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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/20655-8.txt b/20655-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c9cc52 --- /dev/null +++ b/20655-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4632 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Emma Gees, by Herbert Wes McBride + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Emma Gees + + +Author: Herbert Wes McBride + + + +Release Date: February 24, 2007 [eBook #20655] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMMA GEES*** + + +E-text prepared by Geetu Melwani, Christine P. Travers, Chuck Greif, +Jeannie Howse, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team (https://www.pgdp.net/c/) from digital material generously made +available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/toronto) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 20655-h.htm or 20655-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/5/20655/20655-h/20655-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/5/20655/20655-h.zip) + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/theemmagees00mcbruoft + + +Transcriber's note: + + Obvious printer's errors have been corrected. + + The original spelling has been retained. + + The illustrations' captions have been moved out of + paragraphs, and their corresponding page numbers + changed in the List of Illustrations. + + + + + +THE EMMA GEES + +by + +HERBERT W. McBRIDE +Captain, U. S. A. +Late Twenty-first Canadian Battalion + +Illustrated with Photographs and Trench Maps + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Bouchard] + + +Indianapolis +The Bobbs-Merrill Company +Publishers +Copyright 1918 +The Bobbs-Merrill Company + +Press of +Braunworth & Co. +Book Manufacturers +Brooklyn, N. Y. + + + + + TO THE MEMORY OF + + + WILLIAM EMMANUEL BOUCHARD + + Lance-Corporal + Machine Gun Section + Twenty-first Canadian Infantry + Battalion + + + KILLED IN ACTION, AT COURCELLETTE + SEPTEMBER 15TH + 1916 + + + + + In Flanders' fields the crosses stand-- + Strange harvest for a fertile land! + Where once the wheat and barley grew, + With scarlet poppies running through. + This year the poppies bloom to greet + Not oats nor barley nor white wheat, + But only crosses, row by row, + Where stalwart reapers used to go. + _Harvest in Flanders_--Louise Driscoll + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +When the final history of this war is written, it is doubtful if any +other name will so appeal to the Canadian as Ypres and the Ypres +Salient; every foot of which is hallowed ground to French, Belgians, +British and Colonials alike; not a yard of which has not been +consecrated to the cause of human liberty and baptized in the blood of +democracy. + +Here the tattered remnants of that glorious "contemptible little +army," in October, 1914, checked the first great onrush of the vandal +hordes and saved the channel ports, the loss of which would have been +far more serious than the capture of Paris and might, conceivably, +have proved the decisive factor in bringing about a Prussian victory +in the war. + +Here the first Canadian troops to fight on the soil of Europe, the +Princess Pat's, received their trial by fire and came through it with +untarnished name, and here, also, the First Canadian Contingent +withstood the terrible ordeal of poison gas in April, 1915, and, +outnumbered four to one, with flank exposed and without any artillery +support worthy of mention, hurled back, time after time, the flower of +the Prussian army, and, in the words of the Commanding General of all +the British troops: "saved the situation." + +Here, too, as was fitting, we received our baptism of fire (Second +Canadian Division), as did also the third when it came over. + +For more than a year this salient was the home of the Canadian soldier +and Langemarck, St. Julien, Hill 60, St. Eloi, Hooge, and a host of +other names in this sector, have been emblazoned, in letters of fire, +on his escutcheon. + +Baffled in his attempts to capture the city of Ypres, the Hun began +systematically to destroy it, turning his heaviest guns on the two +most prominent structures: The Halles (Cloth Hall), and St. Martin's +Cathedral, two of the grandest architectural monuments in Europe. Now +there was no military significance in this; it was simply an +exhibition of unbridled rage and savagery. With Rheims Cathedral, and +hundreds of lesser churches and châteaux, these ruins will be +perpetual monuments to the wanton ruthlessness of German kultur. + +When we first went there the towers of both these structures were +still standing and formed landmarks that could be seen for miles. +Gradually, under the continued bombardment, they melted away until, +when I last passed through the martyred city, nothing but small bits +of shattered wall could be seen, rising but a few feet above the +surrounding piles of broken stones. + +Glorious Ypres! Probably never again will you become the city of more +than two hundred thousand, whose "Red-coated Burghers" won the day at +Courtrai, against the trained army of the Count d'Artois; possibly +never again achieve the commercial prominence enjoyed but four short +years since; but your name will be forever remembered in the hearts of +men from all the far ends of the earth where liberty and justice +prevail. + H. W. McB. + + + + +NEW NAMES FOR OLD LETTERS + + +When reading messages sent by any "visual" method of signaling, such +as flags, heliograph or lamp, it is necessary for the receiver to keep +his eyes steadily fixed upon the sender, probably using binoculars or +telescope, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, for him to +write down each letter as it comes, and as this is absolutely required +in military work, where nearly everything is in code or cipher, the +services of a second man are needed to write down the letters as the +first calls them off. + +As many letters of the alphabet have sounds more or less similar, such +as "S" and "F," "M" and "N" and "D" and "T," many mistakes have +occurred. Therefore, the ingenuity of the signaler was called upon to +invent names for certain of the letters most commonly confused. Below +is a list of the ones which are now officially recognized: + + A pronounced ack + B " beer + D " don + M " emma + P " pip + S " esses + T " tock + V " vick + Z " zed + +The last is, of course, the usual pronunciation of this letter in +England and Canada, but, as it may be unfamiliar to some readers, I +have included it. + +After a short time all soldiers get the habit of using these +designations in ordinary conversation. For instance, one will say: "I +am going over to 'esses-pip seven,'" meaning "Supporting Point No. 7," +or, in stating the time for any event, "ack-emma" is A.M. and +"pip-emma" P.M. + +As the first ten letters of the alphabet are also used to represent +numerals in certain methods of signaling, some peculiar combinations +occur, as, for instance: "N-ack-beer" meaning trench "N-12," or +"O-don" for "O-4." + +"Ack-pip-emma" is the Assistant Provost Marshal, whom everybody hates, +while just "pip-emma" is the Paymaster, who is always welcome. + +Thus, the Machine Gunner is an "Emma Gee" throughout the army. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Chapter Page + + I Headed for the Kaiser 1 + + II Straight to the Front 12 + + III In the Midst of a Battle-Field 31 + + IV Eight Days In 47 + + V At Captain's Post 60 + + VI Our Own Cheerful Fashion 74 + + VII Sniper's Barn 83 + +VIII Getting the Flag 99 + + IX Hunting Huns 111 + + X A Fine Day for Murder 126 + + XI Without Hope of Reward 133 + + XII The War in the Air 143 + +XIII The Battle of St. Eloi 150 + + XIV Fourteen Days' Fighting 166 + + XV Blighty and Back 179 + + XVI Out in Front Fighting 187 + +XVII Down and Out--For a While 209 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + Facing page + +Bouchard _Frontispiece_ + +French Hotchkiss Gun Firing at Aeroplane 11 + +Hotel Du Fauçon 29 + +Light Vickers Gun in Action Against Aircraft 34 + +French Using an Ordinary Wine Barrel on Which a Wagon Wheel +Is Mounted to Facilitate the Revolving Movement to any +Desired Direction 45 + +French Paper War-Money, Issued by the Various +Municipalities. Every Town Has its Bank of Issue. There are +Practically no Coins in Circulation 56 + +Canadians with Machine Gun Taking Up New Positions 65 + +Wytschaete Map 85 + +Highlanders with a Maxim Gun 97 + +A Light Vickers Gun in Action 108 + +Canadian Machine Gun Section Getting Their Guns into Action 118 + +Canadian Soldiers in Action with Colt Machine Guns 128 + +British Machine Gun Squad Using Gas Masks 137 + +German Aeroplane Trophy--Jules Vedrine Examining the Machine +Gun 145 + +St. Eloi Map 153 + +Lewis Gun in Action in Front-Line Trench 166 + +Canadian Machine Gunners Digging Themselves into Shell-Holes 177 + +A Shell