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diff --git a/59519-0.txt b/59519-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6360835 --- /dev/null +++ b/59519-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4404 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59519 *** + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 59519-h.htm or 59519-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/59519/59519-h/59519-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/59519/59519-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + https://archive.org/details/huntinghun00belt + + + + + +HUNTING THE HUN + + +[Illustration: Roadside Scene on the British Section of the Western +Front] + + +HUNTING THE HUN + +by + +CAPTAIN JAMES BELTON +Late of the British and Canadian Forces + +and + +LIEUTENANT E. G. ODELL +Late of the 24th Canadian Battalion, B.E.F. + + +[Illustration] + + +Illustrated + + + + + + +D. Appleton and Company +New York London +1918 + +Copyright, 1918, by +D. Appleton and Company + +Printed in the United States of America + + + + +FOREWORD + + +Captain Belton and Lieutenant Odell's book of the war will be read +with deep and sustained interest by everyone who wants to understand +"the real thing." For myself I confess to being thrilled by the +simple, direct, conversational style of the chapters describing the +preparations for the attack on and ultimate capture of Vimy Ridge. The +complete absence of any attempt at word-painting, the little touches of +actuality, such as the pattern of white tapes on the practice ground +which showed the conformation of the German trenches, and the method of +signalling to the contact aeroplane during an advance--these features +are at once novel and arresting. The story is told with the terseness +of a despatch. You see the battalion gathering for its deadly work +after the training is done; you plod with it in Indian file along the +Aux Reitz communication trench; you sprawl with the officers and men +in the "jumping-off" trench; you wonder whether the missing jar of +rum will turn up in time, and, finally, you go "over the top" with +what amounts to a sigh of relief that the ghastly period of waiting +has ended and that the "Zero Hour" will mark either the end or the +beginning of a strangely heroic experience. It is quite remarkable +that a plain soldier should be able to give such life to his story. The +achievement is a tribute to realism. Here is the truth, and nothing but +the truth, so you accept every word for what it is worth, and are even +glad to be spared the fine touches of the skilled literary hand. + +I am sure Captain Belton and Lieutenant Odell's book will be +appreciated by a wide circle of readers in this country. A Canadian +battalion and an American battalion must be close akin whether on the +parade ground or in the battlefield. As these boys from Montreal, +Toronto, and Winnipeg have done in France so will the boys do who hail +from New York, Chicago, and the Far West. For that reason, and for +many others quite as obvious, the appearance of this personal record +of scenes and events in the Great War is peculiarly timely just now. I +read the proofs at a sitting, and that, I know, is a certain test of +the value of any book, be it grim fact or enticing fiction. + + Louis Tracy. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. How We Prepare for an Attack 13 + + II. The Attack 31 + + III. The Call of the Motherland 72 + + IV. We Move Forward 86 + + V. Hunting the Hun 101 + + VI. Trench Routine 127 + + VII. Behind the Lines 157 + + VIII. The Bull Ring 171 + + IX. The Red Cross and the Y.M.C.A. 190 + + X. Some Trench Songs 204 + + XI. Bits of War 214 + + XII. Towards a Bomb-Proof Job 247 + + XIII. Tips for Recruits 263 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + PAGE + + Roadside scene on the British section of the + Western front _Frontispiece_ + + Bringing up wire for a night working party 39 + + Going his last round at night. All is well in the + support line 65 + + A dog used to carry messages in the trenches 121 + + A tank in action 143 + + Bayonet exercise at a training ground Somewhere + in France 181 + + Releasing a pigeon with a message for help 243 + + How the tanks are parked in the tankdromes 255 + + + + +HUNTING THE HUN + + + + +CHAPTER I + +HOW WE PREPARE FOR AN ATTACK + + +When we make an attack on the Boche, we don't double over No Man's Land +with bayonets fixed, shouting and cheering and making a terrible din. +To be sure, the bayonet plays an important part in this great war as a +weapon of warfare, but it is only used when you get to close quarters. +While a man has any cartridges left in his magazine, he is not likely +to use the bayonet. + +A successful attack requires a great deal of preparation. Every detail +has to be gone over very minutely, and every officer and man must know +exactly what he has to do and be prepared to take all the chances and +risks that go to make an attack successful. + +A great deal of the enemy's barbed-wire entanglements must be cut down +by means of constant artillery fire, which for days shells their wire +and trenches. When the artillery has completed its work the infantry is +told to be prepared to go "over the top." + +Each arm of the service is assigned a share in the work in the "Big +Push." The engineers have various duties to perform, such as the +planning and building of roads to allow the guns to move up with the +advance of the infantry. In this work they are assisted by the pioneer +and labour battalions. + +The army service corps looks after the rations, supplies, etc., working +in conjunction with the ammunition columns and other branches of the +service. We have, therefore, a true coöperative spirit, each branch +doing its share of duty in its own particular way. + +The infantry is the queen arm of the service and the most important +one. All other arms of the service are aids to assist it. In this great +war, good artillery support is essential. On March 15, 1917, I arrived +back to my battalion from a course of instruction that I had been +attending at Pernes, which is one of the many schools of instruction +where officers and men are sent for special courses. I located my +battalion after considerable trouble at Masnil Bouche, a small village. + +I reported to the commanding officer of the battalion who assigned me +to No. 2 Platoon of "A" Company. It was raining as usual--it seems +to rain in the northern part of France every day from the middle of +October until the early part of April. My company commander brought me +over to my billet, which was an old-fashioned, low roof stone house. +It was occupied by an old woman and two of her daughters who kept an +_estaminet_ for the benefit of the troops, and incidentally a source of +income for themselves. + +We entered the doorway and passed along a passageway to the rear of the +house leading to a room about ten feet square. Until the morning of +April 8th six officers slept in this small place. It also served the +purpose of officers' company mess room, and some of the junior officers +of "B" Company joined our mess on account of lack of accommodations, as +there were only a few available houses in Masnil Bouche. + +The room had one double bed, which the company commander and second in +command of "A" Company occupied. The junior officers slept on the stone +floor. Our kitchen was outside in what might have once been a chicken +coop, adjoining the house, not many yards from the window of our room, +through which our meals were served. The kitchen could not even boast +of a stone floor--underfoot was nothing but MUD, MUD, MUD! + +I was very glad to meet my brother officers as they came in for dinner +that night. It is usual in France to have individual company mess, but +as previously mentioned, being cramped for accommodation, "B" Company's +junior officers had joined our mess. + +We were a very merry group, everyone in excellent spirits, which +reminded me of a little song that we all hum in France: "A Merry Life, +but a Short One." Two of the very officers who dined at our mess were +killed at Vimy Ridge on April 9th. + +The following morning at 9 A.M., "A" Company was drawn up in close +column of platoons, in fighting order, ready for company inspection. It +was raining slightly and very muddy underfoot. The men were equipped as +they would be to go "over the top." + +Only three platoons were drawn up for company inspection. It is +customary for one platoon per company, each in its turn, to remain out +of the line. These platoons with their officers form the nucleus of +a new battalion in case the battalion meets with heavy losses while +in the trenches. They may also be called upon to reinforce their +respective companies in the line. + +After each platoon had been carefully inspected by their respective +platoon commanders, and then by the company commander, we were marched +off to our training ground, a distance of one kilometre, where there +was an extensive stretch of open ground. + +When we reached our training area, we saw hundreds of yards of white +tapes two inches wide, stretched out before us. These tapes represented +to us the outline of the German trenches which we were to attack and +capture on Vimy Ridge. They lay on the ground in exactly the same +position that we would later find the German trenches. + +A tape was laid to represent our battalion jumping-off trench. When I +reached my platoon's position in the jumping-off trench I halted and +formed line. We were then supposed to be in a shallow trench, two and +one-half feet wide by four feet deep. For practice purposes the "Zero +Hour" was ten A.M. A few minutes before ten o'clock, a runner (this is +a man whose special duty is to carry messages) gave me a message from +my company commander that we would make the practice attack and go +"over the top" at two minutes past "Zero Hour"--that is, two minutes +past ten o'clock. + +Our artillery was to lay a barrage on the first line of presumed German +trenches at the same moment. A barrage is simply a moving wall of shell +fire, which precedes the troops, who advance beneath the trajectory +of the shells. We were to keep within fifty yards of our barrage in +diamond formation. This barrage was indicated by men on the right and +left flanks of our battalion frontage, which was a lateral distance of +335 yards. + +Our battalion furnished four waves, each wave having its own mission to +accomplish--the whole battalion having one final objective. + +Men with flags would continue waving them until the barrage was +supposed to lift, then they would double forward and indicate by their +flags where the barrage was then falling. + +I was in the first wave, commanding No. 2 Platoon. The first and second +waves, composed of "A" and "B" Companies, went through until they +reached the final objective. The "moppers up" came next and stopped and +mopped up each trench in succession. We advanced in diamond formation, +then extended as we arrived within 50 yards of our barrage. When the +barrage had lifted, we advanced in extended order, and made a rush for +the presumed German trenches, with the idea of surprising the Germans +before they could get out of their dugouts. Each succeeding wave acted +in a like manner, until our battalion obtained its final objective. +We had four trenches to capture. The fourth German trench was our +battalion's final objective and was named the _Zwischen Stellung_ +Trench. + +As the waves went "over the top" they were accompanied a short distance +in the rear by some Stokes guns under the command of the brigade Stokes +gun officer. These Stokes guns were trench mortars, of short range, but +very fast firing guns. The shells are simply dropped down the muzzle +of the gun and are discharged as they strike the base. They can do +very good work, but to satisfy their appetite when they start going in +earnest, it requires a great number of shells. + +Our first objective was a trench called the "Fringe Trench," and after +we had captured this we then moved forward under our barrage. When +it lifted we took our second objective, which was the Furze Trench. +Our barrage lifting again, we advanced from the furze trench end +captured a German support trench which had been dug by them recently. +After capturing this trench, we then proceeded and captured our +final objective, the _Zwischen Stellung_. On reaching the _Zwischen +Stellung_ trench I was detailed with my platoon to bomb and to clean +out any Germans I would find in part of a trench called the _Grenadier +Graben_, which was from the intersection at the _Zwischen Stellung_ to +the Lens-Arras road at right angles, which, of course, was beyond our +battalion's final objective by 150 yards. Then I had to retire and dig +in with my company some distance in front of the _Zwischen Stellung_. + +As each objective was gained by us, men were detailed to mark it with a +signpost that was driven into the ground on top of the parapet. On this +signpost was a yellow coloured tin square decorated with the Maple Leaf +in black. + +A contact patrol aeroplane was assigned to our brigade for the purpose +of reporting successes to General Headquarters some distance in the +rear. Our signallers had red shutters on a white cloth background, +and by means of cord and elastic bands they signalled to our contact +aeroplane. + +Our aeroplane hovered over us at a comparatively low elevation. Its +work was certainly very dangerous as it was liable to get in the way +of the trajectory of the shells both from the enemy and ourselves. +Our signallers had instructions not to delay an instant sending the +required signals. The contact patrol aeroplanes are slow-going machines +as a rule. Ours was distinguished by two long streamers attached to +struts of the wings of the machine. The observer is seen hanging over +the side of the fuselage, tooting a Claxton horn in a series of dots +and dashes, and watching every movement we make. He must circle around +continually, as he cannot stop his aeroplane. + +For three weeks we practised going over the tapes. On the night of the +6th of April, the officers were informed that our Brigadier General +would be over to inspect the battalion on the morning of the 7th. We +were pleased to inform our boys of this news, as we all knew that the +visit of the Brigadier General meant we were to go in the line for +attack very soon. Every officer and man was keyed up to concert pitch +with excitement. We had no thoughts of death--we were to do a man's +work in a man's way, and we were all eager for the fray. Many times +we had observed the German front line trenches through our periscopes +in daylight. At times we had raided small sectors of their front line +trench at night, and this front line and the other trenches in the +rear were soon to be captured and occupied by us. + +That night, three officers and one hundred men were sent up the line to +dig the jumping-off trench for our battalion. This trench was to be dug +in No Man's Land a short distance in front of our front line trenches +and well clear of our barbed-wire entanglements. The night before the +attack we had to crawl out of our front line trenches, through our +barbed wire, and then into this jumping-off trench and lie there until +the "Zero Hour." The Germans did not dream we would be so near to them. + +The morning of the seventh arrived, and with it our Brigadier General +McDonnel. He was an excellent soldier, well-liked and respected by both +the officers and men of his brigade. He took a great interest in the +planning of this attack and gave good advice to both officers, N.C.O.'s +and men. He then inspected the battalion which had been drawn up in +mass formation. After inspection, he complimented both officers and +men on their soldierly bearing and smart appearance. He then outlined +briefly the plan of attack and informed us that we would be going into +the line (when we go into the trenches, we always say we are going into +the line, whether it is the front, support or reserve trenches) the +following night, April 8th. He requested that both officers and men +should treat this information as confidential. Wishing every officer +and man who were to participate in the attack the "best of luck," he +told us that there was no doubt in his mind of our success in capturing +Vimy Ridge. The men were then given the balance of the morning to spend +as they saw fit around their billets. + +In the afternoon the battalion fell in for church service, and most of +us took communion--some for the last time on this earth. The scene was +very impressive as our Padre or Chaplain read the service and rendered +a very appropriate sermon for the occasion. Can you imagine what this +sermon meant to those brave men out there on the battlefield? No +mother, wife, sister or sweetheart should ever think that their men +folk lose their religion when they go to war. Out there, we have a deep +sense of religion which is entirely different from the religion of the +folks at home. We all know what we have to face, and we strive to keep +our mind and thought on the highest ideas of religious belief. The +mothers, wives, sisters and sweethearts of the brave men who fell at +Vimy Ridge can be consoled by knowing that their men entered into the +Kingdom of Peace prepared to meet their Maker. Their epitaph is, "They +did their bit, and rest content." + +Colonel, the Rev. Canon F.G. Scott, of the 1st Canadian Division, has +been in the fighting zone since the 1st contingent arrived in France. +Two of his own sons were fighting in the trenches, one of them was +killed and the other wounded. Colonel Scott is a poet of considerable +note and in April, 1917, he wrote "The Silent Toast," in remembrance +of the brave boys who fell in the attack on Vimy Ridge. + +All the officers of the brigade who were to participate in the "Big +Push" were invited over to Brigade Headquarters that evening by the +Brigadier General. We were shown some aerial photographs of the German +trenches that had been very recently taken, and given more minute +details of the attack, with the information that the "Zero Hour" would +be 5.30 A.M., and that the first wave was to go "over the top" at one +minute past "Zero Hour." The reason that the first wave was to go over +at one minute past "Zero Hour" was to give time to the barrage to play +three minutes on the German front line. We thus had two minutes to work +under the barrage before it lifted to the next objective. As it lifted, +we would make a rush for our first objective and follow our barrage to +within 50 yards. The "Zero Hour" was to be kept secret. + +The General then gave us a history of Vimy Ridge, again telling us he +was certain, on account of the wonderful artillery support we would +have, that we would gain all our objectives. How true his words were is +now history. + +Between the city of Arras, held by the French and British, and the city +of Lens, held by the Germans, was Vimy Ridge which stretched north, +west and southwest in front of the village of Vimy. Since 1914, the +Germans had held it, resisting all Allied assaults. Its strategical +importance was fully recognized by both the Allies and the Germans. +Every artificial means had been taken to increase its natural strength, +the best scientific devices of fortifications had been made use of by +the Germans, and for two years it had defied all attacks. + +The French vainly attacked it all through the month of December, +1914, and January, 1915. General Foch in May, 1915, delivered several +attacks known as the Battle of Souchez. He gained a little ground on +the lower slopes, but failed to weaken to any extent the Main Ridge. +In September, 1915, while the British were making an attack around +and near Loos, the French under General Foch once more attacked the +Ridge. Again they failed. As long as the Germans retained Vimy Ridge, +their line was secure in this quarter, so its retention allowed them to +contemplate with a certain degree of equanimity withdrawals of troops +from the line. On either side of the Ridge, it was flanked with Lens on +the north, and Arras on the south--both cities under distant artillery +fire. + +The Canadian corps was working in conjunction with the Imperial troops, +and the attack by the British troops, including the Canadians, extended +from Givenchy-en-Gohelle to Henin-sur-Cojaul, an approximate distance +of fifteen miles. The actual assault upon Vimy Ridge which was four to +five miles long was entrusted to the Canadians. The forces engaged in +this advance were to be commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Edmund +Allenbury and Lieutenant-General H.S. Horne. The Canadians in the First +Army Corps were under the command of Major-General Byng. He is now in +command of the Third British Army with the rank of Lieutenant-General. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE ATTACK + + +On the morn of the 8th of April, reveille was sounded at 4:15 A.M. as +everything had to be packed up. All the surplus kits were loaded on +transport wagons. Every officer and man was busy looking after his +personal effects and cleaning up the billets, for everything must be +left in as good shape and order as when we moved in. The boys were +in high spirits and glad of the opportunity to demonstrate again the +quality of the New World troops. At about 9:00 A.M. the bugle sounded +and the battalion fell in. Each platoon was carefully inspected. Our +acting commanding officer, Major R----, spoke a few words to the +whole battalion, telling us that we would uphold all traditions of +the Canadian Army, and that he was sure our battalion would prove +to be one of the best in France. He felt certain we would gain all +our objectives. He then wished us the "best of luck" and, as it was +his turn to remain out of the line, he handed the command over to the +acting second in command of the battalion, Major M----. + +It was a bright day and the roads had commenced to dry up. For a short +distance, our battalion marched along making very slow progress, as +the highway was being used by motor transports, most of them carrying +ammunition for the "Big Push." Behind a few of these there were some +big guns, ever coming forward. The road was alive with excitement--the +very atmosphere reeked with it. Every one felt the crisis was at hand. +As we moved slowly along the road in detachments of platoons in columns +of fours, or two deep, our progress was in consequence extremely slow. +Our guides had been sent out to find out the best cross-country road to +reach our brigade assembling point. Each platoon had its own guide. We +were led by them off the main road across country to the eastern slope +of Mount St. Eloi which we reached at noon of the same day. + +We halted and took off our equipment to await for dusk. Other platoons +were continually arriving. The men had their dinner, and then made +themselves as comfortable as possible, some went to sleep and others +wrote letters, many for the last time. + +By four in the afternoon battalions of our brigade and of other +brigades had arrived and were thickly scattered along the slope of +Mount St. Eloi. Some bands were playing. A short distance away from us +at the foot of Mount St. Eloi a large Y.M.C.A. marquee was being well +patronised by our boys. After the various brigade bands would stop +playing, I could hear faintly the soft tones of the Y.M.C.A. organ +mingled with the voices of the boys singing a hymn. + +We had our supper at 6 P.M. and again inspected our platoons most +carefully. The gas helmets had to be examined thoroughly to see that +they were in perfect condition, that the goggles were not cracked or +broken and that the gas fumes could not penetrate through any part +of the mask. All the officers' watches were carefully synchronised +from brigade time. The small box respirator was put on in the alert +position. Every man had to show that he had his iron rations and extra +rations to last for two days. + +After inspection, it was fast approaching dusk. At 7:45 P.M. we formed +up and moved off in detachments of platoons at distances of 100 yards. + +We marched up the slope of Mount St. Eloi. A little over half way, we +came to a bush road. This we followed until we reached the main road. +This road led us through part of the badly shelled little town of Mount +St. Eloi. As we reached the top of the summit, on the right of the road +could be seen the ruins of the church and monastery of Mount St. Eloi. +The monastery had been founded by St. Eloi in the year six hundred +and forty and reconstructed in the eighteenth century. Previous to the +present war, only the facing walls of the church were standing, but the +Germans demolished these walls by shell fire as well as the surrounding +buildings, formerly occupied by the clergy and civilians. Mount St. +Eloi Church, a very prominent object on the landscape, we had used for +an observation post. + +It was now 8:30 P.M. and quite dark. We started to descend the slope. +As I looked ahead of me, I could see the German white flares, also +their green and red rockets going up, and could see the bursting of +the shrapnel and its flash, and hear the thunder of both ours and the +enemy's artillery. + +It was an awe-inspiring spectacle. To the right of the road the +ammunition column men on mules were hauling to the various artillery +dumps large and small shells, fodder for hungry guns that were to give +us victory the next day. As we passed these men they wished us the +"best of luck," shouting some friendly remarks such as "We are working +like h--- for you boys; see that you give Fritz h--- to-morrow!" + +We left the main road and started across open fields until we reached +at right angles the Arras-Bethune road, directly opposite was the +entrance of the Aux Reitz communication trench. A few hundred yards to +our left, along the Arras-Bethune road stood once the little village +of La Targette, and on the opposite side, Neuville St. Vaast. Now +nothing remained but masses of fallen masonry caused by the continuous +bombardments both by the Allies when these towns were occupied by the +Germans, and then by the Huns when they were driven back, and the +Allies occupied them. + +The Aux Reitz communication trench was what we called an ingoing +communication trench. The leading platoon had started up the +communication trench--my platoon came next. As I was crossing the road +at the head of my platoon, now in single file, I formed a mental +picture of what I saw before me. It was about 10 P.M. and pitch dark. +Our shells were bursting in the German trenches and wire entanglements. +On our right forward flank, the Germans were signalling by means of +green rockets. They were an exceedingly pretty and spectacular display +of fireworks, as these green rockets would go up and, after attaining a +certain height, they would burst and a tail of green stars would appear. + +The Germans very often use their golden spray rocket for the S.O.S. +signal, but they are liable to change from time to time, as is also our +habit. + +Here and there I could see fires where the German ammunition dumps had +been blown up by our shell fire. Then I would suddenly hear the quick +hissing sound of German shells upon our right and left flanks along the +Arras-Bethune road. The Huns were shelling our back area. + +Our battalion scout officer, Lieutenant B----, who had preceded us, +was directing each platoon from the top of the communication trench, +past the various intersections of the C.T.[1] Lieut. B---- was very +much exposed and in a more dangerous position than any of us who were +in the trench, but he did not seem to mind it. I could hear above me +the swish, swish, swish of the German shells and the rat-tat-tat of +their machine guns. As the machine gun bullets struck the top of the +trench above us, small clods of earth would fall in our midst. + +As previously mentioned, the Aux Reitz communication trench had a +regular maze of trenches branching off from it. At the intersection +were signboards on which were painted the names of each trench and +where they led to. Quite a number of the trenches were without these +signboards. They had probably been knocked off the side of the trench +in some manner. Nevertheless, our scout officer guided us correctly in +the intense darkness. + +[Illustration: Bringing up Wire for a Night Working Party] + +Our C.T. was about seven feet deep in some places and five feet wide, +but this varied. It was the usual zig-zag formation. Under our feet in +some places were trench mats.