -them outside the pale of civilised societies. No -doubt they were smarting with humiliation that -they had been so long delayed breaking through -the stubborn opposition of the Belgians at Liège; -but Louvain was an unfortified city and they -were allowed to take peaceable possession of it. -Nevertheless, on August 25th whilst the fighting -round Mons was at its hottest and Russia was -sweeping farther and farther over the frontiers -of East Prussia, in some sort of burst of vengeful -frenzy they laid one of the loveliest old cities -of the world in ruins, burnt or shattered most of -its priceless art treasures, and left its citizens -homeless. Of course they have been busy ever -since trying to cover up their shame with excuses, -but such a wanton crime is too great and too -glaringly obvious to be hidden or excused.</p> - -<p>Four impressively realistic descriptions of what -happened when the Germans thus went mad in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75">75</a></span> -Louvain have been published in the <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite>:</p> - -<p class="p2">1. From a <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> Folkestone Correspondent, -Saturday, August 29th:</p> - -<p class="p2">Among the refugees arriving here to-day were -women and children from Louvain and soldiers -from Liège, all narrating thrilling adventures. -Some of the refugees had obviously hurriedly -deserted their homes, wrapping a few of their -belongings in sheets of newspaper.</p> - -<p>One woman from Louvain tore down the -curtains from her windows, wrapped them round -some wearing apparel, and ran from her house -with her two children. In the street she became -involved in a stampede of men, women, and -children tearing away from the burning town, -whither she knew not. This woman’s story was -so disjointed, so interspersed with hysterical sobs -and exclamations, that it is impossible to make a -full and coherent narrative of it. Periodically -she clasped her children, gazed round upon the -English faces, and thanked God and bemoaned -her fate alternately.</p> - -<p>Although suffering from extreme nervous excitement, -another woman had intervals of comparative -calmness during which she described -her experiences as follows:</p> - -<p>“Ah! m’sieu,” she exclaimed, “I will tell<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76">76</a></span> -you, yes, of the burning of Louvain. We had -pulled down some of the buildings so that the -Germans should not mount guns on them when -they came. I believe that was the reason. We -were in a state of terror because we had heard of -the cruelties of the Germans.”</p> - -<p>Every time the poor woman referred to the -Germans she paused to utter maledictions upon -them.</p> - -<p>“Well,” she proceeded, “they came, and all -we had heard about them was not so bad as we -experienced. In the streets people were cruelly -butchered, and then on all sides flames began to -rise. We were prepared for what we had regarded -as the worst, but never had we anticipated that -they would burn us in our homes.</p> - -<p>“People rushed about frantic to save their -property. Pictures of relatives were snatched -from the walls, clothing was seized, and the -people were demented.</p> - -<p>“What was the excuse given? Well, they -said our people had shot at them, but that was -absolutely untrue. The real reason was the pulling -down of the buildings. My house was burning -when I left it with my three children, and here -I am with them safe in England, beautiful England. -But what we have suffered! We were part of a -crowd which left the burning town, and kept -walking without knowing where we were going. -Miles and miles we trudged, I am told we walked<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77">77</a></span> -over seventy miles before we came to a railway. -I never regarded a railway as I did then. I -wanted to bow down and kiss the rails. I fell -exhausted, having carried my children in turn. -Footsore, broken-hearted, after the first joy of -sighting the railway, I felt my head whirling, -and I wondered whether it was all worth while. -Then I thought of my deliverance, and thanked -God.</p> - -<p>“What did Louvain look like? Like what -it was, a mass of flame devouring our homes, our -property—to some, perhaps, our relatives. It -was pitiful to behold. Most of us women were -deprived of our husbands. They had either -fallen or were fighting for their country. In the -town everybody who offered any opposition was -killed, and everyone found to be armed in any -way was shot. Wives saw their husbands shot -in the streets.</p> - -<p>“I saw the burgomaster shot, and I saw -another man dragged roughly away from his -weeping wife and children and shot through the -head. Well, we got a train and reached Boulogne, -and now for the first time we feel really safe.”</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<p>2. From a <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> Rotterdam correspondent, -Sunday, August 30th.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78">78</a></span> -The following account of the appalling and -ruthless sacking of Louvain by the Germans -is given by a representative of the <cite>Nieuwe -Rotterdamsche Courant</cite>, who himself witnessed -the outrages:</p> - -<p class="p2">I arrived at Louvain on Tuesday afternoon, -and, accompanied by a German officer, made -my way through the town. Near the station -were the Commander and Staff and many of the -military, for a food and ammunition train had -just arrived. Suddenly shots rang out from -houses in the neighbourhood of the station. In -a moment the shooting was taken up from houses -all over the town.</p> - -<p>From the window of the third floor of an -hotel opposite the station a machine gun opened -fire. It was impossible to know which of the -civilians had taken part in the shooting, and -from which houses they had fired. Therefore -the soldiers went into all the houses, and immediately -there followed the most terrible scenes of -street fighting. Every single civilian found with -weapons, or suspected of firing, was put to death -on the spot. The innocent suffered with the -guilty.</p> - -<p>There was no time for exhaustive inquiry. -Old men, sick people, women were shot. In the -meanwhile, part of the town was shelled by -artillery. Many buildings were set on fire by the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79">79</a></span> -shells. On others petrol was poured and a match -applied. The German officer advised me to go -away, as several houses being still intact more -firing was expected.</p> - -<p>Under a strong escort two groups of men -and women arrived, each a hundred strong. -They were hostages. They were stood in rows by -the station, and every time a soldier was shot in -the town ten of these pitiful civilians were slaughtered. -There was no mercy. Tears and pleadings -were in vain. The good suffered with the -bad. At night the scene was terrible, burning -buildings shedding a lurid glow over this town, -which was running with tears of blood.</p> - -<p>This was no time for sleep. The sight of this -terrible awfulness drove away all thoughts and -desire for rest. Towards dawn the soldiers took -possession of all buildings which had not been -destroyed.</p> - -<p>With the rising of the sun I walked on the -boulevards, and saw them strewn with bodies, -many of them being of old people and priests. -Leaving Louvain for Tirlemont one passed continuously -through utterly devastated country.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<p>A Dutchman who escaped from Louvain says -that when the German artillery began to demolish -the houses and the German soldiers<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80">80</a></span> -began looting everything he and his little son -hid in a cellar beneath a pile of pneumatic tyres. -One woman took refuge in a pit, in which water -was up to her waist. Such was the terrible -plight of the civilians in Louvain. Peeping out -they saw that neighbours had been driven to -the roof of a burning building, where they perished.</p> - -<p>While still concealed in the cellar the Dutchman -and his son discovered to their horror that -the house above them was in flames. The situation -was terrible, as the people who dared to -leave their houses were shot like rabbits leaving -burrows. They heard floor by floor, and then -the roof, crash down above them. The situation -was desperate. It was impossible to remain in -the cellar. Driven out by dire necessity, they -fled. They were immediately stopped by military -rifles at the “present.”</p> - -<p>“Do not fire, I am German,” said the Dutchman -in German, seized with a sudden inspiration. -This secured his safe conduct to the railway -station. The journey through the town -was, said this refugee, “like walking through -hell.” From burning houses he heard agonised -cries of those perishing in the conflagrations. -While he was waiting at the station fifty people -arrived there, driven by troops, who asserted that -they found them hiding in houses from which<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81">81</a></span> -shots had been fired. These people swore by all -they held sacred they were innocent, but notwithstanding -all were shot. The Dutchman is -of opinion that the first firing was not by civilians, -but by the German outpost on German -soldiers retreating to Louvain from Malines.</p> - -<p><i>Note:</i>—There is no confirmation whatever of -the Dutch correspondent’s assertion with regard -to the firing on the German troops. On the -contrary it has been expressly said by the Belgian -Government that the Germans fired on their own -men by mistake.</p> - -<div id="ip_81" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 27.9375em;"> - <img src="images/i_080.jpg" width="447" height="600" alt="" /> - <div class="caption"> - -<div class="floatl"><i>Drawn by E. Matania.</i></div> -<div class="floatr"><i>Copyright of The Sphere.</i></div> -<p class="floatc"><span class="smcap">German Soldiers Driving the Inhabitants of Louvain before them -during the Sacking of the Town.</span></p></div></div> - -<p class="p2">3. From a <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> Rotterdam Correspondent, -Monday, August 31st:</p> - -<p class="p2">“With a crowd of other men, I was marched -out of Louvain, and at nightfall ordered into a -church,” said an escaped Dutchman to a <cite>Nieuwe -Rotterdamsche Courant</cite> representative. “All was -dark, till suddenly, through the windows, I saw -the lurid glow of the neighbouring burning houses. -I heard the agonised cries of people tortured by -the flames. Six priests moved among us, giving -absolution. Next morning the priests were shot—why, -I know not. We were released, and -allowed to go to Malines. We were compelled to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82">82</a></span> -walk with our hands in the air for fear of arms -being concealed.”</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<p>A Dutchman who has arrived at Breda from -Louvain gives the <cite>Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant</cite> -the following account of the massacre:</p> - -<p class="p2">Several German soldiers were billeted on us, -and just as we were sitting down to the midday -meal on August 25th the alarm was sounded and -the soldiers rushed out. Immediately firing -started, and, knowing the terrible consequences -of civilians appearing in the streets at such times, -we sought refuge in the cellar. Next morning -we attempted to reach the railway station. We -were arrested.</p> - -<p>My wife was taken away from me, and the -Mayor, the Principal of the University, and I, -with other men, were taken to a goods shed and -our hands bound. I saw 300 men and boys -marched to the corner of the Boulevarde van -Tienen, and every one was massacred. The -heads of police were shot. We were then marched -towards Herent, and on the way the soldiers -thought the enemy was approaching, and ordered -us to kneel down. Then they took cover behind -us. Only after many such hardships were we -permitted to return to Louvain and escape by -train.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83">83</a></span></p> - -<p class="p2">4. From a <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> Rotterdam correspondent, -Wednesday, September 2nd:</p> - -<p>A Dutchman who has just arrived at Breda -from Louvain gives the following vivid description -of his terrible experiences in Louvain, -where he was present at the burning of the -city:</p> - -<p>We Dutchmen in Louvain at first had nothing -to fear from the German soldiers, but all the -houses abandoned by their owners were ransacked, -notwithstanding the warnings from the military -authorities forbidding the troops to pillage. In -Louvain, as in all other towns they have occupied, -the Germans imprisoned as hostages of war the -Burgomaster, two magistrates, and a number of -influential citizens.</p> - -<p>Before the Germans entered the town the -Civic Guard had been disarmed, and all weapons -in the possession of the population had to be given -up. Even toy guns and toy pistols and precious -collections of old weapons, bows and arrows, and -other antique arms useless for any kind of modern -warfare had to be surrendered, and all these -things—sometimes of great personal value to -the owner—have since been destroyed by the -Germans. The value of one single private collection -has been estimated at about £1,000. -From the pulpits the priests urged the people -to keep calm, as that was the only way to prevent -harm being done to them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84">84</a></span> -A few days after the entry of the German -troops, the military authorities agreed to cease -quartering their men in private houses, in return -for a payment of 100,000 francs (£4,000) per day. -On some houses between forty and fifty men -had been billeted. After the first payment of -the voluntary contribution the soldiers camped -in the open or in the public buildings. The -beautiful rooms in the Town Hall, where the -civil marriages take place, were used as a stable -for cavalry horses.</p> - -<p class="p2">At first everything the soldiers bought was -paid for in cash or promissory notes, but later -this was altered. Soldiers came and asked for -change, and when this was handed to them -they tendered in return for the hard cash a piece -of paper—a kind of receipt.</p> - -<p class="p2">On Sunday, the 23rd, I and some other -influential people in the town were roused from -our beds. We were informed that an order had -been given that 250 mattresses, 200 lbs. of coffee, -250 loaves of bread, and 500 eggs, must be on -the market-place within an hour. On turning -out we found the Burgomaster standing on the -market-place, and crowds of citizens, half naked, -or in their night attire, carrying everything they -could lay hands on to the market, that no harm -might befall their Burgomaster. After this had -been done the German officer in command told<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85">85</a></span> -us that his orders had been misinterpreted, and -that he only wanted the mattresses.</p> - -<p>On Tuesday, the 25th, many troops left the -town. We had a few soldiers in our house. At -six o’clock, when everything was ready for dinner, -alarm signals sounded, and the soldiers rushed -through the streets, shots whistled through the -air, cries and groans arose on all sides; but we -did not dare leave our house, and took refuge -in the cellar, where we stayed through long and -fearful hours. Our shelter was lighted up by the -reflection from the burning houses. The firing -continued unceasingly, and we feared that at any -moment our houses would be burnt over our -heads. At break of day I crawled from the -cellar to the street door, and saw nothing but -a raging sea of fire.</p> - -<p>At nine o’clock the shooting diminished, and -we resolved to make a dash to the station. Abandoning -our home and all our goods except what -we could carry, and taking all the money we had, -we rushed out. What we saw on our way to the -station is hardly describable, everything was -burning, the streets were covered with bodies -shot dead and half-burnt. Everywhere proclamations -had been posted, summoning every man to -assist in quenching the flames, and the women -and children to stay inside the houses. The -station was crowded with fugitives, and I was -just trying to show an officer my legitimation<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86">86</a></span> -papers when the soldiers separated me from my -wife and children.</p> - -<p>All protests were useless, and a lot of us were -marched off to a big shed in the goods yard, from -where we could see the finest buildings of the city, -the most beautiful historical monuments, being -burned down.</p> - -<p>Shortly afterwards German soldiers drove -before them 300 men and lads to the corner of -the Boulevard van Tienen and the Maria Theresia -Street, opposite the Café Vermalen. There they -were shot. The sight filled us with horror. The -Burgomaster, two magistrates, the Rector of the -University, and all police officials had been shot -already.</p> - -<p>With our hands bound behind our backs we -were then marched off by the soldiers, still without -having seen our wives or children. We went -through the Juste de Litsh Street, along the -Diester Boulevard, across the Vaart and up the -hill.</p> - -<p>From the Mont Cesar we had a full view of -the burning town, St. Peter in flames, while the -troops incessantly sent shot after shot into the -unfortunate town. We came through the village -of Herent—one single heap of ruins—where -another troop of prisoners, including half-a-dozen -priests, joined us. Suddenly, about ten o’clock, -evidently as the result of some false alarm, we -were ordered to kneel down, and the soldiers stood<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87">87</a></span> -behind us with their rifles ready to fire, using us -as a shield. But fortunately for us nothing -happened.</p> - -<p>After a delay of half-an-hour, our march was -continued. No conversation was allowed, and -the soldiers continually maltreated us. One -soldier struck me with all his might with the -heavy butt-end of his rifle. I could hardly walk -any further, but I had to. We were choked with -thirst, but the Germans wasted their drinking -water without offering us a drop.