Have you ever tried cooking a dinner under shell fire? It’s about as
exciting as anything you could have in this world. Yesterday we were in
the firing line, and as there were no prospects of relief, we had to
make a spit and roast some fowls we had been given by the villagers.
Just when they were doing nicely, and we were going around to turn
them, the Germans found the range, and shells began to drop all around.
We had to lie low, and when there was a lull one of us would rush out
and turn the nearest bird, and then run back again under cover. We got
them cooked all right, but two of our chaps were killed outright and
four injured. That’s a big bill to pay for a dinner; but soldiers are
like beggars, they can’t be choosers. Out here is no place for the
faint-hearts, and we want only real men, who are afraid of nothing:
_Pte. T. Bayley, 5th Irish Lancers_.