Exploding in Front of a Dug-in Machine Gun 189 + +Hollebeke Map 195 + +Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing with Periscope at Hill 60 203 + +Removing the German Wounded from Mont St. Eloi 212 + + + + +THE EMMA GEES + + + + +CHAPTER I + +HEADED FOR THE KAISER + + +The following somewhat disjointed narrative, written at the +solicitation of numerous friends, follows the general course of my +experience as a member of the Machine Gun Section of the Twenty-first +Canadian Infantry Battalion. Compiled from letters written from the +front, supplemented by notes and maps and an occasional short +dissertation covering some phase of present-day warfare and its +weapons and methods, it is offered in the hope that, despite its utter +lack of literary merit, it may prove of interest to those who are +about to engage in the "great adventure" or who have relatives and +friends "over there." The only virtue claimed for the story is that it +is all literally true: every place, name and date being authentic. The +maps shown are exact reproductions of front-line trench maps made +from airplane photographs. They have never before been published in +this country. + +I am sorry I can not truthfully say that the early reports of German +atrocities, or the news of Belgium's wanton invasion impelled me to +fly to Canada to enlist and offer my life in the cause of humanity. + +No, it was simply that I wanted to find out what a "regular war" was +like. It looked as though there was going to be a good scrap on and I +didn't want to miss it. I had been a conscientious student of the +"war-game" for a good many years and was anxious to get some real +first-hand information. I got what I was looking for, all right. + +The preliminaries can be briefly summarized. The battalion mobilized +at Kingston, Ontario, October 19th, 1914, and spent the winter +training at that place. The training was of the general character +established by long custom but included more target practise and more +and longer route marches than usual. The two things we really learned +were how to march and how to shoot, both of which accomplishments +stood us in good stead at a later date. + +Leaving Kingston May 5th, 1915, we sailed from Montreal the following +morning on the _Metagama_, a splendid ship of about twelve thousand +tons. We had as company on board, several hospital units, including +about one hundred and fifty Nursing Sisters, all togged up in their +natty blue uniforms and wearing the two stars of First "Leftenant," +which rank they hold. And, believe me, they deserve it, too. Of course +they were immediately nicknamed the "Bluebirds." Many's the man in +that crowd who has since had cause to bless those same bluebirds in +the hospitals of France and England. + +We ran into ice at the mouth of the St. Lawrence and for two days were +constantly in sight of bergs. It was a beautiful spectacle but I'm +afraid we did not properly appreciate it. We remembered the _Titanic_. + +Then we got word by wireless that the _Lusitania_ had been torpedoed. +I think an effort was made to suppress this news but it soon ran +throughout the ship. Personally, I did not believe it. I had had +plenty of experience of "soldier stories," which start from nowhere +and amount to nothing, and besides, I could not believe that any +nation that laid any claims to civilization would permit or commit +such an outrage. I began to believe it however when, next day, we +received orders to go down in the hold and get out all our guns and +mount them on deck. We had six guns; two more than the usual allotment +for a battalion; two having been presented to our Commanding Officer, +Lieutenant-Colonel (now Brigadier-General) W. St. Pierre Hughes, by +old associates in Canada, just a few days before our departure. + +Two of the guns were mounted on the forward deck, two on the flying +bridge and two on the aft bridge. I'm not sure, to this day, just what +we expected to do against a submarine with those machine guns, but at +any rate they seemed to give an additional feeling of security to the +others on board and of course we machine gunners put up an awful bluff +to persuade them that we could sink any U-boat without the least +difficulty. Of one thing we were sure. Being a troop ship we could +expect no mercy from an enemy and we were at least prepared to make it +hot for any of them who came fooling around within range provided they +came to the surface. I was with the forward guns and, as we had +several days of pretty rough weather, it was a wet job. Our wireless +was continually cracking and sputtering so I suppose the skipper was +getting his sailing orders from the Admiralty as we changed direction +several times a day. We had no convoying war-ships and sighted but few +boats, mostly Norwegian sailing vessels, until, one night about nine +o'clock, several dark slim shadows came slipping up out of the +blackness and established themselves in front, on both flanks and +behind us. We gunners had been warned by the captain to look out for +something of the kind, but I can assure any one who has not been +through the experience that the sigh of relief which went up from +those gun crews was sincere and deep. We were running without lights, +of course, and none but the crew was allowed on deck. The destroyers +(for such they were), were also perfectly dark and we could barely +discern their outlines as they glided silently along, accommodating +their pace to ours. + +Just before sunrise we dropped anchor inside Plymouth breakwater. This +was a surprise, as we had expected to land at Liverpool or Bristol. +But you may depend on it, no one made any complaint; any port in +England looked good to us. A few hours later we moved into the harbor +and tied up at Devonport Dock where we lay all day, unloading cargo. +Right next to us was a big transport just about to sail for the +Dardanelles. The Dublin Fusiliers were aboard her and they gave us a +cheer as we came in. Poor devils, they had a rough time of it down +there; but I guess by this time they think the same about us; so we'll +call it square. + +It rained all day, but we finally got everything off the ship and on +the trains and pulled out about dark. No one knew where we were going. +The only training camp we had heard of in England was Salisbury Plain +and what we had heard of that place did not make any of us anxious to +see it. The First Canadian Division had been there and the reports +they sent home were anything but encouraging. Our men were nearly all +native-born Canadians and "Yankees," and they cracked many a joke +about the little English "carriages," but they soon learned to respect +the pulling power of the engines. We made ourselves as comfortable as +possible with eight in a compartment, each man with his full kit, and +soon after daylight the train stopped and we were told to get out. The +name of the station was Westerhanger but that did not tell us +anything. The native Britishers we had in our crowd were mostly from +"north of the Tweed" so what could they be expected to know about +Kent. For Kent it was, sure enough, and after a march of some two or +three miles we found ourselves "at home" in West Sandling Camp. And +how proudly we marched up the long hill and past the Brigade +Headquarters, our pipers skirling their heartiest and the drummers +beating as never before. For we were on exhibition and we knew it. The +roads were lined with soldiers and they cheered and cheered as we came +marching in. We were tired, our loads were heavy and the mud was +deep, but never a man in that column would have traded his place for +the most luxurious comforts at home. + +There came a time when we hated that hill and that camp as the devil +hates holy water, but that Sunday morning, marching into a British +camp, with British soldiers, eager to keep right on across the channel +and clean up Kaiser Bill and feeling as though we were able to do it, +single-handed--why, the meanest private in the Twenty-first Canadians +considered himself just a little bit better than any one else on +earth. + +Thus we came to our home in England, where we worked and sweated and +swore for four solid months before we were considered fit to take our +place in the firing-line. All that time, from the top of Tolsford +Hill, just at the edge of our camp, we could see France, "the promised +land"; we could hear the big guns nearly every night, and we, in our +ignorance, could not understand why we were not allowed to go over and +settle the whole business. We marched all over Southern England. I +_know_ I have slept under every hedge-row in Kent. We dug trenches one +day and filled them up the next. We made bombs and learned to throw +them. We mastered every kind of signaling from semaphore to wireless, +and we nearly wore out the old Roman stone roads hiking all the way +from Hythe to Canterbury. We carried