[2] + +We had proceeded up the communication trench for some 300 yards when +word was passed along to me from the rear to double in front, as the +entrance of the communication trench was being shelled by the Huns and +that there were some casualties due to the congestion. As the whole +brigade was coming up in single file and each man had to run across the +exposed Arras-Bethune road to get into the communication trench, they +were anxious to obtain the protection from shell fire that the trench +would afford. I passed the word along to the platoon commander of No. +1 platoon, which had the desired effect. We started at a steady double +march, bending under small culverts, through little rivulets of water, +slipping and sliding over the muddy trench mats when we found them +under our feet. Ofttimes we would suddenly find ourselves up to our +hips in muddy water. + +A considerable number of telephone wires crossed our C.T. Some sagged +and were in line with our faces. In the darkness they were hard to +see, and if one was unfortunate enough to get caught by the wire +under his chin he would have good cause to remember it. Word was +being continually passed along as obstacles were encountered, such +as, "Wire overhead," "Wire underfoot," "Step down," "Step up," etc. +This information was appreciated by those in the rear. After doubling +for about 500 yards, word was passed along to me that the "line was +broken." This meant that we had left behind us some of the boys who +could not run as fast as those in front. This usually happens to the +section of Lewis gunners who have their gun equipment to carry, which +is much heavier than what the men have to carry in the other sections. +We therefore had to halt for a few minutes until they caught up to +us. At last we reached the end of our trench. To the right and left, +we could see the boys on sentry duty, holding the front line trench. +On the fire step men were sitting or lying down trying to get a few +minutes' sleep. These were the men who had to hold the front line +trenches at all costs. We were what is commonly known as the "storming +troops." + +By the time we had reached the front line trenches, approximately 300 +yards from the German front line, their white flares were going up in +profusion, and while these flares were up, it was almost as light as +day. We passed down the lines the usual caution, "Be sure when the +flare light breaks to keep your body perfectly rigid and your face down +as you go over No Man's Land to the jumping-off trench." + +Someone passed the word from the rear that the jar of rum which is +allotted to each platoon and which is usually in charge of the platoon +commander had been ditched (thrown away). I looked around for my +batman to whom I had entrusted it, and I was informed he had gone ahead +over No Man's Land with Lieutenant B---- in order to select my position +in the jumping-off trench. When last seen he had the jar of rum with +him. The rum is usually given out at "stand to" both in the morning and +evening, one hour before dawn and one hour before dusk. After being in +the wet and cold, it both braces and stimulates the men. + +While we were crouching and doubling over the ground from shell hole +to shell hole, one after the other German white flares would go up and +burst. We were seen by the Huns, who, probably thinking it might be a +raiding party, turned their machine guns upon us. Those who happened to +be outside of a shell hole fell flat, and awaited for orders. All this +time our shells were dropping upon the German wire entanglements and +front line trenches, which were then about 250 yards away from where +we were out in No Man's Land. + +The German machine guns were searching out the whole of this territory. +For fully one hour we were glued to the ground. + +As the "Zero Hour" was 5.30 A.M. we had lots of time to reach the +jumping-off trench, yet, I could overhear remarks in a low tone of +voice about the rum. It was still worrying the men. They were quite +used to the machine gun bullets, and their only thought was how they +might be cheated by fate of a small tot of rum before going "over the +top." + +I was then in a shell hole that was very shallow. As I looked over the +lip of it, I saw someone making his way in short rushes towards me. The +man I saw was Lieutenant B----. He was trying to locate me amidst all +the shell holes. I went over to meet him. He told me that everything +was all right and that the battalion had only four casualties who were +taken out of the line. He then gave me exact directions to my place in +the jumping-off trench. + +There was a lull in the firing at this time, so I passed the word +behind to the boys to advance and follow me closely. + +Just then, the Germans opened up with machine-gun fire, and word was +passed up for the stretcher bearer. That meant a man wounded and at +this time it was very awkward. I could not spare my stretcher bearer, +as we were going to advance, and again I could not allow a wounded man +to die for want of attention. Neither could I endanger the lives of the +men in my platoon more than was necessary for that of one man. However, +I pointed out to the stretcher bearer who had crawled from a shell hole +near by, his location on the ground and gave him an idea where he would +find our platoon in the jumping-off trench. I told him if the man could +walk to give him first aid if necessary, but if he could not walk, to +see that word would be passed back to the firing line in the rear and +have them send out stretcher bearers. + +We crawled for a distance, and as there were no German white flares +going up during this interval, we doubled up in a half crouching +position until we reached and tumbled into our jumping-off trench. As I +looked at my luminous watch, I noticed it was exactly midnight. We were +packed like sardines in this little trench not more than 2-1/2 feet +wide by four feet. But that mattered not--we were nearing our goal. + +I was reminded by the boys that they had not seen the rum carrier, my +batman Lamb. I was also anxious to see him, so I passed the word along +to my right and left flank that if anyone did see him, they were to +tell him where I was located. A few minutes later, as a German white +flare was sent up, I saw a figure crouching along the trench. It was +Lamb, and under his arm he had the jar of rum. I heaved a sigh of +relief, and Lamb at that particular moment was a very popular man. I +could hear the boys passing the glad word down the line, "Good old Lamb +has got the rum! Lamb's got the rum!" + +I made room for Lamb to get beside me in the trench. The Huns then +began shelling our front line trenches in the rear of us with +"Minenwerfers," "rum-jars," and "fish-tails." The latter are short +range trench shells that have a high trajectory and make considerable +noise when they explode. I could feel the hot air as they went over my +head. + +Our guns were shelling the German trenches, so that we were between +both fires without any overhead protection. The Germans, never dreaming +for a moment that we were so close to them, kept on shelling to the +rear of us. They imagined we were still in the front line trenches. We +carefully posted sentries and warned them to listen for any noise, such +as hammering on the faucets of gas drums, as the wind was favourable +for the Germans to attempt a gas wave attack. + +I began to think how many of us would come through this show, for I +knew we had a tough proposition before us. I then remembered that my +stretcher bearer had not returned, so I told my platoon sergeant to +find out where he was. A little later, he appeared above the parados +and got in beside us in the trench with his stretcher. + +Too much praise cannot be given to the stretcher bearers. They are +unarmed and many of them are killed. The moment a man is wounded, a +stretcher bearer rushes to his assistance; no matter how heavy the +bombardment may be, he is in the thick of the fight attending to the +wounded and dying. All men in the ranks know the old familiar cry, +"Stretcher bearer, stretcher bearer, on the double." Then we know it is +blighty for someone; it may be a mere scratch, or it may mean death. + +I had often gone over No Man's Land at night, and looked over it +through my periscope in the daytime, but this was going to be my +first time "over the top" in daylight. I did not feel afraid, yet I +was naturally anxious as to what I should feel like, and also how my +platoon would act under the ordeal. No man but one who has gone "over" +can describe or try to make anyone realise the feeling. One wishes to +get it over quickly; the time seems to drag until that moment, and then +it seems to fly. + +Suddenly, I was aroused from my reverie by a voice that sounded between +us and our own firing line. I listened, and heard the same voice shout +out these startling words, "Where in h--- is the end of this damned +ditch?" The voice was clear and distinct and betrayed no sign of +nervousness or fear. The Huns were strafing our front lines, we all +knew he was not a soldier, therefore, he must be a civilian, and we +wondered why he was out here. Then again he would have called a trench +a trench, and not a ditch. I heard one of the boys say, "Well, he must +have some nerve, whoever he is!" and then I heard another say, "I'm +going to take a peep at the man." Another said, "He may be a German +spy." I could see it was up to me to do something, so I told my platoon +sergeant to take charge and gave instruction to the men to keep their +heads down below the parapet. + +With my batman I cautiously proceeded in the direction of the voice. +Just then, I saw a civilian with a steel helmet on his head and a +small box respirator on his chest. He was about 30 yards away from me +and appeared to be carrying a machine gun. I raised my Colt automatic +pistol and was ready to fire; the batman had also drawn a bee-line on +him with his rifle. I called to him to come forward with his hands up +and to drop what I thought was his gun, or I would kill him. He shouted +back, "Don't shoot, friend, don't shoot. I'm a moving picture man and +an American; I am going to take moving pictures of you fellows as you +go 'over the top' and get the Germans on the run. I feel quite proud to +be with you boys." + +I went over to the shell hole and, by the aid of my luminous prismatic +compass and the flares of the Germans, I examined his papers and found +them in order. It appeared that he had been following a battalion up +the communication trench. As they started to double forward, he had +been left behind. He was determined to see the show through and be in +the thick of it, taking our pictures as we proceeded to advance with +our barrage in the attack. He was certainly a very cool customer. +Unarmed, he was taking all kinds of risks in order to take the pictures +of the boys as they went over. He told me the battalion he was supposed +to be with, so I gave him one of my men as a guide and told him where +to go. + +If this is a sample of the Americans who have gone over to France to +fight with us, then all I can say is that the Boche will have a hard +time when the boys from the United States of America go "over the top." + +I returned to my place in the trench and told the boys about the movie +man. It certainly amused them. Lamb in the meantime commenced to dig +with his entrenching tool foot holes in the trench for me. I noticed he +had done the same thing for himself. All the other boys did likewise. +This was to facilitate our getting out of the trench quickly at the +last moment. + +It was now four o'clock, still very dark, and I decided this was the +best time to give the boys their tot of rum. This was welcome news +indeed. It is the duty of every platoon commander to personally issue +the regulation allowance of rum to each one of his men. As there was +not sufficient room to allow passageway along the trench, my batman +and I jumped out and worked our way along both flanks of the platoon. +We served each man with his allowance of this beneficial fluid. I was +glad when this task was over as it was slow work, and at any moment +I expected we might be spotted by the Huns, especially as they were +sending up large numbers of white flares. We had to assume all kinds of +rigid, grotesque positions until the flares died out. + +The Huns are great on fireworks. It is very seldom we send up a white +flare. The Huns seem to have an unlimited quantity. They give us all +the light we require--very often too much. Their nerves are on edge, as +they are in constant dread of our raiding parties. I was glad to get +back to my place in the ditch, as the American called it. + +I looked at my watch and noticed it was 5:20 A.M. It was raining +slightly. Our boys in the front line were no doubt "standing to." +German white flares were still going up, also a few of their green and +red rockets. I passed the word down the trench to "fix bayonets." + +I could faintly see the men near me. They seemed to be impatiently +looking at their watches; daylight was fast approaching. I kept looking +down at my watch; again as I looked up I noticed the men's faces. It +was hard to make out the lines, but I could see that their lips were +tightly drawn with grim determination to do their duty at all costs! I +overheard a remark made by one of the men to his companion and it was, +"If I don't come out of this show, Bill, tell my mother I died game!" +His friend's reply was, "I will! If I don't, and you do, tell mine the +same!" I felt a thrill of pride when I overheard those words which gave +me an idea of the calibre of the men fighting with me. + +I placed my whistle in my mouth, ready to blow, my pistol loaded and at +the safety, ready to be used in a second if required. + +Exactly at 5:30 we heard the swish, swish, swish of our shells pass +over our heads on their journey of destruction and defeat to the front +line of the Germans. I had trouble to make the boys wait the one minute +that was necessary. Finally I blew my whistle, I knew they could not +hear it, but I pointed in the direction of the enemy and everyone was +"over the top" like a shot. I cannot describe how I felt. My blood ran +quickly, my head seemed to throb, and my heart felt as if it was going +to come through my chest. + +The screaming from the large number of shells that our artillery were +firing over our heads was terrific. Our barrage was intense. No human +being could live in that hell of fire. I saw the frantic appeals of the +Germans who were sending up their S.O.S. signals, besides rockets of +every colour of the rainbow. + +But their appeal was too late. We had surprised them. No power on +earth could save them; our barrage was perfect and we worked under it +steadily. The training over the tapes was partly forgotten. We were +eager to reach the Hun trenches; we were out for blood! God, how awful +it seemed! Men fell around me gasping, sputtering; but we still moved +on relentlessly. + +When within fifty yards of the barrage, I signalled to the men to +extend. I didn't know how many men I had lost. I saw my platoon +sergeant fall just after we had gotten over the top. As they fell, +other men took their places from other units. These men had lost their +officers and placed themselves under me. I directed them and we moved +again. + +Our barrage played four shells per minute on a lateral space of 20 +yards. The intense bombardment in front of us sent German limbs, bodies +and earth all sky high. + +Then our barrage lifted to the German support trench, which was called +the Fringe Trench. As our barrage lifted, we rushed forward, and +immediately took our first objective. Here we halted for one minute +to allow our barrage to play upon the Fringe Trench without exposing +ourselves unnecessarily. This was in accordance with orders. + +One of the men who joined my platoon from another battalion met in this +trench an old schoolmate who was in my platoon. As they were close to +me, I overheard the following dialogue as they shouted to one another: + +My boy shouted to the other man, "Hello, Tom, what are you doing out +here?" + +The reply was: "I like to fight, Bill, as I always did when I was at +school, and being a single man, I came out here to Hunt the Huns." On +asking Bill what brought him out, he gave the startling reply that he +was married. He had married a widow with a large family. He liked peace +and he therefore came here to get it. Each of them had what he wished +for! + +We followed on until we were within fifty yards of our barrage, which +had to play five minutes on this trench. At such a distance, the air is +hot and oppressive. I signalled to the boys not to go too fast for fear +of moving into our own shell fire. As the barrage lifted, we doubled +and jumped into the Fringe Trench, our second objective. There was no +opposition. Quite a number of German dead lay about the trench. + +As we continued our advance from the Fringe Trench to gain our third +objective, I noticed a German soldier advancing towards us. He appeared +to be about 18 years of age, and had his steel helmet on. His gas mask +box was thrown over his shoulder. He did not appear to be armed and, +as he advanced with his hands up I thought I heard him shout what I +presumed to be "_Kamerad, Kamerad_!" How he escaped our barrage was a +miracle. I passed him on to the rear. + +Suddenly I was surprised to hear machine gun bullets strike the ground +around me. Two of my boys fell face forward, wounded. We immediately +all fell flat and I at once thought that someone had blundered. I +naturally thought it might be possible that it was our own machine +gunners, as we had not observed any machine gun emplacements as we +advanced. + +I cautiously crawled around on my stomach, and I saw not far in our +rear the top of some German steel helmets. I knew at once that we had +passed by and overlooked a German machine gun emplacement. + +I divided the platoon into two sections. We crawled back to the right +and left flank of this machine gun emplacement. Our moppers up, one +company of the 22nd French Canadian Battalion, had not time to get +to this point. When within striking distance, we fired a few rifle +grenades and threw some bombs. Then all was silent from that quarter +and we knew that the bombs had done the trick. I went over to this +German machine gun emplacement. It was a "Mebu" type and our artillery +had knocked the top off it. I found that we had exterminated the whole +squad with the exception of the machine gun officer, who was badly +wounded. He was half reclining and half kneeling on what was left of +his machine gun. He struggled to his feet and came to attention as +I reached him. He expected that we would shoot him, but we of the +Anglo-Saxon race play the game fair. So I had him sent to the officer +who had command of another company that had to look after prisoners. +We had now lost time; we turned, doubled forward and gained our third +objective. Our barrage had lifted for two intervals of 100 yards and +was now playing upon the _Zwischen Stellung_ trench, our battalion's +final objective. + +We had now some distance to go. As we proceeded with our advance, I +heard a loud shout from the boys, who excitedly pointed to the rear. +But this time, it was with a feeling of relief that I saw four tanks +looming up in the distance. They were firing away beyond us at the +retreating Huns. Our barrage was still playing upon the _Zwischen +Stellung_ trench. We moved along quickly. I noticed the boys were +coolly smoking cigarettes. + +All at once the barrage lifted. We rushed for the German trench. This +was the first time we had met with resistance from the Germans, but we +had followed so closely to the barrage that we were upon them before +they realised it. What little opposition we did have, we quickly +brushed aside. + +Finally, I located my objective, the _Grenadier Graben_. As I was +proceeding up this trench with the men I had left, I heard some +shouting. It seemed to come from the bowels of the earth. I looked on +the side of the trench and then saw what appeared to be the entrance +of a dugout. It was almost blocked by earth caused by our artillery +fire. I got the men to cautiously clear away the earth and then heard +the familiar cry of "_Kamerad, Kamerad!_" My knowledge of the German +language is limited, but I knew this meant surrender. + +Very soon we cleared the entrance and a German officer appeared. +He spoke in German. As I did not understand German, I tried him in +French. This language he spoke fluently. He held his hands up and I +asked him to come out, which he did. He was an officer of the 263rd +Bavarians, a tall, handsome man with blue eyes, fair hair, and a small +fair moustache. He asked me if he could speak to an officer. I at that +time was wearing a private's tunic with the insignia of my rank on my +shoulders. I told him I was an officer. + +Then he informed me that he wished to surrender himself and twenty-two +men who were still in the dugout. He knew that resistance was useless. +He told me that our barrage had been terrible, that their own salvation +was to get into their dugout, but that he thought the Germans would +get Vimy Ridge back again by June. He omitted to say in what year. He +then handed me over his pistol, and also asked me if I would accept his +binoculars as a souvenir, which I did. I then told him to tell his men +to drop their firearms and to come out in single file with their hands +up. As soon as we had them all searched, I turned them over to the +officer in charge of prisoners who gave me a receipt for one officer +and twenty-two men. + +I heard later that they safely reached the prisoners' cage at La +Targette, from where they would be sent to the usual detention camps. +The moppers up had by this time reached a trench near by and I noticed +that if the Huns did not surrender promptly, no chances were taken to +allow them to act treacherously. A few Mills' bombs thrown down the +German dugouts would soon do the work with the aid of the Lewis machine +gun fire. + +About 4 P.M. I commenced to dig a small narrow trench in front of +the _Zwischen Stellung_. While the boys were digging, my corporal, +now acting platoon sergeant, asked me if I would like a drink of hot +coffee. I replied, "Yes," and at the same time said, "What is the use +of asking me, when you know we could not get it on account of the +attack." However, I was agreeably surprised to hear him say, "There is +plenty of coffee, sir, enough to do the whole platoon if you are not +afraid of being poisoned as it has been left by the Germans in one of +their dugouts." I therefore asked an officer from a nearby platoon to +keep in touch with my men and informed him I would be back in a few +minutes, as everything was quiet at that time. Taking my batman and +three men, I was led by my acting platoon sergeant around shell +craters and shell holes to the _Zwischen Stellung_ trench until we +came to the mud-blocked entrance of a German dugout. We cleared away a +little more of the mud. I noticed to the right of the entrance a large +bell and a horn very much like a Claxton horn. These, no doubt, were +sounded by the Huns when we made our gas wave attacks upon them. + +[Illustration: Going His Last Round at Night. All Is Well in the +Support Line] + +We descended the staircase, which was at an angle of about 55 degrees, +until we reached the bottom. There we came to a door with a sliding +window. As we turned a brass door knob and pushed open the door, +candles were burning on a desk and I saw a room about 12 feet square, +which had a wooden floor, a neat little rug under the desk, a few +chairs, a comfortable looking spring bed in the corner with the softest +of woollen blankets. In another corner was a small stove with a well +filled coal bin in the rear of it. A wash basin with running water, +electric light fixtures, telephone, and the wooden walls were papered +and burlapped. Over the desk was a picture of the Kaiser. In addition +there were German spiked helmets and caps, uniforms, pistols, swords, +binoculars, maps, one Iron Cross, postcards, magazines, newspapers. + +In the drawer of the desk, I found a small Eastman Kodak, an English +dictionary, and a large quantity of note paper engraved with the +emblem of the Iron Cross. I presume the winners of the Iron Cross +were allowed to use this kind of stationery. In addition, I found the +photograph of an N.C.O. of the 263rd Bavarian Regiment. This man's body +I subsequently found in a shell hole directly on top of his dugout. +He had evidently fought to a finish, as his rifle lay by his side +with magazine empty. His gas helmet was suspended by a strap from his +shoulder. On his tunic was the Iron Cross Ribbon. This photograph and +ribbon I have in my possession at the present time. Later on, when we +buried the body, we found a small .22 calibre Colt automatic pistol +fastened to his belt. + +To the left of the staircase was another door which led along a +passageway, both sides of which had rows of bunks. With the aid of the +candles we had, I could see that there were several other exits or +entrances, similar to the one we had come down. As I could not make out +any signs of daylight from above, I judged that the entrances had been +blocked by the effect of our barrage. + +As we neared what I then thought was the end of this passage, I saw +some of the men of my battalion. They told me that they had permission +to break away for an hour. These men were seated around a table having +a good meal. They stood up as I approached. I told them to carry on. + +The Germans had used this room as a dining-room. There were several +German candles burning briskly on the table. To the right was a small +kitchen. Here one of the boys was frying German bacon and eggs. + +It was not long before I had a very good meal, a little of everything. +In the German water bottles which were hung up along the walls we +found cold coffee, the aroma of which as it was heated was something +to be remembered. My menu consisted of bacon and eggs, jellied meat, +sausage, cakes and candies. There was also wine, mineral waters, +Spanish cigars and a large number of red packages of gold tipped +cigarettes marked "Puck." + +Needless to mention I brought a good feed back to my platoon. + +This German dugout we marked by sticking a Hun rifle and bayonet +upright on top of the parapet with a German steel helmet over the butt +of the rifle. We could see it from some distance, otherwise it would +have been very hard to have found this dugout again at that particular +time, as the ground was simply one mass of shell holes. You could +not place a table eight feet square anywhere in this locality where +it would not slide into a shell hole. As the sergeant was making the +landmark on the top of the dugout, I noticed the body of the Hun whose +photograph I had. This dugout was named the "Berliner House." The +following day we made it our company headquarters. It accommodated all +the men of our company who were not on duty. + +As I looked at the bodies of the Germans, who had been killed in the +attack, I remarked that they were all clean shaven. Their equipment and +uniforms were good and in first class condition. Large quantities of +small arm ammunition done up in cloth bandoliers were nearby and large +numbers of Mauser rifles lay here and there on the ground with the +jetsam of the battlefield. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: Communication trench.] + +[Footnote 2: Trench mats are usually 8 feet long by 2-1/2 feet broad +and are simply flooring boards about 2 inches broad which are nailed +about two inches apart to a strong scantling 3 × 3 inches thick.] + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE CALL OF THE MOTHERLAND + + +"Uncle, what are you going to do with that gun?" + +I turned around to discover my little niece, who had noiselessly +entered my den just as I had removed from the wall a Mauser rifle, +a souvenir of former campaigns in South Africa. My reply to her was +in these few words: "I am going to 'Hunt the Hun,' for England has +declared war against Germany." + +As I replaced the rifle on the wall, memories of my previous campaigns +arose before me and the chance of going on active service appealed to +me strongly. + +When war broke out between England and Germany, I was living in +Toronto, Canada, and was at that time an officer in an irregular corps +known by the name of the Legion of Frontiersmen. The men composing the +corps were chiefly veterans of other wars and ex-soldiers. All were of +the true fighting stock and each was imbued with the sole idea of doing +his bit for king and country. + +When I reached our district headquarters that same evening, I met a +determined lot of Britishers all eager to answer the call that we knew +would come from the Motherland. We held a meeting to discuss ways and +means and how we could best assist the mother country. We decided that +we should cable over at once to our commanding officer, Col. Driscoll, +in London, England. Col. Driscoll was the organiser and commanding +officer of the Driscoll Scouts in the Boer War. He had organised some +80,000 frontiersmen all over the British Empire. In response to our +cable, we had a reply from him in which he informed us that we would +have to go as infantry. The frontiersmen were trained as cavalry, so we +were a rather disappointed lot that we could not go as mounted troops. + +We therefore had to break away from the old organisation. I offered +myself and my men to Major General Sir Sam Hughes, who advised us to +join the Canadian Militia. This we did, and later on I received my +commission and at once began to drill and train the men as infantry. +This was not a difficult task, as nearly all of them had previous +experience. + +Eventually we were warned for overseas, but to my great disappointment, +I was held back to do further recruiting two days before sailing. I at +once began to recruit all over again, and my new battalion furnished me +with a few amusing little incidents. + +The men of this new battalion were a splendid lot taken from all walks +of life, but each full of the one idea--doing his bit for King and +Country. With such a gathering of men, you will always find some very +keen wits. + +I had occasion to remember one young fellow in particular named Duffy. +He was a very green recruit, and while on guard duty for the first +time, I happened to be passing his post. He stopped me and said, "Are +you one of those fellows I have to salute?" To this question I replied +"Yes." Then he wanted to know why he had to salute me! + +I gave him the desired information and passed on. I could see that he +was going to be an amusing character, and I had not long to wait before +I found this to be true. He was paraded before me one morning by the +sergeant. When I asked Duffy to state his business, he told me that he +wanted to give in his resignation, as he had changed his mind about +soldiering and he thought it only fair to give us a week's notice in +order that we could get a man for his place. He was very much surprised +to learn that he could not resign unless the medical officer would +certify him as being unfit. After this I noticed he was very often on +the sick list. + +One morning just as we were about to commence a long hike, he was again +paraded to me by an N.C.O. I asked him what he wanted this time, and he +replied with a very pitiable expression on his face: "Sir, I want you +to put me on fatigue work, I don't care how hard it is." I asked him +why he wanted to do this fatigue work, as Tommy generally does not like +this, and he replied, "Sir, I had a dream last night that if I went up +a certain hill, which we had to climb on this march, I would drop dead." + +My reply to Duffy was, "Well, we'll take a chance on it." So Duffy had +to go on the route march. + +The same evening there was a baseball match on the camp grounds. To +my amazement I saw Duffy playing with the team. He was running and +shouting as if his very life depended upon the outcome. When I had +an opportunity to speak to him, I said, "Well, Duffy, how about that +dream? I thought you would be a dead man by now, but I see that you +are very much alive." He replied, "Yes, sir, I came out better than I +expected." However, Duffy has climbed over more obstacles than a hill +since then, and is now the proud possessor of a D.C.M. + +A short time afterwards I went to Ottawa and had an interview with +the ex-Minister of Militia, Major-General Sir Sam Hughes, with whom I +had served in the same brigade in the South African War. I asked him +to allow me to proceed overseas with a view of transferring to the +Imperial Army. It was characteristic of the Minister to ask me when +I wanted to go, and I answered him, "As soon as possible, sir." He +then said, "Are you ready to leave to-morrow night?" I told him that I +could not leave to-morrow night, but could leave in one week's time. +I received the necessary documents, and a week from that date sailed +from Montreal on the S.S. _Metagama_. There were 81 officers and 3,000 +rank and file on board. The voyage was enlivened by the music of the +battalion bands. + +The trip across was also made interesting by boat and other drills. +After our first boat drill, as I was an unattached officer, I was +shown the place on the deck where, in the event of our being torpedoed, +I was to take up my position. As we neared the danger zone, everyone +was keenly on the lookout for the terror of the seas--the submarine. + +It was with a great sigh of relief that we perceived our escorts, two +small torpedo destroyers, steaming in our direction. They were soon +circling around us, and from that time onward everyone on board carried +life belts around with them, ready to put on at a moment's notice. +It was not long before we sighted land, and later on we docked at +Plymouth. The same evening I was in London, and was an eyewitness that +night of a Zeppelin raid. + +Few people on this side of the Atlantic realise the nature of a +Zeppelin raid. + +I can scarcely describe the horror I felt as the bombs began to descend +on their errand of destruction and murder. The searchlights began to +hunt the air for signs of the airships, and soon we heard the sharp +reports of our anti-aircraft guns along the Thames and also the big +guns at London Bridge. + +The roar of the guns was terrible, but nowhere did I see any fear shown +by the populace. Children cried out, but no one could blame them for +that. The streets were weirdly dark, and with the shaded street lamps +and the shrill whistle of the taxis everything seemed to be mysterious. + +We could not see the airships. They were so high up in the air that we +could not even see a speck in the sky. + +All at once the guns ceased to roar, and then the air raid was over. +Casualties were few. In one house, where a number of poor people had +taken shelter, the roof fell in and the building caught fire. Amongst +the killed was a young clergyman who had been preaching to the people +at this critical moment. At this house, the people had taken shelter in +the basement, which they thought was safer than their own homes. + +I was very much impressed with an old lady who kept a fish and chip +shop. Her establishment had been partially destroyed. One-half of the +window had been blown out and on the other half of the window was +displayed a sign which read "Damn the Zeppelins. To Hell with the +Kaiser. Fish and Chips as Usual." This shows the spirit of the women of +Britain. You can't beat morale like that. + +In this manner the Huns wage war, trying to weaken the morale of +the people. If they would consider for one moment the spirit of a +nation like England, who gave the dead crew of one of these destroyed +Zeppelins a military funeral, they would realise that a nation which +treats a dead enemy like this has a morale that can never be broken. +Incidents like the foregoing make the people more determined than ever +to push the war to a victorious and successful conclusion. + +The morning after my arrival I called at the Canadian War Office--the +Cecil Chambers, the Strand, London. I had a letter of introduction to +Major General J. Carson, who was then the official representative +of the Canadian War Office in England. I was there informed by Staff +Captain Oulster that the General was in France, and that he, the +Captain, could not tell me when he would get back. I therefore seized +the opportunity to go to my home town in West Cumberland, being +furnished with the necessary railway warrant. This I appreciated and +needless to say I was very pleased to visit the town of my birth, +although it was many years since I had left it. I still had friends +there whom I was as glad to see as they were to see me. Whilst there, I +had related to me the following incident: + +On the west coast of Cumberland there is a small seaport town named +Harrington, which is about four miles from where I was born. In this +little town there are a number of blast furnaces, and adjacent to the +furnaces there are some by-product works. The product made here is +used, I suppose, in the making of munitions. + +These by-product works had been erected several years ago by German +workmen, all the foremen and managers being also German. After the +work was completed many of these Germans remained in the immediate +neighbourhood. Nobody at that time thought anything about it, but +shortly after the war there was a rude awakening one morning. For +this little town was shelled by a submarine that had penetrated up +the Solway Firth with the object of destroying the by-product works. +However the attack was unsuccessful. + +It was discovered later on that the wife of one of our leading +citizens, who was herself a German, had boasted to her maid about the +cleverness of the Germans, who remembered the locality and returned +to destroy these works. It was due to the good common sense displayed +by this Cumberland girl, who reported the boastful German lady to the +authorities, that she was interned. This set the authorities moving, +and they discovered that all along the coast for many miles prominent +houses had been erected within recent years. All of them were occupied +and owned by Germans. It was a very simple matter for any one in these +houses to signal out to sea. However, I am pleased to say short work +was made of any German who was living in these houses. + +Later on I was pleased to meet two fellow townsmen of mine, both of +whom had won the V.C. whilst serving with the border regiment in +France. Another friend of mine that I met in civilian clothes, who, I +thought, should be with the colours, was a big strong looking young +man. When I rather angrily asked why he was not serving, he fumbled at +his throat and tried to speak, his face flushing at the same time. He +then drew out of his pocket a small slate and with a slate pencil wrote +on it these words, "I can't speak, Jim, the Hun gas has destroyed my +throat and tongue." + +He was in the first gas attack and got badly gassed, with the above +result. I don't know how to describe my feelings, but I felt proud to +shake his hand and the water was near to my eyes when I did so. Now +each invalided soldier is given a numbered button to show that he has +been on active service at the front, so that mistakes like mine no +longer occur. + +I also met a young officer who had been invalided from Gallipoli with +wounds, two of which were rather peculiar. One bullet had entered +behind his ear and traversed around his cheek, coming out just between +the eye and the bridge of the nose. The other one had taken the centre +of the forehead for a path. To use his phrase, the Turks had put a +permanent parting in his hair. + +After spending a few days at my home town, I journeyed back to London +but was informed again by Staff Captain Oulster that Major General +J. Carson was still in France. This was rather awkward for me, so I +asked Captain Oulster if he could give me the necessary letters of +introduction to take over to the British War Office. Captain Oulster +furnished me with the necessary documents, which I took over. + +A few days later I went before the medical officer and passed my +medical examination with flying colours. Finally I was given a +commission in the 12th Royal Warwicks, but before the commission had +been made out friends of mine interested themselves in my behalf and I +got over to France as an unattached officer. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +WE MOVE FORWARD + + +On the night of the 9th our Company Commander received orders to +establish a strong post, which was to consist of one company. After the +company had been inspected we moved out of our trench in sections about +100 yards' distance having the usual connecting files. + +It was raining very hard, but this was nothing new. We had to make our +way over ground that was literally a sea of mud and honeycombed with +shell holes and mine craters. One of my men slipped off the lip of a +mine crater and rolled down almost up to the neck in mud and water. He +was a Bachelor of Science and used to have various arguments with one +of the boys who hastened to his rescue. This argument had evidently +consisted of the rescuer's knowledge of physiology and phrenology. +Evidently the man in the crater had told in a previous argument on +these subjects that the rescuer's life was half lost because he did +not know anything on these subjects. I was very much surprised to hear +the man detailed for rescue shouting down the crater and asking our +Professor of Science if he knew anything about "Swimology" and the +answer being "No," the rescuer shouted down, "Then, by jabers, the +whole of your life is lost." + +After getting our professor out, we moved forward until we got our +position, 'way out in No Man's Land, where the men were allotted +their tasks. They at once commenced to dig by connecting up the shell +holes, thus making a fair trench without being exposed to the enemy +fire. During the time we were digging the Huns were sending up their +white flares, but as they were some distance away our party was not +conspicuous. Although the Huns did not know where we were, they had +the unpleasant habit of firing shells in most out of the way places. +So the men never relaxed their efforts, but kept digging away for dear +life, as they did not know how soon there might be a counter attack. +Eventually we got our work completed. We then posted sentries and sent +out a small patrol. The object of our strong post was to hold the +enemy in check, and thus give sufficient time for the troops in rear +to resist any counter attack that might be made by the Huns. During +the night everything passed off quietly and no counter attack was +attempted. The Germans had evidently had all the fight taken out of +them on that eventful day. + +At daybreak I served out the usual allowance of rum to each man. As +every man was wet and numb with the cold, the issue of this allowance +was very much appreciated. I would like to see the people that advocate +doing away with the rum issue take a turn in the trenches during the +cold and rainy season. I think that they would come away perfectly +satisfied in their minds that the rum ration under these circumstances +is essential for the welfare of the men. It is so easy for people at +home who have every luxury and comfort to sit down and criticise this +issue. People who have never had any hardships to endure like those +the soldiers in the trenches have will tell you that tea or coffee +will do equally as well, but from long experience we in the army know +different. I am a temperate man myself but I found benefit from this +small drop of rum. Now that I am not in the trenches I don't need it +and do not take it. The same applies to the majority of our soldiers. +The army does not encourage the men to drink, as the drunkard is given +very drastic treatment. We have no use for him. + +On the morning of the 12th of April as I looked over the recently +captured battle ground, I noticed that the railway construction troops +had completed building a narrow gauge railway, which ran from our +forward base of supplies at La Targette as far as Thelus, a very short +distance from where I stood. Little gasolene engines were busy hauling +up ammunition, which they distributed to the various ammunition dumps +that were located at considerable intervals alongside the track. At one +time we had large ammunition dumps; but we have learned from experience +that it is better to have a series of small dumps well separated, so +that if a shell from the enemy explodes on the dump, as it sometimes +happens, our loss is not so great. The shells are carefully laid on a +wooden flooring in little groups. Between each group is a layer of sand +bag partitions. From these points the shells are carried forward to the +different batteries on the backs of mules. + +The labour and pioneer battalions assisted by some of the infantry were +filling in the shell holes and clearing the debris to make new roads +for the mule trains and transports that were to bring up the supplies. +Along the Lens-Arras road men were clearing away fallen trees that had +been struck by the shells and lay across the road. Owing to the high +elevation of the ground our men could work both night and day without +being observed. + +The evening of the 12th we received orders to move forward and dig a +trench at a given map location some 1500 yards from where we were. I +was ordered to have my platoon dig in at a certain distance in front +of a high railway embankment. I carefully took my compass bearing +and, after each platoon had been carefully inspected by the platoon +commanders, we moved off in single file, marching at ease. We crossed +the Lens-Arras road, until we arrived and halted a short distance in +front of what was left of the little village of Thelus. + +This little village was now a mass of ruins. Our whole brigade +assembled there. At nine o'clock platoons started to move off +consecutively, and when our turn arrived we proceeded towards the +crest of the Ridge and passed over some of the late German trenches. +As we descended beneath the crest I noticed near me a thick concrete +German heavy gun emplacement. This gun and several others on the same +alignment had been captured by us and we were now using them against +the enemy. Our progress was extremely slow owing to the fact that on +the steep slope of the ridge was a dense growth of brushwood and shell +shattered trees. It would have been much easier for us to move along +the Lens-Arras road which for a distance ran almost parallel to the +route we were taking, but as this was under constant shell fire from +the Huns it was considered advisable to take a more difficult but safer +way. + +When we reached the bottom of the slope we came to a series of German +trenches recently evacuated by them. On my right we passed close to +what I took to be the ruins of a windmill. Then we came to a high +railroad embankment and, passing under a bridge, found ourselves in +open country. + +The Germans during this period were sending up their star shells +in abundance, the outline of the trenches was plainly to be seen, +searchlights were busy searching the sky for our aeroplanes, which +they thought might be passing over the lines in a bombing raid. + +Word was now passed along to me that our line was broken. I therefore +had to halt to allow those in the rear to catch up. I had set my +luminous prismatic compass and began to march on my bearing which I +eventually reached. Each man was allotted his task, which consisted of +digging an amount of trench equal to the length of his outstretched +arms. + +Owing to the difficult nature of the ground we had to march over, we +lost a great deal of time. As it was within one hour of daylight, we +had no time to lose to get under the necessary cover for protection +from the fire of the enemy. Some of the boys had brought with them +German shovels which they had obtained in the Berliner House dugout. +This was an improvement on the entrenching tool that every man is +supplied with. The latter, being very much smaller, is not as effective +as a shovel but is much easier to carry. It did not require much +persuasion on my part to impress on the minds of the boys the urgency +of digging in and getting under cover before daylight. + +In my platoon I had a big husky French-Canadian who was an excellent +soldier. Since officers do not carry entrenching tools I asked him +to dig a place for me alongside of him. The infantry Tommy as a rule +likes to take his time providing he is safe, whilst on a working party, +from the enemy's fire, but when he realises the seriousness of the +situation he can develop a remarkable amount of speed and energy. My +boys did not lack pep, speed or energy and they began to work with grim +determination. I handed over my platoon to the platoon sergeant for a +few minutes to see if the platoons on my right and left flanks were all +right, so that we would be able to connect up our trenches during the +day when we would be under cover. + +When I got back to my platoon I keenly supervised the boys at their +work, paying particular attention to the private who was digging a +place for himself and me. During this time I had two men wounded by +shrapnel. After having their wounds attended to they were carried out +on a stretcher to the regimental aid post. Although their wounds must +have been painful they were carried out smiling and in good spirits. +We were now under cover, so I issued the boys their tot of rum and +posted my sentries who, through their periscopes, were to watch for any +movement on the part of the enemy. + +About 8.00 A.M. we heard the sharp report of our anti-aircraft guns and +observed the white puffs of smoke that the shell emitted as it burst +around the German aeroplanes high up in the sky. All at once we noticed +aeroplanes manuvring in the air and observed a quick diving motion from +one of them which had opened fire on the one underneath, as the latter +plane fell to the ground in a mass of flames. Afterwards the victor +flew back over our lines, so we knew that another Hun aviator had +fallen a victim to one of our R.F.C. men. + +At midnight our field guns were brought forward and began to fire from +behind the railway embankment at the Hun trenches. It was not long +before the Huns started to retaliate with gas shells. The slight wind +that was blowing in our direction soon brought the vile fumes towards +us. Without a moment's delay every one put on his gas helmet or small +box respirator. We were then safe from the deadly gas fumes, but an +occasional German shrapnel shell would burst over our heads. The Huns' +artillery fire was principally directed against our artillery, but they +could not locate them. + +We were now expecting the Germans to make an attack and were all in +readiness to receive them. About 5.30 A.M., after being under the gas +shell bombardment for about five hours, the air gradually got clearer +and each platoon officer cautiously removed his gas mask to test the +air. After finding it safe, they gave orders to the men to take their +gas masks off. + +On April 14th the Huns had found out by their aerial service the +position of our trenches, so in the afternoon they started to bracket +fire our trench. That is to say, as they did not know the exact range, +they observed by aeroplanes or observation balloons the effect of +shells which their artillery had dropped first in front of our trench +and then in the rear. Gradually working inwards, they located the +trench. It certainly was an unpleasant feeling as these searching +shells commenced to come nearer and nearer. + +A private who had been sent up with a ration party the previous night +to take the place of a man who had been wounded, was in the line for +the first time. He got very excited when the Huns started to bracket +fire our trench and kept running up and down from one end of the trench +to the other until he was tired out. Finally he decided he would not +run any more and sat down to smoke a pipe. By this time the Germans +had succeeded in getting the correct range of our trench. They sent +over a shell which blew the poor fellow to pieces. + +Our S.O.S. signal had been sent back and the forward observation +officer was now alive to the situation. It was not long before we heard +the sweet music in our ears of the swish, swish of our artillery as the +shells passed over our heads on their errand to the German batteries, +which they soon located and silenced. + +The night of the 14th we were relieved and retired to a series of +dugouts situated just beneath the railway track. These dugouts had +formerly been occupied by the Huns when they had held the ridge. The +idea was that if the Germans should counterattack we would immediately +get over the top of the railway embankment and make it our line of +resistance. + +The dugout occupied by our company officers had evidently been a German +battalion headquarters, as it was fitted up with comfortable bunks +and had in the rear a beautiful kitchen garden in which all kinds of +vegetables were growing at one time. It was quite evident the Germans +had been living very luxuriously. About 6:30 the next evening, while we +officers were having our supper, a shell landed suddenly on the top of +the railway embankment. We thought that the Germans intended shelling +this point. + +As we hastily rushed through the doorway into the open, each officer +blowing his whistle for the men to come out of the various dugouts +along the railway embankment, I noticed that a working party from the +22nd French Canadian Battalion instead of going under the bridge had +passed over the embankment. The Germans had directed their fire upon +this party, inflicting several casualties. They then started to shell +along the embankment, killing two brigade machine gun company men in +the next dugout to ours. + +Later on I saw all my men located in the various shell holes. I then +took up my position alongside of my batman and stretcher bearer, +remaining with them until 3.00 in the morning. We were now so used to +the periodical shelling that we did not pay any attention to it. We all +felt like sleeping although it was exceedingly cold and rainy. Three +of us huddled close to one another for warmth, the stretcher bearer +lying next to me. He proved a most uncomfortable companion as he was +continually trying to rub his back against the stretcher. I had my +suspicions that I would soon be hunting something other than Huns. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +HUNTING THE HUN + + +For three weeks my battalion practiced going over the tapes for an +attack on the Cité St. Laurent, a suburb of Lens. The tapes were laid +on the ground to represent the trenches held by the Germans. Various +coloured flags were placed at the corners of the assumed streets and +these were named as we would find the streets when we made our attack. +The church of the town was represented by a cross made of tape. Our +battalion frontage was some 300 yards, and at some places we were not +more than the same distance away from the Hun trench. + +In order to reach our front line trenches we had to go through an +ingoing communication trench which ran partly on the outskirts of the +Cité St. Pierre and through the centre of the Cité St. Edouard. We had +already made a tour in the sector of the line from which we were to go +"over the top." As a result of constant artillery activities on both +sides we had many casualties. A great number of guns were in the Cité +St. Pierre and as far up as the Cité St. Edouard. Both forces strafed +incessantly. + +On the morn of the 14th of August we were told that the attack was to +take place on the morn of the 15th. "Zero Hour" was set for 4.20 A.M. +Everyone got busy getting things ready to move. All surplus kits were +returned to the quartermaster's stores. In the afternoon church service +was held and an excellent sermon was preached by our battalion padre. +Two hymns were sung during the service, "Onward, Christian Soldiers" +and "Nearer, My God, to Thee." Everyone's taking communion closed the +service. + +No. 1 sections of all platoons participating in the attack were +supplied with special wire cutters, which were an attachment to the +rifles. That evening about seven o'clock all companies fell in on their +respective parade grounds, where a thorough inspection was made by the +officers. One platoon per company remained out of the line as usual. +Each company commander took charge of his respective company, the +seconds in command remaining out. + +The Colonel gave us a little talk and said that we would be going into +the attack and that our work would partly consist of village fighting. +Everyone was expected to live up to the good reputation our battalion +had made. He then shook hands with each officer, all officers in turn +shaking hands with each other. One of my friends, when I shook hands +with him, told me he was going in for the last time. He really did not +expect to come out alive. I rather pooh-poohed the matter at the time +and it made me feel badly for him and rather nervous. Unfortunately his +presentiment came true. + +As the Huns were constantly shelling our back area, we marched off the +parade ground in sections at distances of 100 yards. When we arrived +at the Cité St. Pierre, which had previously been captured by us, and +as we passed through this Cité, where our Brigade Headquarters were +established in what had been a former deep German dugout, we were told +by one of the officers of Brigade Headquarters that the "Zero Hour" +would be 4.20 A.M. and that we were to go "over the top" at that time. + +As we followed the ingoing communicating trench, part of which ran +through the middle of the street, there were houses on both sides. +These the German artillery was constantly playing on, so bricks and +mortar flew in all directions. The few houses that had been left +standing were demolished as if they had been made of cardboard. You can +well imagine that when a shell hit anywhere near a house it made things +very unpleasant for those of us passing through these trenches. + +The platoon officer, who had preceded me, had evidently got out of +the communicating trench to see how his men were coming up from the +rear. When I passed him he was lying on the sidewalk. I did not think +at that time he was dangerously wounded as he waved his hand to me. I +could not stop to give him any attention for, although he was my best +friend, my duty was imperative and I had to lead my men onwards. I +therefore shouted for the stretcher bearer from his platoon and gave +the necessary instructions for his care. I regretted very much to hear +that he passed away in a few hours after receiving his wound. + +By the time we reached the firing line, which was directly in front of +the Cité St. Edouard (also a suburb of Lens), I had eight casualties. +Three men had been killed, and five wounded. The wounded had been given +every attention and sent back to the rear. The leading platoon was now +in charge of the platoon sergeant, a very capable man who had taken +charge of the platoon whilst in practice for this attack. All the +other N.C.O.'s had also been trained to do this, so that in case any +platoon officer became a casualty they would be able to carry on. + +As we arrived at the firing line the holding troops were "standing +to" on the fire step. We could thus pass along in their rear. Guides +were assigned to each platoon to show us the openings that had been +made in our barbed wire so that we could then get into No Man's Land +without being obliged to cut the wire. During this time the Huns were +incessantly sending up their star shells and other coloured rockets. + +I gave the necessary instructions to N.C.O.'s in charge of sections, +and then we crawled out through the barbed wire and got into shell +holes. The Huns at this time were firing "whizz bangs" and Minenwerfers +at our front line, these being short ranged shells. As the German star +shells illuminated the ground, I noticed that the barbed wire had not +been altogether destroyed by our artillery. This was probably due +to the fact of the close proximity of the two opposing lines, which +prevented our artillery from concentrating its fire as they would have +done if we had been further apart. It was for this reason that the No. +1 section of each platoon had been supplied with special rifle wire +cutters. + +At 3.45 A.M. I served the rum to the boys before "going over." It was +certainly a very dangerous job, as my batman and I had to crawl from +one shell hole to another to give each man his allowance. When a star +shell would go up I would be exposed but would try to screen myself +flat to the ground. I never wanted to appear so small in my life and I +thought all the time that I must have been as huge as an elephant. I +did not want to be "napooed" whilst acting as rum server, and if I had +to "go west" I wanted to go fighting at the head of my men. + +However, I served all out in safety and then crawled back to my shell +hole. I looked at my watch and saw that it was exactly 4.00 A.M. The +artillery on both sides was now less active. Dawn was just breaking; +a slight mist appeared. The men had their bayonets fixed and were all +ready and anxious for the signal to "go over." At 4.19 A.M. a heavy +barrage was laid on our front line and rear trenches. We knew then that +the Huns had anticipated our attack, and had by some means found out +our "Zero Hour." We were not able to move forward until the "Zero Hour." + +Exactly at 4.20 our artillery opened up, and as the shells passed +over our heads to the German front line they gave us a great deal of +satisfaction. At the same time mines that were previously laid beneath +the German trenches were exploded and great big cones of flames shot +up into the air. These pillars of fire appeared to be about twenty +feet at the base and forty feet high. I would think in my estimation +there would be about one hundred of these pillars of flame all along +the German front support lines. We were now "over the top" and were +advancing in two waves in extended order. The third wave was still in +the front line trench and would remain there until our barrage lifted, +when we would advance to our first objective. Then the third wave would +come out. + +When within 50 yards of our barrage I signalled to the men to take all +possible cover, which they quickly did by getting into the shell holes. +As I looked to my right I saw Lieutenant L---- at the head of what was +left of his platoon. He was leading them into their position. Blood was +flowing from his face and running down all over his tunic, but he was +bravely carrying on. Just as he was about to slide into a shell hole +with another man, who I presume was his batman, a shell landed close to +them. As the dust and smoke cleared away I noticed on the ground their +two dead bodies. Each one had answered his country's call. My friend's +presentiment had come true! + +Matters were now very exciting. The bursting of shrapnel and the crumps +of large shells were exploding around us. Every man knew that his life +depended upon his keeping cool. We were impatiently waiting for the +barrage to lift, as we were expecting to encounter the Germans out in +the open as soon as that happened. + +The German is a good fighter as long as he can rub shoulders with his +comrades. But when he gets to close quarters and is opposed to our +men with the bayonet he seems to wilt. Our boys have no difficulty in +putting him out of business then. I had a Russian in my platoon whose +boast was that he personally accounted for one dozen Germans and he +had notched his rifle, much against orders, twelve times. His ambition +was to get another dozen in this fight. He was in the next shell hole +to mine and was eagerly watching for me to give the signal to advance. +When I did give it, he went along, and I had little doubt, from the +look on his face, that he would get another dozen. + +I had lost quite a number of men, my platoon was very much diminished, +and the platoon sergeant had been killed. As our barrage lifted we +advanced and made a dash into the German front line trench, to find +nothing there except the mangled German bodies. We ran along the +trenches, but could not find anything. By this time our moppers-up +were in the trenches, so we left them to look after the dugouts and +immediately clambered out and made for the German second line. + +On the second line we encountered a number of Saxons. They all appeared +to be terrified and put up a very feeble resistance. I afterwards +learned through a prisoner that these Saxons were sent out in front +to resist our advance, and that the Prussian Guards had threatened +to shoot them from the rear if they showed any hesitation in going +forward. They were made to act as a buffer between us and the Guards. +They seemed to be quite young and boyish looking, and did not appear to +have any heart for the fight. + +During this time we were very much annoyed by the Hun aeroplanes which +were dropping bombs and firing their machine guns upon us from above. +I was glad to see two German aeroplanes brought down, for our aviators +were getting busy and there were numerous battles in the air. It was +not long until our boys had the air supremacy, and we were left in +peace from that quarter. + +As we advanced with our barrage, a German barrage of machine gun +bullets played around us as well as their shells. We got into Cité St. +Laurent and followed a German trench for some distance, then out again +until we reached what I took to be the church, now in ruins. + +We now got into a former German communication trench, called "commotion +trench" for obvious reasons. There was certainly some commotion here. +We had to fight our way up this trench, dodging German stick bombs +and rifle grenades, walking over dead German bodies, until we reached +our objective, a trench called Nun's Alley. At a certain point I +established my Lewis gun section so that they could fire up a certain +sector of a trench running at right angles to Nun's Alley, which was +originally part of the Hun's strong line of resistance. + +The battalion was so much reduced in strength that what was left of the +whole battalion was required to hold the front line. + +At noon the Germans retreated, but all day long their artillery as well +as our own was busy. A great deal of counter battery work was going +on. Shells were likewise being dropped along the sector of the German +trenches we had captured from them. At dusk as we were "standing to" +the Germans sent up a great number of coloured rockets, and suddenly +our outpost men who had been stationed in shell holes came in with the +news that the Prussian Guards were advancing in close formation on a +counterattack against us. Our S.O.S. was sent up and quickly answered +by our artillery. Just before their barrage opened up, we quickly +jumped out of Nun's Alley trench and got into shell holes. + +With the assistance from our artillery, and every machine gun and rifle +playing upon the advancing hordes of Prussians in close formation, we +mowed them down ruthlessly. What was left of them turned and fled. + +Until the night of the 18th we held the line, and during this time we +had four counter-attacks in one day. Our ration parties could not be +sent out, nor could we get our rations for two days. Our iron rations +were eaten by special permission from the commanding officer, and it +was only on the night of the relief that we were able to obtain more +food. + +I noticed the Germans had built some very good and deep dugouts in +Nun's Alley, but as we were liable to counterattack at any time, I did +not examine them. + +I was glad for the few men I had left of my platoon when the relief +took place, about 1.30 the morning of the 19th. They were all keyed +up to the highest pitch and keeping up on their nerves alone. They +had had no sleep while they were in the attack, so after giving all +information about the enemy to the platoon commander of the relief, we +got on our way back to rest billets. + +We did not delay and were soon marching away from the danger zone. The +nervous strain began to wear off the men, although they were dropping +from lack of sleep and fatigue. First one man and then another would +drop out. When we were about 800 yards from our rest billets I heard +a loud "hurrah! hurrah!" It came from the officers and men whose turn +it had been to remain out of the line. They had come to meet us and +brought along with them the Brigade Bagpipers, who immediately began to +strike up "The Campbells Are Coming" and "The Cock of the North." It +was wonderful, the effect this music had on the boys, who immediately +began to brace up and marched in very briskly. Our efforts and success +were appreciated, and it was not long until we all had a good meal that +had been specially prepared for us. And after eating the same, we were +soon in bed. + +In the morning I heard one of the men making inquiries about my batman. +I had missed him early in the fight but had been expecting him to +turn up at any time. To my consternation I was informed by a man from +another company that he had seen my batman's dead body in a shell hole. +I regretted this news very much, as he had been like a friend to me. He +had completed two years of medicine but like a great many more he had +answered his country's call and gave his life for the cause. + +The casualties of our battalion were four officers killed and six +wounded and 260 men killed and wounded. It was a very hard fought +battle but we gained and held all our objectives, inflicting terrible +casualties on the Huns. + +During the month of May one of our brigades made an attack on +Fresnoy-en-Gohelle. It was what we call a little brigade show. + +Fresnoy was three miles from Vimy station. At daylight early on May the +sixth, the brigade went "over the top." The German barbed wire had all +been cut by our artillery, so the Germans, anticipating the attack, met +our brigade with a whole German division. This did not stop our brigade +from advancing and closing with the enemy. In the little village of +Fresnoy, though greatly outnumbered, they fought with the Huns for a +whole day and night. + +All the troops on both sides were wearing their gas helmets, and it +was really a hand-to-hand struggle. Each one tried to tear the gas +helmet from his opponent. A gas helmet pulled off a man meant his +death, as the fumes were very thick. I later on spoke to an officer who +participated in this fight and he told me of some of his experiences. + +His eyesight had been rather bad previously. When he started to walk +over No Man's Land, in his haste to put on his small box respirator, he +lost his glasses and could not see very far in front of him. He led his +men more by sense of direction than by sense of eyesight, as he could +not see through his goggles without his glasses. He therefore had to +go blindly along until he fell down in a shell hole, where he remained +until the fumes had been dispelled. When he tried to crawl out of the +shell hole German snipers in front of him made desperate attempts to +pot him. However, he was fortunate enough to be allowed to remain +until nearly dark, when he was located and brought back to safety. Our +brigade suffered rather heavily in this attack, but we had the pleasure +of inflicting a greater amount of casualties on the Germans than they +had on us. + +One of the most sanguinary encounters that I was ever in happened +during the latter part of April. My company was doing duty in brigade +support line which was a captured trench we had taken from the Germans. +It was now being used by us as an observation trench. It ran along the +slope of the ridge, and from it we could see the smoke coming out of +the chimneys of the coal mines at Lens, about four and a quarter miles +away. A splendid view of the ground occupied by the Hun could be had, +as his trenches lay in front of us. One day about 4.30 P.M. we received +information that the Germans were assembling in a certain sunken road +with the view of making a counterattack. Our artillery had been given +instructions to concentrate their fire at 5.30 P.M. upon this road. +Excitement ran high in our trench and we were all anxious to be at the +Huns again. Everyone that could was looking through periscopes and +some peered over the top of the parapet as we eagerly waited for our +artillery to commence. + +At 5:30 P.M., much to our surprise, our artillery did not open up. We +suspected that the Germans had by some means found out that we knew +they were assembling for this counterattack and that they therefore +gave up the idea. + +That even at dusk we prepared to advance, but during our stay in the +observation trench we had five casualties in our company. We were to +occupy a lately evacuated German trench which was directly in front of +our firing line. The battalions on our right and left flank also had +to move up. At 10.00 P.M. we left the observation trench and were met +by guides from the battalion which was then holding the sector of the +front line trench that we had to pass to get to the recently evacuated +German trench, now to become our front line. With my guide I led my +platoon in single file for a distance of 50 yards past the firing line. +All at once the Germans commenced to bombard us with gas shells. We +immediately put on our gas helmets and advanced through these poisonous +fumes. When we were within 200 yards of our objective the Huns put +up what we call a box barrage. They had evidently been warned of our +advance. + +A box barrage is shell fire directed along the rear and both flanks. It +hemmed us in, although the flanking fire did not harm our company, as +it was too far away from us, still the fire from the rear was gradually +creeping up to us, and it was a very anxious and trying time for our +nerves as it came gradually towards us. I shouted out to form line in +extended order and we made a rush for our objective, which we had named +"Winnipeg trench." We managed to get into it in the nick of time, as +the creeping barrage was almost on top of us. + +[Illustration: A Dog Used to Carry Messages in the Trenches + +These dogs are fed only by their own keepers and must not be petted by +the "Tommies," so that they will carry messages only to their masters] + +We had lost about sixty men of the company during this advance, so we +had sent up our S.O.S. signals. The artillery answered immediately by +commencing to play a drum fire, or intense bombardment, upon the German +artillery and trenches. It was not long before we had silenced their +guns, as we must have sent over ten shells to the one of the Huns'. +During this period my stretcher bearer had been kept very busy, and I +had to send for additional stretcher bearers so that I could have the +casualties attended to. My casualty report showed eight men killed, two +missing, fifteen wounded. + +I left the trenches. One officer and seven men were granted ten days' +rest, I being the lucky officer. We left the trenches at midnight and +went to Sains-en-Gohelle. I arrived here and found busses all ready to +transport the men to the Railhead. We were conveyed to the Railhead +and then entrained, detraining at Boulogne. From there we marched to +Ambleteuse, a distance of ten kilometres. + +Here were gathered together, I should judge, about 10,000 troops--all +under canvas. Imperials, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and +Maoris were in the camp. + +There were several Y.M.C.A. marquees and during our short and pleasant +rest we were entertained by some of the most celebrated actors and +actresses from England who had come over to offer their services free. +It was very much appreciated by us and we thanked the Y.M.C.A. for +their cordiality in giving us such a pleasant time. + +Ten days passed all too quickly and we entrained at Wimereau, a short +distance from Ambleteuse, amidst the cheers and waving of handkerchiefs +by the girls of the W.A.A.C. (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps). There are +over ten battalions of these girls in France, all doing their bit at +the bases. + +We left Wimereau at 1.30 in the afternoon. Every car in the train was +packed to full capacity. Sometimes we were travelling at the rate of +about thirty miles per hour, then we would slow down to five, depending +upon the grade. + +We arrived at Hasebrouck about 4.30 in the afternoon. We heard the +reports of exploding shells and bombs as we approached the station, +and as we looked out of the windows of the train we could see the +French inhabitants fleeing out of the city. The Germans were shelling +and bombing the town. I could see fires here and there in the +neighbourhood. Our train slowly pulled into the station and stopped. +Every window was occupied by the officers and men who were anxiously +looking out at the fires and the damage that had been done by the +German shells and bombs. + +A friend of mine whom I had met at the rest camp was in the next +compartment to mine. He remarked to me that he did not mind the +shelling so much if the civilian population were out of danger, and +added that in his opinion he thought that we were quite safe. Suddenly +a shell struck a tree not more than thirty yards away from us and a +splinter glanced off and struck the railway train. I heard then the old +familiar cry of "stretcher bearer," "stretcher bearer on the double," +and an R.A.M.C. Sergeant came running over to our car. As I jumped out +of my compartment, I went into the other one. There to my horror my +friend was lying unconscious. Blood was flowing freely from all parts +of his body, and as I helped to place him on the stretcher he passed +away to the Great Beyond. In another car five N.C.O.'s were wounded +from fragments of the same shell, so I could shake hands with myself on +being fortunate to escape without injury. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +TRENCH ROUTINE + + +The war establishment of an infantry battalion is about 1,046 men +divided into four companies. There are four platoons to a company, and +four sections to a platoon. + +The platoon is the smallest unit in the field. It is often said that +this is a platoon or junior officers' war, and I believe this is quite +true. I must mention something about the organisation of this compact +little unit. + +As previously stated, a platoon consists of four sections. Taking +for example an average strength of 49 O.R. (other ranks), a suitable +organisation would be as follows: + + Platoon Headquarters: 1 Officer + 1 Platoon Sergeant + 1 Officer's Batman + 1 Stretcher Bearer + 1 Cook + + No. 1 Section 1 N.C.O. + 9 Riflemen + 3 Snipers + 1 Scout + + No. 2 Section 1 N.C.O. + 6 Rifle Grenadiers + 3 Carriers + + No. 3 Section 1 N.C.O. + 2 Scouts + 8 Lewis Gunners + + No. 4 Section 1 N.C.O. + 10 Bombers + +Sometimes each section may wear a different coloured cloth armlet, +so that you can tell at a glance what section a man belongs to. The +platoon commander has at all times to look out for his men's comfort +first--is own comfort and safety being a second consideration. + + +EQUIPMENT OF AN INFANTRY SOLDIER WHEN GOING "OVER THE TOP" + +1 Steel Helmet which seems to him to weigh a ton when he is marching +out of reach of shell fire, but when under shell fire, he thinks it is +as light as a feather and he wishes it were much heavier and bigger. + +1 Iron Rations. A small, white bag containing 3 hardtack biscuits, a +tin of bully beef, sometimes a tin of mixed tea and sugar. + +1 Small Box Respirator or gas mask, at the alert position. This is +lying flat on his chest. + +1 P.H. or Smoke Helmet. This is a spare gas helmet, which is out of +use, but is perfectly effective, and may be used if the small box +respirator is damaged. + +1 Haversack. This is fastened on the back of the man. D-shaped buckles +are provided on the Webb equipment to allow for this. + +1 Rubber Sheet. Fastened on the outside of the haversack. + +220 Rounds of Small Arm Ammunition. + +2 Mills Bombs per man. Ten bombs to bombers and rifle grenadiers. The +latter have grenade cups, and copper rods about 12 inches long which +are screwed into the base of the Mills bomb and are fired from a rifle. + +1 Ground Flare and Matches. + +1 First Field Dressing. + +2 Identification Discs. + +1 Mess Tin. + +2 Water Bottles, filled with water. + +1 Jerkin. + +1 Entrenching Tool and Handle. + +1 Wire Cutter. Usually the riflemen have wire cutters attached to +their rifle. There are about seven men supplied with wire cutters in a +platoon. + +1 Rifle and Bayonet. + +Besides the above, during the cold and rainy weather each man takes a +turn to carry the jar of rum, extra rations and bombs. Tommy is pretty +well loaded down by the time he has all his equipment on him. Sometimes +he may have to carry two extra bandoliers of cartridges. + +There are four battalions to an infantry brigade and, like the company +system, one of these four battalions in its turn is out for rest and +training behind the lines. During this time the other battalions are +taking their turn in the trenches. + +The battalions may be in the trenches for ten days. No fixed time is +allotted as we have found out by experience that the Germans somehow +or other learn the night and time of our relief and they then open up +their artillery upon us. Consequently when we go into the trenches, we +never know how long we are going to remain there. We might make a tour +of say ten days, three days in the support line, two days in the front, +two days in the reserve, then back again for another three days in the +front line. It all depends upon brigade headquarters staff, who order +operations for relief before the battalion takes over the trenches from +another unit. The relief takes place under cover of darkness. + +The battalion that is relieving the one that is in the trenches is met +by guides from the battalion to be relieved at a rendezvous point. +There is one guide for each platoon. He conducts them separately and in +single file to the part of the line that they have to occupy. Platoons +are widely separated if going over open ground. As the incoming +platoons enter the trench, they line up directly in the rear of the men +who are to be relieved, who are "standing to" on the fire step with all +their equipment on. On the command "stand down" the relief takes the +place of the outgoing party. + +It is usual to have one officer per company accompanied by some +N.C.O.'s. One day before the relief takes place the actual conditions +and situation must be ascertained. If the communication trenches are +good this is often done in daylight. The trench stores are taken over +by an officer who checks them up, but does not sign a receipt until the +relief actually takes place. + +All information of value such as the name of the opposing force, +whether they are Prussians, Saxons or Bavarians, the whereabouts of +their machine guns and if there was much activity shown on the part of +the enemy, description of their S.O.S. signal, if known, is passed on +to the relieving force. + +If the enemy trenches are close to ours we may run a little narrow sap +extending from our fire trench in the direction of the enemy. Great +pains are taken to conceal this sap. The excavated earth is placed in +sand bags and carried some distance away. At the end of this sap, which +may be 3 × 4 feet, we make a cutting sufficiently large to accommodate +two men. As a rule the men in this sap, or listening post, as it is +commonly called, are connected with the sentry in the fire trench by a +long, strong cord. Signals are pre-arranged to give silent warning of +any movements on the part of the enemy. + +The duties of these men are very exacting and great caution must be +observed. They must listen for any underground mining or hammering on +the faucet of gas drums. Consequently this is very important work and +a great deal depends upon the coolness and intelligence of the men in +the listening post. As the work is very nerve racking, reliefs usually +take place every hour. A platoon officer may accompany such relief. + +The platoon officers on duty have to make up several reports such +as: weather report, showing strength and direction of the wind, and +situation report, stating particulars of what may have been seen of the +enemy, the number of shells fired in our direction, also any results +noted from the firing of the German rocket signals. There is also +a casualty report showing the number of casualties during the day. +Another report is made out for the shortage of equipment, ammunition, +bombs, etc. + + +TRENCH ORDERS + +1. Duties--(a) One officer per company and one N.C.O. per platoon will +always be on duty. + +(b) By night the officer and N.C.O. on duty will frequently patrol the +trench line, to see that the sentries are alert and to inquire whether +they have any information to report about the enemy. + +(c) The N.C.O. coming on duty will go around and post new sentries with +the N.C.O. coming off duty. + +(d) The length of each tour of duty will depend on the number of +officers and N.C.O.'s available in the company. Normally, each tour +should be, by night 2 hours, by day 4 hours, day commencing at morning +"stand to" and night commencing at evening "stand to." In inclement +weather it may be advisable to reduce the tour to 1 hour. + +(e) N.C.O.'s after posting sentries will report "All correct" or +otherwise to the officer on duty. + +(f) The officer on duty will be responsible for sending in the reports +required by battalion headquarters, unless there is anything unusual to +report, when this duty will be performed by the company commander. + +(g) Men will be warned for duty by the platoon N.C.O. on duty. This +will be done at evening "stand to." + +(h) On being detailed for duty, a man will be informed at which hours +he will come on duty. + +(i) When possible to do so, notice boards will be placed in each +platoon's trench, on which will be pinned, daily, all orders regarding +working parties, and a list of the men in the platoon, giving the time +at which they will come on sentry and other duty. + +(j) Except under special circumstances, such, for instance, as a sentry +being killed or wounded, no sentry will be relieved by another man +unless the relief is properly carried out in the presence of a N.C.O. + +2. Sentries--_By Night_--(a) Sentries will be posted every 2 hours, +except under bad weather conditions, when the length of the tour of +sentry may be reduced. + +(b) From evening "stand to" till morning "stand to" one sentry to every +three or four bays in the fire trench will be posted. If wiring or +digging parties are out in front, or listening posts are numerous, this +number may be reduced. + +(c) The next relief will remain within reach of the sentry. + +(d) Every sentry is to be regularly posted by a N.C.O., who will +explain to him his duties and the front to be watched, and ascertain +that the sentry and his relief are aware of the position of the section +and platoon commanders, the sentries on either side, and whether there +are any patrols or working parties out in front. Should there be +salients in the line, the sentry will be carefully instructed, so as to +avoid any possibility of him firing toward his own trenches. + +(e) By night or in places which have the reputation of being +_dangerous_, _i.e_., where enemy are suspected of mining, advanced +posts, etc., no man should ever be posted alone. There should be either +a double sentry post, or the next relief should rest within kicking +distance of the sentry. + +_By Day_--(f) The number of sentries required depends on the proximity +of the enemy's trench line and whether a good view to the front can be +obtained, _normally one to every four bays is sufficient_. + +(g) Every sentry will be provided with a periscope. + +(h) Well protected "look out" posts for