</p> - -<p>At seven o’clock we arrived at Camperhout, -en route for Malines. We saw many half-burnt -dead bodies—men, women, and children. -Frightened to death and half-starved, we were -locked up in the church, and there later joined -by another troop of prisoners from the surrounding -villages.</p> - -<p>At ten o’clock the church was lighted up by -burning houses. Again shots whistled through -the air, followed by cries and groans.</p> - -<p>At five o’clock next morning, all the priests -were taken out by the soldiers and shot, together -with eight Belgian soldiers, six cyclists, and two -gamekeepers. Then the officer told us that we -could go back to Louvain. This we did, but -only to be recaptured by other soldiers, who -brought us back to Camperhout. From there we -were marched to Malines, not by the high road, -but along the river. Some of the party fell into<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88">88</a></span> -the water, but all were rescued. After thirty-six -hours of ceaseless excitement and danger we -arrived at Malines, where we were able to buy some -food, and from there I escaped to Holland. I -still do not know where my wife and children -are.—<cite>Reuter’s Special Service.</cite></p> - -<p class="p2">So far as available evidence goes, it seems -clear enough that by some misunderstanding -the German soldiers fired upon each other in the -town, and then made the unhappy townsfolk -pay the price of their tragic blundering. There -are hopes that the beautiful old Hotel de Ville -escaped the general holocaust; otherwise Louvain -and its ancient glories of art and architecture -are things of the past.</p> - -<p class="p2">“Louvain is no longer anything but a heap of -cinders.... In the name of Europe, of which -you have till now been one of the most illustrious -champions,” writes the well-known French -novelist, Romain Roland, in an open letter -addressed to the German dramatist, Gerhart -Hauptmann, “in the name of civilisation, for -which the greatest of men have been fighting for -centuries—in the name of the very honor of the -Germanic race, I adjure you, Gerhart Hauptmann, -and the German intellectual élite, among whom -I count so many friends, to protest against this -crime. If you do not, it can only mean one of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89">89</a></span> -two things, either that you approve, or that you -are impotent to raise your voice against the Huns -who rule you. In the latter case, how can you -still pretend that you are fighting for the cause of -human liberty and progress?... Are you the -descendants of Goethe, or of Attila?”</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90">90</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="vspace"><a id="IV"></a>IV<br /> - -<span class="subhead"><span class="smcap">The Fight in the North Sea</span></span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="poem-container"> -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="iq">“<i>Strong Mother of a Lion line,</i><br /></span> -<span class="i0"><i>Be proud of these strong sons of thine.</i>”<br /></span> -</div> - -<div class="attrib"><span class="smcap">Tennyson.</span> -</div></div> -</div> - -<p>In the three weeks that followed on the declaration -of war, tidings came to us from time to time -of how our ships were chasing and sinking the -enemy’s cruisers, capturing his merchantmen -and keeping the ocean-highways clear for our -own and neutral commerce; but no word reached -us from the great British fleet that was keeping -watch and ward in the North Sea, waiting sleeplessly -for the German Navy that was sheltered -behind the impregnable fort of Heligoland to -dash out and make its loudly threatened raid -upon our coasts. We heard no word of those -guardian sailormen, but we slept peacefully in -our beds at night, confident in their strength, -their courage, their alertness. Then suddenly, -on the 28th August, whilst the British and French -armies were in the heat of their strategic retreat<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91">91</a></span> -from Mons, news of our seamen’s dashing fight -and victory in the North Sea flashed through -the land. They had grown weary of waiting, -and as the German was too discreet to venture -forth to the attack they had slipped into his -fastness under cover of the dark and hunted -him out. Until it is possible to compile a connected, -orderly narrative, the tale of that brilliant -engagement is best told in the letters of the men -who had part in it:</p> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 22.—From Albert Roper, first-class petty -officer of H.M. cruiser “Talbot,” to his -brother at Leeds:</i></h3> - -<p>I cannot give you any news about our movements. -It is against the rules to do so, and it’s -a jolly good job, too, for if it was not so, things -would leak out, and that is just what we do -not want. We are waiting patiently for Willie’s -fleet to come out to enable our chaps to have -a little practice. We try to make ourselves -as happy as we can in the shape of a sing-song -occasionally. These evenings are well appreciated.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 23.—From Seaman Wilson, of the “Bacchante,” -to his wife at Hunslet:</i></h3> - -<p>You will have read of our victory in the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92">92</a></span> -North Sea. It was fine. Our ship brought the -dead and wounded and the prisoners back. A -grim job it was, too. I only wish the whole -German fleet would come out. We may get a -chance of coming home soon. Their firing is -rotten, whilst our men behind the guns are perfect. -They get a hit every time.</p> - -<p>The bounders won’t come out. That was -the reason our ships had to try and drive them -out. You see the place is all mined, and if a ship -runs into one of these mines it means destruction.</p> - -<p>The commander of the <i>Liberty</i>, a torpedo -boat destroyer, asked his ship’s company if -they would volunteer to go up Kiel Harbour -with him, and every man said “Yes,” although it -looked certain death. Up they went, and got -under the forts of Heligoland and let rip at the -German cruisers in the harbour. One of the -wounded sailors of the <i>Liberty</i> told me that -the shells fired at them were enough to sink a -fleet. Our ship had only one torpedo and one -round of ammunition left. So they turned round -to come out, when a shrapnel shell struck the -<i>Liberty’s</i> mast, killing the gallant commander -and three others. The coxswain, although -wounded, brought the ship safely to our fleet -that was waiting outside. We pray to God -that we may come off victorious, and I am -confident we shall, as every man jack in the -fleet has the heart of a lion.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93">93</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 24.—From a Welsh gunner on the -“Arethusa”:</i></h3> - -<p>Just a few lines to let you know how the -war is going on. I cannot say much, as correspondence -is strictly secret and letters are likely -to be opened. The Commodore turned over to -this ship last Wednesday, and we were in action -on Friday at 7.45 a.m. and finished a stiff eight-hours’ -engagement, our loss being eleven killed -and fifteen injured in this ship alone.</p> - -<p>We were done after the fight, engines disabled, -and had to be towed to Chatham. One -man was all that was left at my gun. But still, -after all, we saw them off. We blew them to -——. Three fights we had. As soon as we are -patched up we shall be off again.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 25.—From Gunner John Meekly, of Leeds:</i></h3> - -<p>Been in battle, and, wonder of wonders, haven’t -scored a scratch. My ship, as you know, is the -<i>Arethusa</i>—“Saucy Arethusa” as history knows -her. She was the first there, and the first that -shot home. It was her that made them come out, -and her that took the most prominent part, as all -the ship’s company know only too well. Now we -are in dry dock.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94">94</a></span> -We had to sacrifice ourselves almost to do -what we did do—to get them out of their shells. -Not only were submarines and mines a menace, -but also the fire from the forts. We got within -their range, and our ship suffered the most. -We have got a fearless admiral, and at the same -time a decent fellow.</p> - -<p>I saw an account in the papers when we -got in dock, and I was very pleased with it, -because another ship had been mistaken for us. -The name of our commodore is Tyrwhitt.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 26.—From Midshipman Hartley, of H.M. -battle-cruiser “Lion,” to his parents at Burton-on-Trent:</i></h3> - -<p>At last we have had a taste of gunfire, but -it was only a taste. We ran into three light -German cruisers. Two of them were sunk, and -one managed to make off in a sinking condition -and badly on fire forward and aft. Of course, -their guns had about the same effect on us as -a daisy air-rifle. The funny thing, which you -should have seen, was all the stokers grubbing -about after the action looking for bits of shell.</p> - -<p>The Germans fought awfully well and bravely, -but the poor beggars hadn’t a dog’s chance of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95">95</a></span> -living through it. The <i>Mainz</i> was the name of one -of those sunk. Two of their destroyers were also -sunk.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 27.—From a Scottish seaman (Published -in “The Scotsman”):</i></h3> - -<p>It was a sight worth seeing. We chased two -German destroyers of the “S” class, one of which -went on fire, and the other was sunk by eight -British destroyers, including the <i>Defender</i>. We -chased them for about four hours, and one showed -great pluck as the crew refused to haul down -the flag, and she sank with the German -flag flying. When she sank, and even before it, -the sailors were swimming towards the British -ships, shouting in broken English that they had -surrendered, and appealing for help. It was a -terrible sight to see the wounded in the water, -and we assisted in throwing out lifebelts and -ropes to them, while the whaler and a skiff were -also lowered, together with small boats from the -other British vessels. While engaged in picking -up the wounded and other survivors, we were -fired on by a big four-funnelled German cruiser, -so that we had to leave our two boats. We -watched the cruiser firing seven or eight 11-inch -guns, which made us keep going well ahead to -keep out of the way.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96">96</a></span> -A piece of shell struck one of the gun’s crew -on the head, and dropped at my feet, and we had -to keep dodging the shells round the bridge. A -light cruiser at last came to the rescue, for the -destroyer’s guns were no use against those of the -Germans’. Our cruiser sank the German cruiser, -and a good many of the enemy’s boats escaped. -About 12 o’clock on Saturday one of the latest -submarines signalled that she had saved the -boat’s crew (9 men and 1 officer) while following -the big cruiser to torpedo her. It was believed -these fellows had been lost, and their mates on -board never dreamt of seeing them again. Some -German survivors were put aboard a destroyer, -and they were cheered by the British tars who -were anxious to hear the news from them. A -German stoker said they did not want to fight -England, and it was too much Germany fighting -so many countries. It was terrible to hear the -cries of the wounded in the water, and we did -not get a chance to pick them up. The men -on the sinking destroyer stuck to their guns to the -last, and they were firing at their own men who -dived for our ships. Some had lifebelts on, and -the officers tried to frighten them by saying the -British would put them in front of their guns. -We had only two hurt.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<div id="ip_96" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 25.625em;"> - <img src="images/i_096.jpg" width="410" height="600" alt="" /> - <div class="caption"> - -<div class="floatl"><i>Drawn by Philip Dadd, from a sketch<br /> -by G. H. Davis.</i></div> -<div class="floatr"><i>Copyright of The Sphere.</i></div> -<p class="floatc"><span class="smcap">Rescued by Submarine. A Strange Incident during the Naval -Action off Heligoland.</span></p></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97">97</a></span></p> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 28.—From a gun-room officer on H.M. -battle-cruiser “Invincible,” to his parents -at Hove:</i></h3> - -<p>The particular ship we were engaged with was -in a pitiful plight when we had finished with her. -Her funnels shot away, masts tottering, great -gaps of daylight in her sides, smoke and flame -belching from her everywhere. She speedily -heeled over and sank like a stone, stern first. -So far as is known none of her crew was saved. -She was game to the last, let it be said, her flag -flying till she sank, her guns barking till they -could bark no more. Although we suffered no -loss we had some very narrow escapes. Three -torpedoes were observed to pass us, one, it is said, -within a few feet. Four-inch shells, too, fell -short, or were ahead of us. The sea was alive -with the enemy’s submarines, which, however, -luckily did no damage. They should not be -under-rated, these Germans. They’ve got “guts.” -That cruiser did not think apparently of surrender.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98">98</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 29.—From a Bluejacket in the North Sea, -to his friends at Jarrow:</i></h3> - -<p>On August 24th we made a dash for the -German coast and were lucky enough to come -across two German cruisers. Then the fun started. -We pursued one, and when I tell you we can do -thirty knots, you can imagine what chance she -had of getting away. She was a heavier boat -than us, and the engagement lasted four hours. -At the end of that time she was a terrible sight. -She was on fire from stem to stern; the Germans -were jumping overboard, and at the finish only -seventeen out of 400 were saved. It is a fact -that the Germans only stayed at their guns under -the orders of their officers, who stood over them -with revolvers. Three dozen of their bodies, -which were picked up, bore marks of revolver -shots. Five days every week for the last four -weeks we have swept the North Sea, and all we -discovered were the aforesaid two cruisers and -about a dozen trawlers, which we sank. There -is no sign of the big German Navy. They are in -Kiel Harbour, and if they come out—well, there -will be no German Navy left. The only things -they are using are mines and submarines. In -fact, the so-called German Navy is a “wash-out.”<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99">99</a></span> -We have been within ten miles of their base and -they will not come out.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 30.—From Seaman-Gunner Brown, to his -parents at Newport, Isle of Wight:</i></h3> - -<p>We and another ship in our squadron came -across two German cruisers. We outed one and -started on the second, but battle-cruisers soon -finished her off. Another then appeared, and -after we had plunked two broadsides into her -she slid off in flames. Every man did his bit, and -there was a continuous stream of jokes. We -pencilled on the projectiles. “Love from England,” -“One for the Kaiser,” and other such -messages.</p> - -<p>The sight of sinking German ships was -gloriously terrible; funnels and masts lying about -in all directions, and amidships a huge furnace, -the burning steel looking like a big ball of sulphur. -There was not the slightest sign of fear, from the -youngest to the oldest man aboard.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100">100</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 31.—From a man in a warship’s engine-room:</i></h3> - -<p>We stayed down there keeping the engines -going at their top speed in order to cut off the -Germans from their fleet. We could hear the -awful din and the scampering of the tars -on the deck as they rushed about from point to -point. We could hear the shells crashing against -the side of the ship or shrieking overhead as -they passed harmlessly into the water, and we -knew that at any moment one might strike us -in a vital part, and send us below never to come -up again. It is ten times harder on the men whose -duty is in the engine-room than for those on -deck taking part in the fighting, for they at least -have the excitement of the fight, and if the ship -is struck they have more than a sporting chance -of escape. We have none, and the medals and -pats on the back when the fight is won are not -for us, who are only common mechanics.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 32.—From Seaman Jack Diggett, of West -Bromwich, to his brother:</i></h3> - -<p>You will have heard of our little job in the -North Sea. We sank five ships and ran a few off.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101">101</a></span> -Of course it was only a trial spin. We kicked -off last Friday about six in the morning, and we -won 5—nil. Not bad, considering we are playing -“away.” Their goalkeepers could not hold us, -we were so hot. Our forwards shot beautifully, -and our defence was sound. We agreed to play -extra time if we had not finished, but we had -done in time. It must not be thought that we -had it all our own way, for they were very -brave, and fought until one of our boys -fired a shot at the last gun in the <i>Mainz</i> and -blew the whole gun and crew as well into the sea. -One of our officers had both his legs blown off, -and still shouted out to give the Germans another. -We are all getting ready for the big match of the -season now when their battle fleet chooses to come -out. One German officer we got out of the water -asked, “Are you British?” When our officer -replied, “Yes,” he said, “God help us!” They -thought we were the French fleet.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 33.—From a seaman on H.M.S. “Hearty”:</i></h3> - -<p>The destroyer <i>Laurel</i> seems to have suffered -the most. She had one funnel carried right away<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102">102</a></span> -and the others riddled like a pepper-box. One -shell struck her right forward, went through her -bulkhead, through one galley door, and out -through the other. The cookie was in there at -the time, but it missed him and cut through the -other side of the ship. That cook was born -under a lucky star. It’s on the bridge and -around the guns where they suffered most. -On the <i>Liberty’s</i> bridge, everybody except one -was killed; in fact they say they were never seen -since. Poor devils, they must have been carried -right overboard. The skipper of the <i>Laurel</i> -had both his legs shot away.