What impressed me most was a battery of artillery under fire. It
dashed up to a point that had been marked by a stake with a number on
it by the officer who was responsible for allocating the positions.
Just as it stopped the Germans, who seemed to have the position to a
hair’s-breadth, sent shells shrieking around the battery. The horses
got frantic and began prancing and kicking out in terror. The drivers
held on like grim death, but the poor animals could not be pacified,
and at last they dashed off in the direction of the German lines with
the guns. The drivers stuck to their posts and did all they could to
restrain the mad horses. Meanwhile a party of new men with horses were
brought out and dashed off in pursuit. They caught up soon, and rode
alongside to get hold of the runaways. It was no use, however, and
now they came within range of more German guns, and the shells were
bursting overhead, making the poor animals madder than ever. There was
nothing for it but to shoot the mad animals, and this was done after
some difficulty. Then it was necessary to take out the dead team and
put the new one in, while German shells were dropping around. Half of
the men were hit, but they meant to stick to their posts, and not all
the Germans in the field could have driven them away. Just as they were
getting the guns away a party of German infantry came on the scene, but
by that time our battalion had moved out to cover the withdrawal of the
guns, and we gave the Germans as much as they could stand: _A Corporal,
Northamptonshire Regiment_.