At one place we had a surprise attack. We were just getting ready for
some food, when all of a sudden shells started bursting around us. I
can tell you it was a case of being up and doing. Dixies and tea-cans
were flung on one side, our tea spilt, fires put out, and the order
given to stand to our guns and horses, everyone to prepare for action.
Still, we were not to be caught napping. Our boys only close one eye
when we get a chance of a sleep, so you can tell we were wide-awake by
the fact that it was a case of do or die. Our gallant boys, the Guards,
held them at bay until our death-dealing pea-shooters put them to
flight: _Driver Clark, Royal Artillery_.
Had “To Nip”
Two Germans had a pop at me one day when I was crossing a ploughed
field, but they might as well have tried to shoot the moon. I have had
some narrow escapes from shells--they were German shells, or I should
not be writing this now. We laugh at them sometimes. The Germans don’t
like steel--although we have not done much in that line. We play on a
different line to that. We like to catch ’em napping, and we have done
it, too, but, of course, they have had our fellows the same. It would
make you laugh to see how we dodge the shells and nip under cover for
all we are worth. We had to scatter one night just when I was making
some tea. I was just going to put the tea and sugar into the boiling
water when bang they came just overhead, and I had to nip: _Corpl.
Newman, Somerset Light Infantry_.
“Fairly Well”
While I am writing this letter I am cooking the dinner, boiling a piece
of bacon we managed to get and potatoes. I have been elected cook on
our car. I expect you will say it is just like me to be among the grub.
Anyway, we are getting plenty of it now. We get our day’s rations every
morning--one rasher of bacon, one tin of bully beef, one pot of jam
(between five), a piece of cheese, so much tea and sugar, and so much
bread, when we can get it; if we have not bread we get biscuits. We get
plenty of potatoes out of the fields, and sometimes make what we call
bully-beef stew. It is very nice, and consists of bully beef, potatoes,
carrots, and onions--all boiled together. Sometimes we get fresh meat,
so you see we are living fairly well: _Pte. Calvert, Army Service
Corps_.