those old Colt guns and heavy +tripods far enough to have taken us to Bagdad and back. + +But, oh, man! what a tough lot of soldiers it made of us. Without just +that seasoning we would never have been able to make even the first +two days' marches when we finally did go across. The weaklings fell by +the wayside and were replaced until, when the "great day" came and we +embarked for France, I verily believe that that battalion, and +especially the "Emma Gees," was about the toughest lot of soldiers who +ever went to war. + +(Emma Gee is signaler's lingo for M. G., meaning machine gunner.) + +It must not be inferred that our four months in England were all work +and worry. Personally, I derived great pleasure from them. We were +right in the midst of a lot of old and interesting places which figure +largely in the early history of England. Within a mile of our camp was +Saltwood Castle, built in 499 by the Romans and enlarged by the +Normans. It was here that the conspirators met to plan the +assassination of Thomas à Becket at Canterbury, only sixteen miles +away, and which we had ample opportunities to visit. Hythe, one of the +ancient "Cinque Ports," was but a mile or so distant, with its old +church dating from the time of Ethelbert, King of Kent. In its crypt +are the bones of several hundred persons which have been there since +the time of the Crusaders, and in the church, proper, are arms and +armor of some of the old timers who went on those same Crusades. Among +numerous tablets on the walls is one "To the memory of Captain Robert +Furnis, Commanding H. M. S. Queen Charlotte: killed at the Battle of +Lake Erie: 1813"--Perry's victory. About three miles away was "Monk's +Horton, Horton Park and Horton Priory," the latter church dating from +the twelfth century and remaining just about as it was when it was +built. Then there was Lympne Castle, another Roman stronghold; Cæsar's +Plain and Cæsar's Camp, where Julius is said to have spent some time +on his memorable expedition to England; and, within easy reach by +bicycle, Hastings and Battle Abbey where William the Norman defeated +Harold and conquered England. The very roads over which we marched +were, many of them, built by the Romans. Every little town and hamlet +through which we passed has a history running back for hundreds of +years. We took our noon rest one day in the yard of the famous +"Chequers Inn," on the road to Canterbury. We camped one night in +Hatch Park, where the deer scampered about in great droves. On Sundays +we could charter one of the big "rubber-neck" autos and make the round +trip to Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Deal and Dover. + +[Illustration: _Photo by Western Newspaper Union_ +French Hotchkiss Gun Firing at Aeroplane] + +But, just the same, when we were told, positively, that we were going +to leave, there were no tears shed. We had gone over there to fight +and nothing else would satisfy us. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +STRAIGHT TO THE FRONT + + +The Machine Gun Section, having its own transport, traveled via +Southampton, as there were better facilities for loading horses and +wagons there than at the ports from which the remainder of the troops +embarked. After we had everything aboard ship it was an even bet among +the crowd as to whether we were going to France, the Dardanelles or +Mesopotamia. There were other ships there, loading just as we were, +some of which were known to be destined for the eastern theater; so +how could we know? As a matter of fact, our officers did not know any +more about it than the men. + +On the dock I discovered a box containing blank post-cards given out +by "The Missions to Seamen." I wrote one to my mother and stuck it in +a mail-box, on the chance that it _might_ go through. I had no stamps +and didn't really expect it to be taken up, but some one "with a +heart" inscribed on it "O. H. M. S.," and, sure enough, On His +Majesty's Service it went, straight to Indianapolis. + +[Illustration: Post Card] + +After having everything nicely stowed in the hold, Sandy McNab and I +had to go down and dig out a couple of guns to mount on deck. It +required quite a lot of acrobatic stunts to get down in the first +place and then to get the guns and ammunition up, but we managed to +finish the job just before dark and got the guns mounted, mine on the +starboard and Sandy's on the port side, before we steamed out. It was +a black drizzly night and the cold wind cut like a knife, but we +"stood to" until dawn, expecting anything or nothing. After an hour or +so we didn't care much what happened. + +Everything was dark, not a light showing aboard ship or elsewhere +until, about midnight, I saw a glow on the horizon, nearly dead ahead. +As the ship's lookouts said nothing, I did likewise, but I assure you +I was mightily puzzled. I knew we could not be near enough to shore to +see a lighthouse and, anyway, there was too much light for any +ordinary shore signal. I finally concluded that it must be a ship +burning and wondered what we would do about it, but the thing +gradually took on the appearance of a gigantic Christmas tree and then +I felt sure that I was going "plumb nutty." I sneaked over to McNab's +side and found him in about the same frame of mind. We were both too +proud to ask questions, so we simply stood there and watched--what do +you suppose?--_a hospital ship!_ lighted from water line to truck with +hundreds of electric lights; strings of them running from mast-head to +mast-head and dozens along the sides, fitted with reflectors to throw +the light down so as to show the broad green stripe which is +prescribed by the Geneva Convention. Then we both laughed. Little did +we think then that we would both be coming back to "Blighty" on just +such a ship; Sandy within a few weeks and I more than a year later. + +Before daylight we picked up a string of beacons, red and white, and +dropped anchor. As soon as it was light we could see the harbor of Le +Havre. I had been there before and recognized it quickly enough. Then +we knew that France was our destination. + +After waiting for the proper stage of the tide, the anchor was +weighed, and with a lot of fussy little tugs buzzing about, now +pushing at one end and then scurrying around to give a pull at the +other, we finally tied up to the dock at our appointed place and +prepared to disembark. The docks were thronged with men, mostly in +some sort of uniform and all busy. Many of the French soldiers were +wearing the old uniforms of blue and red, while others were clothed in +corduroy. The new "horizon blue" had not yet been adopted. There were +many English soldiers, mostly elderly men of the so-called "Navvie's +Battalions," but among all the others, was quite a number whose +uniform was the subject for much speculation until some one happened +to notice that they were always working in groups and were, +invariably, accompanied by a _poilu_ carrying a rifle with bayonet +fixed. It was our first sight of German prisoners and it gave us a +genuine thrill. The war was coming closer to us every minute. + +Disembarking was nothing more than common, every-day, hard labor, +relieved, occasionally, by the antics of some of the horses that did +not want to go down the steep narrow gangway. It was the devil's own +job to get them aboard in the first place and equally difficult to +persuade them to go ashore. Such perversity, I have noticed, is not +confined to horses: the average soldier can give exhibitions of it +that would shame the wildest mustang. + +We had been living, since leaving Sandling, on "bully beef" and +biscuits, but here on the dock we found one of those wonderful little +coffee canteens, maintained and operated by one of the many thousands +of noble English women who, from the beginning of the war, have +managed, God knows how, always to be at the right place at the right +time, to cheer the soldier on his way; working, apparently, night and +day, to hand out a cup of hot coffee or tea or chocolate to any tired +and dirty Tommy who happened to come along. If you have any money, you +pay a penny; if you are broke, it doesn't make the least bit of +difference; you get your coffee just the same, and the smile that +always accompanies the service is as cheerful and genuine in the one +case as in the other. Many women of the oldest and most aristocratic +families of England have given, and are still giving, not only their +money but their personal labor to this work; making sandwiches, +boiling tea, yes, and washing the dishes, too, day after day and month +after month. You do not often hear of them; they are too busy to +advertise. But Tommy knows and I venture the assertion that no single +sentence or "slogan" has been as often used among the soldiers in +France as "God bless the women." + +So we finally got everything off, wagons loaded and teams hitched up, +and about mid-afternoon made our way through the quaint old city to a +"rest camp" on the outskirts where we had time to wash and shave and +eat another biscuit before we received orders that we were to march, +at midnight, and entrain at Station No.