</p> - -<p>The scout <i>Arethusa</i> came in last. She brought -100 Germans picked up off the cruiser <i>Mainz</i>. We -didn’t see them; they were landed down at -Sheerness. They’ve got one keepsake off her. -They picked up a German officer, but he died, and -they buried him at sea. They’ve got his uniform -hanging up. The cooks on the <i>Arethusa</i> were -not so lucky. Two cooks were in the galley, -just having their rum, when a shell killed one -and blew the other’s arm off. A funny thing, -they’ve got a clock hanging up; it smashed the -glass and one hand, but the blooming thing’s still -going.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103">103</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 34.—From a seaman on H.M. destroyer -“Lurcher,” to a friend at Bradford:</i></h3> - -<p>We had orders to pick up prisoners. As we -steamed up dead bodies were floating past the -ship. We went up alongside the German cruiser -<i>Mainz</i> just before she sank, and it was an awful -sight. We got 224 prisoners in a most terrible -state, and most of them died. It is impossible -to describe it all on paper. Our decks were red -with blood, and you see we are only a destroyer, -so you may tell what a mess we were in.</p> - -<p>All the Germans seemed quite happy when we -got them on board. The worst job of all was -getting them out of the sea. Some of them had -legs and arms shot away, battered to pieces. I -was in our boat just below when their vessel sank, -and there seemed to be many who were helpless -on board her. The captain remained behind, -having had both legs shot away.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 35.—From a Naval Lieutenant to a friend:</i></h3> - -<p>That was all. Remains only little details, -only one of which I will tell you. The most<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104">104</a></span> -romantic, dramatic, and piquant episode that -modern war can ever show. The <i>Defender</i>, -having sunk an enemy, lowered a whaler to pick -up her swimming survivors; before the whaler -got back an enemy’s cruiser came up and chased -the <i>Defender</i>, and thus she abandoned her whaler. -Imagine their feelings—alone in an open boat -without food, 25 miles from the nearest land, and -that land the enemy’s fortress, with nothing but -fog and foes around them. Suddenly a swirl -alongside and up, if you please, pops his Britannic -Majesty’s submarine E 4, opens his conning -tower, takes them all on board, shuts up again, -dives, and brings them home 250 miles! Is not -that magnificent? No novel would dare face -the critics with an episode like that in it, except, -perhaps, Jules Verne; and all true!</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 36.—From a seaman on one of the British -destroyers:</i></h3> - -<p>We have at last had an innings at the Germans. -It was a go. Fully seven hours we fought -shot for shot. I had the pleasure of seeing four -German ships go down. We never knew but it<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105">105</a></span> -might be our turn next, as great shells were -falling all around us. Several shells went just -over our heads, whistling just like a needle on a -broken record. Would you believe it, one of our -boats had actually stopped to pick up German -wounded when the Germans fired on her?</p> - -<p>I think all our men took it just as though -we were having our annual battle practice—cool, -laughing, and cracking jokes, with shell -all around them. All the thought was just of -shooting it into them—and they got it! I was -told they lost 1,500 men. I shall never understand -how it was our ship was not hit, for we -were within range of their cruisers and the -Heligoland forts. We are ready for another -smack at them.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 37.—From a seaman on H.M.S. “New -Zealand” to his uncle in Halifax:</i></h3> - -<p>The torpedo craft had rather a hot time -with the enemy in the early morning, but -suddenly we appeared out of the mist. To say -that they were surprised is to put it mildly, -because before they knew where they were we -were playing our light cruisers, and the destroyers<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106">106</a></span> -worried them like terriers. Then for us to -come along and give them the <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">coup de grace</i> was -absolutely <em>It</em>.</p> - -<p>Two of their ships, I am convinced, would -have been floating to-day, but as our small ships -gathered round them to take off their survivors—all -their flags were struck—they opened fire, only -to be sent to Davy Jones’s locker a little quicker -than they could shoot. Well, we succeeded in -sending some good ships and some unfortunate -men to the bottom in something like fourteen -minutes. Not a bad score for the cricket season, -is it?</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 38.—From a seaman on board the flagship of -the first destroyer squadron, to his friends at -Wimbledon:</i></h3> - -<p>We had a very decent splash last week off -Heligoland, as doubtless you have read. Our -ship was not hit at all, though some shots were -pretty near. It was a fine sight to see the <i>Lion</i> -demolish one cruiser. We could see her (the -cruiser’s) shots falling short, but still the <i>Lion</i> -did not fire. For fully ten minutes the cruiser<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107">107</a></span> -belted away without getting a hit. Then the -<i>Lion</i>, who was leading the line, hoisted “open -fire,” turned slowly and majestically round and -fired her broadside—once. It was quite sufficient. -Up went a cloud of smoke and steam from the -target, and when it cleared her aft funnel was at a -rakish angle, and a huge rent appeared the length -of her side.</p> - -<p>After a few more “salvoes” she was rapidly -sinking by the stern. Shortly afterwards she -half-hauled down her ensign, and as we were -steaming up to stand by and rescue her survivors, -she hoisted it again and opened fire. It -was a dirty trick, but they got their deserts. -Once again the <i>Lion</i> turned, and this time fired -but five shots from her huge turrets. Amidst a -shower of splinters, smoke, and fire she disappeared. -We steamed over the spot, but -although there was plenty of wreckage, not a -single living thing was to be seen. This incident -only lasted about forty-five minutes, although the -whole battle was raging for eight hours.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108">108</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 39.—Front leading telegraphist H. Francis, -of Croydon:</i></h3> - -<p>We had the first taste of blood on Friday, -and I can tell you it was O.T. The battle lasted -from 6.30 a.m. till one p.m., going at it hammer -and tongs all the time.</p> - -<p>We came back with sixty prisoners, one of -them being Admiral von Tirpitz’s son, who was -second-lieutenant in the <i>Mainz</i>. We were within -twenty yards of her when she went down, and I -can tell you it was a grand sight.</p> - -<p>Their officers were shooting the men as they -jumped overboard, and one chap on the bridge -was beckoned to by our commander to come off. -But there was “nothing doing.” He simply -folded his arms, shook his head, and as the ship -rolled over he never moved. The captain also -went down in her. He had both his legs blown off.</p> - -<p>For a quarter of an hour the sea was simply -alive with Germans, all singing out most piteously, -and, as we pulled them on board, we marvelled -how they managed to swim with the wounds they -had, some with feet off, some with one or two legs -off, some with their arms gone.</p> - -<p>The Kaiser has been stuffing his men up -that the English cannot shoot. They know -differently now. They were greatly surprised<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109">109</a></span> -when we picked them up and looked after -them.</p> - -<p>Pleased to say I am enjoying myself, and -longing for more.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 40.—From Gunner T. White:</i></h3> - -<p>We didn’t waste more shots than was necessary -on the Germans off Heligoland. One of -their destroyers was knocked over first shot. It -was one of the cleanest shots you ever saw, and -the man who fired it is the proudest man in our -ship to-day.</p> - -<p>Next time I fancy the Germans will want to -make it a rule of the fight that a German ship -must be allowed at least ten shots to one of ours -before the knock-out is fired. Of course, it’s -very hard on the rest of us, because it simply -means that the gunner who gets first shot does the -trick, and we may be in a dozen fights and never -get a shot at the enemy once, because there’s -nothing left to hit.</p> - -<p class="p2">Since that first engagement, the British Fleet -has been waiting alert for the enemy to come<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110">110</a></span> -out of hiding and give them a second chance; -and has incidentally been busy sweeping the sea -of floating mines and prowling after mine-layers -that, disguised as Grimsby trawlers, have succeeded -in putting in some deadly work.</p> - -<p class="p2">An interesting account of the efficiency of this -policing of the North Sea was related by two -trawler skippers, a week after the fight, to a -<cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> Correspondent who remarks -that the <i xml:lang="la" lang="la">modus operandi</i> necessitates a continuous -vigilance, mostly under cover of the -darkness, and entails a strain upon the naval -officers and men that can only be appreciated -by those who witness it.</p> - -<p>The first skipper stated that he had just come -from Iceland:</p> - -<p class="p2">At one point up north there was, he said, -a solid wall of warships, which made it impossible -for any foe to break through undetected. -The scrutiny did not end with a mere examination -at the point mentioned. After being released -our boat was followed by a couple of torpedo -destroyers until we reached our destination. In -this way we were not only convoyed, but the -warships made absolutely certain that we were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111">111</a></span> -British trawlers. The experience, being novel -to us, was very inspiring.</p> - -<p class="p2">The other skipper’s story was even more interesting. -He is in charge of a North Sea boat, -and anchored each night near the shore.</p> - -<p class="p2">We were laid under the land, he said, when -about two in the morning a cruiser suddenly -appeared alongside of us. All his lights were -extinguished, and the quiet way in which he came -up and the clever tactics he showed in getting -alongside without doing any damage was astonishing.</p> - -<p>Talk about cats seeing in the dark, these -naval officers are wonderful. When the cruiser -reached us all we could see was a huge black -object hemming us in. A voice shouted out, -“Who are you?” and I answered back, “A -British trawler.” “What is your name?” he -asked, and I replied. “When did you leave?” -he next asked. I told him. “What were your -orders when you left?” he next asked. I told him -and in a flash the commander of the cruiser -shouted back, “All right.”</p> - -<p>It was a fine piece of work, believe me, but -there was something even more astonishing. -Directly the commander had finished talking<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112">112</a></span> -to me another voice from the stern of our vessel -sung out, “The name is quite correct, sir.” A -submarine had crept up behind to verify our -name and number, and although all the crew had -come on deck to see what was happening, not -one of the men aft had seen the submarine appear. -The whole episode only occupied a few minutes, -and the cruiser, after wishing us good morning -and plenty of fishing, disappeared in the darkness. -I have seen the British Navy in times of peace, -but to see it in war time makes you feel proud -of it. No swank, simply good old Nelson’s motto -all the time.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113">113</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="vspace"><a id="V"></a>V<br /> - -<span class="subhead"><span class="smcap">From Mons to the Walls of Paris</span></span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="poem-container"> -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="iq">“<i>The Lilies of France and our own Red Rose</i><br /></span> -<span class="i2"><i>Are twined in a coronal now:</i><br /></span> -<span class="i0"><i>At War’s bloody bridal it glitters and glows</i><br /></span> -<span class="i2"><i>On Liberty’s beautiful brow.</i>”<br /></span> -</div> - -<div class="attrib"><span class="smcap">Gerald Massey.</span> -</div></div> -</div> - -<p>In his despatch to Lord Kitchener, dated September -7th, Sir John French tells of the four-days’ -battle at Mons, and traces his masterly, -triumphant retreat, in the face of irresistible odds, -to Maubeuge, to Cambrai, to Le Cateau, to -Landrecies, and so almost to within sight of the -walls of Paris. He pays a glowing tribute to the -magnificent fighting spirit of the officers and men -who carried out these stupendous movements with -such complete success, but at present it is to the -men themselves you must turn again for detailed -information of the horrors and heroisms, the -grim and glorious hours that darkened and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114">114</a></span> -lightened through those tumultuous days. “What -we did in that three weeks English people at -home will never know,” writes Private J. Harris, -of the Worcestershire Regiment: “We were -marching and fighting day and night for three -weeks without a break.”</p> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 41.—From Private Smiley, of the Gordon -Highlanders, to his brother, Mr. G. A. Smiley, -of Chepstow:</i></h3> - -<p>On Sunday, 23rd, at Mons, we rose at four -a.m. and marched out 1,100 strong. We took -up ground on the extreme flank of the British -force. Immediately we started to entrench -ourselves, and to the good trench work we did -we put down our freedom from casualty. Later -in the day a hellish tornado of shell swept over -us, and with this introduction to war we received -our baptism of fire. We were lining the Mons -road, and immediately in our front and to our -rear were woods. In the rear wood was stationed -a battery of R.F.A. The German artillery is -wonderful. The first shot generally found us, and -to me it looked as if the ranges had been carefully -taken beforehand. However, our own gunners -were better, and they hammered and battered -the Germans all the day long.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115">115</a></span> -They were at least three to our one, and -our artillery could not be in fifty places at once, -so we just had to stick it. The German infantry -are bad skirmishers and rotten shots, and they -were simply mowed down in batches by our chaps. -They came in companies of, I should say, 150 -men in file five deep, and we simply rained bullets -at them the live-long day. At about five p.m. -the Germans in the left front of us retired, and -we saw no more of them.</p> - -<p>The Royal Irish Regiment had had an awful -smashing earlier on, as also had the Middlesex, -and our company were ordered to go along the -road as reinforcements. The one and a half mile -seemed a thousand. Stormed at all the way, we -kept on, and no one was hit until we came to a -white house which stood in a clearing. Immediately -the officer passed the gap hell was let loose -on us, but we got across safely, and I was the only -one wounded, and that was with a ricochet -shrapnel bullet in the right knee.</p> - -<p>I knew nothing about it until an hour after, -when I had it pointed out to me. I dug it out -with a knife. We passed dead civilians, some -women, and a little boy with his thigh shattered -by a bullet. Poor wee fellow. He lay all the -time on his face, and some man of the Irish was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116">116</a></span> -looking after him, and trying to make him comfortable. -The devils shelled the hospital and -killed the wounded, despite a huge Red Cross -flag flying over it.</p> - -<p>When we got to the Royal Irish Regiment’s -trenches the scene was terrible. They were -having dinner when the Germans opened on -them, and their dead and wounded were lying -all around. Beyond a go at some German -cavalry, the day drew in, and darkness saw us on -the retreat. The regiment lost one officer and -one man dead, one officer and some men severely -wounded.</p> - -<p>We kept up this sort of game (fighting by -day and retiring by night) until we got to Cambrai, -on Tuesday night. I dare not mention that place -and close my eyes. God, it was awful. Avalanche -followed avalanche of fresh German troops, but -the boys stuck to it, and we managed to retire -to Ham without any molestation. Cambrai was -the biggest battle fought. Out of all the glorious -regiment of 1,100 men only five officers and 170 -of the men answered the roll-call next day. -Thank God, I was one of them.</p> - -<p>Of course, there may be a number who got -separated from the battalion through various -causes, and some wounded who escaped. I hope<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117">117</a></span> -so because of the heavy hearts at home. I saw -the South Lancs, and they were terribly cut up, -only a remnant left of the regiment.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 42.