We had dug trenches and were waiting for something to happen when a
German aeroplane came high over our lines. Then came a rain of shells
from a wood. The enemy were about a mile and half away, but they got
the range to a nicety. People who say that the German artillery fire
is no good simply don’t know what they are talking about. I can only
figure it out as being something worse than the mouth of hell. The
Germans treated us to shell cross-fire, and a piece of shell hit my
rifle--smash! I pitched forward in the trench, the muzzle part of the
rifle went into my groin, and I got a lovely bang with another bit of
shell across the leg. The Germans came out of the wood in swarms--just
as if a hive had been overturned and all the bees were let loose. I
thought my number was up: _Private J. Stiles_.
Moving!
We congratulated ourselves that we had got nice cover from which we
could work with the rifle and for bayonet charges. At night we slept
in the trenches, but at daybreak we were shelled out of them in
practically no time. It was a bit of irony--such splendid trenches,
and to be shelled out of them like that by the Germans. They watched
us work, and then just let us have it lovely. It is no use saying the
Germans are a “rotten lot” as fighters, because I think their artillery
is very fine. German aeroplanes were on top of us, and found us out
every time. They worked well, helping their troops and giving the guns
the range: _A Private of the 1st Cheshires_.
Come On!
We had a whole day of it in the trenches with the Germans firing away
at us all the time. It began just after breakfast, and we were without
food of any kind until we had what you might call a dainty afternoon
tea in the trenches under shell fire. The mugs were passed round with
the biscuits and the “bully” as best we could by the mess orderlies,
but it was hard work getting through without getting more than we
wanted. My next-door neighbour, so to speak, got a shrapnel bullet in
his tin, and another two doors off had his biscuit shot out of his
hand. We are now ready for anything that comes our way, and nothing
would please us better than a good big stand-up fight with the Germans
on any ground they please: _Private G. Ryder_.