--. It commenced to rain about +this time and never let up until we had entrained the next morning. + +That was a night of horrors. Sloshing through the mud, over unknown +roads and streets, soaked to the skin. Oh! well, it was a very good +initiation for what was to follow, all right, all right. + +Polite language is not adequate to describe the loading of our train: +getting all the wagons on the dinky little flat-cars and the horses +aboard. The horses fared better than the men for, while they were only +eight to a car, we were forty or more; and in the same kind of cars, +too. They look like our ordinary cattle cars but are only about +one-half as big. Forty men, with full equipment, have some difficulty +to crowd into one, let alone to sit or lie down. And, of course, +everything we had was soaked through. When I come to think of it, the +strangest thing about the whole business was that there were no +genuine complaints. The usual "grousing," of course, without which no +soldier could remain healthy, but I never heard a word that could have +been taken to indicate that any one was really unhappy. While we were +loading, our cooks had managed to make up a good lot of hot tea and +that helped some. We also got an issue of cheese and more bully and +biscuits and, after filling up on these, everybody joined in a +"sing-song" which continued for hours. + +This subject of soldier's songs would make an interesting study for a +psychologist. Not being versed in this science I can only note some of +the peculiarities which impressed me from time to time. + +The first thing that one notices is the fact that the so-called +soldier's songs, written by our multitudinous army of "popular" +song-smiths to catch the fleeting-fancy of the patriotically aroused +populace, are conspicuous by their absence. No matter how great a +popularity they may achieve among the home-folk and even the embryo +soldiers, during the early days of their training, they seldom survive +long enough to become popular with the soldiers in the field. When in +training, far away from the field of battle, soldiers appear very fond +of all the "Go get the Kaiser" and "On to Berlin" stuff and are not at +all averse to complimenting themselves on their heroism and +invincibility, with specific declarations of what they are going to +do. Sort of "Oh, what a brave boy I am," you know. But as they come +closer to the real business of war, while their enthusiasm and +determination may be not a whit less, they become more reserved and +less prone to self-advertisements; so, as they _must_ sing something, +they fall back on the old-timers, such as _Annie Laurie_ or _My Old +Kentucky Home_ when they feel particularly sentimental, and for +marching songs, any nonsensical music-hall jingle with a "swing" to it +will serve. + +Our crowd was what might be called "a regular singing bunch" and had a +large and varied repertoire, including everything from religious hymns +to many of that class of peculiar soldier's songs which although +vividly expressive and appropriate to the occasion are, unfortunately, +not for publication. Among the most popular were _The Tulip and the +Rose_, _Michigan_ and _There's a Long, Long Trail Awinding_, together +with several local compositions set to such airs as _John Brown's +Body_ and _British Grenadiers_. You might hear _Onward, Christian +Soldier_ sandwiched between some of the worst of the "bad ones" or +_Calvary_ followed by _The Buccaneers_. You never heard that last one, +and never will, unless you "go for a soldier." + +I've heard men singing doleful songs, such as _I Want to Go Home_, +when everything was bright and cheerful with no sign of war, and I +have heard them, in the midst of the most deadly combat, shouting one +of Harry Lauder's favorites, as _I Love a Lassie_. I once saw a long +line "going over the top" in the gray of the morning, and when they +had got lined up, outside the wire, and started on their plodding +journey which is the "charge" of now-a-days, one waved to his neighbor +who happened to be on a slight ridge above him and sang out: "You tak +the High Road an' I'll tak the Low Road." And immediately the song +spread up and down the line; even above the tremendous roar of the +guns you could hear that battalion going into action to the tune of +_Loch Lomond_. + +So, you see, there is a difference between "songs about soldiers" and +"soldier's songs," the latter being the ones he sings because they +appeal to his fancy and the former including the long and constantly +growing list of cheaply-sentimental airs intended for home +consumption. The difference between the two classes is as great as +that between war as it really is and war as the people at home think +it is. This is a difference which will never be understood by any +excepting those who have been over there. Those so unfortunate as to +be unable to learn it at first hand will be forever ignorant of the +real meaning of war. There is no language which can adequately +describe it; no artist can paint it; no imagination can conceive it. +It is just short of the knowledge of one who has died and returned to +life. So, by all means, let us have songs if they serve to cheer or +amuse any one, whether at home or abroad. + +It will probably do the soldier no harm to have people think he is a +"little tin god on wheels" any more than it will hurt him to be +belittled by the sickly mollycoddling name of "Sammie," no matter how +deeply he resents it. It is astonishing to me that our newspapers +persist in the use of this appellation in the face of the fact, which +they should know, that it is obnoxious to the American soldier +himself. Would they call a Canadian or Australian or Scotch soldier a +"Tommy"? If they do, I advise them to hide out and do it by telephone. +Such sobriquets, to be of any real value, must come spontaneously; +perhaps by accident; possibly conferred by an enemy. They can never be +"invented." + +But, to get back to our story. This country through which we passed +is an historical pageant,--from the very port of Harfleur, which +figures largely in the stories of both Norman and English invasion, +all the way up the valley of the Seine. Who could see Rouen, for the +first time, without experiencing a thrill of sentiment as the memories +of Jeanne d'Arc, Rollo the Norman, Duke William, Harold and many +others come forth from their hiding-places in the back of one's brain? +Although we passed through without a stop, we could see the wonderful +cathedral and the hospice on the hill and, crossing the river, we had +a fleeting glimpse of the delightful little village of St. Adrien, +with its curious church, cut out of the face of the chalk cliff; where +the maidens come to pray the good Saint Bonaventure to send them a +husband within the year. + +On, past the field of Crécy, across the Somme which was to us only a +name at that time but to become "an experience" at a later date, we +made our slow progress across northern France. At a certain junction +we were joined by the rest of the battalion which had traveled from +England by a different and shorter route. + +In the early hours of the morning we came to our stopping place, St. +Omer, which was then the headquarters of the British Expeditionary +Force in France. We did not tarry, however, but before daylight were +on the march--eastward. We stopped for a couple of hours, near some +little town, long enough to make tea, and then went on again. This was +the hardest day we had had. Every one was overloaded, as a new soldier +always is, and, moreover, our packs and clothing had not dried and we +were carrying forty or fifty pounds of water in addition to the +regulation sixty-one-pound equipment. Then, too, the roads were of the +kind called _pavé_; that is, paved with what we know as cobble-stones +or Belgian blocks. On the smooth stone or macadamized roads of England +we would not have minded it so much, but this kind of going was new to +us: ankles were continually turning, our iron-shod soles eternally +slipping on the knobbed surface of the cobbles and, take it all in +all, I consider it the hardest march I have ever done, and I have made +forty-eight miles in one day over the snow in the Northwest, too. + +About dark we were halted at a farm and told that we were to go into +bivouac and would probably remain there for a week or more. Now, one +characteristic of the good machine gunner is that he is always about +two jumps ahead of the other fellow, so, there being a big barn with +lots of clean straw in it, we just naturally took possession while the +rest of the troops were patiently