sentries will be built along +the front trench line. + +(i) Sending Out of Patrols--Patrols will never be sent out without +definite orders as to what is required of them. Patrols will go via a +listening post (if such exist). All listening posts will be warned of +the strength of the patrol and the approximate hour of departure and +return. Word will be passed quietly along the line of sentries that a +patrol is out in front. + +(j) As little challenging as possible will be done by sentries, and +then only in a low tone of voice. + +The battalion quartermaster, who usually holds the honorary rank of +captain, has charge of all rations and equipment for his battalion. +He is assisted in this duty by the battalion quartermaster sergeant, +who in turn very often goes to battalion advance headquarters with the +rations. During the daytime at battalion rear headquarters or horse +lines the quartermaster supervises the distribution of the allotted +quantity of rations that is required for each company. All company +quartermaster sergeants being present, they in their turn see that +their company's amount of rations is safely delivered to the transport +officer. The transport officer at night has his small ammunition carts +or transports take the rations as near to the support line as is +possible, the company quartermaster sergeants going with him. From that +point ration parties from the respective companies meet the company +quartermaster sergeant, who sees to the proper delivery of the ration. +In addition the party may have the mail, ammunition, or any shortages +of equipment that may be required, after which each quartermaster +sergeant reports to his company headquarters for orders. + +In the trenches we often have papers only two or three days old, and +the news from them is literally devoured. As this is the only means +by which we can find out how the war is going on, all newspapers and +periodicals are looked on with great favour in the trenches. + +My sergeant reported to me when we were in the front line trench that +Private Johnston had swollen feet. I went over to a shallow dugout +where I found Johnston with his boots off. One foot in particular was +very much swollen and blue. It had been raining hard since we were in +the trenches. As we would stand down off the fire step, we would be in +mud almost up to our knees. Trench knees were very prevalent at the +early stages of the war. At present it is almost a crime for a man to +allow himself to get it. Trench feet are caused by the extreme cold due +to dampness; and not only dampness and cold, but to the inaction of +the feet brought about by the heavy claying nature of the ground and +the weight of the water surrounding the man's boots and legs. It was +found that a warm layer of air between the foot and the outer covering +was absolutely necessary if trench feet were to be avoided. An oiled +silk stocking has been recommended to be placed next to the skin and +looser boots and loosened puttees are considered necessary when in the +trenches. At present we have long rubber boots that the boys wear when +they occupy the trenches. They are considered trench stores and remain +there. + +A batman is chosen by an officer to act as his orderly; his duties are +many, and wherever the officer goes while in the trenches his batman +accompanies him. The higher the rank of the officer the easier the work +for the batman and the less the risk, although there are exceptional +occasions when a commanding officer takes as much risk as the junior +Lieutenant under him. When a platoon officer leads his platoon "over +the top" his batman goes with him; he therefore takes the same risk as +the other men in the platoon, but he has several privileges that the +private has not, such as: after he has attended to the requirements of +his officer when out of the line he may spend the balance of his time +as he deems fit, he is exempt from sentry and fatigue duties, and as a +rule he has a good standing with the boys. + +Whilst in the trenches, we receive reports giving us information +regarding the movements on the part of the enemy, and also describing +the number of shells that the enemy has fired at us and the number +that we have fired in return. We also receive a communique that gives +us information as to what has happened on the various sectors of the +line, and also the result of any battles or raids that we have been +participating in. By this we learn how we have been progressing along +the whole of the frontage we have fought along. + +[Illustration: A Tank in Action] + +The splendid attack on April 9th gave us possession of the entire Vimy +Ridge with the exception of its extreme northwest point. This the +Germans held on to stubbornly and were not finally ejected until +April 11th. Southward the British passed on down the backward slope +of the ridge and seized Farbus and its woods. On April 12th, our army +being fairly established on the ridge Sir Douglas Haig pressed home +the attack upon Lens. On that day and the following day, despite bad +weather, the advance was steadily continued. The villages behind the +ridge, Vimy, Givenchy, Angres, Bailleul, Willerval, were taken one +after the other and our lines began to close in upon Lens from the +northwest. One factor which contributed to our success was undoubtedly +the co-operation of the tanks which accompanied the advance. The first +appearance of the tanks caused great excitement amongst us, as it also +caused consternation and dismay amongst the Germans. + +The tank is a factor of the great war and is emblematic of Britain's +purpose, slow but relentlessly sure. It lumbers out over the waste of +No Man's Land toward the German line, mowing down the enemy with its +deadly machine guns and is undeterred by the rifle or machine gun fire +of the enemy. It goes crashing on to and over the enemy trenches, going +down one side of the shell or mine craters, and up the other, trampling +down the strongest of barbed wire entanglements, trees, etc. + +As this monster goes on, few Germans are brave enough to face an +advancing force. In our advance on Lens the artillery preparation was +so perfect that the wire barriers were everywhere swept aside. The +German high command made a desperate attempt to divert our advance on +Lens by a heavy counterattack along the Cambrai-Bapaume Road, which was +delivered by about four divisions. We repulsed it, taking 300 prisoners +and inflicting a casualty of some 10,000 of which 1500 were killed; our +success was largely due to the artillery. + +All officers and men look forward to the delivery of the mail. In +the early stages of the war, it was a very common practice for both +officers and men that had no lady relatives to write to the "Agony or +Personal Column" of one of the London daily papers, asking for some +lady to correspond with them. The ads would read, "Lonely Officer, +or Lonely Soldier, would like to correspond with some Young Lady +for period of War." Invariably a _nom de plume_ and designation of +battalion were used, and the result was that a large number of letters +were received. + +I remember a young officer who put an ad in the paper, and for some +days there was no result. The officers all began to tease him and I +think he regretted having informed us what he had done. However, one +day the mail corporal brought three full mail bags all for the "Lonely +Officer." Things began to look lively. He was now in a dilemma. Could +he read and answer them all before he would have to go in to the front +line? It seemed a stupendous task. He had a few volunteers to help him +to read his correspondence, but no one was willing to answer it. For +three weeks afterwards there were no letters, then one day Brigade +Headquarters post office sent word that there was a transport car +coming along with Lieutenant K.'s mail. The car was completely loaded +down with his correspondence, so they wished to know what he wanted +done with the balance. It was not long afterwards that correspondence +from the Agony Column ceased. + +The censoring of the mail is sometimes very amusing. Yet it has its +pathetic side. I censored a letter from a boy to his mother. He had run +away from home, and enlisted under an assumed name. He just had begun +to realise that if he was killed in action, his mother would never +know, so it was a very penitent son that sent a very loving letter to +his mother at home. The war brings out all that is best in the "boys," +though some of them are sad rogues as they vow eternal love to many +girls at the same time. No harm is meant, I am sure, it is probably to +break the monotony of the life in the trenches. Some of the letters +have quite a number of crosses on them, like this xxxxxxx, denoting +kisses, and probably stuck away in one corner we will see one small x +with "For the Censor," marked above it. + +The reason why all letters in France are censored is to prevent any +information of military importance reaching the enemy. + +While out at rest our battalion received orders from brigade +headquarters to prepare a small raiding party with the object of +putting out of action a German machine gun that had given the troops +that were then holding the line considerable trouble. + +Aerial photographs and map location of the small sector of the German +line where the machine gun emplacement was located had been sent us. I +was detailed to take charge of the party and was given instructions to +destroy this machine gun emplacement and if possible to bring back some +prisoners for purpose of information. + +I selected ten men including one sergeant and one corporal and for +three days we practiced for this raid by going over the tapes and also +making use of some previously dug trenches, so that every man would +know exactly what part he would take when the actual raid would be +pulled off. + +These men were equipped just as they would be when the actual raid +would take place, four men were armed with rifles and bayonets, the +others were armed with bombs and knobkerries and in addition all had +their wire cutters. + +It is usual for us and also the enemy to have a narrow zig-zag +passageway through the barbed wire entanglements to afford us an +exit for a party going out into No Man's Land. Our battalion scout +officer the night previous to the raid had been out doing special +reconnaissance along the sector of the German line that we had to raid, +and while he was crawling along the edge of their barbed-wire he had +discovered the opening. This very valuable information I had received +from him. + +The second night we were in the front line trenches I received orders +that I was to make the raid that night. + +I gave the sergeant the necessary instructions to have the men prepared +and ready to leave our line at one A.M. Part of the instructions were +that the men were to have their faces blackened and a small white chalk +mark on the front of their steel helmets. On the back of each man was +a small piece of bright tin about two inches in diameter, fastened on +their tunic. + +Notices had been sent to the units on our flanks that a raiding party +was going out at one A.M. + +Two hours' time was allowed us to accomplish this. I took my compass +bearings and at one A.M. led the boys in single file through our +barbed-wire entanglements into No Man's Land. + +The German barbed-wire entanglements were about two hundred and fifty +yards away from us. I headed right for where I estimated the opening +in the German wire entanglements would be. + +As the German flares went up we would try to get into shell holes if +possible before they burst. We were not very conspicuous as long as +they were bursting ahead of us. The great danger of being observed was +when the flares burst behind us. + +Our progress over No Man's Land was very slow. Not a word was spoken. +I signalled back as pre-arranged to my boys by throwing small clods of +earth to the man in rear who passed back the signals to those behind +him. + +In a previous counterattack the Huns had lost this part of No Man's +Land. The result was that quite a number of German dead lay on this +particular sector unburied. This was due to the continual artillery +activity on both sides. + +As we reached the middle of No Man's Land, I raised my head carefully +above the lip of a shell hole while a German white flare was up. To my +consternation I saw what was evidently a German battle patrol coming +crouching through their barbed-wire. I counted in all twenty-five men. + +Things looked ominous for my party, as they outnumbered us over two +to one. I had no desire to go back, without accomplishing my mission. +Neither did I wish to engage my men in personal conflict with such odds +against them. So I sent my scout with a message to the officer who was +on duty in our sector of the line and informed him what I had observed. +At the same time I asked him to pass the word along to open up a +machine gun fire at a point that would get the approaching Hun battle +patrol. + +It was with mixed feelings of pleasure that I heard our Lewis guns +open fire in the required direction, and I had the satisfaction of +seeing the approaching Huns beat a hasty retreat, leaving a number of +dead and wounded behind them. We waited for what seemed to be hours, +in reality it was only fifteen minutes, and then we crawled carefully +forward towards the German barbed-wire entanglements. The Huns in +their somewhat hasty retreat had forgotten to haul in their white tape +line and this was the means that guided us through their barbed-wire. +As soon as I got almost through the barbed-wire, I immediately jumped +up, my boys doing likewise, and made a rush for the German trench. + +Here I discovered a German sentry in the act of loading a pistol +to send up a flare. He was so taken by surprise and fear that he +immediately held up his hands, mumbling "_Kamerad_." We at once gagged +him. As previously arranged my party divided in two, one-half going to +the right under my command and the other to the left in charge of the +sergeant. We had no time to lose as their trench mortars might open up +at any moment. + +I surprised a machine-gun crew and quickly put them out of business +with a few Mills bombs. On the left my sergeant surprised and captured +two prisoners. We then quickly got out of the trench, pushing our +prisoners ahead of us as we crawled back over No Man's Land. By this +time the Germans had discovered the result of our raid and began at +once to send up their white flares with great rapidity. In addition +their "flying-pigs," "fish-tails," "rum-jars" and "Minenwerfers" made +things very lively for us in No Man's Land. Our prisoners were just as +keen to reach our trenches safely as we were. However, we had to remain +out on our stomachs in No Man's Land until the white flares had ceased +to go up with such rapidity. It seemed a lifetime for me since I had +left our trenches, and I began to wonder if I would ever get back to +them again. As I heard some of my men moan, I knew that they had been +hit, but I knew that our stretcher bearers would soon be out to give +them their required attention once we got safely back to our line. + +We slowly wormed our way back, and it was very sweet music to my ears +to be challenged by our own sentry as we approached the trench. I made +myself known, and very soon we were all in and gave the necessary +information for stretcher bearers to be sent out. Our casualties were +one killed and two slightly wounded. + +The information gained from the prisoners was of great importance. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +BEHIND THE LINES + + +All front line infantry units in France are, like gypsies, moving all +the time. It is seldom we are out at rest at the same place twice +inside of six months. Rests are named according to the units that are +out of the trenches for that time. Battalion rests may be for seven or +ten days; brigade rest may be as long as two weeks; division rest may +last one month. + +We call the time we are out of the line rest, but in reality we have a +strict period of training to undergo. At the same time there is a great +deal of amusement, without the danger attached to it that we have when +in the trenches. + +The boys may start P.T. and B.F. (Physical Training and Bayonet +Fighting) for one hour. Then squad and company drill until noon or, if +an attack is to take place in the near future, they may be practicing +for the same by going over the tapes. In the afternoon they may be +given lectures, rifle practice, bombing, or Lewis gun drill. This may +continue until about 4:00 P.M., and then they are dismissed for the +balance of the day. + +The Y.M.C.A. usually has moving picture theatres nearby for the benefit +of the troops in that vicinity. Football, baseball and boxing also play +a prominent part in keeping the men fit. In the evening there may be +a good concert given by the Y.M.C.A., probably winding up by a church +service. Thus the spiritual welfare of the boys is looked after. Spare +moments are spent writing letters. + +During one of our rests at the little village called Villers-au-Bois, +the Town Major, who was a captain in one of the Imperial battalions, +after he had his staff get our officers and men the necessary +accommodation, informed us that the Middlesex battalion had been in +these billets a short time after the First Expeditionary Force had +landed in France. + +When the First British Expeditionary Force landed in France, some +famous regiments came over with it. Among these were the Middlesex +regiment and the famous Scotch regiment, "The Black Watch." As the +Black Watch marched through the small French village, the following +dialogue took place between two old Frenchmen who saw them approaching. +The elder of the two turned to his companion and said in the patois +of the region: "Then it is true that Angleterre has no men! So she is +sending out the womans to fight!" The other Frenchman replied: "No, +no--they are not womans--for they have got moustaches." "_Sacré_, +_Sacré_," replied his friend, "I have it! This is the famous Middlesex +regiment." + +During our rest at this small village, we had Canadian corps sports, +which were organised by the Y.M.C.A. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th +divisions had all their representatives. The latter division had only +a few units in the field, but it seemed to pull down the most honours. +This division has since been broken up and used to reinforce the other +four. Major-General Currie and his staff were present, as were all the +Canadian troops that were out of the line and not on duty. Our sports +consisted of running, short and long distance, baseball, and football, +the usual athletic performances. It was here that I saw Tom Longboat, +the famous Indian runner, compete, but he was beaten for first place in +a five-mile race by another Indian. + +About six o'clock the same evening I noticed our observation balloons +were up. These balloons were about four miles behind our trenches and +three miles or so apart. They were taking advantage of the very clear +weather for observation purposes along the German lines and back areas. + +It may not be out of place to describe an observation balloon. This is +a captive balloon fastened sometimes to a motor truck by long stout +ropes, and may be hauled along the road, if the Germans commence to +shell them with their explosive shells. The balloon is composed of one +elongated ballonette, inflated with hydrogen or some other kind of +light gas. A second internal ballonette is inflated with air, which is +required in order to maintain the shape of the balloon. By means of +the keel at the end, the balloon is oriented to the wind. On a clear +day the observation balloon rises to a height of 200 to 400 yards and +remains up for several hours, being occasionally pulled down to relieve +the observation officer who takes his position in the _nacelle_ or +basket beneath the balloon. From there he reports enemy movements by +telephone to headquarters. + +I was watching an aeroplane flying very high in our direction and, as +our anti-aircraft shells were bursting beneath it, the little white +puffs of smoke of the shells' burst indicated to us that the aeroplane +was a Hun machine. Nothing seemed to daunt the aviator and as he +hovered over the observation balloon on my right I heard his machine +gun firing. A few bombs were dropped and the balloon took fire. + +The observation officer in the meantime had jumped out of his basket. +He began to fall through space until his parachute opened. Then we +witnessed a thrilling race as the burning balloon and the officer +in his parachute began to descend to the ground, pursued by the Hun +aviator who was using his machine gun on the unfortunate observation +officer. Luckily the observation officer got safely to the ground. + +The next target of this daring Hun aviator was the observation balloon +in front of where we were standing. The observation officer immediately +jumped out of his basket and got safely down to the ground. The Hun +aviator, however, destroyed this balloon and then retired back to his +lines, evidently having used up all of his bombs. He came back an hour +later and destroyed a third balloon, but this time his daring was +nipped in the bud as he was brought down by one of our anti-aircraft +shells somewhere near one of our rear support lines. One of his hands +had been shattered so that he was unable to manipulate his levers. +The boys had no sooner taken him prisoner and got him clear of his +machine than the German artillery opened up and with a shell blew his +aeroplane to pieces. It must be understood that our aeroplanes cannot +be everywhere at the same time. They had evidently gone on a mission to +some other locality and the Huns had probably been aware of this fact. +Hence the audacity of this aviator. + +Later the same evening I was walking along the Villers-au-Bois and +Carency Road when I heard the drone of an aeroplane behind me. I turned +round and saw an aeroplane flying very fast and low. I was at that time +in the centre of the road. On both sides were tents occupied by the men +of an artillery battery who were also out at rest. Suddenly I heard +three loud reports and knew at once the Hun was dropping bombs. As I +imprudently glanced up in the air I could see the aviator leaning over +the side of his plane and the Maltese Cross on the wings, as he turned +his machine gun upon the tents around me. The observation officer was +firing what we called a "chaser" bullet. These bullets at dusk or +night show a reddish streak as they travel through the air, giving the +aviator an idea of the direction of his fire. There is usually one +chaser bullet to every five cartridges. However, this aviator was soon +brought down by our anti-aircraft picket, which was waiting for him. As +he was flying low they had no trouble in bringing his machine down. + +In the early part of July I arrived at a little place called +Bully-Grenay. This town had a population of about 2,000 and was almost +four miles from Lens. We had to be very careful how we approached it +as we were within easy shelling distance from the Germans as well as +easily observable by them. This town had not suffered very much from +shell fire. One of our Majors, whose turn it was to remain out of the +line, had been sent with an advance party to see about our billets. I +was left behind in charge of the rear party with instructions to have +all billets cleaned up that we had occupied so that the next battalion +that came in would find them all right. + +Later on, when I reached this town, I saw the Major surrounded by a +crowd of women. I approached to see what was the matter and then saw +one woman gesticulating and shaking her fist at the Major. He, poor +fellow, could not understand the reason of this unnecessary excitement. + +After saluting, I asked him what was the matter. He informed me that +the Town Major had given him the names of the various civilians who +could accommodate officers and men, and as this lady's name was on the +list he had asked her to clean up her room for an officer. She had +resented this very much, as she thought her rooms were extra clean. The +Major's poor French had evidently been misunderstood. I spoke to the +lady in French and tried to smooth matters over. She kept a little +store which was named "_Le Pauvre Diable_" or "Poor Devil." + +After I had bought a few postcards Madame told me that I could have the +room. She also informed me that the Germans often shelled the railway +station which was not more than 150 yards away from her store. + +That same afternoon we were informed that our battalion was coming out +of the line. As it is customary for us to buy extra rations for the +boys when they come out of the trenches and as I was secretary of the +canteen, the Colonel authorised me to have something good ready for +the tired and weary men when they would arrive at about 3:00 A.M. in +the morning. A sufficient number of names had not been given of the +civilians who had accommodation for officers. Therefore, the battalion +being short of one billet for an officer, I volunteered to give up my +billet to this officer when he should come out of the line. I therefore +told my hostess I would be obliged to leave, saying that Lieutenant +S---- would take over my room. Madame would not hear of this, insisting +upon my accepting her room. So she and her daughter slept downstairs. +Later on, when the battalion arrived in the small hours of the morning, +and after each officer had seen that his men had received a good meal +and all been accommodated properly in their billets, they in turn had +something to eat, afterwards going to bed. + +There was very little to do the next day, but we had three men wounded +as they were in the street near the railway station. The Huns were +aiming at this station in the expectation of probably hitting some +French coal and ammunition trains as they came into it. The following +night as I lay awake in bed I could hear a whistling noise as the +German shells passed over our house. I judged they were going in the +direction of Les Brébis, about half a mile beyond Bully-Grenay. + +Suddenly, when everything was quiet, I heard a loud explosion. A crump +had struck the railway station. Madame from downstairs shouted to the +other officer and me that there was no danger as the Germans were only +firing at the usual target, the railway station. + +On July 10th, as we were out on our training ground practising for +an attack, we observed some German aeroplanes. But our anti-aircraft +pickets had also observed them and soon drove them away. + +In the afternoon as we marched back to the billets, I noticed that +during our absence several batteries of artillery had come into +this little town and were then busy firing at the Boche line. When +I returned to my billet that evening Madame told me that one of the +guns that had been firing was situated in the rear of her house. This +appeared to frighten her very much. + +About 2:00 A.M. in the morning we were all awakened by a very loud +explosion. All the window panes were blown out and the glass of the +small conservatory was smashed to atoms. Madame, in a very excited tone +of voice, shouted to us to come downstairs at once, not forgetting to +bring our gas helmets. We went outside to see about our men's safety, +then returned. After dressing very hastily we descended the stairs and +were led by Madame and her daughter to the cellar which was rather +shallow, not more than ten feet deep and about ten feet wide. There +were some provisions stored in the cellar and in the corner a small +stove and a coal bin, a few chairs and a bed. + +In the course of conversation Madame informed us that her husband and +another daughter had been prisoners in the hands of the Germans since +1914. At the time they had been taken prisoners they had been on a +visit to Lille. They were returning to Bully-Grenay when they were cut +off by the Germans. She had not received any news and did not know +whether they were alive or dead at that time. There are many families +in France in this predicament, and the torture of these poor people is +quite pitiful. + +The shelling ceased about daybreak and I was glad to get out of the +cellar, as it really afforded very little protection. If a shell had +struck the house one was liable to be killed by the falling masonry. +Lieutenant S---- and myself went over to the billets that our men were +in and found them all safe, after which we returned to our own billet. + +The inhabitants of little villages and towns near the firing line +all take risks of this kind. Many of them are killed, but they seem +to cling to their homes whilst they have a possible chance to do so. +The children when they go to school carry gas masks, which they use +when required, as they never know when the Germans will send over gas +shells. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE "BULL RING" + + +Near a certain town "somewhere in France" there is a large training +ground that is called the "bull ring." Here men from the Imperial, +Canadian, Australian and Newfoundland Forces are trained and instructed +in the various branches of the service. + +The "bull ring" is about two miles square and is divided into sections. +Each section is allotted for the purpose of training a large number +of men in special branches of the service such as bayonet fighting, +physical training, bombing, trench warfare, musketry, wiring, machine +gunnery, topography, military engineering and the use of the gas mask. + +The training for the gas masks is very simple. Each man is trained +to adjust his mask in a few seconds. After that he is tested, with +the gas mask on, by going through a small hut that is filled up with +lachrymatory gas about four times the strength of any gas that the Huns +would be likely to send over. + +During the summer of 1917 the camp contained about 80,000 men of the +first British Army. In the morning each depot battalion would send its +men to the "bull ring" for training. They would usually arrive about +8:30 A.M. and would work up till noon. Then would break off to fall in +again probably about two. After that, an hour and a half was devoted +to lectures, etc. They would be marched back again about 3:30 P.M. to +their respective headquarters. + +The training camp was admirably arranged, as it brought in close +contact the soldiers of the Commonwealth and the Dominions with those +of the Motherland. + +Discipline plays a very important part in the training of the soldier. +Great care is taken to teach the men to salute properly. The officers +in turn must return the soldier's salute in the prescribed manner. +Each officer salutes his senior. A well disciplined battalion is easily +recognised by the smart manner in which the members salute. + +The men must be shaved every morning, shoes shined and buttons +polished. Everything about them must be spick and span. They must also +appear in full fighting order. Standing steady in the ranks must be +strictly adhered to and all movements in drill must be done with snap +and precision. The small box respirators and P.H. helmets (gas helmets) +are often used during the P.T. and B.F. (physical training and bayonet +fighting). We also march on the training ground wearing small box +respirators and P.H. helmets alternately. This accustoms the men to the +use of the gas helmet. + +Boxing plays a prominent part in the training of our soldiers, and is a +great help in the bayonet fighting, as it teaches the men the quickness +of eye and movement, which is as essential for a good boxer as it is +for a good bayonet fighter. + +One of the many games that is a source of amusement and very popular +with the boys is known by the name of "McGrady." It is very simple but +it affords the boys a great deal of pleasure. The instructor forms the +men in a circle around him, each man being armed with his rifle and +bayonet with scabbard on. He then explains to them this very simple +game which gets their interest and also causes them to concentrate +their minds. The instructor will then say, "McGrady says, '_Do this_'" +and he then makes a point with the bayonet, all his class doing the +same. + +If, however, he says, "McGrady says, '_Do that_,'" he will probably +make a short point and no one must move. If any man has made a short +point he must come out in the centre, take the instructor's place and +try to catch someone else off his guard. It is just the difference in +the words "This" and "That," and all depends upon the cleverness of +the instructor in being able to tell the tale to divert the men's +minds and be able to catch them off their guard. + +Many of the soldiers who were undergoing training here had been wounded +and, after being passed as physically fit for the front again, were +trained with men who had never been up the line. + +In some cases they were given instruction by an instructor who had +never been in the front line. Now when a soldier is wounded his name +appears on the casualty list. He is allowed to put on his left sleeve +a narrow gold stripe for each time he has been wounded, and the Tommy +is very sensitive about taking instructions from anyone who has not +these stripes. One incident that was brought to my notice will show how +sensitive Tommy is as to whom he has instructing him. + +A certain sergeant, who had been gassed at Ypres, had also been +fighting in various other battles but, luckily for him, he had never +been wounded. Therefore, he could not wear the stripe. He was giving +instruction to the class on gas drill. Nearly all the class were +wearing a gold stripe for wounds received. + +I was in the lecture room when the sergeant commenced his lecture, but +subsequently I was called away for a few minutes. Upon my return I +discovered that the lecture was practically at a standstill. All the +Tommies had turned their backs on the sergeant and would not listen +to him. They thought he had never been up the line and they resented +very much taking instruction from one who, in their opinion, had had a +bomb-proof job. I asked the sergeant what was the matter, and he told +me that he thought his class was under the impression that he had not +been up the line. I therefore allowed him, before proceeding with the +lecture, to relate some of his experiences at the front. After that he +had no further trouble with that class. + +After a certain length of time training at the "bull ring," the men +are drafted and ordered to go up the line to reinforce battalions at +the front. I was given charge of a draft of 200 men. The men selected +were duly warned to fall in on the following morn at 7.00 A.M. at their +respective parade grounds. They were all delighted and, as most of +them had never heard a shot fired, they were anxious and keen to go up +the line. By 7:30 the next morning I had inspected the men carefully. +Afterwards they were inspected by the adjutant and the colonel. Each +man, I may say, had his full fighting kit on. + +After a brief speech by the Colonel we marched to the railway station. +As we approached the station the French soldiers, who were guarding the +German prisoners that were working on the railway tracks, sprang to +attention and shouted, "_Bon Voyage, Bon Voyage_." When I arrived at +the station the railway transport officer met me and pointed out the +cars that we were to occupy. There was a canteen at the station run by +some English ladies, who were serving the men with cakes and dainty +slices of bread and butter and tea or cocoa. The ladies were all very +refined and were not paid for their services. They seemed to take a +great deal of pleasure in making the soldiers happy and contented. + +As we would proceed along the railway and approach a nearby town the +little French children would shout out, "_Bon Voyage, Bon Voyage_, +Bully Beef, Bully Beef, Biscuit, Biscuit." + +Our boys would throw them out the rations, which would be picked up +quickly by the poor French children. Upon arrival at the railhead each +man would turn in all the extra food he had not eaten and would then be +marched to the depot to be assigned to billets for the night. In the +morning the various drafts would be sorted out and sent to reinforce +their fighting units. + +Here is an incident that occurred whilst I was in charge of a party +at the "bull ring." A sergeant was giving a lecture on musketry to a +class. He began in this strain: "The rifle is a soldier's best friend +on active service." After that he described the length of the rifle, +the length of the barrel, the muzzle velocity, the calibre of the +ammunition used, the width of the lands, the depth of the grooves, +and the mechanism of the bolt. He began to describe the care of arms. +To emphasize his point, he repeated: "The rifle is the soldier's best +friend and I want you to _treat it as such_. _Treat it as you would +treat your wife_. Rub it well over with an oily rag." This caused a +decided grin on the faces of the married men in the ranks. + +We take great pains to train our men in machine gunnery. A barrage of +machine guns on any part of the line is always dangerous to the enemy +and is advantageous to us. Usually a barrage may be laid at distances +from a thousand to five hundred yards. The cone of fire is very deadly, +but when it gets as near as five hundred yards the trajectory, being +flat or low, is then dangerous to us if we stand up, so that we have to +be very careful how we work under it. + +No soldiers in the world are fit to cope with the British soldier +in bayonet fighting. Their training is intensive, and a man must be +physically fit in every respect to be good at this element of warfare. +A good boxer is usually a good bayonet fighter, and I notice that in +the U.S. National Army there is great attention being paid to boxing as +a means of making the men proficient at this game. + +I remember an amusing incident which took place in the "bull ring." +We had our bags suspended from horizontal bars by strong cords. These +cords had a thin piece of twine tied between each bag. The bayonet +fighters were placed in a trench, and at the word "Go," they had to run +a distance of about fifty yards, jump over another trench, and make +a lunge with a bayonet at the bag. One man, who did not notice this +twine which was between the bags, made his lunge, then ran between the +bags and did not stoop. The twine caught him right on the point of the +nose, taking all the skin off it, and throwing him back into the +trench. He could not realise how he had been thrown there, and it was +only after he had been assisted out of the trench and was led up to the +bags that he believed he had not been assaulted by some of his fellow +soldiers. He said afterwards he never noticed the string between the +bags. + +[Illustration: Bayonet Exercise at a Training Ground Somewhere in +France] + +Particular attention is given to all musketry instruction. This subject +is always interesting to lecture on. I was giving a lecture one day +on what we call the use of combined sights, which is only used when a +platoon or company fires at a range of a thousand yards or over and +they are not sure of the exact range. For instance, if I wanted the men +to fire at a given target, I would give a fire order as under:-- + +No. 1 and 2. Platoons at 1050. + +No. 3 and 4. Platoons at 1150. Five rounds rapid fire. + +I do not use the term yards, because it is understood that 1050 means +1050 yards and 1150 means 1150 yards. We would thus have a range of a +hundred yards between each platoon's fire, so we would be almost sure +to get the enemy in the intervening range. + +I was taking my class in instruction and asked each man in his turn to +give "Fire Order." I was rather surprised when I heard a voice describe +very minutely the target, but giving the range as follows:-- + +No. 1 and 2. Platoons at half past ten. + +No. 3 and 4. Platoons at half past eleven. Five rounds rapid fire. + +I looked round at my pupil and asked him if he meant No. 1 and 2 to +fire at half past ten, and numbers 3 and 4 at half past eleven. He +said, "Yes, sir. You gave your fire order 10:50 and 11:50." I then +had to explain to him that my order meant yards, not time, and that +his time scheme would give the enemy time to retreat to Berlin before +firing commenced. + +Physical training or, as it is called in the army, P.T., is the first +thing that a soldier has to undergo to make him fit for the arduous +life of a soldier. + +One of the soldiers who was at the "bull ring" was a rather stout block +of a man. His comrades called him "Shorty." He weighed over 200 pounds +and his flesh was very soft, and when at P.T. I heard him groan many +a time when he had to get down on his hands and feet, stretch himself +full length without allowing his chest to touch the ground, and then +raise himself up and down on his hands. Poor "Shorty" must have been in +physical torture, but we had to reduce him in flesh, and he was game. +When he had to lie flat on his back, and raise his feet into the air, +keeping his hands on the ground without moving the body, it was very +trying. It looked simple and it is simple, but when a man weighs over +200 pounds, raising the feet from the thighs upwards and keeping the +other portion of the body level on the ground is no sinecure. However, +"Shorty" stuck to it. Then we had races one day for money prizes. +Someone asked "Shorty" to enter the race. He said, "Yes, all right, I +will, if I can get the limit in your handicap." This was assented to, +and "Shorty" entered. + +When the time for the race arrived, he came out on the track in his +canvas slippers and a pair of old khaki overalls. Everyone laughed at +the idea of "Shorty's" running in this race. Certainly his appearance +was against him as a sprint runner. I asked him how he fancied his +chances were in his heat, and he said, "Fine, sir, I can win easy." I +believed him, although others laughed uproariously. + +When the heat was ready to be run, just as they were getting on their +marks, "Shorty" shouted out, "You fellows behind can get a good view of +me as I break the tape." "Rats, Rats," his fellow competitors shouted, +"get on your mark." + +When they were all on their marks, the starter told them to get set. +"Shorty" got down in a very professional manner. He had made two small +toe holes in the ground, and with his body bent to the ground he was +all ready when the pistol went off. "Shorty" was away like a shot out +of a gun. + +Run! Why he seemed to fly for a short distance! All at once he slowed +down and placed his hand to his side, but all the same he painfully got +home first. Then he collapsed. The other runners were all curious and +could not understand how he had beaten them, but he laid it down to the +physical training, expressing grave doubts as to whether he would be +fit for the final. The final heat came along, and "Shorty" turned out +in his overalls. Somehow or other he had managed to dig up a pair of +running pumps and he sprinted around on them quite lively. Eventually +all the competitors got on their marks, but just before the starter got +them away "Shorty" shouted out, "Halloa, you fellows in the rear, have +you any news to send to your friends? Because if you have I would like +to carry it along for you." + +This time there was a growl from the other finalists, who told him that +he would see their dust. After a lot of badinage they all got set, and +the pistol cracked. "Shorty" came home an easy winner, looking around +at the other competitors. He could have given a start to any one of +them and beaten them badly. + +Later on we found out he was an old time champion sprinter. + +In the training for "bombing" many people think that baseball players +are the best men for this kind of work. This is not so. The man who has +been used to bowling at cricket is the better man. Bombs are thrown +in what we would call a lobbing or overhead throw. I have seen many +baseballers throw the bombs in the same manner in which they would +throw the baseball, and have in a few instances seen their shoulders +dislocated in throwing. The cricketer on the other hand had the natural +and easiest manner of throwing the ball. Great attention should be paid +to bombing. + +Every soldier should have the rudiments of learning in this branch of +the service, as it is essential that all soldiers should learn to read +a map and be able to draw a sketch of any trench or sector of the line +which they may occupy. + +I remember examining some sketches that had been made by men who had +been given an outpost scheme in which they had to place what we call +our sentry groups, picquets, etc. One sketch that was submitted to me +showed a tree here and there on the sketch, but nowhere could I see +anything that looked like a road or even like an outpost. I had the +sketcher brought to me and asked him where his outpost was. His reply +was rather staggering. He said, "Isn't it true, sir, that outposts +must keep under cover, so that no one can observe them." I said, "Yes, +certainly, that is true, but still I cannot see your outposts." He +said, "No, sir, it is under cover, I did not put it on the paper as I +did not want it to be observed." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE RED CROSS AND THE Y.M.C.A. + + +What is the Red Cross? + +It is the world's international ideal of mercy. It knows no bounds of +racial, religious or political separation. Wherever and whenever war, +pestilence, storm, flood or disaster has wrought suffering, want or +distress, there it has gone and brought relief, with the ready hands of +unselfish aid. + +Who first organised relief for those wounded, sick, or neglected on the +field of battle? The Knights Hospitallers first had the idea, which had +its birth in the Hospital of St. John at Jerusalem. Although driven out +of the Holy Land by the Moslems, this institution re-established itself +at Malta and is still in existence. + +What nation first organised such relief? Great Britain, during the +Crimean war, sent Florence Nightingale in 1854 to the hospitals of +Scutari. When Miss Nightingale with thirty-eight other nurses reached +Scutari she found pest houses, rather than hospitals, with open sewers +beneath the buildings. Contagious cases were taken in by the thousands. +So successful was Miss Nightingale in bringing order out of chaos that +she is recognised to-day as one of the greatest individual organisers +of war relief. + +Who first conceived such service on an international basis? + +Henri Dunant, a Swiss physician on the battlefield of Solferino, +Italy, in 1859 organised a group of volunteers to help administer to +the wounded. At that time great confusion and consequent inefficiency +prevailed because of the multiplicity of relief flags. As a result of +these experiences and under the inspiration of the work of Florence +Nightingale, Doctor Dunant formulated the first proposals for an +international organisation to care for the sick and wounded in time +of war. He suggested two years later to the Geneva Society of Public +Utilities a single and uniform hospital flag for all nations. In +1864 an international conference of 14 nations was held in Geneva, +Switzerland. The outcome of this was the treaty of Geneva, known as the +Red Cross Treaty. + +What in brief does the Red Cross Treaty provide? + +That hospital formations and their personnel should be treated +as neutrals. That each nation signing the treaty should have an +association of volunteers to assist and supplement the medical services +of its army. But the emblem of service coming to all nations should be +a cross of red on a field of white. This emblem, which is the Swiss +flag with the colours reversed, was adopted in recognition of the fact +that Dr. Dunant was Swiss and that the Red Cross was founded at Geneva. + +What is the Red Cross doing in France for the soldiers? + +There are two distinct phases of Red Cross relief work for soldiers +on duty. The operating of rolling canteens and the maintaining of +stationary canteens back of the fighting line is one. It is a most +daring yet essential work, this of operating rolling canteens. Often a +soldier leaves the trench utterly exhausted. The rolling canteen goes +right down to the communicating trenches, where the soldiers passing in +and out receive their quarts of steaming bouillon or coffee in winter, +and cold drinks in summer. + +At junction points on the French railroads troops going on leave from +the battle front often have to spend hours waiting for trains. Since +there are probably not more than half a dozen important junctions and +an average of 20,000 men pass each one per day, only a small fraction +of them could be accommodated. Formerly thousands had to sleep in the +open, often in the rain. These men come from the fighting zone tired, +hungry and infected. It is for such emergency that the stationary +canteen is conducted. At the canteen the men can obtain at cost price +substantial hot meals that have been prepared by the ladies. They can +have hot baths and get their clothes cleaned and sterilised, so that +they take the train refreshed in body and spirit. As the number of +soldiers in France grows, the canteen will necessarily become a greater +factor and will be most potent in maintaining the morale of our army. + +If you can't go to war, you can pay to alleviate the sufferings of +those who are fighting. I want you to take an imaginary journey over +the battle front with me. + +We are now in the midst of the most fierce fighting of this great war. +Think of the worst earthquakes and floods that would shock you at home, +multiply the horror of your impressions a hundredfold, and you will +come near to the horrors of the Marne. Multiply this a thousandfold and +you have the ferocity of the battles of the Ancre and Somme. At the +present time we are in the midst of the great big battle of the war. + +Think of the devastation by fire in France, where villages and woods +and pasture lands are completely wiped out of existence. Not a house, +church or tree is left standing where once there were thousands of +families living in a condition as prosperous and happy as anywhere in +the world. Think of the ruins by floods and shell fire in Flanders, +and think of the stench of thousands of carcases, human and animal, +poisoning the atmosphere for miles around for those who must stay in +the trenches. Then turn your mind to some great engagement and try to +realise long trenches of men, writhing in torture from poisonous gas or +liquid fire, of soldiers smashed and disfigured by shell wounds, their +lacerations as indescribable as their heroism is undaunted. If you +think of these things, you will not refuse to pay your contributions to +the Red Cross. For the Red Cross relieves this suffering. + +Now leave the trenches, and retire behind the firing line with me. +Here we are on roads that are lined with men on stretchers--some dead, +scores mortally wounded, hundreds and hundreds of casualties in all +states of collapse. The middle of the roadway is filled with dozens +of ambulances after every action. There is perhaps a mile's length of +hospital trains waiting in the siding to convey the wounded to base +hospitals. + +And all this purgatory of pain is dependent for relief upon the skill +of our doctors, the tenderness of our nurses, the efficiency of our +equipment; all of which means is dependent upon the generosity of the +public. + +May I not take it for granted that, just as the fighting manhood of +the United States is soon to be with us in the trenches, so you of the +Red Cross who have done so much for us in the past are now eager to be +mobilised in the Allied Army of Mercy. I assume that your organisation +is coming with us in increased numbers, and with increased equipment, +if necessary to the mountains above and around Salonika, to the Plains +of Egypt, to East Africa, to the waterless waste of Mesopotamia, to +France, Flanders, and Italy. + +I have left untouched all the work of caring for the homeless and +starving population now being daily released from the bondage of over +three years' servitude. It is, of course, for your great hearted public +to decide whether and when and how they can best intervene in this +area of human desolation. I can, however, specify in detail a few of +the objects in which your money can usefully be spent. We have base +hospitals running into hundreds in France and England, advance base +hospitals and special hospitals for convalescents, for cripples, or the +blind, for face cases and homes for the permanently disabled. We have +hospital ships on the English Channel, in the Mediterranean, on the +Adriatic and on the Tigris. We have hospital trains in England, France +and Egypt; hundreds of motor ambulances in all our theatres of war, +with repair cars and other necessary equipment. There are thousands +of doctors, nurses, orderlies, etc., to be clothed and fed. There are +canteens of Red Cross men, rest homes for nurses, worn out by hard +work and ceaseless activity. We provide, of course, hospital clothing, +drugs, dressings all in enormous quantities for equipment and reserve. +These reserves are for ever being replenished at an ever rising price +and cost. + +When a man is wounded the Red Cross is immediately with him. + +The stretcher bearer takes him from the front line trenches to the +regimental aid post, where the battalion or medical officer is +stationed. The next step leads to the advanced dressing station. +Sometimes during a battle this may be the Y.M.C.A. hut. At the advanced +dressing station he passes out of the hands of his regiment into the +care of the R.A.M.C. (Royal Army Medical Corps). Here he may stay in a +farm house, barn or a bomb-proof structure. + +From here he will be taken by an ambulance a few miles away to a +field ambulance station. This station may be in huts or tents, and is +probably receiving wounded from four or five dressing stations. After +that the wounded man goes to the casualty clearing station and finally, +if the case is bad enough, to the base hospital. When he is fit to move +again, he will be placed on board ship and brought over to a hospital +in England. As he slowly recovers he is taken out for pleasant drives, +and everything is done to make his time in the hospital pass quickly. +The attention given by the Red Cross nurses is simply splendid and it +is no wonder that the boys often sing the song, "I don't want to get +well." + +A kind old lady was visiting one of the hospitals in England. She was +shown through a ward, where a number of wounded soldiers were lying +in bed. Being of an inquisitive turn of mind, she asked one of the +soldiers how he felt. His reply to her was, "I am not so bad, Lydy." +She then asked him if he had accounted for many Germans, and his reply +was: "I dunno, I did my best." + +She then went to the next cot and asked the soldier in it the same +questions. His reply to her first question was: "I feel damn rotten." +This did not appear to shock the old lady, as she had previously heard +of some of this kind of soldierly language. However, she was not +deterred, and asked him how many Germans that he had accounted for. +His reply was very startling. "When I was in my first attack, I was +very savage, and all at once my pal, Bill, shouts out, 'Shike your +bynet (bayonet), Tom! Shike your bynet, Tom! You have got five of the +Bleeders on.'" + +The old lady left the hospital highly delighted with the prowess of the +cockney soldier. + +The Y.M.C.A. is doing wonderful work for the boys at the front. It +not only looks after the spiritual, moral and physical welfare of the +boys, but it also provides amusements and sports, moving pictures and +good concerts in which the fair sex are represented by a few of the +boys dressed up in very attractive and lady-like costumes. The reason +boys are substituted for the part of girls is due to the fact that no +ladies are allowed to come within the danger zone. However, we try to +fool ourselves into believing that these imitations are the real thing, +and at a distance they certainly look it. But your illusion is quickly +dispelled on a closer examination of their hands and feet, which are +too large and muscular for pretty young girls. + +The Y.M.C.A. officials give good advice to the "boys" at all times. +Here they are supplied with pen, ink and note paper to write home. +In one particular Y.M.C.A. that I visited I noticed an inscription +which read as follows: "Write home to Mother to-day. She is anxiously +awaiting your letter." + +The officials of the Y.M.C.A. have not always what we call a +"bomb-proof job"; that is to say, one that is immune from shell fire. +In the town of Bully-Grenay, a distance of four and one half miles from +Lens, the Y.M. C.A. officials occupy a house in which they have a club +for officers. A short distance from it they have two large camouflaged +tents for the boys. The Boche very often shells this town, and the +inhabitants who still persist in remaining there, together with the +Y.M.C.A. staff, are in constant danger. One day a shell exploded in the +garden of the Y.M.C.A. Officers' Club. It broke every window in the +building near by, and a large piece of the shell is hung over their +counter as a memento of the occasion. + +It was in this town Captain Campbell, our quartermaster, and his batman +were killed by a German H.E. shell (high explosive). Captain Campbell +was quietly eating his dinner in a room of his billet, quite close to +the Y.M.C.A. + +There is a town called Lievin about two miles from Lens, which, +previous to the war, had a population of over twenty-two thousand +inhabitants. It was taken by the Germans who held it until the month of +April, 1917. We recaptured it from them at that time. Nothing remains +of Lievin at the present time but a few bare walls here and there to +show that a town existed at one time. In the middle of one of the +streets we had a support trench. In the basement of a large building, +close to a corner which we called "Whizz Bang Corner," on account of +the number of shells that the Huns fired in this locality, was the +entrance to the Y.M.C.A. hut. + +This particular Y.M.C.A. had been used as a regimental aid post for the +wounded. We had several batteries of our artillery in Lievin, so it is +needless to say that strafing was going on continually between them and +the enemy. + +Under the circumstances you will see that it is unjust to think that +the Y.M.C.A. secretaries hold down "bomb-proof jobs." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SOME TRENCH SONGS + + +When the singing soldiers of the First British Expeditionary Force +marched to the slaughter at Mons in the fall of 1914 singing +"Tipperary," they established a precedent which the troops from all +parts of the British Empire have maintained. The Canadians were quick +to learn the value of songs to fighting men, and some of the many they +have given voice to in Flanders are here set down. Most of the parodies +were acquired from that redoubtable soldier, Tommy Atkins. Some of them +are the invention of Canadian soldier-minstrels. + +When the first Canadian division landed in France they marched to +Armentières singing, to the tune of "Marching Through Georgia": + + "Hurrah, hurrah, we'll get you, Kaiser Bill; + Hurrah, hurrah, your cup of joy we'll spill; + The day that you have toasted will be hell let loose when we + All go marching through Germany." + +Moving west from Fleurbaix to Ypres they sang to the air of "Good-Bye, +My Bluebell," as they marched:-- + + "Good-bye, old Germany, farewell to you, + You'll have no Kaiser when the war is through. + You'll have no army, no shot and shell, + Good-bye, old Germany--and go to----" + +There they switched--to please the padre--and chorused gleefully:-- + + "You're in the army now, + You're in the army now, + You son of a gun, you'll never be done, + You're in the army now." + +What happened to the first Canadian division at Ypres during the two +weeks following the first gas attack made by the Germans (April 15-22) +is an old, and glorious story in the annals of Canadian bravery. The +Highland brigade went into the blood-drenched salient to the lilt of:-- + +"Sing a song of bonny Scotland." + +They sang little during the slaughter-pregnant, fight-full days and +nights which followed; but at the first halt following their departure +from that section of the line (May 5-15), one brave heart sang:-- + + (Air--Sing Me to Sleep.) + + "Far, far from Ypres, I want to be, + Where German snipers cannot get me; + Think of me crouching, where the shells shriek, + Praying for sergeant to sing me to sleep." + +During the fierce fighting at Festubert, towards the end of that month, +they had learned the trench classic:-- + + (Sung mock seriously.) + + "I want to go home, I want to go home, + The bullets they rattle, the cannon they roar, + I don't want to go up any more. + Take me over the seas, + Where the Alleman' cannot get me, + Oh, my, I don't want to die, + I want to go Home." + +About that time they realised that there was little good in the jam +issued to the troops in the field, so they joined in with the soldiers +of the Imperial Army when those cheery fellows sang:-- + + "Tickler's Jam, Tickler's Jam, + How I love old Tickler's Jam; + Sent from England in one pound pots, + Packed it is in ten ton lots; + Every night when I'm asleep, + I'm dreaming that I am + Forcing my way through the Dardanelles, + With a pot of Tickler's Jam." + +Next month they dared to carol (from the "Duck's Bill" salient at +Givenchy) with "Fritz" only forty yards away:-- + + (Air--Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy.) + + "Keep your head down, Alleman'; keep your head down, Alleman', + Last night in the pale moonlight, I saw you, I saw you; + You were fixing up your barbed wire, when we opened up rapid fire; + If you ever want to see your dear Germany, keep your head down, you + Alleman'." + +The first brigade of the first division got badly mauled there. One +battalion has been reported as singing the Canadian National Anthem +while waiting to go "over the top." What they did sing was a song which +has the singer bewailing that there is "No booze to-day." + +After the fighting of April-May-June, 1915, the Canucks were moved +to a fairly quiet section of the line. Old Ploegstreet Woods have +oft re-echoed to the songs they sang there. One of them is still +untruthfully sung. It has a mournful refrain, and these are the words +of the ditty;-- + + "If the Sergeant steals your rum, never mind; + If the Sergeant steals your rum, NEVER MIND; + (loudly wailed) + He's had a son of a gun of a time, since they chased him up the line. + If the Sergeant steals your rum, NEVER MIND." + (With great feeling and a well simulated air of + resignation.) + +Songs the folks were singing back home began to come to the boys in the +trenches about that time, and for a while it seemed that the days of +the trench song proper had almost departed. There was one faint-hearted +attempt at rhythm about the insect pests, and another to immortalise +the "Minnie" (Minenwerfer shell, trench mortar, noiseless in flight, +and very destructive), but the minstrel boys came into their own again +when the new and old divisions went back again to Ypres. "Blighty" (a +word derived from the Hindustani, and having a wide meaning covering +wounds, hospitals, home, and Paradise) was much in the mouths of the +Canucks, so they sang:-- + + "Blighty, in dear old Blighty, fair land across the foam, + Some people call it England, some people call it home, + But we just call it Blighty, dear land across the sea, + Where Kaiser William hopes some day his hymn of Hate he'll live to play, + In Blighty, so dear to me." + +At the Somme a year ago they had a rollicking song to the air of +"Chesapeake Bay," wherein they told of hunting Fritz to the Hindenberg +line, and they still find time to warble parodies and limericks such as: + + "There was a young lady of 'Wipers,' + Who was awfully fond of the pipers. + At the very first sound, + She would follow them round, + In spite of the shells and the snipers." + +And: + + "Sing a song of five francs, Tommy feeling dry, + Four and twenty 'Kamerads' standing all close by; + When the place was opened, Tommy shouts 'Hooray,' + Up comes an M.P.,[3] and orders them away." + +Another typical song the British troops sang was: + + "Standing in the trenches on a cold winter's night, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + Wiring party working and we darn't show a light, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + Pity the poor old soldier, + Pity the poor young soldier, + Pity the poor old soldier, + Standing in the rain and the cold. + + Going reconnoit'ring on a cold winter's night, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + When we meet with Fritzy then there'll be a fight, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + Pity the poor old soldier, + Pity the poor young soldier, + Pity the poor old soldier, + Standing in the rain and the cold. + + Burying stiff 'uns on a cold winter's night, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + When the big 'un hit 'em, don't they look a sight, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + Pity the poor old soldier, + Pity the poor young soldier + Pity the poor old soldier, + Standing in the rain and the cold. + + Going back to Blighty on a cold winter's night, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + When we get to Blighty, then we'll be all right, + Aw Gawblimey, ain't it cold? + Pity the poor old soldier, + Pity the poor young soldier, + Pity the poor old soldier, + Standing in the rain and the cold." + +The popularity of "My Little Grey Home in the West" brought to birth +a dismal parody entitled "My Little Wet Home in the Trench," and many +other popular songs have had striking parodies composed on them by the +singing Britishers in Flanders. + +Those songs have saved many a man from nervous exhaustion, they have +cheered the wounded, they have been heard by the dying wherever the +British Army has grappled the foe, and they have inspired the mildest +mannered man with courage abnormal. + +Who would not go "over the top" with men who could sing "I Want to Go +Home" as they crouched for the charge across No Man's Land. Who would +not fight like knights of old when comrades could sing in face of the +foe, "Keep your head down, Alleman'." + +America's sons in Flanders will fight all the better when they learn +the songs which Britain's sons have sung from Ypres to Gallipoli, in +Macedonia and Mesopotamia, India and Egypt; on sinking transports at +sea, and in shell-torn trenches on land. + +He who sings well will fight well. Perhaps the songs of Uncle Sam's +soldiers will be most heard of when the Allies make their final drive, +but the simple songs and parodies of the British, Canadian, Australian, +New Zealand and South African soldier have re-echoed round the world +since "Tipperary" took fearless men to heroes' graves in 1914. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 3: M.P.--Military Police.] + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +BITS OF WAR + + +One of the bravest officers I ever met is the hero of the following +story. He was in the front line trenches for the first time, and was +very eager to go "over the top." He devoured every story told by the +officers in the dugout of their prowess in fighting the Hun. We could +all see in his cherubic countenance that he believed everything he was +told. + +The dugout was rather cramped for space and not at all comfortable, so +that when one of the Junior Subs asked him if he would like to take a +walk, he readily assented. The hour was about midnight, and the Junior +Sub informed him that as soon as he made arrangements with his N.C.O. +they would take the desired walk. Arrangements having been made, our +"hero" was informed that all was in readiness, and the little party set +out. + +Imagine the amazement of Lieutenant F. when the Junior Sub and the +N.C.O. climbed out of the front line trench into No Man's Land. Our +"hero" whispered these words: "Where are you going? I thought you were +going for a walk?" "So we are," replied the Junior Sub. "We are going +to take a walk to Fritz's barbed-wire entanglements. Are you afraid +to come?" The reply was, "No, but I am just a little disappointed. +I thought when you asked me to take a walk that you were going back +towards the support line. However, I am not afraid." + +He then immediately climbed out, and in his hurry fell into a shell +hole just outside of our barbed-wire entanglements. As he fell, he +shouted, and with the shout up went some German flares that illuminated +their sector of No Man's Land. Before the flares died out, the machine +guns of Fritz began to search out the spot. Our hero had sense enough +to keep in a shell hole and, after the lights had died down, he heard +the voice of the N.C.O. who had crawled on his stomach to the lip of +the shell hole, asking him if he had lost anything. He afterwards told +me that if he had answered truthfully he would have said "Yes," as his +nerve had played him false. + +However, he replied, "No, I have not lost anything, but I have found +something." + +He had by then regained his courage, so he moved like a veteran towards +the German wire entanglements. Having accomplished their mission, they +returned to our trenches, the Junior Sub and the N.C.O. leading. As +they disappeared into the trench, our hero had just got to the shell +hole where he had fallen in previously. In his haste to reach the +trench, he was caught on the entanglements by one leg, with the result +that he was thrown to the ground. + +Again he shouted, but this brought a quick reply from the Huns. The +flares were sent up and then began a fusilade of machine-gun fire at +our luckless hero, with the result that the baggy part of his breeches +was riddled with bullets. But, strange to say, he himself did not +receive a scratch. + +Eventually he reached the dugout just as a drink was being served to +the Junior Sub. Lieutenant F. was asked if he would like a drink, and +his reply was, "Certainly I will have one, thank you." As the drink was +handed over to him we noticed that he was perspiring very freely. And +as he reached over to take it, we all saw that his hand was shaking +like a man with the palsy. One of the officers asked him if he was +scared. He replied, "You are damned right I'm scared. See what Fritz +has done to my breeches!" + +During the attack on Vimy Ridge, Number One Platoon, under the command +of Lieutenant Clements, who afterwards received the Military Cross for +his good work in connection with this attack, was detailed to capture +the Volker Tunnel. His men were supplied with electric flashlights, +and, in order to distinguish them from the other platoons, they all +wore white armlets above their elbows. Their special work was solely to +capture the tunnel and to cut all the electric wires, as we suspected +that mines had been laid under the various German trenches. + +The moment our barrage had lifted from the German front line trench, +Lieutenant C. and his men fought their way through this tunnel. In +the tunnel he surprised a German officer who was fast asleep. How +this officer could have slept through the noise of our barrage was a +mystery. We presumed that he must have been intoxicated, or that he had +become so accustomed to our usual strafing of their trenches that he +did not pay any attention. + +Lieutenant C. aroused him out of his sleep by shining his flashlight +upon his face. The German officer appeared very much astonished, and +informed us, through one of our men who could speak German, that they +had been expecting us to attack on the first of April, and as we had +not attacked on that date, they thought that we would not attack until +the 15th. He also stated that two regiments of German infantry had been +sent up to their support lines to be ready for what they thought our +attack on the 15th of April. + +At the point of a pistol that was held by a very determined officer, +it did not require much persuasion to make the Hun officer disclose +where the wires were attached to the mines that would have blown us to +"Kingdom Come," although the Germans had evidently thought Vimy Ridge +was impregnable. Nevertheless, they had prepared for all eventualities. + +I visited this tunnel on April 10th, and as I descended, helped +by the constant aid of my flashlight, I came to the nice little, +well-furnished room in which the German officer had been surprised. It +was forty feet underground. + +I followed a passageway about ten feet broad and seven feet high. Every +few yards I had to pass over the bodies of dead Germans. There had +been fierce hand-to-hand fighting. Our boys had certainly used their +bayonets with good effect. Some prisoners had been taken and, strange +to say, one of the prisoners had lived in Montreal and had been engaged +as a waiter at one of the large hotels. He could speak excellent +English, and he informed one of the boys that there were several of +his fellow soldiers who had been engaged as waiters in New York and +Chicago. But these had all been killed in the tunnel. + +As I advanced along the tunnel it became wider and on both sides were +two tiers of bunks. Many of these contained the bodies of dead Germans +which were placed there in order to make the passageway less congested. +Later on these bodies were taken out and reverently interred. + +I slept for about two hours that night in one of the lower bunks. In +the upper tier above me was the body of a dead German. + +The Germans had built this tunnel with two objects in mind: first, +to enable them to bring forward reinforcements from the_ Zwischen +Stellung_ trench to their front line, which was a distance of 560 +yards, without exposing them to our observation and artillery fire and, +secondly, that they could also withdraw their men from the front and +support trenches without suffering any casualties. + +The Germans had made every arrangement with a view to the comfort of +both their officers and men. Electric light had been generated from +Vimy Village. The tunnel could shelter comfortably one battalion. +Ventilation shafts ran up from it to the surface, and there were +chambers or rooms off the main passageway to serve the purposes of +a garrison that might be isolated. Commander's post, telephones, +temporary hospital, baths with hot and cold water installation, and +depots for ammunition and food were here. + +It can readily be seen that the Germans expected to remain on the spot, +but our New World troops upset their calculations. + +One day on the Western front there was a duel in the air. It looked as +if the old days were to come back again, when the armies would cease +fighting and watch their respective champions in single combat. This +fight resulted in the death of Immelman, at that time Germany's most +distinguished aviator. + +It was in truth a duel, no chance meeting of men determined to slay +one another, but a battle following a regular challenge and fought by +prearrangement and without interference from either side. This air +battle was witnessed with the deepest interest by the men of both +armies who were crouched in the trenches and separated only by a few +yards at No Man's Land. The fire of the anti-aircraft gun on both sides +was stilled. Captain Ball, the youthful English pilot who was recently +killed after a series of winning battles in the air, was the victor. +The story of the duel, which was one of the most sensational events of +the war, was told in a letter written to me by a friend of mine who was +one of the eye witnesses of the fight. + +One morning Captain Ball, who was behind our sector, heard that +Immelman was opposite. "This is the chance I have been waiting for. I +am going to get him," declared Ball. His friends tried to dissuade him +by saying the story of Immelman's presence probably was untrue. Ball +would not listen. Getting into his machine, he flew over the German +lines and dropped a note, which read: + + "Captain Immelman: + + "I challenge you to a man-to-man fight to take place this afternoon + at two o'clock. I will meet you over the German lines. Have your + anti-aircraft guns withhold their fire while we decide which is the + better man. The British guns will be silent. + + "(Signed) Ball." + +About an hour afterwards a German airman swung out across our lines and +dropped Immelman's answer: + + "Captain Ball: + + "Your challenge is accepted. The German guns will not interfere. I + will meet you promptly at two. + + "(Signed) Immelman." + +Just a few minutes before two, the guns on both sides ceased firing. It +was as though the commanding officers had ordered a truce. Long rows +of heads popped up and all eyes watched Captain Ball from behind the +British lines go off into the air. A minute or two later Immelman's +machine was also seen in the air. + +The machines ascended in a wide circle. There were wild cheers on +both sides, each for the respective champion. Captain Ball, thousands +of feet above us and only a speck in the sky, was doing the craziest +things imaginable. Our soldiers' cheers turned to cries of dismay. Ball +was below Immelman and was apparently making no effort to get above +him and thus gaining the advantage of position. On the contrary he was +carelessly swinging around this way and that, attempting, it seemed, to +postpone the inevitable. + +We saw the German's machine dip over preparatory to starting a nose +dive. "O Lord, he's gone now," cried a young soldier at my side, for +he knew Immelman's gun would start its raking fire once it was being +driven straight down. + +Then, in less time than it takes to tell, the tables were turned. +Before Immelman's plane could get into firing position, Captain Ball +drove his machine into a loop. Getting above his adversary and cutting +loose with his gun, he smashed Immelman by a hail of bullets as he +swept by. Immelman's aeroplane burst into flames and dropped. Ball, +from above, followed for a few hundred feet and then straightened out +and raced for home. He settled down, rose again, and hurried back to +release a huge wreath of flowers almost directly over the spot where +Immelman's charred body was being lifted from a tangled mass of metal. + +Four days later Captain Ball was killed. He attacked, single-handed, +four Germans. One he had shot down. As he pursued the other three two +machines dropped from behind the clouds and closed in on him. He was +pocketed and killed, but not until he had shot down two more of the +enemy. + +You can never judge his ability as a fighter from a man's appearance. +Private Davis was a runner, about 26 years of age, attached to my +company headquarters. He was a small and unassuming man, very neat in +his appearance and always spick and span, even in the trenches. His +companions often wondered how he could manage to keep himself so clean +and tidy. + +One night Davis, being near company headquarters, overheard the +officers discussing an intended raid on a German machine-gun +emplacement, which we thought was a short distance in front of the +German trenches. This machine gun had caused quite a number of +casualties in our company, so this raid was made with the object of +finding and destroying it. Davis begged very hard to be allowed to go +with a patrol party that was being sent out, so the company commander +gave his assent. + +That night Davis was out in No Man's Land on patrol duty, the patrol +consisting of four men under one N.C.O. Later on the patrol came +back without having seen anything of the enemy in No Man's Land, but +Private Davis was reported missing by the sergeant. About an hour +after the return of the patrol, one of the officers who was on duty +at the time was called by a sentry who had heard the whistle that had +been pre-arranged for the patrol party's signal as they approached our +barbed-wire entanglements. + +There in front of our wire were several Germans, with their hands up. +All the boys on the fire step had their rifles to their shoulders in an +instant. Then we heard a shout, "I have got six Heinies, don't shoot." + +It was Davis. I got out of the trench and showed the way through the +barbed wire to the Huns, who looked scared to death. There was Davis +behind the Boches, with a Mills bomb and pistol in his hands. + +He told me that he had got lost. He had then prowled around and +surprised this machine-gun squad, who were outside a concrete machine +gun emplacement. + +I asked Davis how he had managed to capture these men and he told me +it was quite easy. "I just put the fear of God into them with my Mills +bomb and made them walk in front of me." As he could speak a little +German, he told them that at the least noise they made he would blow +them to pieces. After that it was a cinch, as he expressed himself. + +Davis was very much surprised when he was recommended and received +the Distinguished Conduct Medal for this good piece of work. His one +regret seemed to be that he was unable to place the machine gun _hors +de combat_. He declared that the reason for this was that his prisoners +were not gentlemen, and he, therefore, could not trust them to stand +quietly by while he was destroying one of the Kaiser's machine guns. + +Many people have had things to say of the French Canadians in Canada +and their reasons for not having enlisted more freely. I wish to +set down what I observed of the 22nd French Canadian Battalion, +which is the only complete French Canadian battalion at the front, +although there are quite a number of French Canadians mixed among the +English-speaking battalions. + +The 22nd French Canadian Battalion was absolutely fearless, coming +second to none for their bravery. A few days after the Canadians had +captured Vimy Ridge, the 22nd Battalion was detailed to take up its +position in the front line of our brigade frontage, my battalion being +in support at that time. Both of these trenches had been captured from +the Germans. The 22nd battalion sector of the line at that particular +time was named the "Observation Trench." It ran in a serpentine manner +down the eastern slope of the Ridge. The Ridge at this point dropped +abruptly, and the trench was dug through chalk. The Germans must have +worked very hard to dig it. Along the sides were quite a number of +very deep dugouts. At about 7:30 P.M., just as it was commencing to +get dark, we saw on the crest of the Ridge the 22nd ahead of us. The +Huns were at that time about one mile away. Their artillery was still +further back, yet with their powerful glasses they could see very well, +and they must have seen the 22nd, because there immediately began a +rain of shrapnel over them as they were going down the slope of the +Ridge in single file. It took some time for the last of the boys to get +under cover. + +We could not help but admire them as they moved along, as cool as if +on parade. None of them showed the least sign of fear or nervousness, +although shells were dropping and bursting all around them. It was with +a sigh of relief that we saw the last man go over the crest and get +under cover of the trench. We were always sure of the 22nd's doing the +right thing at the right time. + +Another time they were occupying a sector of the front line not far +from Loos. An English battalion, which had previously occupied this +sector of the line, informed us that there was a rumour to the effect +that a part of the trench we were occupying had been mined by the +Germans. This information was far from pleasant, as one does not relish +the idea of being blown skywards. The relieving troops are given all +useful information concerning enemy movements, etc., hence this mine +story. + +As we were "standing to" about an hour before dawn we heard a hissing +sound, then a roar, and the earth seemed to tremble. All at once the +ground opened and earth and debris of all descriptions went flying +through the air. The Huns had exploded the mine, but, fortunately +for us, they had miscalculated the distance. About one minute after, +a barrage was laid by the Germans on our support lines. They had +evidently thought that they had blown up our front line sector and us +along with it. + +The mine had actually exploded a few yards in front of the 22nd French +Canadian Battalion. The Huns followed on some distance back of their +barrage and advanced in columns of fours to the sector occupied by the +French Canadians. The leading sections of the Germans were protected +by armour plate over their bodies. As they advanced they were firing +their rifles from their hips. The French Canadians stood fast, and at +once began a rapid machine-gun and rifle fire, which caused the Huns to +retire at a terrible cost. Our barrage also had begun to play, both on +their artillery and the advancing troops. + +Great praise is due the 22nd Battalion for the manner in which they +withstood the Huns. I wish we had in France more French Canadian troops +from the Province of Quebec of the same calibre. Their officers are +absolutely fearless, and they have one of the highest records of +efficiency, which can be judged by the distinction conferred on them. +They were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Tremblay, D.S.O. and Legion +of Honour. Some of the senior officers were Major Debuc, Major Chasse, +Major John Roy. All of the foregoing have been decorated by the King +with the D.S.O. and Military Cross, and by the French Army with the +Legion of Honour. Major John Roy, during the attack on Lens, August +15th, 1917, was in charge of a company when all his junior officers +were either killed or wounded. He, with a mere handful of men, held +a sector of the front line under a heavy bombardment from the Boche, +which continued for two days and nights. I was in the same attack, and +in one day alone we repulsed four counter-attacks. + +On my return to Canada I was surprised at the people that do not seem +to realise how much the 22nd Battalion is thought of by the fighting +men in France. Any child who has a father, any mother who has a son, or +any person who has a relative in the 22nd French Canadian Battalion +should be very proud of it. + +The French Canadian is patriotic without doubt. But they are so +very clannish on account of their language, many being unable to +speak English, that, when volunteers were called for by Canada, +their proportion of enlistment was small in comparison with the +English-speaking Canadian. A few leaders who could talk well started a +propaganda against enlistment, probably for their own personal reasons. +These leaders quickly had a great number of followers. But, my personal +opinion is, that the war situation had not been presented to the +majority of the French Canadians ere these propagandists got in their +villainous work. + +One night, as we were "standing to" in the front line, the usual +whistle of the shells as they passed above us could be plainly heard. +I noticed a soldier advancing along my left flank. As he reached the +place where I was standing on the fire step I recognised him as Private +Wagner. + +He was about to pass me. I stopped and asked him where he was going. +His reply was, "Sir, I am going over to the right to get my entrenching +tool. I left it in a funk hole this afternoon and came away and forgot +it." He then saluted