—From Corporal W. Leonard, of the -Army Service Corps (a South African War -reservist) to his mother at Huddersfield:</i></h3> - -<p>I know that you will all excuse me for not -receiving a letter from me this long time, but -I hope that you will excuse me. Don’t, whatever -you do at home, don’t worry about me. If -I just thought that you won’t worry at home I -shall be all right. You know, mother, I know -more about war this time than I did last, and -the conditions also. It’s all right when you -know the ropes, and my African experiences are -serving me in good stead here, so I hope and -trust that you at home are not worrying about -me; time enough to worry when there is cause. -Well, I hope and trust all are well at home, as -it is hell out here. Up to this affair I thought -that the Germans were a civilised race of people, -but they are nothing but savages; niggers -would not do what they do. Just fancy mounting<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118">118</a></span> -maxim guns on ambulance wagons bearing the -Red Cross, cutting the right hand off prisoners -and turning them loose afterwards minus a -hand. By jingo, mother, the boys (our boys) -are absolutely all in. We did give the Boers -a chance now and again, but these devils we -don’t give them a cat in hell chance; we’re -playing the game to the finish. I would not -care to write so much, as I had better tell you -when I come home. The Boer War was a tame -affair. We are moving off again to-night. I -don’t know where, and we don’t care either; -it’s a do to a finish this time. I hope you got -my postcards from Rouen in France, as there -was some doubt as to whether they would let -them through or not. I will write home as opportunity -occurs, and I hope you won’t worry -about me, because you all know at home that -I shall always be where I’m wanted, and my -duty every time, so don’t worry. Tell anyone -who enquires I am O.K., lost a bit of weight -perhaps, but not the worse so far, and above -all don’t believe all you see in the papers, as -they know practically nothing, as everything is -done under sealed orders, which never leak out. -We are not even allowed to say in our letters -where we are, as they are opened and read by<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119">119</a></span> -the captain before they leave here, so you can -judge for yourselves how things are. And I -might say, mother, that we are very busy.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 43.—From Corporal Edward Hood, to his -father, at Taunton:</i></h3> - -<p>The fighting lately has been hot all round, and -the French have had much harder than us in -some places, but they’re sticking at it manfully, -and they deserve to win a victory that will wipe -the Germans off the map. The French make a -lot of us in camp, and when we pass each other in -the field, no matter how busy the Frenchman may -be, they give us hearty cheers to encourage us -on our way. There’s plenty of friendly rivalry -between us when there’s hard fighting to be done, -and when we do get there before the French -they don’t grudge us our luck. They’re good -sports right through to the core, and the British -soldier asks nothing better from allies in the -field.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120">120</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 44.—From Private William Burgess, of the -Royal Field Artillery, to his parents at -Ilfracombe:</i></h3> - -<p>We left our landing place for the front, on -the Tuesday, and got there on Saturday night. -The Germans had just reached Liège then, and -we got into action on the Sunday morning. The -first thing we did was to blow up a bridge to -stop the Germans from crossing. Then we -came into action behind a lot of houses attached -to the main street. We were there about ten -minutes, when the houses started to fall around -us. The poor people were buried alive. I saw -poor children getting knocked down by bursting -shells.</p> - -<p>The next move was to advance across where -there was a Red Cross Hospital. They dropped -shells from airships and fired on it until the place -was burnt down to the ground. Then they got -a big plan on to retire and let the French get -behind them. We retired eight miles, but we -had to fight until we were forced to move again. -We got as far as Le Cateau on Tuesday night. -We camped there until two o’clock next morning.</p> - -<p>Then we all heard there was a big fight coming -off, so we all got together and cleared the field -for action.... (The letter mentions the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121">121</a></span> -numbers of men engaged, and states that the -Germans were in the proportion of three to one.) -... We cut them down like rats. We could -see them coming on us in heaps, and dropping -like hail. The Colonel passed along the line, -and said, “Stick it, boys.”</p> - -<p>I tell you, mother, it was awful to see your -own comrades dropping down—some getting their -heads blown off, and others their legs and arms. I -was fighting with my shirt off. A piece of shell -went right through my shirt at the back and never -touched me. It stuck into a bag of earth which -we put between the wheels to stop bullets.</p> - -<p>We were there all busy fighting when an airship -came right over the line and dropped a bomb, -which caused a terrible lot of smoke. Of course, -that gave the Germans our range. Then the shells -were dropping on us thick. We looked across the -line and saw the German guns coming towards us. -We turned our two centre guns on them, and sent -them yards in the air. I reckon I saw one German -go quite twenty yards in the air.</p> - -<p>Just after that a shell burst right over our gun. -That one got me out of action. I had to get off -the field the best way I could. The bullets were -going all around me on the way off; you see they -got completely around us, I went about two<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122">122</a></span> -miles, and met a Red Cross cart. I was taken to -St. Quentin’s Hospital. We were shelled out of -there about two in the morning, and then taken -in a train, and taken down to a plain near Rouen.</p> - -<p>Next morning we were put in a ship for dear -old England.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 45.—From a Corporal in the King’s Royal -Rifles, now at Woolwich Hospital:</i></h3> - -<p>I was in three engagements, Mons, Landrecies, -and Cambrai, but the worst of all was Mons. It -was on Sunday, the 23rd of August, and I shall -never forget the date. They were easily twenty-five -to one, and we eventually had to retreat with -just over a thousand casualties, but heavens, they -must have had a jolly sight more. At Landrecies, -where we arrived at 7.30, we thought we were -going to have a night’s rest, though we were wet -through and no change, but we hadn’t been there -long before they (the Germans) started firing; -they seemed to be in every place we went to. The -only thing we heard then was, “turn out at once.” -It was about 10.15 when we turned out, and the -Colonel’s orders were that we had to take a bridge<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123">123</a></span> -if every man was killed. (I thought that sounded -a wee bit healthy.) I had my last drink out of -a dirty glass of beer. I says, “good health Billy,” -and off we went with bayonets fixed.</p> - -<p>On our way to the bridge we met the regiment -who had tried and failed, bringing back its -wounded and killed in scores. (I thought more -encouragement for the corps.) I was carrying my -pal, the rifle, with my right hand. Well, we got -near the bridge and found out from our scouts -that there were 10,000 German troops on each -side of the bridge and we were 1,300 strong. -(More encouragement.) So we lined a long -hedge about two yards apart so as to make a -long line and harder for them to hit. We lay -here till daybreak just before 4 a.m., and we -could hear them talking all night about 300 yards -away. We could see them quite clearly by this -time; so we started to fire and rolled them over -by dozens. It wasn’t long, though, before the -bullets were whizzing past my ears on each side, -and I began to get my head lower and lower -till I think I should have buried it in the mud -if it had got much lower. Their superior numbers -began to tell and we had to retire as fast -as we could. I couldn’t go fast enough with my -pack on (it weighs 84 lbs.), so I threw it away as<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124">124</a></span> -did hundreds more, and I finished bridge-taking -with my old pal only (the rifle).</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 46.—From Lieutenant O. P. Edgcumbe, -of 1st Battalion D.C.L.I., to his father, Sir -Robert Edgcumbe, Commandant at Newquay:</i></h3> - -<p> -29th August, 1914. -</p> - -<p>For the last week or ten days we have been -fighting hard and are now for one day resting. -Altogether, during five days and five nights, I got -six hours’ sleep, and so am rather weary. However, -bullets and a real enemy are a wonderful -stimulant, and I feel as fit as anything. Do all -of you write as often as possible, and send me -some newspapers. It does not matter whether -there is any news—the sight of a letter from home -is very cheering.</p> - -<p>All our men are somewhat fatigued, but are -very keen and full of fight. My regiment has -had a bad time, and I am dreadfully afraid that -they have been badly cut up, although I can -as yet get no details. They were caught in a -village by Germans in the houses, who had -managed to get there by wearing our uniforms.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125">125</a></span> -Never again shall I respect the Germans, or any -of them I may meet. They have no code of -honour, and there have been several cases of their -wearing French and British uniforms, which is, -of course, against the Geneva Convention.</p> - -<p>The weather is good, for which we are -thankful.</p> - -<p>Everything is so peaceful now, and it is such -a perfect day that were it not for the continuous -growl of the guns, which never cease, one would -hardly believe one was in the midst of a huge -war.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 47.—From Private D. White:</i></h3> - -<p>German airships we seldom see now, though -we used to have them every day over our heads. -They are finding the French more than a match -for them, and they most likely prefer to rely on -their ordinary spies, of whom they have thousands. -They are found often among the men engaged -for transport work, but they are such clumsy -bunglers that they give themselves away sooner -or later. Some of us who haven’t the heart to -drown a cat never turn a hair when we see these<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126">126</a></span> -scum shot, for they richly deserve what they get -and a soldier’s death is too good for them.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 48.—From Private Spain, of the 4th Guards -Brigade (late police-constable at Newry):</i></h3> - -<p>We have had three engagements with the -Germans since I arrived, and I came out quite -unhurt. The two first were fought on Sunday -and Monday following. You see I cannot give -date or place. Secrecy is our motto <i xml:lang="la" lang="la">re</i> war -and movement of troops for international purposes, -etc. Our third engagement was nearly -fatal. We arrived at the town of ——, very -much fatigued, and fully intending to have a -good rest. It was a fine town, about as big -as Newry, but more compact, with many fine -buildings. We were just about five minutes -billeted in the various houses, and just stretching -our weary legs, when an officer came running in, -shouting “The Germans are upon us; outside -everyone.” We came out, magazine loaded, -bayonets fixed, and eager to get a good bayonet -fight with them. It appears they do not like it. -But we found none. They had not yet arrived.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127">127</a></span> -It was 10 p.m. before they did so. In the meantime -the poor people were leaving the town in -crowds, with as much goods and chattels as they -could carry away, and it was well for them, too. -It was a dark night when we formed up in the -streets, and the lamps but dimly burned. The -noises of rifles and field guns were terrific. We -rushed to the heads of the various streets, where -our German foe would advance. Our Field -Artillery and the Coldstream Guards went out -to delay their advance whilst we stripped off -our coats and commenced to tear up the square -setts, gather carts—in fact, everything that would -build a barricade to keep back our numerous -German foe, and we did so under perfect showers -of shrapnel shell that struck and fell around us, -and struck the houses about us, but we were -undaunted, and so succeeded. Firing ceased, -and we advanced out towards the Coldstream -Guards’ position. They had given them a good -fight, but many of them lay for ever silent upon -the ground. The Germans would not advance -upon us, so we retired.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128">128</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 49.—From Corporal Sam Moorhouse, of the -King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, to his -wife at Birkby:</i></h3> - -<p>Our company were reserves, and came under -fire about noon. We were in a ditch—as we -thought safe—when “Ping! ping!” came the -bullets, and off we shot across the open, under a -railway embankment. On the way we passed -four artillery horses shot dead with shrapnel. -Then we took up a position on a hillside, when -round the corner, 700 yards away, came a German -maxim gun. They were busy getting it ready -for firing on us, and we were firing at them, when -our artillery—which was only half a mile away—sent -two shots and blew up the gun and all the -men. Then we cleared off and marched till -twelve midnight. Up again at two and off for -what was called a rest camp. Still wet clothes, -and filthy; had no boots off for days. Instead -of “rest” camp we marched nearly thirty miles, -arriving at 8 p.m. Here I had a good meal of -jam, cheese, and bread—first bite of bread for -days.</p> - -<p>Next day we were up before daylight and -taking up position. We dug trenches, and were -fired on before we had finished. We were at the -back—a sort of last firing line. So we lay down<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129">129</a></span> -in the trench, and waited. Shrapnel and lyddite -were flying round us like hail, and our gunners -were firing too. Such a noise! Just like thunder! -Well, we stuck out as long as we could when we -got the order to retire. However I came safely -away goodness knows.</p> - -<p>I picked up my gun and ran up the hill -and dropped on one side of the road to rest. Then -I had to get across the road, so got up and was -half-way across when a shell burst and knocked -me flat on my face. It must have fused at the -wrong time, as I got only a cut on my thumb -from a fragment. Then I got across and dropped -in a trench where a fellow was lying dead. I -stayed there only a minute, and then ran off -over the hill and safe. The bullets were flying -in all directions and shells were bursting four at -a time. South Africa was nothing compared to -this.</p> - -<p>I had had no sleep for nights, so decided to -go back to a little village we had just passed, -where I sat on a doorstep till I fell asleep, and -woke up one hour later wet through and chilled -to the bone. It was still dark when I got back -to where I left our regiment, and they were off. -So I trekked away alone, and got on the wrong -road.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130">130</a></span> -About nine in the morning I came across -some transport, and rode along with stragglers -of other regiments to a camp. There were about -sixty of us, and we went to a large camp, about -2,000 of us—all lost. There I came across Guy -Jessop of Huddersfield, who was also lost, and -was glad to meet a pal. We had a walk in the -town together, and called in a café. We had -some coffee and rum (Guy paid, as I had no -money). I played the piano and sang “Mrs. -Hullaby.” Lucky job they could not understand -English, or they would have been shocked.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<div id="ip_130" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 28.375em;"> - <img src="images/i_128.jpg" width="454" height="600" alt="" /> - <div class="caption"> - -<div class="floatl"><i>Drawn by Christopher Clark.</i></div> -<div class="floatr"><i>Copyright of The Sphere.</i></div> -<p class="floatc"><span class="smcap">How the Royal Field Artillery Fight.</span></p></div></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 50.—From Private E. W. Dyas, of the -11th Hussars, to his parents at Mountain Ash:</i></h3> - -<p>We landed at Havre, and travelled up -country. We were under fire for about twenty -minutes on the first day, and the shells were -bursting like rain all around us. We got away -with only one horse killed. It was marvellous. -We are continually under fire by day and travelling -by night. It is awful to hear the artillery -booming death night and day. We were fighting -day and night for three days. The slaughter was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131">131</a></span> -terrible. I took a dispatch across the battlefield -when the Germans were retiring, and I passed -their trenches. The dead were piled up in the -trenches about ten deep, and there were trenches -seven miles long. It was terrible to see. We -are collecting the three cavalry brigades together -at the present moment for a massive charge. I -am writing this in the saddle. I may get through -this again. One bullet penetrated my horse’s -neck and another one went through the saddle. -I have had a sword-thrust through my sleeve. -So I am getting on well.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 51.—From Lieut. Oswald Anne, of the Royal -Artillery, to his father, Major Anne, of -Burghwallis Hall:</i></h3> - -<p>Dear Dad.—Just got yours of the 13th inst. -Battling yesterday and the day before. I had -a pal killed in another battery—five bullets in -him. I have just seen the first Sausage-maker -prisoner in hands of some infantry. They had -the greatest difficulty in stopping the French -populace from knifing him. The German shrapnel -is very dangerous stuff, having high explosive<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132">132</a></span> -in it. It bursts backwards, and so nullifies our -frontal shield. No more time or news.</p> - -<p class="p2 sigright">August 29th.</p> - -<p>The boom of French guns is now in full -swing, and we are standing easy for the moment. -Did you get my other letter three days back? -Just after I had finished it, we had the alarm, -which proved false, but that night Germans -marched into the town, thinking we had left it. -So they say! A gruff German voice answered -a challenge, and 15 rounds rapid fire from rifles -and maxims behind the main road barricade, -laid out every man. Eight hundred were picked -up next morning in this one street.