waiting for the Quartermaster to +assign them to billets. Of course we had a fight on our hands a little +later but, by a compromise which let the signalers and scouts come in +with us, we were enabled to hang on to the best part of the place. +From names inscribed on the beams we learned that the Princess Pat's +had once occupied the same place, and from the people who lived there +we heard tales of how the Germans had carried off all their stock when +they made their first great advance. All this was the next day, +however, as we were too tired even to eat that night; we simply +dropped on the straw and slept. + +Next morning was bright and fair and everybody got busy, drying kits, +overhauling and cleaning the guns and ammunition and fixing up our +quarters for the promised week's rest. About four o'clock in the +afternoon we were ordered to form up and march to a place about +two miles distant, where, we were told, General Alderson, +Commander-in-Chief of the Canadians, was to give us a little talk. + +We arrived at the appointed place ahead of time, and while we were +lying about waiting we had our first glimpse of real war. It was a +long way off and high up in the air but it was a thrilling sight for +us. A couple of German airplanes were being shelled by some of our +anti-aircraft guns, and as we watched the numerous shell-bursts, +apparently close to the planes, we expected, every moment, to see the +flyers come tumbling down. However, none was hit and they went on +their way. It was only later we learned that it is the rarest thing in +the world for an airplane to be brought down by guns from the ground. +I suppose I have seen several hundred thousand shots fired at them and +have yet to see one hit by a shell from an "Archie" and only one by +machine-gun fire from the ground. The majority of planes destroyed are +shot down by machine guns in combat with other flyers. + +When the General finally came, he looked us over and told us what a +fine body of troops we appeared to be, and just for that, he was going +to let us go right into the front line, instead of putting us through +the usual preliminary stages in reserve and support. Of course we felt +properly "swelled up" about it and considered it a great compliment. +We did not know, what we now know, that they were about to start the +big offensive which is known as the Battle of Loos and that the +British had not enough troops in France to be able to afford such +luxuries as reserves. It was a case of everybody get in and "get your +feet wet." + +As we were to march at daybreak, we had a busy night getting our +scattered belongings together and repacked. This was our first +experience of what shortly became a common occurrence and we soon +learned that, in the field, a soldier never knows one day where he +will be the next, and thus he is always "expecting the unexpected." + +[Illustration: Hotel Du Fauçon] + +We moved out at dawn and had another heart-breaking march as the +weather had turned very warm. Through Hazebrouck and numerous small +towns we continued our eastward way to Bailleul, stopping there for an +hour's rest. Our section happened to be right in the market square so +had a good opportunity to see some of the principal points of interest +in this famous and ancient city. The Hotel de Ville with its curious +weather-vane of twelfth-century vintage and the Hotel Fauçon +particularly interested me: the former because I had read of it and +the latter because it had real beer on ice. This is the place which +Bairnsfather speaks of as the hotel at which one could live and go to +war every day and I afterward did that very thing, for one day; +leaving the front-line trenches in the morning, having a good dinner +at the Fauçon and being back in the front line at night. That happened +to be Thanksgiving Day; November 25, 1915. + +After our rest we continued on our way and arrived at the little town +of Dranoutre, in Flanders, about five o'clock in the evening and went +into bivouac. On this day's march we saw more evidence of war. Here +and there a grave beside the road; occasionally a house that showed +the effect of shell or rifle fire and, almost continually, firing at +airplanes, both Allied and German. + +At our camp we found detachments of the East Kents (The Buffs), and +the Second East Surrey Regiment, from whom we were to take over a +sector of the line. They said that it was comparatively quiet at that +point but had been pretty rough a few months earlier. + +The Machine Gun Section went in the next morning, two days ahead of +the infantry, and the East Surreys remained during the two days to +show us the ropes. They were a splendid lot of soldiers and I am sorry +to say that when they left us it was to go to Loos, where they were +badly cut up at the Hohenzollern redoubt. We never connected up with +them again. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +IN THE MIDST OF A BATTLE-FIELD + + +It was a bright warm Sunday morning, that nineteenth day of September, +when we made our first trip to the front-line trenches. Only the +Number Ones, lance corporals, of each gun went in ahead, the guns and +remainder of the section to come up after dark. I was a "lance-jack" +at that time, in charge of No. 6 gun; and had a crew of the youngest +boys in the section, two of whom were under seventeen when they +enlisted and not one of whom was twenty at that time. Subsequent +events proved them to be the equals of any in the whole section; a +section of which a general officer afterward wrote: "I consider it the +best in France." They were strong and healthy, keen observers, always +ready for any duty and during all the time I was with them I never saw +one of them weaken. They played the game right up to the finish, in +fair weather and foul, during the easy times and the "rough," each +until his appointed time came to "go West." One, in particular, named +Bouchard, a boy who enlisted when but sixteen, developed into the +brightest and most efficient machine gunner I have ever known. His +zeal and eagerness to learn so impressed me that it became my greatest +pleasure to give him all the assistance in my power, and, despite the +difference in our ages, there grew up between us such a friendship as +can only be achieved between kindred spirits sharing the vicissitudes +of war. Small of stature and slight of frame, it was only by sheer +grit and determination that he was able to endure the terrible strain +of that first winter. At times, when the mud was nearly waist deep, he +would throw away his overcoat, blanket and other personal effects, but +never would he give up his beloved gun. When trenches were absolutely +impassable he would climb up on top, scorning bullets and shells, +intent on the one job in hand--to get to his appointed station without +delay. He was a constant source of inspiration to all of us, often +inciting the older heads to undertake and achieve the apparently +impossible by daring them to follow his lead. + +Our sector was made up of what were then known as the "C" trenches, +running north from the Neuve Eglise-Messines road and directly between +Wulverghem and Messines. To the south of the road was the Douve River +and just beyond that "Plugstreet" (Ploegstert). There had been some +very hard fighting all along the Messines Ridge during the preceding +year, but for several months things had been quiet. Now, by "quiet" I +do not mean that there was any cessation of hostilities for there is +always artillery firing and sniping going on, with a fair amount of +rifle grenade and trench-mortar activity. It simply means that there +is no attempt being made, by either side, to attack in force and to +capture and hold captured ground. + +Our route, that first morning, was rather a roundabout one, by way of +Lindhoek, taken, as explained by our guide, because it was less +exposed to enemy observation than a much shorter road which we used +when moving at night. When a short distance out from town, we passed +in front of one of our howitzer batteries which decided that then was +just the proper time to cut loose with a salvo, right over our heads. +We were not more than fifty yards from the guns and the result was +that we were all "scared stiff," to say nothing of being almost +deafened. This appears to be a characteristic and never-ending joke +with artillerymen and so we soon learned to "spot" their emplacements +and go behind them, when possible. + +At all cross-roads ("Kruisstraat," in Flemish), sentries were +stationed who acted as guides and also gave warning of the approach of +enemy aircraft. At a long blast of the whistle every person was +supposed to stop and not make a move until the signal "all clear," +indicated by two blasts, was given. It appears that, while the airmen +have no difficulty in seeing moving objects on the ground it is next +to impossible for them to locate