In the fighting around Westhoek in August 1917 the 56th Division were
engaged in a series of attacks on the Nonne Boschen Wood, and owing to
the boggy nature of the ground the position was rather obscure.
A platoon of one of the London battalions was holding a pill-box
which had been taken from the Germans during the day. In the night a
counter-attack was made in the immediate vicinity of the pill-box,
which left some doubt as to whether it had again fallen to the enemy.
A patrol was sent out to investigate. After cautiously approaching the
position and being challenged in a Cockney tongue, they entered the
pill-box, and were astonished to see the occupants playing crown and
anchor.
The isolated and dangerous position was explained to the sergeant in
charge, but he nonchalantly replied, "Yes, I know all abaht that; but,
yer see, wot's the use of frightenin' the boys any more? There's been
enough row rahnd 'ere all night as it is."--_N. Butcher (late 3rd
Londons), 43 Tankerville Drive, Leigh-on-Sea._
"C.O.'s Paid 'is Phone Bill"
On the Somme, during the big push of 1916, we had a section of
Signallers attached to our regiment to keep the communications during
the advance. Of the two attached to our company, one was a Cockney.
He had kept in touch with the "powers that be" without a hitch until
his wire was cut by a shell. He followed his wire back and made the
necessary repair. Three times he made the same journey for the same
reason. His mate was killed by a shrapnel shell and he himself had his
left arm shattered: but to him only one thing mattered, and that was to
"keep in touch." So he stuck to his job.
The wire was broken a fourth time, and as he was about to follow it
back, a runner came up from the C.O. wanting to know why the signaller
was not in communication. He started back along his wire and as he went
he said, "Tell 'im to pay 'is last account, an' maybe the telephone
will be re-connected."
A permanent line was fixed before he allowed the stretcher-bearers
to take him away. My chum had taken his post at the end of the wire,
and as the signaller was being carried away he called out feebly,
"You're in touch with H.Q. C.O.'s paid 'is bill, an' we'll win the war
yet."--_L. N. Loder, M.C. (late Indian Army), Streatham._