</p> - -<p>An R.E. told me on the canal bridge a maxim -fired 9,000 rounds and laid out another 1,000. -The first Germans arriving in one end of this -town were in French uniforms. Luckily, those -in the rear were seen and fired on, stampeding -the ammunition mules, scattering the “Sausages,” -who were almost laid out in a few rounds of fire. -Lots of “espions” here, male and female. I -have hardly seen a German, except prisoners. -Poor Soames, of the 20th Hussars, was sparrowed -first fight. W. Silvertop (20th Hussars) is hard -at it “biffing” Sausages, and a N.C.O.,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133">133</a></span> -yesterday, who had lost the Regiment, told -me 48 hours ago he was well.</p> - -<p>“Cigs.” all arrived, and saved my life, also -load of chocolate. Screaming women rush everywhere -during conflicts howling “Trahie,” “Perdue,” -“Sauve qui peut.” One of “D” battery, -R.H.A., N.C.O., told us they had mowed “Sausage-makers” -down for ten minutes in one action as -hard as they could load and still they came in -masses, till at last the shrieking men ran all ways, -not knowing where, leaving heaps of semi-moving -remnants on the ground.</p> - -<p>Our crowd, having so far escaped untouched, -are very lucky. Several Brigades have had the -devil’s own hail of shot over them. Please -send me some newspapers sometimes, as we have -not seen one since I left, bar some old French -<i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">Petit Parisiens</i>.</p> - -<p>The Scots Greys from York and the 12th -Lancers did great work yesterday on hostile -cavalry, and about wiped out those opposed to -them. The “Guardies” are in great form. -Very little sleep nowadays, up at dawn almost -always, very often before that hour.</p> - -<p>A German regiment, dressed in English -uniforms, the other day billetted with an English -regiment (at the other end of the town), and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134">134</a></span> -when the latter marched out they were about -broken up by maxim fire from the bedroom -windows. A German force arrived elsewhere, the -Berkshire regiment were on guard, and the -former, in French uniforms, called out from the -wire entanglements that they waited to interview -the C.O. A major went forward who spoke -French, and was shot down immediately. This -sort of thing is of daily occurrence, and only makes -matters worse for the “Sausage-makers” when -our infantry get into them.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 52.—From a reservist in the Royal Field -Artillery (Published in the “Glasgow Herald”):</i></h3> - -<p>I got a nasty hit with a shell on the thick -of the leg. The Germans caught us napping on -Wednesday, and what slaughter! It was horrible -to witness. The Germans came along the village, -killing the poor women and children and burning -all the houses. Our division could not hold -out. We were expecting the French troops to -meet us, but they were two days late. Our -battery had a lucky escape of being cut up. We -entrenched our guns to come into action next<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135">135</a></span> -day, but somehow or other we cleared out, and -had only gone ten minutes before the place was -blown up.</p> - -<p>The officer in charge of my section had his head -blown off. I was carried off under heavy fire -on a fellow’s back, and it is to him I owe my life. -It was a long way to hospital, shells bursting all -round us. We dropped behind some corn stacks, -then on we went again. I had no sooner got -bandaged up when a chap came galloping up -and said the Germans were in sight. I was the -second last man to leave the hospital, and ten -minutes later it was blown up. You cannot -imagine what things were like. The women and -children of England can think themselves lucky, -for the poor women here had to walk from village -to village, young children in their arms. It -touched my heart to see the sight. The Germans -did not use rifles, but big guns, against our -infantry’s rifles. They are most brutal, killing all -wounded in a most horrible fashion.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136">136</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 53.—Front Trooper S. Cargill:</i></h3> - -<p>The Germans let all hell loose on us in their -mad attempt to crush us and so win their way -to Paris. They didn’t succeed, and they won’t -succeed. I saw one ghastly affair. A German -cavalry division was pursuing our retiring infantry -when we were let loose on them. When -they saw us coming they turned and fled, at -least all but one, who came rushing at us with -his lance at the charge. I caught hold of his horse, -which was half mad with terror, and my chum -was going to run the rider through when he -noticed the awful glaze in his eyes and we saw -that the poor devil was dead.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 54.—Front an Irish soldier, to his sister -in County Cork:</i></h3> - -<p>I am writing this on a leaf out of a field service -pocket-book, as notepaper and envelopes are very -scarce, and we are not allowed to send picture -postcards of places as they give away where -we are. Well, this is a lovely country. The -climate suits me very well. Everything grows -like mad here. It is rather like Ireland, only<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137">137</a></span> -ten times as rich. All that I have seen yet—and -that is a good lot—is far and away better -than the best part of the county Limerick. I -think it would be a pleasure to farm here.</p> - -<p>At the present time I am billeted in a farmhouse. -I sleep in their best bed-room—that is -when I can go to bed at all—and they give me -home-made cider, cognac, and coffee, apples, -plums, etc., and lovely home-made cheese for -nothing, though they need not supply any food, -as the rations are served out by the regiment -every day.</p> - -<p>’Tis great fun trying to talk French to them -and I am picking it up gradually. It is wonderful -how words and sentences that I learned at school -come back to me now, and I can generally make -myself understood all right. It is an awful pity -to see this beautiful country spoiled by war, and -it is no wonder the people are so eager to fight -for it. I don’t think there is a single house -that has not sent out one or more men to fight -with the French Army, and their mothers, sisters, -wives, etc., are very proud of it. There are -two gone out of this house.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138">138</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 55.—From Private Carwardine, to the father -of a comrade-in-arms:</i></h3> - -<p>I am very sorry, but I don’t know for sure -about your Joe. You see, although he was in the -same company as me, he was not in the same -section. I only wish he had been. The last -I saw of him was when we were in the firing line -making trenches for ourselves. He was about -600 yards behind us, smoking, and I waved to -him. Then all of a sudden we had to get down -in our trenches, for bullets started coming over -our heads, and shells dropped around us.</p> - -<p>We were fighting twelve hours when I got one -in the back from a shell. After that I knew -no more until I found myself in hospital, and I -asked one of our chaps how our company went -on, and he told me there were only seventeen -of us left out of 210. I hope Joe is among them. -You will get to know in the papers in a bit when -they call the roll.</p> - -<p>So cheer up and don’t be downhearted, for if -Joe is killed he has died a soldier of honour on -the field. Excuse writing, as I am a bit shaky, -and I hope to God Joe is safe, for both your -sakes.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139">139</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 56.—From Private G. Dunton, of the Royal -Engineers, to his family at Coventry:</i></h3> - -<p>I am in hospital, having been sent home from -France, wounded in my left hand. I have got one -shrapnel bullet right through my hand, and another -through my middle finger against the top -joint. I was wounded at Cambrai last Wednesday. -I have been in four hospitals in France, but -had to be removed on account of the Germans -firing on the hospitals. I do not think much of -them, for if it was not for their artillery they would -be wiped out in quick time. No doubt our losses -are great, but theirs are far more. The famous -cavalry of theirs, the Uhlans, are getting cut up -terribly. All that have been captured have said -that they are short of food. I must say we have -had plenty to eat. I was near Mons a week last -Saturday and we were attacked the same day. -We have been on the retire ever since last Wednesday, -when I got wounded, but we shall soon be -advancing, for they will never reach Paris. I -am very pleased to see that the Germans are being -forced back by the Russians. I hope they will -serve Berlin the same as the Germans have done -to Belgium. The 9th Brigade was cut up badly; -in fact, my Division was, but more are wounded -than killed. There are 1,000 wounded in this<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140">140</a></span> -hospital alone, without other hospitals. I must -say that I am in good health. My hand is -giving me pain, but I do not mind that. I only -had four days’ fighting, but it was hard work -while it lasted. The Germans, although four to -one, could not break through our lines, and they -must have lost thousands, as our artillery and -infantry mowed them down like sheep. Their -rifle fire took no effect at all. All our wounds -were done by shrapnel. My hand is not healing -at all, but I must be patient and give it time. -The French and Belgian people were very kind to -us and gave us anything we wanted.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 57.—From a Manchester soldier, in a -French hospital:</i></h3> - -<p>There was a young French girl helping to -bandage us up. How she stood it I don’t know. -There were some awful sights, but she never -quailed—just a sweet, sad smile for everyone. -If ever anyone deserved a front seat in Heaven, -this young angel does. God bless her. She -has the prayers and the love of the remnants -of our division. All the French people are<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141">141</a></span> -wonderfully generous. They gave us anything -and everything. You simply cannot help loving -them, especially the children.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 58.—From Private A. McGillivray, a -Highlander, to his mother:</i></h3> - -<p>Of my company only 10 were unhit. I saw a -handful of Irishmen throw themselves in front -of a regiment of cavalry who were trying to cut -off a battery of horse artillery. It was one of -the finest deeds I ever saw. Not one of the poor -lads got away alive, but they made the German -devils pay in kind, and, anyhow, the artillery -got away to account for many more Germans. -Every man of us made a vow to avenge the -fallen Irishmen, and if the German cavalrymen -concerned were made the targets of every British -rifleman and gunner they had themselves to -thank. Later they were fully avenged by their -own comrades, who lay in wait for the German -cavalrymen. The Irish lads went at them -with the bayonet when they least expected it, -and the Germans were a sorry sight. Some of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142">142</a></span> -them howled for mercy, but I don’t think they -got it. In war mercy is only for the merciful.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 59.—From Private W. Bell, of the South -Lancashire Regiment, to his wife:</i></h3> - -<p>I shall never forget this lot. Men fell dead -just like sheep. Our regiment was first in the -firing line, and we were simply cut up. Very few -escaped, so I think I was very lucky, for I was -nearly half-a-mile creeping over nothing but dead -men. In the trenches, bullets and shells came -down on us like rain. We even had to lift dead -men up and get under them for safety.</p> - -<p>When we got the order to retire an officer was -just giving the order to charge when he was -struck dead, and it is a good job we didn’t charge, -or we would have all been killed. I passed a -lot of my chums dead, but I didn’t see Fred -Atkinson (a friend of the family).</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143">143</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 60.—From Corporal T. Trainor:</i></h3> - -<p>Have you ever seen a little man fighting a -great, big, hulking giant who keeps on forcing -the little chap about the place until the giant -tires himself out, and then the little one, who -has kept his wind, knocks him over? That’s -how the fighting round here strikes me. We -are dancing about round the big German army, -but our turn will come.</p> - -<p>Last Sunday we had prayers with shells bursting -all around us, but the service was finished -before it was necessary for us to grapple with -the enemy. The only thing objectionable I have -seen is the robbing of our dead and wounded by -German ghouls. In such cases no quarter is -given, and, indeed, is never expected.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 61.—From an Artilleryman, to his wife at -Sheerness:</i></h3> - -<p>I am the only one left out of my battery; we -were blown to pieces by the enemy on Wednesday -at Le Cateau. We have been out here twenty-eight -days all told, and have been through the -five engagements. I have nothing; only the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144">144</a></span> -jacket I stand up in—no boots or putties, as I -was left for dead. But my horse was shot, and -not me. He laid down on me. They had to -cut my boots, etc., off to get me from under -my horse.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 62.—From Lance-Corporal J. Preston, of -the 2nd Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers, to his -wife at Banbridge:</i></h3> - -<p>I did not get hit at Mons. I got through it all -right. We encountered the Germans on Sunday -at Mons, and fought on till Monday night. It -was on the retreat from Mons that I was caught. -They had about one hundred guns playing on us -all the time we were retiring. We had a battery -of artillery with us. They were all blown to -pieces, men and guns and all. It was a most -sorrowful sight to see the guns wiped out, and -the gunners and men lying around them. The -whole plain was strewn with dead and wounded. -I hope my eyes will never look on anything so -horrid again. Our section brought in six prisoners, -all wounded, and they told us we had slain -hundreds of them. We captured a German spy; -he was dressed in a Scotsman’s uniform, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145">145</a></span> -was knocking around our camp, but we were a -bit too quick for him. I think the hardest battles -are fought; the German cannot stand it much -longer, his food supply is getting done.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 63.—From a Corporal in the Motor Cycle -Section of the Royal Engineers:</i></h3> - -<p>Last night the enemy made an attempt to get -through to our base in armed motors. Myself -and two other motor-cyclists were sent out to -look for them. It was a pitch-black night, with -a thick fog. One of our men got in touch with -them, and was pursued. He made for a bridge -which had been mined by the engineers, and that -was the end of the Germans.... The German -artillery is rotten. Last Saturday three batteries -bombarded an entrenched British battalion for -two hours, and only seven men were killed. -The noise was simply deafening, but so little -effect had the fire that the men shouted with -laughter, and held their caps up on the end of -their rifles to give the German gunners a bit of -encouragement.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146">146</a></span> -This is really the best summer holiday I have -had for a long time.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 64.—From Corporal J. Bailey:</i></h3> - -<p>It’s very jolly in camp in spite of all the -drawbacks of active service, and we have lively -times when the Germans aren’t hanging around -to pay their respects. It’s a fine sight to see -us on the march, swinging along the roads as -happy as schoolboys, and singing all the old -songs we can think of. The tunes are sometimes -a bit out, but nobody minds so long as we’re -happy. As we pass through the villages the -French come out to cheer us and bring us food -and fruit. Cigarettes we get more of than we -know what to do with. Some of them are -rotten, so we save them for the German prisoners, -who would smoke anything they can lay their -hands on. Flowers also we get plenty of, and -we are having the time of our lives.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147">147</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 65.—From a Sergeant in the Royal Field -Artillery:</i></h3> - -<p>If the French people were mad about us before -we were on trial, they are absolutely crazy -over us now when we have sort of justified our -existence. In the towns we pass through we -are received with so much demonstration that I -fancy the French soldiers must be jealous. The -people don’t seem to have eyes for anybody but -us, and they do all they can to make us comfortable. -They give us the best they can lay -hold of, but that’s not much after the Germans -have been around collaring all they could. It’s -the spirit that means so much to us, and even -though it was only an odd cup of water they -brought us we would be grateful. Most of us -are glad to feel that we are fighting for a nation -worth fighting for, and after our experience there -can be no question of trouble between us and -France in the future.</p> - -<p>We lost terribly in the retreat from Mons, of -which you have heard by now, but artillery -always stands to lose in retreats, because we play -such a big part in getting the other men away -and we quite made up our minds that we would -have to pay forfeit then. Without boasting, I -can say that it was the way the guns were handled<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148">148</a></span> -that made it so easy for our lads to get out of -the German trap. There was once or twice when -it looked as though it were all up with us, and -some of our chaps were fair down in the mouth -over it; but I think now they didn’t make -sufficient allowance for the steadiness of all arms -of our service; and, between ourselves, I think -they had got the usual notions about the splendid -soldiering qualities of the German army. They -know better now, and though it’s bad to get -chesty about that sort of thing, we are all pretty -confident that with a sporting chance we stand -to win all the time.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 66.