stationary ones. + +[Illustration: Light Vickers Gun in Action Against Aircraft.] + +As we progressed, the signs of war were multiplied. Numerous graves +along the road, each marked by a cross, houses and barns torn by +shells, a bridge and railroad track blown up and trees shattered and +rent, until, finally, everything was desolation. When we arrived at +Wulverghem, we had our first sight of a really "ruined" town. Of +course we saw many worse ones later, but at that time, we could not +conceive more complete destruction than had been wrought here by the +German shells. Every building had been hit, perhaps several times; +some had one or more walls standing, while many were totally destroyed +and were nothing but piles of broken brick and mortar. Part of the +church tower remained and one hand of the clock still hung to the side +facing the German lines. This seemed to aggravate the boche as, every +day, he would send from a dozen to forty or fifty shells over, all +seemingly directed at the church tower. + +As Messines Ridge is now "ours" I think there can be no objection to +my going into details about our dispositions. Our Battalion +Headquarters was located in the St. Quentin Cabaret, about two hundred +yards south of Wulverghem and we had a supporting gun, with infantry, +at Souvenir Farm and also at a redoubt near by, called "S-5." Our +front-line guns were distributed from the Neuve Eglise road to the +northern end of our battalion frontage, about "C-3." + +These numbers refer to certain locations on the map, and the cabarets +are not exactly such as one is accustomed to seeing in American +cities. They are, or were, inns, such as in England would be called +public houses and in America, road houses. In Flemish they are +_herbergs_, but these happened to bear French names, hence were called +cabarets. One can not help wondering at the indiscriminate manner in +which French and Flemish names are used in this corner of the world. +Neuve Eglise, Bailleul, Dranoutre and Locre are all mixed up with +Wolverghem, Ploegstert, Wytschaete and Lindhoek: Ypres and Dickebusch +are neighbors; while St. Julian and Langemarck lie side by side, as do +Groot Vierstraat and LaClytte. Look at a map of West Flanders and the +adjoining parts of France and you will see what I mean. + +Just as we arrived at the Battalion Headquarters the signal was +sounded, "German up," which is the short way of saying that an enemy +airplane is approaching, so we were obliged to take cover and remain +quiet for some time. We were near a group of farm buildings and, going +inside, found that former occupants had left elaborate records of +their visits. Among other mural decorations were some rough sketches +drawn by Captain Bairnsfather, which afterward became famous as +"Fragments from France." + +This suggests another interesting field for speculation. Why is it +that all men, regardless of race, creed or color, have an inborn +craving to inscribe their names on walls and trees and rocks, +especially on walls other than those of their own home? Wherever you +go, all over the world, you will find the carved or written record +stating that, at such and such a date, John Doe, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, +honored the place with his presence. The buildings of Flanders and +France are storehouses of historical records. From them the historian +could almost reconstruct the campaigns of the war. Would it not not +be an interesting task to make a thorough search of all the old +buildings and dug-outs, just as the archeologists have been doing in +Egypt and all the ancient habitations of mankind? The prehistoric +caves of Spain or the cliff dwellings of the Colorado could not be +more interesting than a compilation of these records, including the +drawings and sketches, some of which are real works of art. Regimental +crests and badges are often shown with the utmost attention to detail +and, in one place which we afterward occupied, one of the walls bore +an elaborately carved tablet enumerating the campaigns and battles of +one of the oldest British line regiments, together with a list of the +honors, V. C's. and so on, won by members thereof. On one of the walls +at Captain's Post one of my boys, Charlie Wendt, carved a large maple +leaf upon which he inscribed the names of all our squad. He was killed +a few days later and others at various times and of that whole list, I +am the sole survivor. I would give a great deal to have that bit of +wall here in my own home. + +Meantime, the _Allemand_ has gone away and we are free to continue our +journey to the front line. + +In an orchard behind the house we entered a communication trench and +after a few final words of advice from the guide as to the necessity +of keeping our heads down wherever the walls were low, started on the +mile-long trip. We learned that the trench by which we were going in +was named Surrey Lane, in honor of the West Surreys who constructed +it. At various points we came upon intersecting trenches, most of +which were marked with the name of the point to which they led. One, I +remember, was "Wipers Road"; not that it ran all the way to Ypres but +led in the direction of that place. + +Except for an occasional large shell, whispering overhead, consigned +from Kemmel to Warneton or vice versa, and the distant muttering of +the French guns away to the south, everything was quiet and peaceful, +and had it not been for the ruined buildings and torn-up roads it +would have been difficult to imagine that we were in the midst of a +battle-field. + +Passing through all the maze of cross trenches, we finally reached +the front line which we found to be what we afterward called a +"half-and-half" trench; that is, it was dug down to a depth of perhaps +four feet and built up about the same with sand-bags, making it +possibly eight feet from the bottom of trench to top of parapet. It +was quite dry and clean and comfortable and proved that the Buffs and +Surreys had not been loafing during the summer. I'm afraid we did not +properly appreciate it at that time, but as I look back over all the +time that has passed since, I am compelled to admit that it was the +finest bit of trench we ever occupied. + +We had no more than arrived in the line than the cook of the first gun +crew we struck brought out a "dixie" of tea and an unlimited supply of +bread and butter and jam and invited us to fill up. ("Dixie" is the +soldier's name for the camp kettle used in the British army.) Now if +you have been paying attention to the story of our movements since +leaving England, I think you can readily imagine that we were hungry. +These soldiers had been out, some of them, since the beginning of the +war and had become inured to all the hardships which are a necessary +part of the game, and, splendid fellows that they were, the first +thing they thought of was our comfort. From that time on I never met +up with any body of British Imperial soldiers who did not show this +same consideration and solicitude for the stranger. And they do it so +unostentatiously and naturally that they challenge the admiration of +all, especially of Colonials such as we, who were, I fear, very apt to +forget the little niceties of manner which are inbred in the native +Briton. While we afterward became the best of friends there was never +any danger of our becoming "alike." We secretly admired their perfect +and unalterable observance of all orders even though we were, at the +same time, scheming to evade a lot of those same restrictions which +appeared to us to be unnecessary. They, on their part, could not help +admitting that the dash and "devil-may-care" spirit shown by our men +often accomplished results not otherwise attainable but from the +emulation of which they were barred by "traditions." The discipline +of the one and the discipline of the other are based on two entirely +different modes of life; the former carefully trained to rely on and +obey implicitly the orders of any superior officer, while the latter +looks only for initial direction, depending upon his own initiative +and ingenuity to see him through any trouble that might arise. + +From this line we could see the whole valley which separated us from +the famous Messines Ridge. The enemy was firmly established on its +crest, with his advance lines in the valley and even, at some places, +on the sides of the slope below us. The town of Messines, directly +opposite, was in plain sight but nearly a mile away, the church and +hospice, or infirmary, being conspicuous landmarks on the sky-line. +Our front lines were from about one hundred and fifty to three hundred +yards apart. Numerous ruined farms and cabarets were scattered along +the line, sometimes in our territory and sometimes belonging to the +enemy. These were, as a rule, converted into redoubts or +"strong-points," and defended by