During the retreat of the remnants of the Fifth Army in March 1918 two
of the six-inch howitzers of the Honourable Artillery Company were in
action in some deserted horse-lines outside Péronne.
During a lull Gunner A----, a Londoner, like the rest of us, went
"scrounging" in some nearby cottages recently abandoned by their
inhabitants. He reappeared carrying a large zinc bath, and after
filling it with water from the horse pond he made a huge bonfire with
broken tables and other furniture, and set the bath on the fire.
Just when the water had been heated Fritz opened out with 5·9's. As
we were not firing just then we all took cover, with the exception of
Gunner A----, who calmly set his bath of hot water down by one of the
guns, undressed, and got into the bath. A minute later a large piece of
shell also entered the bath, passed through the bottom of it and into
the ground.
The gunner watched the precious water running out, then he slowly rose
and, beginning to dress, remarked, "Very well, Fritz, have it your way.
I may not be godly, but I _did_ want to be clean."--_Edward Boaden
(late H.A.C., 309 Siege Battery), 17 Connaught Gardens, Muswell Hill,
N.10._