—From Private J. Toal:</i></h3> - -<p>It’s tired we all were when we got through -that week of fighting and marching from Mons; -but after we’d had a taste of rest for a day or -two, by the saints, we were ready for the ugly -Germans again, and we’ve been busy ever since -drilling holes in them big enough to let out the -bad that’s in them. You wouldn’t believe the -way they have burned and destroyed the holy -churches everywhere they went, and there’s<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149">149</a></span> -many an Irish lad betwixt here and the frontier -has registered a vow that he will not rest content -till he’s paid off that score against the men who -would lay hands on God’s altars.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 67.—From Private W. Green:</i></h3> - -<p>We see more Germans than you could count -in the day, but they are now very funky about it, -and they will never wait for a personal interview -with one of our men, especially if he has a lance -or a bayonet handy, and naturally you don’t go -out German-hunting without something of the -kind with you, if only just for luck. When they -must face us they usually get stuck away somewhere -where they are protected by more guns -than you ever set eyes on, and likewise crowds -of machine guns of the Maxim pattern, mounted -on motors. These are not now so troublesome, -for they are easy to spot out in the open, and -our marksmen quickly pick off the men serving -them, so the Germans are getting a bit shy -about displaying them. Something we heard the -other day has put new life into us; not that -we were downhearted before, but what I mean<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150">150</a></span> -shows that we are going to have all we wished -for very soon, and though we can’t tell you more -you may be sure that we are going on well.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 68.—From Private G. A. Turner, to his -father, Mr. J. W. Turner, of Leeds</i> (<i>Published -in the “Leeds Mercury”</i>):</h3> - -<p>I am still living, though a bit knocked about. -I got a birthday present from the Kaiser. I -was wounded on the 23rd. So it was a near -thing, was it not? I got your letter at a place -called Moroilles, in France, about five miles from -Landrecies, where our troops have retired.</p> - -<p>On Sunday, 23rd, we had rifle inspection at -11 a.m., and were ordered to fall in for bathing -parade at 11.30. While we were waiting for -another company to return from the river the -Germans commenced to shell the town. We -fell in about 1.0 p.m., an hour and a half afterwards, -to go to the scene of the attack. Shells -were bursting in the streets as we went. We -crossed a bridge over the canal under artillery -fire, and stood doing nothing behind a mill on -the bank for some time.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151">151</a></span> -Then someone cried out that the Germans were -advancing along the canal bank, and our company -were ordered to go along. We thought we -were going to check the Germans, but we found -out afterwards that a company of our own regiment -were in position further along on the opposite -side of the canal, and we were being sent out to -reinforce them.</p> - -<p>There was no means of crossing the canal at -that point, so it was an impossibility. As soon -as we started to move we were spotted by the -Germans, who opened fire with their guns at about -five hundred yards with shrapnel, and the scene -that followed beggars description. Several of -us were laid full length behind a wooden fence -about half an inch thick. The German shells -burst about three yards in front of it. It was -blown to splinters in about ten minutes. None -of us expected to get out alive.</p> - -<p>They kept us there about an hour before they -gave us the word to retire. I had just turned -round to go back when I stopped one. It hits -you with an awful thump, and I thought it had -caught me at the bottom of the spine, as it -numbed my legs for about half an hour.</p> - -<p>When I found I could not walk I gave it up. -Just after, I got my first view of the Germans.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152">152</a></span> -They were coming out of a wood about 400 yards -away all in a heap together, so I thought as I -was done for I would get a bit of my own back, -and I started pumping a bit of lead into them.</p> - -<p>I stuck there for about three-quarters of an -hour, and fired all my own ammunition and a lot -belonging to two more wounded men who were -close to me—about 300 rounds altogether, and -as it was such a good target I guess I accounted -for a good lot of them.</p> - -<p>Then I suddenly discovered I could walk, -and so I set off to get back. I had to walk about -150 yards in the open, with shrapnel bursting -around me all the way, but somehow or other I -got back without catching another. It was -more than I expected, I can assure you, and I -laughed when I got in the shelter of the mill -again.</p> - -<p>I was very sorry to have to leave the other -chaps who were wounded, but as I could only -just limp along I could not help them in any way. -They were brought in later by stretcher bearers.</p> - -<p>A man who was at Paardeburg and Magersfontein, -in South Africa, said they were nothing -to what we got that Sunday. Out of 240 men -of my company only about twenty were uninjured.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153">153</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 69.—From an Infantryman in hospital</i> -(<i>Published in the “Aldershot News”</i>):</h3> - -<p>I found myself mixed up with a French -regiment on the right. I wanted to go forward -with them, but the officer in charge shook his -head and smiled, “They will spot you in your -khaki and put you out in no time,” he said in -English; “make your way to the left; you’ll -find your fellows on that hill.” I watched the -regiment till it disappeared; then I made my -way across a field and up a big avenue of trees. -The shells were whistling overhead, but there -was nothing to be afraid of. Halfway up the -avenue there was a German lancer officer lying -dead by the side of the road. How he got there -was a mystery, because we had seen no cavalry. -But there he lay, and someone had crossed his -hands on his breast, and put a little celluloid -crucifix in his hands. Over his face was a beautiful -little handkerchief—a lady’s—with lace -edging. It was a bit of a mystery, because there -wasn’t a lady for miles that I knew of.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154">154</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 70.—From Sapper H. Mugridge, R.E., to -his mother at Uckfield:</i></h3> - -<p>We met the Germans at Landrecies on Sunday. -We had a fifteen-hour battle. It was -terrible. There were 120,000 Germans and only -20,000 of us, but our men fought well. We blew -up six bridges. Laid our charges in the afternoon, -and the whole time we were doing it were not -hit. After we had got everything ready we got -back into cover and waited until 1.30 on Monday -morning, until our troops had got back over the -river, and then we blew up the bridges. We -retired about thirty miles. The town where we -stopped on Sunday was a beautiful place, but the -Germans destroyed it. Close to where I was a -church had been used as a hospital, and our -wounded were coming by the dozens. But, -terrible to say, the Germans blew the place up. -They have no pity. They kill our wounded and -drive the people before them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155">155</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 71.—From Sapper H. Mugridge, R.E.</i> -(<i>Second letter, published in the “Sussex Daily -News”</i>):</h3> - -<p>We were laying our gun cotton—ten of us -were the last to leave, and the Germans stopped -us. We had to run for it down the main street -of the town of Landrecies, and, being dark, we -could not see where we were going. We got -caught in some telegraph wires which had been -put across the street. We had to cut them away -with our bayonets. On Monday morning, when -things were quieter, we went nearly into the -German lines. We could hear them giving orders. -Our job was to put barbed wire across the road. -I was thankful to get out of it. We could see -the Germans burning their dead. They must -have lost a few thousand men, as our troops -simply mowed them down.</p> - -<p>I saw one sergeant kill fourteen Germans, one -after the other. They came up in fifties, all in a -cluster, and you couldn’t help hitting them. -They were only 400 yards from us all day on -Sunday. They are very cruel. Our people used -a church for a hospital, and it was filled with our -wounded, but the place was shelled and knocked -down. They stabbed a good many of our men -while lying on the battlefield. They have no<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156">156</a></span> -respect for the Red Cross. To see women and -children driven from home and walking the roads -is terrible—old men and women just the same. -At the town where we were we got cut off from -our people—eighteen of us—and the houses were -being toppled over by the German artillery. -The people clung around us, asking us to stay -with them, but it was no good. When we left, -the town was in flames. But our men did fight -well. You never saw anything so cool in your -life. Anyone would have thought it was a football -match, for they were joking and laughing -with one another.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 72.—From John Baker, of the Royal Flying -Corps, to his parents at Boston, Lincolnshire:</i></h3> - -<p>While flying over Boulogne at a height of -3,000 feet, something went wrong with the -machine, and the engine stopped. The officer -said, “Baker, our time has come. Be brave, -and die like a man. Good-bye,” and shook hands -with me. I shall always remember the ten -minutes that followed. The next I remembered -was that I was in a barn. I was removed to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157">157</a></span> -Boulogne, and afterwards to Netheravon, being -conveyed from Southampton by motor ambulance.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 73.—From Private G. Rider:</i></h3> - -<p>The Germans are good and bad as fighters, -but mostly bad so far as I have seen. They are -nearly all long distance champions in the fighting -line, and won’t come too near unless they are -made to. Yesterday we had a whole day of it -in the trenches, with the Germans firing away -at us all the time. It began just after breakfast, -and we were without food of any kind until we -had what you might call a dainty afternoon tea -in the trenches under shell fire. The mugs were -passed round with the biscuits and the “bully” -as best they could by the mess orderlies, but it -was hard work getting through without getting -more than we wanted of lead rations. My next-door -neighbour, so to speak, got a shrapnel bullet -in his tin mug, and another two doors off had -his biscuit shot out of his hand when he was fool -enough to hold it up to show it to a chum in the -next trench.</p> - -<p>We are ready for anything that comes our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158">158</a></span> -way, and nothing would please us better than a -good big stand-up fight with the Germans on any -ground they please. We are all getting used to -the hard work of active service, and you very -seldom hear complaints from anybody. The -grousers, who are to be found in nearly every -regiment, seem to be on holiday for the war.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 74.—From Private Martin O’Keefe, of the -Royal Irish Rifles, to his friends at Belfast:</i></h3> - -<p>Our part in the fighting was limited almost -entirely to covering the retreat by a steady rifle -fire from hastily-prepared trenches. We were -thrown out along an extended front, and instructed -to hold our ground until the retiring -troops were signalled safe in the next position -allotted them. When this was done our turn -came, and we retired to a new position, our place -being taken by the light cavalry, who kept the -Germans in check as long as they could and then -fell back in their turn. The Germans made some -rather tricky moves in the hope of cutting us off -while we were on this dangerous duty, but our -flanks were protected by cavalry, French and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159">159</a></span> -English, and they did not get very far without -having to fight. When they found the slightest -show of resistance they retreated, and tried to -find an easier way of getting in at us. The staff -were well pleased with the way we carried out the -duty given to us, and we were told that it had -saved our Army from very serious loss at one -critical point. We put in some wonderfully -effective shooting in the trenches, and the men -find it is much easier making good hits on active -service than at manœuvres. The Germans seemed -to think at first that we were as poor shots as they -are, and they were awfully sick when they had to -face our deadly fire for the first time.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 75.—From Sergeant W. Holmes:</i></h3> - -<p>We are off again, this time with some of the -French, and it’s enough to give you fits to hear -the Frenchmen trying to pick up the words of -“Cheer Boys, Cheer,” which we sing with great go -on the march. They haven’t any notion of what -the words mean, but they can tell from our manner -that they mean we’re in good heart, and that’s -infectious here. We lost our colonel and four<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160">160</a></span> -other officers in our fight on Tuesday. It was -the hottest thing we were ever in. The colonel -was struck down when he was giving us the last -word of advice before we threw ourselves on the -enemy. We avenged him in fine style. His loss -was a great blow to us, for he was very popular. -It’s always the best officers, somehow, that get -hit the first, and there’s not a man in the regiment -who wouldn’t have given his life for him. He -was keen on discipline, but soldiers don’t think -any less of officers who are that. The German -officers are a rum lot. They don’t seem in too -great a hurry to expose their precious carcasses, -and so they “lead” from the rear all the time. -We see to it that they don’t benefit much by that, -you may be sure, and when it’s at all possible we -shoot at the skulking officers. That probably -accounts for the high death rate among German -officers. They seem terribly keen on pushing -their men forward into posts of danger, but they -are not so keen in leading the way, except in -retreat, when they are well to the fore. Our -cavalry are up to that little dodge, and so, when -they are riding out to intercept retreating -Germans, they always give special attention to the -officers.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161">161</a></span></p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 76.—From Corporal J. Hammersley:</i></h3> - -<p>The Germans in front of us are about done -for, and that’s the truth of it. They have got -about as much fighting as humans can stand, -and it is about time they realised it. I don’t -agree with those who think this war is going to -last for a long time. The pace we go at on both -sides is too hot, and flesh and blood won’t stand -it for long. My impression is that there will be a -sudden collapse of the Germans that will astonish -everybody at home; but we are not leaving -much to chance, and we do all we can to hasten -the collapse. The Germans aren’t really cut -out for this sort of work. They are proper -bullies, who get on finely when everybody’s -lying bleeding at their feet, but they can’t -manage at all when they have to stand up to men -who can give them more than they bargain for.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 77.—From Lance-Corporal T. Williams:</i></h3> - -<p>We are now getting into our stride and -beginning to get a little of our own back out of -the Germans. They don’t like it at all now -that we are nearer to them in numbers, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162">162</a></span> -their men all look like so many “Weary Willies”; -they are so tired. You might say they have got -“that tired feeling” bad, and so they have. -Some of them just drop into our arms when we -call on them to surrender as though it were the -thing they’d been waiting for all their lives.</p> - -<p>One chap who knows a little English told -us he was never more pleased to see the English -uniform in all his life before, for he was about fed -up with marching and fighting in the inhuman -way the German officers expect their men to go -on. When we took him to camp he lay down -and slept like a log for hours; he was so done -up.</p> - -<p>That’s typical of the Germans now, and it -looks as though the Kaiser were going to have -to pay a big price for taxing his men so terribly. -You can’t help being sorry for the poor fellows. -They all say they were told when setting out -that it would be child’s play beating us, as our -army was the poorest stuff in the world. Those -who had had experience in England didn’t take -that in altogether, but the country yokels and -those who had never been outside their own -towns believed it until they had a taste of our -fighting quality, and then they laughed with the -other side of their faces.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163">163</a></span> -That’s the Germans all over, to “kid” themselves -into the belief that they have got a soft -thing, and then when they find it’s too hard, to -run away from it. Our lads have made up their -minds to give them no rest once we get on to -them, and they’ll get as much of the British -Army as they can stand, and maybe a little more. -The French are greatly pleased with the show -we made in the field, and are in much better -spirits than they were.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 78.—From a Non-commissioned Officer of -Dragoons:</i></h3> - -<p>All our men—in fact, the whole British Army—are -as fit as a fiddle, and the lads are as keen -as mustard. There is no holding them back. -At Mons we were under General Chetwode, and -horses and men positively flew at the Germans, -cutting through much heavier mounts and heavier -men than ours. The yelling and the dash of the -Lancers and Dragoon Guards was a thing never -to be forgotten. We lost very heavily at Mons, -and it is a marvel how some of our fellows pulled -through and positively frightened the enemy. -We did some terrible execution, and our wrists<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164">164</a></span> -were feeling the strain of heavy riding before -sunset. With our tunics unbuttoned, we had -the full use of our right arm for attack and -defence.