both infantry and machine guns. To +the northward, within the German lines, was the town of Wytschaete, +while we had Mont Kemmel, a prominent hill which gave our artillery +good observation all the way from Ypres to "Plugstreet." + +Several of the prominent roads within the German lines were in plain +sight from our position and, while the artillery devoted considerable +attention to harassing the enemy, we were not sufficiently supplied +with ammunition at that time to strafe them as was desirable. This was +especially true of several "dumps," which is the colloquial word +designating the points where the wagons and motor transports deposit +ammunition, food and other trench stores and whence they are carried +up to the front line by the men. Thus an ammunition dump means a point +where ammunition is stored, while a ration dump is a place where the +ration carrying parties repair at night to procure the rations for +the following day. At some points the field cookers or "rolling +kitchens" come up at night and the cooked food is carried from there +to the front. One such place at Messines, we called "Cooker's Halt." + +The machine gun officer of the outgoing Surreys had begun to develop +some ideas of his own as to the feasibility of strafing enemy +transports and dumps at night and had selected a tentative position +behind a slight crest, about one hundred and fifty yards N. E. of "In +den Kraatenberg Cabaret" and immediately adjacent to a disused +communication trench called "Plum Avenue." Now I had been a crank on +long range, indirect fire in England, so I had no difficulty in +persuading our M. G. officer to turn this job over to me. We improved +the position and also established another one, about one hundred yards +down the trench for daylight work against aircraft. In those days the +planes would come over at altitudes of two thousand feet and less and +we had some splendid opportunities to practise on them. We succeeded +in bringing one down with his petrol tank on fire, and we turned +back a good many more until they began to fly so high that we could +not reach them. At night, by using information obtained from our +artillery and our own forward observers, we were able to cut up a lot +of their transports. At first they would drive down to a place called +the Barricade, but after we caught them there two or three times they +came only to the top of the hill, to "Cooker's Halt." We soon chased +them out of that, however, and then I guess poor Fritz had to carry +his stuff all the way from behind the Ridge. On two occasions we +caught large working parties, in broad daylight, and cut them up and +dispersed them. Our position in front of the group of buildings (In +den Kraatenberg) naturally led the enemy to believe that we were using +the building for cover, so he shelled the poor inoffensive houses and +barns most industriously but never put anything close enough to our +real position to do any damage. This taught me a lesson which I put +into operation, later on, at Sniper's Barn, with the best of results. + +[Illustration: French Using an Ordinary Wine Barrel on which a Wagon +Wheel Is Mounted to Facilitate the Revolving Movement to Any Desired +Direction.] + +From that time on, strafing was an important part of machine gunnery +until, now, together with barrage fire, it comprises about all there +is to machine-gun work, proper, for the automatic rifle has taken over +the greater part of the front-line offensive work. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +EIGHT DAYS IN + + +As the subject of machine guns is one of great interest at this time, +it may not be amiss to devote a little space to explaining some of the +salient features of the most commonly used types. + +All automatic arms are divided into classes, as determined by the +following characteristics: + +1st. Method of applying the power necessary to operate: (gas or recoil). + +2nd. Method of supplying ammunition: (belt, magazine or clip). + +3rd. Method of cooling: (water or air). + +Another well-defined distinction is made between the true machine gun +and the automatic rifle; the former being so heavy that it must be +mounted on a substantial tripod or other base, while the latter is so +light that it may be carried and operated by a single man. Of the +former class, the Colt, (35 lbs.), the Vickers, (38 lbs.) and the +Maxim, (63 lbs.) may be taken as representative. They are all mounted, +for field work, on tripods weighing fifty pounds or more. In the +latter class, the Lewis, Benet-Mercie, and Hotchkiss, running from 17 +to 25 lbs., are fair examples. They are all equipped with light, +skeleton "legs" or tripods, which, by the way, are never used in the +field although they are still considered essential for training +purposes. + +In the gas-operated arms, a small hole is drilled in the under side of +the barrel, six to eight inches from the muzzle, so that, when the +bullet has passed this point, and during the time it takes it to +traverse the remaining few inches to the muzzle, a certain portion of +the enclosed gas is forced through this hole, where it is "trapped," +in a small "gas-chamber" and its force directed against a piston or +lever which, being connected with the necessary working parts of the +gun by cams, links or ratchets, performs the functions of removing and +ejecting the empty cartridge case, withdrawing a new cartridge from +the belt, clip or magazine, and "cocking" the gun: that is, forcing +the "hammer" or striker back and compressing its spring. As the +pressure generated in the barrel by our ammunition is not less than +50,000 lbs. to the square inch, very little gas is required to do all +this. There must also be sufficient force to compress or coil a strong +spring or springs called "main-springs" or retracting springs which, +in their turn, force the mechanism forward to its original position, +seating the new cartridge in the chamber and releasing the striker, +thus firing another shot. This action continues as long as the +"trigger" is kept pressed or until the belt or magazine is emptied. +The Colt, Benet-Mercie, Hotchkiss and Lewis are in this class. They +are all of the air-cooled type. + +In the recoil operated guns, the barrel itself is forced to the rear +by the "kick," as we commonly call it, and the force applied directly +to the working parts, thus performing the same operations above +described. The Maxim, Vickers, Vickers-Maxim and Maxim-Nordenfeldt +belong to this class. They are all water-cooled, having a water-jacket +of sheet metal entirely surrounding the barrel. + +All the last-mentioned class, and also the Colt, have the ammunition +loaded in belts containing two hundred and fifty rounds each. The +Hotchkiss and Benet-Mercie use clips of from twenty to thirty rounds, +while the Lewis is fed from a round, flat, pan-shaped magazine holding +forty-seven rounds. (For aircraft guns these magazines are made +larger; about double this capacity, I think.) + +During the early part of the war, before the advent of the Lewis and +other automatic rifles, the only machine guns in general use were of +the heavy, tripod-mounted type and it was necessary for them to +advance with or even ahead of attacking troops. As the guns and +tripods were very conspicuous objects they naturally became the +especial targets for enemy riflemen and snipers and the casualties +among machine gunners ran far above the average for other troops. It +was this that caused the Emma Gee sections to be named Suicide Clubs. + +Now, however, the Lewis gun, being light and inconspicuous, can be +carried by advancing troops and used effectively in the attack without +its operators suffering excessively, and at the same time it has been +demonstrated that the true machine gun, of the heavier type, mounted +on its firm base, can effectively cooperate with the artillery in +maintaining protective or other barrages and in delivering harassing +fire upon the enemy at points behind his front line. As this fire is, +necessarily, over the heads of our own troops, sometimes but a few +feet over them, it must be extremely accurate and dependable and it +has been proved that guns of the lighter, automatic-rifle type, can +not be safely used for this purpose, even when mounted on the heavy +tripods of the other guns. This is probably due to the excessive +vibration of the lighter barrels. + +For the benefit of any who are not familiar with the word, I might +say, in passing, that "_barrage_" is a French word meaning a "barrier" +or a "dam" and when used in a military sense it means a veritable +barrier or wall of fire, where the shells or bullets, or both, are +falling so thickly as to make it impossible for any body of troops to +go through without suffering great loss. + +I know nothing of the Browning gun, as it is a new invention and has +never been used in the field. We can only hope that