and smiled as he was doing so. Somehow or other I +did not like the way he smiled. But I had no reason to doubt his words. +Although it was strictly against orders to allow anyone to leave the +fire step at "stand to," Wagner was personally known to me, so I let +him go. + +My mind went back to the time I first met him, five years ago. We were +both living at the same hotel in Montreal. Wagner was supposed to be +an Englishman, and at that time he was a draughtsman in the employ +of a large bridge company. It was said that he was one of the finest +draughtsmen in Canada on bridge construction work, and he appeared +to have a thorough knowledge of the whole of the country, as he had +worked for various companies throughout Canada. Wagner mixed with the +best of society in Montreal, but it was remarked that before the war +his best friends appeared to be connected with the Hamburg-American +Steamship Line. When war was declared he was the first man to disclaim +any friendship existing between himself and anyone with a German name. +No one appeared to hate the Germans more than he did, neither was there +anyone more keen to enlist. But the medical examinations at the early +stages of the war were so strict that he was rejected by the medical +boards. + +Wagner and I were often seated together at the same table, and, as he +had travelled extensively, he was a very interesting and entertaining +man, so we became very friendly. + +Later on, when I received my commission he seemed to profess more +friendship for me than ever before. His knowledge of military +engineering and signalling interested me very much. He was also a +clever linguist, speaking several languages fluently. + +Being on leave one week-end from camp, I went into the dining-room of +my hotel in Montreal to take lunch; and who should I see but Wagner. +He was seated at the table in the same old place. I noticed he was in +uniform. As I entered the dining-room he rose from his seat. I told him +to sit down. He then told me he had just been passed by the medical +board, as the soldiers' standard had been lowered. He appeared to be +very pleased at having got through, and he said he hoped that it would +not be long until he would be with the boys "Over There." + +Just then a lady came into the dining-room. She was a German whom we +both knew, married to a Canadian. As she passed us to get to her dining +table, he said to me, "How I hate those Germans! The authorities ought +to intern them all. If I had my way I would shoot them all, as I would +any enemy of ours." He put great emphasis on the word "ours" and his +eyes glared malevolently. Although I attached no importance to this +little incident at that time, it now came back to my memory. Wagner +quickly recovered from his ugly mood and asked me when I thought some +of the troops would be sailing. I told him I did not know as we were +not given any information with regard to the sailing of our troops. +After this I lost track of Wagner until I arrived at my reserve +battalion in England. + +One day I happened to be going to the battalion orderly room, and who +should be on sentry duty, much to my surprise, but Wagner. He saluted +me. I returned his salute. After saying a few formal words, I passed +into the orderly room. The adjutant said to me, during the course of +our conversation, that he had a man whom he would like to promote for +the time he would be at the training depot. I asked him the man's name +and he told me it was Wagner. I then informed the adjutant that I had +known Wagner for some years in Montreal and that in my opinion he would +be a well-qualified man to make a non-commissioned officer. + +That night about nine o'clock there was a knock at my hut door. I +opened it and saw a sergeant with a man. The sergeant said, "Sir, +Private Wagner would like to speak to you." I told the sergeant that +he could go and that I would speak to Private Wagner alone. Wagner +informed me that he was, to use the slang expression, "fed up" with +camp life and that he wanted to get over to France with the first +draft. He begged of me to see that his name was placed on the list. +This I did for him and later on he left the reserve battalion two +months before I reached France. + +When I reached my fighting unit in France I was very much surprised +to see Wagner working in the battalion orderly room. He seemed +surprised and also pleased to meet me, and asked me if I would have him +transferred to my platoon, which I did. + +He told me if at any time I had to draw a cross section of a map, +which is often done by us when we intend attacking a German position, +he would be pleased to do it for me. Although I knew he could make an +excellent sketch, I thought it would not be a wise thing to allow any +of the men under me to know too much of our plans in case they should +be taken prisoners by the Germans. + +As I pondered over the past history of what I knew of this man, it all +came vividly back to my mind. His smile as he saluted and passed along +to the right to get his entrenching tool and the manner that he had +said "enemy of ours" in the dining-room in Montreal. Suddenly on our +right flank the Germans began to send up some red rockets and then a +few golden sprays. Word was passed along to send up our S.O.S. I asked +who had sent the message. The man to my right said he did not know. I +then jumped out of the trench and walked along the parados. I found +that five men from my right had received this message and the sixth man +was Wagner, and the man next to him did not know anything about it. We +act quickly at the front; we take no chances. I interrogated Wagner, +but he disclaimed any knowledge of the message. + +I was not satisfied with this answer. Although I had known him so +long, the various little incidents which had transpired during our +association now firmly convinced me that he was a German. I immediately +placed him under arrest with a strong guard over him, although I may +say that I felt like killing him on the spot. + +If we had sent up our S.O.S. signal our artillery would have placed +an intense bombardment on the German trenches along our sector of +the line. While our artillery were busy shelling in this locality, +the Germans would have attacked another point, where they would have +encountered less opposition of artillery and in all probability broken +through our line. It was a well-arranged scheme; but it failed, thank +God. + +As soon as we stood down I had Wagner brought to my company commander. +I made out a written report, detailing the whole circumstances of the +affair. Wagner was searched and in the heel of a boot that he was +wearing was found some very thin tissue paper, neatly folded. It did +not appear to have any writing on it, but as we laid the paper on a +small box in the company headquarters dugout, a candle was burning +brightly, so we held it close to the light. We could make out a drawing +of our trench. Apparently invisible ink had been used. As we continued +to hold the paper before the candle, German writing gradually came to +view. + +Judging from the expression on Wagner's face you would not have thought +that his life was at stake. He appeared to be quite resigned to the +fate that awaited him. + +It is customary for the army to have carrier pigeons. The pigeons are +kept at certain points some distance in the back area of the trenches, +where they are kept in large cotes until required by any particular +unit. It sometimes happens that a company commander may require two +pigeons to take with him into the trenches in order to send messages +back to the rear. The message is fastened to the leg of the pigeon, +and when the pigeon arrives at the cotes the message is taken off its +leg and handed over to the signallers, who transmit the message to the +proper authorities by wire or motor despatch riders. + +[Illustration: Releasing a Pigeon with a Message for Help] + +One man was allotted to carry the pigeons in a small wooden box. This +man was always Wagner. He professed to love birds and had taken a +course to train pigeons. Whenever our battalion was out at rest, if in +a town, Wagner was sure to be away after drill hours. Seldom was he +seen at the Y.M.C.A., nor did he ever appear to write any letters. We +discovered that he had confederates in some of these little villages +where he procured German pigeons, and, no doubt, by some means he +exchanged these pigeons and sent important messages occasionally to the +enemy. + +No doubt Wagner had warned the Huns when they were massing in the +sunken road that we were aware of it and were prepared to surprise +them. + +Wagner was sent out of the line under escort. As he passed me he gave a +very malevolent stare. He was duly shot at sunrise. Another crafty Hun +paid the penalty of his treachery. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +TOWARDS A BOMB-PROOF JOB + + +Whilst we were practicing going over the tapes at Masnil Bouche for +the attack on Vimy Ridge, we noticed that after we had finished our +practice an Imperial battalion would follow on after us. It was +rumoured that it was a London County battalion. We never had any chance +to speak to any of the officers or men, so we nicknamed them the +"Silent Battalion." Later on, when we had consolidated our positions +after the attack, this battalion went over our heads and secured a +position somewhere in front of us. We could see by the way that they +went about their work that they were very efficient. On the morning of +the attack I met the battalion sergeant major of this battalion in the +_Zwischen Stellung_ trench. He was then leading a platoon. He informed +me that the platoon officer had been killed and that he was placed in +charge of this platoon. Later on I was informed that this sergeant +major was also killed just as he reached his final objective. + +You never hear much of the English battalions nor of their doings +at the front, but from my own personal experiences of the Imperial +battalion every Canadian soldier feels like taking off his hat to the +British Tommy. He is ever cheerful under all circumstances, and the wit +of the cockney soldier is something to remember. One incident that was +brought to my mind of the bravery of the British Imperial troops was +when the foe broke through at Cambrai. Three platoons of the 17th Royal +Fusiliers and one company of the 13th Essex died facing the enemy. The +Fusiliers were withdrawing from an advanced sap when the enemy attack +suddenly developed. Captain W.N. Stone of the Fusiliers, a company +commander, elected to stay behind with one of the junior officers in +charge of the rear guard. The little force held off the whole of the +German attack until the main position was fully organised. They died to +a man, with their faces to the foe. The company of the Essex regiment +becoming isolated and realising the improbability of being extricated, +held a council of war, at which it was unanimously determined to fight +to the last and have no surrender. + +Two runners who succeeded in getting through were sent back to notify +the battalion headquarters of this decision. Throughout the night of +November 30th many efforts were made to effect the relief of these +brave men, but all attempts failed against the overwhelming strength of +the enemy. The last that is known of this gallant company is that they +were fighting it out and maintaining to the last bulwark their stand +against the tide of attacking Germans. It is impossible to estimate +the value of this magnificent fight to the death, which relieved the +pressure on the main line of defence. + +In the present great battle now waging in France and Flanders the +Imperial troops have been fighting continuously day after day for about +one month. You can well imagine how tired these men are as they stagger +forward or fight rear guard actions to hold the Huns at bay. Battalion +after battalion are being overwhelmed with greatly outnumbered forces +of the Germans, but they fight on with their backs to the wall. The +Gloucester Regiment is allowed to wear the cap badge on both back and +front of their caps, as in previous campaigns they fought the enemy, +when surrounded, back to back. They are now fighting the Huns in a +similar manner. It is hard to pick out one regiment above the other in +this great war as English, Irish, Scotch and Welsh have all been doing +heroic deeds that shall live for ever in history. + +When this great war is ended the American troops will hold a very high +opinion of the Allied forces fighting on the Western front, which will +do more to unite the English-speaking races. + +We often near the statement "So and So has a bomb-proof job." This is +the term that is given to officers and men who do not go into the line. +There are many jobs of this nature. First of all the medical officer is +supposed to have a bomb-proof job, although in many instances medical +officers have gone out into No Man's Land to attend the wounded and +have lost their own lives in doing so. Then again comes the Chaplain +or Padre. He is supposed to have a bomb-proof job, but there are many +instances where these brave chaplains and priests have gone "over the +top" and lost their lives. + +Town majors have a fairly good bomb-proof job, although sometimes when +the village or town over which they have control is within the danger +zone and the village liable itself to be shelled, their job is not +exactly bomb-proof. This job is usually given to an officer who has +been up the line and is rewarded for his length of service by this +appointment. He usually has a small staff under him of probably four or +five men--it all depends upon the size and importance of the village, +town or city. He is looked upon as a big man of the army in these +places, as he has the awarding of all the billets for both officers and +men. + +If the town major is within ten miles of the German trenches you will +usually find in his office a bell or horns which he has sounded in case +of a German gas attack. On the whole his work is not hard, and both he +and his staff have no reason to complain of anything on account of the +war. + +A railway transport officer is also supposed to have a bomb-proof job, +although he must be on duty all hours of the day and night to attend +to the troops as they entrain and detrain. It is his duty to see that +the French authorities have sufficient accommodation in the way of +either box or passenger cars for the troops and to arrange all matters +pertaining to railway transportation of same. He is kept very busy and +has little time to "swank." + +The divisional gas officer has a nice position, although he may be in +the danger zone. He has quite a number of men under him who know their +jobs thoroughly, so he is seldom overworked. + +The officer in charge of divisional baths has also a nice appointment. +His work is important. He is usually in the danger zone but has very +little work to do about the fighting in the trenches. His chief job is +to have everything ready when officers and men come out of the trenches. + +The paymasters have a pretty fairly safe job and certainly the men in +the line do not begrudge it to them. Everybody likes the paymaster and +it is certainly amusing when we are out to rest to see the way that +the men try to wile out advances from the paymaster for all kinds of +frivolous reasons. + +The instructors at the various schools of instruction have all fairly +bomb-proof jobs, but these jobs as instructors are usually given after +a man has been in the line, although there are instances where probably +a specialist in some branch of the service may hold one of these jobs +without having to go in the line to secure it. + +We now come to the brass hats. This is the term that is used by the +Tommy to all staff officers, and their entrance into a trench usually +is the forerunner of an advance. So Tommy always looks with a certain +amount of suspicion when any staff officer makes a tour of the +trenches. Even these staff officers are not always immune, many of them +having been killed in the course of their duties. + +The A.S.C. (Army Service Corps) are always looked upon as men who have +bomb-proof jobs. They are really non-combatant, but many of them have +been killed in their line of duty. We now come to the butchers, bakers, +cooks, shoemakers and tailors--all of which have bomb-proof jobs. But +in the recent attack by the Germans on the Lys Front one of our +Major-Generals got together a scratch battalion of these non-combatant +men, had them armed with rifles, and they bravely held the line against +the advancing Huns. + +[Illustration: How the Tanks Are Parked in the Tankdromes] + +Railway construction troops were supposed to have bomb-proof jobs, but +many of these men have taken up the rifle to assist the infantry when +required, and very capable they have proven themselves to be. + +The forestry battalions are a non-combatant corps and their job can +be described as a bomb-proof job, although the work they do is very +essential to the forces in the field. + +Bomb-proof jobs are few and far between in France, although in the +various Base headquarters the orderly room clerks, etc., have all +bomb-proof jobs. These are about the only men who have them. + +We had an elderly man in our battalion who had gained the D.C.M. +(Distinguished Conduct Medal) for bravery on the field. Our commanding +officer, hearing that Brigade Headquarters wanted a man to repair +tanks, recommended our D.C.M. for this job, as he thought it would +be a fairly safe one. Later on, as I was leaving the trenches with my +platoon to go into billets, I came across a party struggling with a +tank that had broken down. An officer was outside trying to prop it up. +I halted my party and asked him if we could render any assistance, for +we were all curious to see the inside of the tank. The assistance was +readily accepted and we got busy right away. It was not long until we +had overcome the difficulty. The officer, I may say, who was in charge +of the tank was not in the best of humours, as he had been getting +shelled, and informed me that when shrapnel burst they all had to get +inside the tank for safety. I asked him what kind of a tank it was, a +male or a female, and he replied to my question by saying, "You know +damn well what it is; it is one of those things that always gives us +poor men trouble." I often wonder if he was a woman hater. The female +tanks are armed with Lewis machine guns, and the male tank is supplied +with guns of a heavier calibre. The tank officer also informed me that +he had one of our men with him. I asked him who it was and he called +out of the tank our worthy D.C.M. + +I asked Johnson how he liked his job. He told me it was fine. All he +had to do in an attack was to run in front of the tank and pick up the +dead or wounded and put them to one side. Not much of a bomb-proof job +at that! + +Our commanding officer had thought that, when he was recommending this +man for a job to repair tanks, this was for tanks that were stationary +such as water tanks and gas tanks. However, Johnson was quite satisfied +with his job. + +All officers and men are allowed after an average of eight months' +service in the trenches from seven to ten days' leave, although in a +great many cases I have known both officers and men to go for over a +year before they received leave. It just depends on whether or not +there is urgent need for their services at the time. + +A soldier going on leave to England is usually given a check for +20 pounds (one hundred dollars) and fifty francs ($10.00). If they +decide to spend their leave in France they receive six hundred francs +($125.00). Transportation to their destination and back is provided by +the Government. + +When an officer or man goes on leave, he is naturally very keen to get +off. I remember one instance of an officer who had been married just a +few months before war was declared. Later on he had a picture sent to +him of his wife and first born baby. He was naturally very excited, and +kept showing the same to everybody he came in contact with. + +I believe he thought it was the only baby in the world. He asked me +what I thought about it. I told him that the baby was just like him, +but I think I had a great deal to answer for in doing so, for the +child, apparently about two weeks old, was a little pudgy thing. His +features can only be discerned by those who own it. Later on when this +officer was granted leave he was very anxious to get away to see his +wife and baby. We had another look at the photograph and one French +officer who was with us at the time was tapped on the back by this +youthful father, who asked when the French officer was going on leave. + +The reply was rather startling and at the same time very pathetic. It +was spoken in broken English: "Me no go on leave, me stay to fight." We +wondered what lay behind these words, and then this officer pulled a +picture out of his pocket. It was a picture of his wife and daughter, +the daughter apparently a young girl between 15 and 16 years of age. He +then described to us that when he was called to the colours he had been +living in Northern France. The town was now occupied by the Germans. +His wife and daughter had had to remain behind, and the sequel was that +they had been outraged by the Germans and each given birth to a child, +whose father was a Hun. + +So he had no home to go to and he preferred to remain and fight to +avenge the wrong done to his wife and daughter. There are many +instances of a similar nature to this in both France and Belgium, +and no atrocity that is perpetrated like the foregoing shall ever be +forgotten. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +TIPS FOR RECRUITS + + +The four best friends of the fighting man are: (1) His rifle; (2) the +entrenching tool; (3) the oil sheet; (4) small box respirator (gas +mask). + +The best thing to do with your rifle is to get an old sock, cut about +eight inches from the top part and pull it over the rifle muzzle on +to the breech. That will prevent the wet clay from interfering with +the working of the bolt. Your entrenching tool is invaluable, for when +you have gained a position at night your first duty is to entrench. If +you have not got the tool, you would at dawn be caught by the Huns and +probably hit. + +Your oil sheet is your bed on the damp earth and your umbrella on the +march. If your "funk hole" is dry, wrap the sheet tight round your +boots. It will help to keep the frost out of your feet. In these days +of Hun frightfulness the necessity of the gas mask is obvious. + +When beginning the attack, take a rough survey of your direct front, +and you will have as you advance the different knolls, hedges, ditches, +etc., impressed on your mind. You may be two yards or so away from +cover when a shell comes screaming towards you. Then you will find you +have time to take cover before it bursts. If there is no cover near, +drop flat down, and trust to providence. + +Never go back from the enemy shell fire, always go forward. The enemy +usually fire six shells and each shot goes further behind you. So by +meeting the first shell you can laugh at the other five. + +Always try, if possible, to avoid woods, trees and farmhouses. The +Germans search them with shell fire. You can tell to fifty yards where +the German shells will drop. If you have the misfortune to be hit, make +for the nearest cover, and get your comrades to bind your wound. Don't +stop to go back to get it dressed, or you will possibly get another +wound. Just lie on your cover and wait until the fire slackens. + +When you go into a trench for the first time, examine thoroughly the +height of the cover in front and don't walk upright if the trench does +not protect your head. Lower yourself along the passageway, and rise +where you will stand at your loophole. + +Take with you a linen bag, about half the size of a pillow-slip, with a +loop at the end. It will keep your food clean and is much better than +putting it in a dirty haversack. + +_Shoot to kill._ When you go to France, please remember you are not +going there to be killed. You are going there to kill your enemy, so +try and get some lead home. I am sure that will please you. Don't shoot +at nothing. Shoot to hit. + +One shot well aimed is worth more than a million sent to the sky. The +Germans are simply "fed up," and are sick of the fighting. Their +officers drive them to the attack with revolvers. We are led by +our officers and many of us go with our own free will to fight the +murderers of peaceful people and to secure the future safety of the +world for democracy. So forward, boys! + +One wonders, when one sees a German face to face, is this really one of +those devils who wrought such devastation? For devastation they surely +have wrought. You can hardly believe it, for he seems much the same as +other soldiers. I can assure you that there is none of that insensate +hatred that one hears about out here. We are out to kill. And kill we +do, at any and every opportunity. But, when all is done and the battle +is over the splendid, universal "soldier spirit" comes all over the +men, and we cannot help thinking that Kipling must have been in the +firing line when he wrote that "East is East and West is West." + +Just to give you some idea of what I mean, the other night four German +snipers were shot on our wire. The next night our men went out and +brought one in who was near and get-at-able and buried him. They did +it with just the same reverence and sadness as they do to our own dear +fellows. + +I went to look at the grave the next morning and one of the most +uncouth men in my company had placed a cross at the head of the grave +and had written on it: + + "Here lies a German + We don't know his name, + He died bravely fighting, + For his Fatherland." + +And under that "_Got-mitt-uns_" (sic)--that being the highest effort of +all the men at German. Not bad for a blood-thirsty Briton? Really that +shows the spirit. + +When a soldier is in the trenches, he anxiously awaits news from home. +If the people at home do not hear from them at regular intervals, do +not let this stop them from writing bright and cheerful letters. There +may be reasons why his letters do not reach you regularly. Parcels +containing chocolates and cigarettes are always acceptable and as +American soldiers like chewing gum, this should also be sent. Light +silk or cotton underwear is preferable to the woollen, which harbours +the vermin. + +Camphor balls placed in a small bag and worn on the chest and back are +a preventative to the vermin. They may not keep the vermin away, but +this prevents them from worrying you, as it seems to chloroform them. + +When a man is killed, if it is at all possible, he is given a proper +military burial. A record and number of the grave is kept. Men are +specially detailed under the Senior Military Chaplain to place +little white crosses which show the number and name of the man, his +religion, and date he was killed. This record is kept by the Senior +Burial Officer of the corps. If anyone wishes to obtain a photograph +of the deceased soldier's grave, they can get same on application to +the Senior Burial Officer of whatever corps the soldier was in. The +graves are as a rule decorated with flowers by the Nursing Sisters, who +frequently go to visit these pretty little burial grounds. + +Always carry a stout leather shoelace. In case of an artery's being +cut, your comrade or yourself can use it as a tourniquet. + +Fifty per cent of our troops do not think of carrying a lace. They +trust to providence. + +Don't make a noise. Quietness is essential. The enemy is continually +throwing up rockets, which enables him to see clearly for a distance +of half a mile. When that happens you must at once get down on your +stomach as flat as possible. Don't look for a clean spot, drop in water +if it is there. If you get a kick from your comrade or you have a nasty +fall, don't start to use choice language. If you do, you place your +life and that of your comrade in jeopardy. + +This is what always happens. The Germans open a bombardment on your +front and support trenches. Then there is a lull for a moment. They +probably think that you are annihilated, but you are not. You are +still smiling. Then their trumpets sound a charge and they come on in +heaps with a poor half-hearted cheer. + +You must now think of the women and children of Belgium. Think also +what would happen to your own if the drunken Germans had them in their +grasp. That is the time you come in. Just keep cool, calm, collected, +and let your rounds sing merrily about three feet from the ground. You +will find the crowds in front of you--or part of them--will go back +again all right, sadder, and maybe wiser men. + +Remember you are dealing with a scientific, brave, alert and most +treacherous foe, who will try to destroy you by fair means or foul, so +it is up to you to beat him and get your lead home first. Always be on +the alert and when exhausted never despair. There is no need for it. +Keep on smiling. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59519 *** |