</p> - -<p>After Mons I went with a small party scouting, -and we again engaged about twenty cavalry, -cut off from their main body. We killed nine, -wounded six, and gave chase to the remaining -five, who, in rejoining their unit, nearly were -the means of trapping us. However, our men -dispersed and hid in a wood until they fell in with -a squadron of the ——, and so reached camp in -safety. After that a smart young corporal -accompanied me to reconnoitre, and we went -too far ahead, and were cut off in a part of the -country thick with Uhlans. As we rode in the -direction of —— two wounded men were limping -along, both with legs damaged, one from the -Middlesex and the other Lancashire Fusiliers, -and so we took them up.</p> - -<p>Corporal Watherston took one behind his -saddle and I took the other. The men were -hungry, and tattered to shreds with fighting, but -in fine spirits. We soon came across a small -village, and I found the curé a grand sportsman -and full of pluck and hospitality. He seemed -charmed to find a friend who was English, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165">165</a></span> -told me that the Germans were dressed in the -uniforms of British soldiers, which they took -from the dead and from prisoners in order to -deceive French villagers, who in many places -in that district had welcomed these wolves in -sheep’s clothing. We were warned that the -enemy would be sure to track us up to the village. -The curé said he could hide the two wounded men -in the crypt of his church and put up beds for -them. It has a secret trapdoor, and was an -ancient treasure-house of a feudal lord, whose -castle we saw in ruins at the top of the hill close by.</p> - -<p>Then he hid away our saddlery and uniforms -in the roof of a barn, and insisted upon our making -a rest-chamber of the tower of his church, which -was approached by a ladder, which we were to -pull up to the belfry as soon as we got there. -He smuggled in wine and meat and bread and -cakes, fruit and cigarettes, with plenty of bedding -pulled up by a rope. We slept soundly, and the -owls seemed the only other tenants, who resented -our intrusion. No troops passed through the -village that night. In the morning the curé -came round at six o’clock, and we heard him say -Mass. After that we let down the ladder, and -he came up with delicious hot chocolate and a -basket of rolls and butter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166">166</a></span> -Our horses he had placed in different stables -a mile apart, and put French “fittings” on them, -so as to deceive the enemy. He thinks we are -well away from the main body of the German -army moving in the direction of Paris, but will -not hear of our leaving here for at least three days. -But I cried, “Curé, we are deserters!” The old -man wept and said, “Deserters, no, no—saviours, -saviours; you have rescued France from the -torments of slavery.”</p> - -<p>However, we have now secured complete -disguises as French cultivateurs—baggy corderoy -trousers, blue shirts, boots, stockings, belt, hat, -cravat, everything to match—and as we have not -shaved for two weeks, and are bronzed with the -sun, I think that the corporal and myself can pass -anywhere as French peasants, if only he will -leave all the talking to me.</p> - -<p>The two wounded soldiers don’t wish us to -leave them, because I am interpreter, and not a -soul speaks English in the village. So we have -explained to the curé that we shall stay here until -our comrades are able to walk, and then the party -of four will push our way out somewhere on horseback -and get to the coast. The sacristan at once -offered to be our guide, and it is arranged that -we take a carrier’s wagon which travels in this<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167">167</a></span> -district and drive our own horses in it, and pick -up two additional mounts at a larger village on -the way to the coast.</p> - -<p>We must get back as soon as ever we can. -Nothing could be kinder than the people here, -but this is not what we came to France for, and -hanging about in a French village is not exactly -what a soldier calls “cricket.”</p> - -<p>You cannot imagine how complete the -Germans are in the matter of rapid transport. -Large automobiles, such as the railway companies -have for towns round Harrogate and Scarborough, -built like char-à-bancs, carry the soldiers in -batches of fifty, so that they are as fresh as paint -when they get to the front. But in point of -numbers I think one of our side is a fair match -for four of the enemy. I hope that the British -public are beginning to understand what this -war means. The German is not a toy terrier, -but a bloodhound absolutely thirsty for blood.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 79.—From Private Tom Savage, to his -relatives at Larne:</i></h3> - -<p class="sigright">At Sea.</p> - -<p>Just a line to let you know that we are -landing outside ——. They kept us without<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168">168</a></span> -any knowledge of how and where we were going -till the last moment. I am quite well and extra -specially fit. It is good fun on a troopship, -and we are going to have a nice little holiday -on the Continent. I’ll be able to “swank French” -when I come back. I’ll write a good long letter -when I settle down. I’m writing this at tea time -just before we land. I have got two very nice -chums, Jack Wright, the footballer, who has -seen service before, and Billy Caughey, both of -Belfast.</p> - -<p class="p1 sigright">In France.</p> - -<p>I am writing this note while on outpost -duty. I can’t say where we are, or anything -like that, but I am in the best of health and -enjoying the life. I am getting a fine hand at -French. There is plenty of food and the people -are all very nice. It’s great fun trying to understand -them. Plenty of fruit here, pears and -apples galore, and as for bread big long rolls and -rings of it, and all very cheap. When you happen -to be riding through a town the people give you -cigarettes, fruit, chocolates, and cider.</p> - -<p>If you are all extra good I’ll bring you home -a pet German. How is Home Rule getting on? -Send me a paper, but I don’t know when I’ll -get it or you’ll get this. I suppose the papers are<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169">169</a></span> -full of this ruction. I can write no more as I’ll -soon have to go on guard.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 80.—From Mons. E. Hovelange, of Paris, -written on August 30th, to Sir William Collins</i> -(<cite>Published in the “Sussex Daily News”</cite>):</h3> - -<p>How serious the situation is here it is hard -for you to realize in London. We may be encircled -at any moment by these hordes of savages. -Such murderous cruelty has never been seen in -the annals of war. The Turks and the Bulgarians -were no worse. It is the rule to fire on ambulances -and slaughter the wounded. I know it from eye-witnesses. -The Germans are drunk with savagery. -It is an orgy of the basest cruelty. They are -rushing Paris at all costs, squandering their men -recklessly in overwhelming numbers. Our troops -are submerged and can only retreat, fighting -desperately, but the spirit of our soldiers is -splendid. All the wounded I have seen laugh -and joke over their wounds and are burning to -have another go at the barbarians. Victory is -certain. But what disastrous changes shall we -know before it comes. I am prepared for the -worst—another month of hopeless struggle<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170">170</a></span> -perhaps. But we will light to the last man. The -tide will turn, and then—woe to them. I know -you will stand by us in the cause of civilization, -common honest truth till the bitter end. But -if you want to help us you must hasten.</p> - -<div class="tb">* <span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">* </span><span class="in2">*</span></div> - -<h3 class="hang"><i>Letter 81.—From a young officer who has been -through the whole campaign, from the landing -of the British at Boulogne:</i></h3> - -<p>I wish you would try to make the people -in England understand that they should be -most exceedingly thankful that they are living -on an island and not in the midst of the -dreadful things which are happening on the Continent. -Do enforce upon the public that England -must fight this thing out, and must conquer -even if it has to spend the blood of its young men -like water. It will be far better that every family -throughout England should have to sorrow for -one of its members than that England should -have to go through similar ordeals to those which -Continental countries are suffering.</p> - -<p>The sight of old women and men fleeing -from village to village; young mothers with -babies in arms, with their few personal effects<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171">171</a></span> -on their backs, or in some more fortunate cases -with their goods and chattels surrounding the -aged grandmother stowed away in an old farm -cart, drawn by a nag too venerable to be of -service to the State; this is what one has seen -daily. Picture to yourself our night marches -with the burning villages on all sides set fire -to by German shells—and the Germans have -been rather careless whether their shells struck -fortified and defended positions, or open ones. -In some cases the fires were caused intentionally -by marauding patrols.</p> - -<p>Do not imagine that things are not going -well with us. We are all satisfied and confident -of the end; but at the same time the only possible -end can be gained by sacrifice on the part -of those at home only. All is well with me -personally; I have a busy time, but it is most -interesting work.</p> - -<h3>IN HOSPITAL.</h3> - -<p class="in0">(1) <i>At Salisbury.</i></p> - -<p class="p1">A non-commissioned officer of the Royal Field -Artillery, invalided home with shrapnel wounds -in the thigh, from which he hopes soon to recover, -has given this vivid description of his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172">172</a></span> -experiences at the front after passing north of -Amiens, to a <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> correspondent:</p> - -<p class="p2">Pushing forward from our rest camp, covering -from twenty to thirty miles a day, with the -infantry marching in front and cavalry protecting -us on either flank, we received information -that we were within a few hours’ march of -the enemy. Needless to say, this put us on -the alert. There was no funk about us, for we -were all anxious to have a go at the Germans, -about whom we had heard such tales of cruelty -that it made our blood run cold.</p> - -<p>Our orders were to load with case shot, for -fear of cavalry attack, as shrapnel is of little -use against mounted troops. The order was -soon obeyed, and after passing the day on the -road, we moved across country north of ——, -where the infantry took up a strong position. -We saw the French troops on our right as we -moved up to gun positions which our battery -commanders had selected in advance. It was -Sunday morning when the attack came, and the -sun had already lit up the beautiful country, -and as I looked across at the villages which -lay below in the valley with their silent belfries -I thought of my home on the Cotswolds and of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173">173</a></span> -the bells ringing for morning service. I pictured -dad and my sister Nell going to church.</p> - -<p>It was, however, no time for sentiment, for -gallopers soon brought the news that the enemy -was advancing, and that a cavalry attack might -be expected at any moment. Infantry had -entrenched themselves along our front, and -there was a strong body posted on our flanks -and rear. These became engaged first with a -large body of Uhlans, who endeavoured to take -them by surprise, the front rank rushing forward -with the lance and the rear using the sword.</p> - -<p>We were on slightly higher ground, and -could see the combat, which appeared to be -going in our favour. Our men stuck to their -ground and shot and bayonetted the Uhlans, who, -after ten minutes’ fight, made off, but, sad to -say, a dreadful fusilade of shrapnel and Maxim -fire followed immediately, and our guns also -came under fire. To this we readily replied, -and must have done some execution, especially -to the large masses of infantry that were advancing -about a mile away.</p> - -<p>We got a favourable “bracket” at once, so -our Major said, and we worked our guns for all -we were worth, altering fuses and the ranging -of our guns as the Germans came nearer. Shells<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174">174</a></span> -fell fast around us, some ricocheted, and passed -overhead without bursting, ploughing the ground -up in our rear, but not a few exploded, and made -many casualties. Three of my gun detachment -fell with shrapnel bullets, but still we kept the -guns going, the officers giving a hand.</p> - -<p>At one time we came under the fire of the -enemy’s machine guns, but two of our 18-pounders -put them out of action after a few rounds. The -order came at length to retire so as to get a more -favourable position, but our drivers failed to -bring back all the gun teams, only sufficient to -horse four of the guns. The remainder of the -animals had been terribly mutilated. These -were limbered up, the remainder being for a time -protected by the infantry. The Gordons and -Middlesex were in the shelter trenches on our -left, and the latter regiment was said at one -time to be almost overwhelmed, but aid came, -and the masses of Prussian infantry were beaten -off.</p> - -<p>Still, there was terrible slaughter on both -sides, and the dead lay in long burrows on the -turf. We should have lost our guns to the -Uhlans if the infantry had not persevered with -the rifle, picking off the cavalry at 800 yards.</p> - -<p>It was grand shooting. In the afternoon<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175">175</a></span> -we slackened fire, as also did the Germans; in -fact, we did but little from our new gun positions, -as we were destined to cover the retreat of the -infantry later on.</p> - -<p>As the wounded were brought to the rear -we heard of the deeds of heroism from the men -of the Royal Army Medical Corps in the fighting -line—how an officer stood over the body of a -private who had previously saved his life until -he had spent his last shot from his revolver, and -then fell seriously wounded, to be avenged the -next moment by a burly sergeant who plunged -his bayonet into the Prussian.</p> - -<p>In the ranks of the South Lancashire Regiment, -from what has been heard, many deserve -the Distinguished Conduct Medal, if not the -V.C., for the manner in which they charged -masses of German infantry through the village -to our front. Uhlans got round behind them, -but they did not flinch, although serious gaps -were made in their ranks.</p> - -<p>A non-commissioned officer of the Medicals -related how he saw a party of Fusiliers rush to -the aid of their Maxim gun party when Uhlans -swept down on them from behind a wood. They -accounted for over twenty and lost but one man.</p> - -<p>At night we were ordered to move on again,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176">176</a></span> -and we marched south-west in the direction of -——, covering twenty miles in the darkness. -Our unhorsed guns were got through by splitting -up our teams, and with the help of the -brawny arms of the infantry.</p> - -<p>The enemy were aware of our retreat, and -kept up an incessant fire, bringing searchlights -to the aid of their gunners. The moon slightly -favoured us, and, with the help of local guides, -we found our way. I heard of the brilliant work -performed by our battalions, who kept the enemy -at bay whilst we withdrew all our vehicles, and -we gunners felt proud of them. They kept the -enemy busy by counter-attack, and made it -impossible to get round us.</p> - -<p>Next morning the enemy were again in the -field endeavouring to force our left flank. Field-Marshal -Sir John French, whom we saw early in -the day, was, however, equal to the occasion, and -so manœuvred his troops that we occupied a -position from which the Germans could not -dislodge us. The artillery kept up long-range -fire, and that is how I received my wound. -Within a few minutes first aid was rendered, and -I was put in an ambulance and taken off with -other wounded to a field hospital, where I met -with every attention.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177">177</a></span></p> - -<h3>IN HOSPITAL.</h3> - -<p class="in0">(2) <i>At the London Hospital.</i></p> - -<p>By a <cite>Daily Telegraph</cite> correspondent.</p> - -<p class="p1">A description of a thrilling fight in the air, -which had a dramatic climax, was given to -Queen Alexandra when her Majesty paid a visit -to the London Hospital.</p> - -<p>Among the wounded soldiers there is a private -of the Royal Engineers, who was himself witness -of the incident.</p> - -<p>He said that following a very hard fight on -the day before, he was lying on the ground with -his regiment, resting. Suddenly a German -aeroplane hove in sight. It flew right over the -British troops, and commenced to signal their -position to the German camp.</p> - -<p>A minute later, amid intense excitement of -the troops, two aeroplanes, with English and -French pilots, rose into the air from the British -rear. Ascending with great rapidity, they made -for the German aeroplane, with the intention of -attacking it.</p> - -<p>At first some of our men, who were very much -on the alert, fired by mistake at the French -aeroplane. Luckily, their shots went wide.</p> - -<p>Then the troops lay still, and with breathless<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178">178</a></span> -interest watched the attempts of the French -and British aviators to outmanœuvre their -opponent, and to cut off his retreat. After a -little time the Franco-British airmen abandoned -this attempt, and then the Englishman and the -German began to fly upwards, in the evident -desire to obtain a more favourable position for -shooting down from above. Owing to the -protection afforded by the machine, it would have -been of little use for one aviator to fire at his -opponent from below. Once a higher altitude -was attained, the opportunity for effective aim -would be much greater.</p> - -<p>Up and up circled the two airmen, till their -machines could barely be distinguished from -the ground. They were almost out of sight -when the soldiers saw that the British aviator -was above his opponent. Then the faint sound -of a shot came down from the sky, and instantly -the German aeroplane began to descend, vol-planing -in graceful fashion. Apparently it was -under the most perfect control. On reaching -the earth the machine landed with no great -shock, ran a short distance along the ground, and -then stopped.</p> - -<p>Rushing to the spot, the British soldiers found, -to their amazement, that the pilot was dead.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179">179</a></span> -So fortunate had been the aim of the Englishman -that he had shot the German through the head. -In his dying moments the latter had started to -descend, and when he reached the earth his hands -still firmly gripped the controls.</p> - -<p>The aeroplane was absolutely undamaged, and -was appropriated by the British aviators.</p> - -<h3>IN HOSPITAL.</h3> - -<p class="in0 hang">(3) <cite>From a “Daily Telegraph” correspondent at Rouen</cite>:</p> - -<p class="p1">It was known that there were British wounded -in Rouen—I had even spoken to one of them in -the streets—but how was one to see them? -The police commissaire sent me to his central -colleague, who sent me on to the état major, who -was anxious to send me back to him, but finally -suggested that I should see the military commissary -at one of the stations. He was courteous, -but very firm—the authorisation I asked for -could not be, and was not, granted to anyone. -At the headquarters of the British General Staff -the same answer in even less ambiguous terms.</p> - -<p>It was then that Privates X., Y., Z. came to -my aid. Private Z. had a request to make of me. -It was that I should see to it that the black -retriever of his regiment now at the front should<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180">180</a></span> -be photographed, and that the photograph should -appear in <cite>The Daily Telegraph</cite>. Private Z. had -a temperature of 102·5, and looked it, but he was -not worrying about that. He was worrying -about the photograph of the regimental retriever, -which I understood him to say, though dates -make it almost incredible, had gone through the -Boer campaign, and had not yet had his photograph -in the papers. So I met by appointment -Privates X., Y., and Z. outside the Hospice -Général of Rouen, and by them was franked in -to the hospital, where a few dozen of our wounded -were sunning themselves. It was just time, and -no more, as orders had been received a few -minutes before that the British wounded were -to be transferred from Rouen to London, for -something grave was afoot.</p> - -<p>“Do you want to get back to England?” -someone called out to a soldier whose arm was -in a sling, and the whole sleeve of whose jacket -had been ripped by the fragment of a shell.</p> - -<p>“Not I,” he shouted; “I want to go to the -front again and get my sleeve back, and something -more.”</p> - -<p>I managed to speak with two or three of the -wounded as they were getting ready for the -start. One of them, an artilleryman, had been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181">181</a></span> -injured by his horses falling on him at Ligny, -I guessed it was—only guessed, for Tommy -charges a French word as bravely and much less -successfully than he charges the enemy. It was -the same story that one hears from all, of a heroic -struggle against overwhelming odds. “They -were ten to one against us, in my opinion,” he -said. “They were all over us. Their artillery -found the range by means of aeroplanes. The -shell fire was terrible.”</p> - -<p>He says that it was very accurate, but that -fortunately the quality of the shells is not up -to that of the shooting. My informant’s division -held out for twenty-four hours against the overwhelming -odds. Then, when the Germans had -managed to get a battery into action behind, -they retired during the night of Wednesday, -steadily and in excellent order, keeping the -German pursuit at bay. The next man I spoke -to really spoke to me. He was anxious to tell his -story.</p> - -<p>“I have been in the thick of it,” he said; “in -the very thick of it. I was one of the chauffeurs -in the service of the British General Staff.”</p> - -<p>He told me that he was not a Regular soldier, -but a volunteer from the Automobile Club, an -American who had become a naturalised English<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182">182</a></span> -citizen, and had once been a journalist. His own -injury, a burnt arm, was from a back-fire, but -his escape from the German bullets had been -almost miraculous. Three staff officers, one after -another, had been hit in the body of the car behind -him. This is his story:</p> - -<p>“On Friday, the 25th, the British were just -outside Le Cateau. On Saturday morning the -approach of the Germans in force was signalled. -On Sunday morning at daybreak a German -aeroplane flew over our lines, and, although fired -at by the aeroplane gun mounted in the car, and -received with volleys from the troops, managed -to rejoin its lines. Twenty minutes later the -German artillery opened fire with accuracy. -The aeroplane, as so often, had done its work -as range-finder. For twelve hours the cannonade -went on. Then the British forces retreated six -miles. On Monday morning the bombardment -began again, and at two that afternoon the German -forces entered Le Cateau from which the English -had retired. Many of the houses were in flames. -The Germans, who had ruthlessly bayonetted -our wounded if they moved so much as a finger -as they lay on the ground, were guilty of brutal -conduct when they entered the city.</p> - -<p>“On Tuesday, the British, who had retired to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183">183</a></span> -Landrecies, were again attacked by the Germans. -They believed, wrongly, that on their right was -a supporting French force. The range was again -found by aeroplane, and the British were compelled -to evacuate. That was on Tuesday. The -British troops had been fighting steadily for four -days, but their morale and their spirits had not -suffered.”</p> - -<p>As I write, a detachment of the R.A.M.C. is -filing past, and people have risen from their chairs -and are cheering and saluting. Half an hour ago -Engineers passed with their pontoons decorated -with flowers and greenery. The men had flowers -in their caps, and even the horses were flower-decked. -Tommy Atkins has the completest -faith in his leaders and in himself. He quite -realises the necessity for secrecy of operations in -modern warfare. Of course, he has his own -theories. This is one of them textually:</p> - -<p>“The Germans are simply walking into it. -Of course, we have had losses, but that was -part of the plan—the sprat to catch the whale. -They are going to find themselves in a square -between four allied armies, and then,”—so far -Private X., but here Private Y. broke in cheerfully: -“And then they will be electrocuted.”</p> - -<p class="p2">And at this moment it begins to look as if—apart<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184">184</a></span> -from that detail of the square of four -armies—Privates X. and Y. had known what -they were talking about; for some few days -ago the great retreat came to an abrupt end, -the British and French forces carrying out -General Joffre’s carefully laid plan of campaign, -turned their defensive movement into a combined -attack, the Germans fell back before them -and are still retiring. They marched through -Belgium into France with heavy fighting and -appalling losses, only to be held in check at the -right place and time and beaten back by the -road they had come, when Paris seemed almost -at their mercy. But that retirement is another -story.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185">185</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="vspace"><a id="VI"></a>VI<br /> - -<span class="subhead"><span class="smcap">The Spirit of Victory</span></span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="poem-container"> -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="iq">“<i>He only knows that not through</i> <span class="smcap smaller">HIM</span><br /></span> -<span class="i0"><i>Shall England come to shame</i>.”<br /></span> -</div> - -<div class="attrib"><span class="smcap">Sir F. H. Doyle.</span> -</div></div> -</div> - -<p>Even through those three weeks when they -were retreating before the enemy, the whole spirit -of the British troops was the spirit of men who -are fighting to win. There is no hint of doubt or -despondency in any of their letters home. They -talk lightly of their hardest, most terrible experiences; -they greet the unseen with a cheer; -you hear of them cracking jokes, boyishly guying -each other, singing songs as they march and as -they lie in the trenches with shells bursting and -shots screaming close over their heads. They -carried out their retreats grudgingly, but without -dismay, in the fixed confidence that their leaders -knew what they were after, and that in due time -they would find they had only been stooping to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186">186</a></span> -conquer. “They won’t let us have a fair smack -at them,” says “Spratty,” of the Army Service -Corps, in a letter home. “I have never seen -such a sight before. God knows whose turn is -next, but we shall win, don’t worry.” This is -the watchword of them all: “Don’t worry—we -shall win.”</p> - -<p>“Wine is offered us instead of water by the -people,” wrote Private S. Browne, whilst his -regiment was marching through France to the -front; “but officers and men are refusing it. -Some of the hardest drinkers in the regiment -have signed the pledge for the war.”</p> - -<p>“Tommy goes into battle,” a French soldier -told a reporter at Dieppe, “singing some song -about Tip-Tip-Tip-Tipperary, and when he is -hit he does not cry out. He just says ‘blast,’ -and if the wound is a small one he asks the man -next to him to tie a tourniquet round it and settles -down to fighting again.” A corporal of the Black -Watch explained to a hospital visitor, “It was -a terrible bit of work. The Germans were as -thick as Hielan’ heather, and by sheer weight -forced us back step by step. But until the -order came not a living man flinched. In the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187">187</a></span> -thick of the bursting shells we were singing Harry -Lauder’s latest.”</p> - -<p>Trooper George Pritchard wrote to his mother -from Netley Hospital the other day: “I got hit -in the arm from a shell. Seven of our officers -got killed last Thursday, but Captain Grenfell -was saved at the same time as me. What do -you think of the charge of the 9th? It is -worth getting hit for.”</p> - -<p>“We are all in good heart, and ready for the -next round whenever it may come,” writes -Private J. Scott, from his place in the field; -and “South Africa was child’s play to what we -have been through,” writes Corporal Brogan, -“but we are beginning to feel our feet now, -and are equal to a lot more gruelling.”</p> - -<p>“We are all beat up after four days of the -hardest soldiering you ever dreamt of,” Private -Patrick McGlade says in a letter to his mother. -“I am glad to say we accounted for our share of -the Germans. We tried hard to get at them -many a time, but they never would wait for us -when they saw the bright bits of steel at the -business end of our rifles. Some of them squeal -like the pigs on killing day when they see the -steel ready. Some of our finest lads are now<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188">188</a></span> -sleeping their last sleep in Belgium, but, mother -dear, you can take your son’s word for it that -for every son of Ireland who will never come back -there are at least three Germans who will never -be heard of again. When we got here we sang -‘Paddies Evermore,’ and then we were off to -chapel to pray for the souls of the lads that are -gone.”</p> - -<p>“Some of us feel very strongly about being -sent home for scratches that will heal,” writes -Corporal A. Hands. “Don’t believe half the -stories about our hardships. I haven’t seen or -heard of a man who made complaint of anything. -You can’t expect a six-course dinner on active -service, but we get plenty to fight on.”</p> - -<p>Cases of personal pluck were so common that -we soon ceased to take notice of them, a wounded -driver in the Royal Artillery told an interviewer. -“There was a man of the Buffs, who carried a -wounded chum for over a mile under German -fire, but if you suggested a Victoria Cross for that -man he would punch your head, and as he is a -regular devil when roused the men say as little -as they can about it. He thinks he didn’t do -anything out of the common, and doesn’t see -why his name should be dragged into the papers -over it. Another case I heard of was a corporal<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189">189</a></span> -of the Fusilier Brigade—I don’t know his regiment—who -held a company of Germans at bay for -two hours by the old trick of firing at them from -different points, and so making them think they -had a crowd to face. He was getting on very well -until a party of cavalry outflanked him, as you -might say, and as they were right on top of him -there was no kidding about his ‘strength,’ so he -skedaddled, and the Germans took the position -he had held so long. He got back to his mates all -right, and they were glad to see him, for they had -given him up for dead.”</p> - -<p>“No regiment fought harder than we did, and -no regiment has better officers, who went shoulder -to shoulder with their men,” says a non-commissioned -officer of the Buffs, writing from hospital, -“but you can’t expect absolute impossibilities -to be accomplished, no matter how brave the boys -are, when you are fighting a force from twenty to -thirty times as strong. If some of you at home who -have spoken sneeringly of British officers could -have seen how they handled their men and shirked -nothing you would be ashamed of yourselves. We -are all determined when fit again to return and -get our own back.”</p> - -<p>Everywhere you find that the one cry of the -soldiers who are invalided home—they are<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190">190</a></span> -impatient to be cured quickly and get back “to -have another slap at them.” We know how our -women here at home share that eager enthusiasm -in this the most righteous war Britain has -ever gone into; and isn’t there something that -stirs you like the sound of a trumpet in such a -passage as this from the letter a Scottish nun -living in Belgium has written to her mother?</p> - -<p class="p2">“I am glad England is aroused, and that the -British lion is out with all his teeth showing. -Here these little lions of Belgians are raging -mad and doing glorious things.</p> - -<p>“Tell father I am cheery, and feel sometimes -far too warlike for a nun. That’s my Scottish -blood. I hope to goodness the Highlanders, if -they come, will march down another street on -their way to the caserne, or I shall shout and -yell and cheer them, and forget I mustn’t look -out of the window.”</p> - -<p class="p2">An extract from Sergeant T. Cahill’s letter to -his friends at Bristol gives you a snap-shot of -our women in the firing line, and of the fearless -jollity and light-heartedness with which our -Irish comrades meet the worst that their enemies -can do:</p> - -<p class="p2"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191">191</a></span> -“The Red Cross girleens, with their purty -faces and their sweet ways, are as good men -as most of us, and better than some of us. They -are not supposed to venture into the firing -line at all, but they get there all the same, and -devil the one of us durst turn them away,” and -he goes on casually, “Mick Clancy is that droll -with his larking and bamboozling the Germans -that he makes us nearly split our sides laughing -at him and his ways. Yesterday he got a stick -and put a cap on it so that it peeped above the -trenches just like a man, and then the Germans -kept shooting away at it until they must have -used up tons of ammunition, and there was us -all the time laughing at them.”</p> - -<p>But I think there is perhaps nothing in these -letters that is more touching or more finely significant -than this:</p> - -<p>“The other day I stopped to assist a young -lad of the West Kents, who had been badly -hit by a piece of shell,” writes Corporal Sam -Haslett. “He hadn’t long to live, and knew -it, but he wasn’t at all put out about it. I -asked him if there was any message I could -take to any one at home, and the poor lad’s -eyes filled with tears as he answered: ‘I ran -away from home and ’listed a year ago. Mother<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192">192</a></span> -and dad don’t know I’m here, but you tell them -that I’m not sorry I did it.’ When I told our -boys afterwards, they cried like babies, but, mind -you, that’s the spirit that’s going to pull England -through this war. I got his name and the -address of his people from his regiment, and I am -writing to tell them that they have every reason -to be proud of their lad. He may have run away -from home, but he didn’t run away from the -Germans.”</p> - -<p>And if you have caught the buoyant, heroic -ardour that rings through those careless, unstudied -notes our gallant fellows have written -home, you know that there is not a man in the -firing line who will.</p> - -<p class="p2 center smaller"> -<i>Wyman & Sons Ltd., Printers, London and Reading.</i> -</p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="transnote"> -<h2 class="nobreak p1"><a id="Transcribers_Notes"></a>Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - -<p>Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a predominant -preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.</p> - -<p>Simple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced -quotation marks retained.</p> - -<p>Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained.</p> - -<p>Page <a href="#Page_68">68</a>: “smoking concerts” probably should be “smoking, concerts”.</p> - -<p>Page <a href="#Page_72">72</a>: “from Mons, It was” was punctuated and capitalized that way.</p> - -<p>Page <a href="#Page_150">150</a>: “1.0 p.m.” was printed that way.</p> -</div></div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's In The Firing Line, by A. 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