it will prove as +good as the Vickers and Lewis which are giving perfect satisfaction on +the battle-fields of Flanders and France. No real machine gunner +expects or requires anything better, but I can not imagine any _one_ +type of gun that can replace both of them, any more than a single +class of artillery can combine the functions of both the light field +guns and the heavy howitzers. + +The Germans evidently had good spies within our lines as they always +knew when we changed over; that is, when we took over a new line. At +first they would call out: "Hello, Canadians, how are you," sometimes +even naming the battalion. Later on, however, they used much stronger +language but they knew who we were, just the same. Their methods of +communicating information from our lines were many and very ingenious. +For instance, at one time it was learned by our intelligence +department that spies were making use of the many windmills to signal +messages across the line. They did this by stopping the sails of the +mills at certain angles and moving them about from time to time. When +this was discovered the orders went out for all windmills to be +stopped in such a position that the arms should always be at an exact +forty-five degree angle whenever the mill was not running, with the +understanding that failure to observe this regulation would result in +our artillery in the immediate vicinity turning their guns on the +offending mill. At one place we discovered a large periscope with a +heliographic attachment by which a seemingly inoffensive Belgian +peasant kept in constant communication with the boche. This periscope +was concealed in the chimney of a partially ruined farm building +within our lines. At other places underground cables were discovered, +with telephones or field telegraph instruments concealed in cellars or +old buildings. Carrier pigeons were also much used and, without a +doubt, many men passed back and forth between the lines, some of +them, as we learned from time to time, regularly enlisted in our +armies. At several places we had men shot down and killed by snipers +masquerading as farmers, behind our lines. Needless to say, such +affairs were promptly attended to, on the spot, "_tout de suite_" as +the French say. + +So, although that part of the line had been very quiet for a long +time, they began at once to give us a reception. While the shelling +was as nothing compared to bombardments we went through later, still +it gave us an opportunity to make the acquaintance of the various +kinds of shells from "whizz-bangs" up to something of about eight-inch +caliber. + +The first casualty in the battalion was a scout named Boyer who was +killed on his initial trip into No Man's Land the first night in the +trenches. Next day Starkey decided he could not see enough with a +periscope, so took a look over the parapet. Both men are buried in the +garden back of the St. Quentin Cabaret together with many from the +best and most famous British Line Regiments. + +The Emma Gees came out pretty lucky, having but one man seriously +wounded. His name was Mangan, a Yankee, who had served in the U. S. +Army in the Philippines. He was badly wounded by shrapnel and was sent +back to England. We used to hear from him occasionally until about a +year later the letters stopped. + +After eight days we were relieved by the Twentieth Battalion and went +back to Dranoutre for our first "rest." We went by way of Neuve Eglise +but, as it was night, we could see but little of that much shot-up +city. It commenced to rain before we started out and kept it up until +we went back again, four days later. At that time it was customary to +carry in and out everything, including ammunition, and we soon learned +to dread the days when we had to move. We would have preferred to stay +in the front line for a month at a time rather than carry all that +heavy stuff in and out so often. However, we managed to get a bath and +some clean clothes, which made everybody feel better. We had no +regular billets at Dranoutre but rigged up little shelter tents, +somewhat similar to those used in the U. S. Army, by lacing two or +more rubber sheets together. Our cooking was done by gun crews, +somewhat on the order of a lot of Boy Scouts, in that no two crews had +the same ideas or used the same methods. My squad dug out a nice +little "stove" in a bank, and by covering it with flattened-out +biscuit tins and making a pipe of tin cans of various sorts, managed +to get along very well. Here we received our first pay since arriving +in France; fifteen francs each. It doesn't sound like much but, +believe me, we made those "sous" go a long way and bought lots of +little delicacies we could not otherwise have had. + +While at Dranoutre we associated with the inhabitants, in the stores +and estaminets. The Germans had taken of whatever they needed in the +way of live stock and foodstuffs, but the town itself happened to be +one of the many scattered up and down the line, which had miraculously +escaped even an ordinary bombardment. + +[Illustration: French Paper War-Money] + +There were refugees, hundreds of them; from the towns and cities +farther to the eastward, whence they had fled with little or nothing +besides the clothes on their backs. There were children who had lost +their parents; wives who knew not what had become of their husbands, +and men whose wives and families were somewhere back in the +German-occupied territory. They told of enduring the direst hardships +and suffering; of cold and hunger. + +Every town behind the lines that had escaped destruction was crowded +with these poor homeless people. Every habitable house sheltered all +who could find no room to lie on the floor. Those who could, worked on +the roads or in the neighboring fields. Many of the women worked in +the military laundries. They all received some assistance from the +French Government and from the many charitable societies. When talking +with them they would tell their stories in a monotonous sort of way, +seldom making any complaint; seeming to think that all these things +were to be endured as a matter of course. + +I have read all the available reports on the subject of atrocities and +have no doubt that they are true, but none ever came under my personal +observation. + +In the midst of a battle many men do things which would, at other +times, fill them with horror. The excitement of combat seems to breed +a lust for killing and the sight of blood is like a red flag to a +bull. This, unfortunately, is not confined to Germans. One of our +officers who had had a brother killed a few days before deliberately +shot and killed several unarmed prisoners. He was, himself, killed the +same day. On another occasion, a wounded German, lying in a +shell-hole, stabbed and killed one of our wounded and attacked another +only to be beaten at his own game and killed with his own knife. A +soldier of the Royal Fusiliers, at St. Eloi, was detected by his +sergeant in the act of shooting an unarmed prisoner, whereupon the +sergeant immediately shot and killed the soldier. I saw this, myself. + +But the deliberate shooting of wounded men and stretcher-bearers has +been, so far as I know, confined to the Hun. On numerous occasions, +some of which are mentioned elsewhere in this story, German snipers +deliberately and in cold blood shot down our helpless wounded and the +men who were endeavoring to succor them. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +AT CAPTAIN'S POST + + +The Battle of Loos had opened on the twenty-fifth of September and, +although it was a considerable distance to the south of us, we had +been hearing the continuous rumble of the guns ever since we had come +up to the line. It was the first time we had heard "drum-fire," as the +French call it. It is such an incessant bombardment, with such a large +number of guns, that you can not distinguish any single reports, but +the whole makes a continual "rumble," something like the roll of heavy +thunder in the distance; never slacking, night or day. I have +forgotten just how many days they kept it up, but it was something +like two weeks. + +To create a diversion, and prevent the enemy from taking troops from +other parts of the line to strengthen the attacked point, our +artillery, all along the line, was doing its best and our infantry +made feint attacks at several places. We had gone back in the line on +the first of October and, early the next morning, our brigade, Fourth +Canadian, took part in one of these attacks. Our battalion did not go +"over the top," but Bouchard and I stuck our gun up on the parapet and +helped support the advance, which was made by the Nineteenth +Battalion. It was our first experience of that kind and was, to say +the least, interesting. The enemy kept up an incessant rifle and +machine-gun fire on our position, the bullets were snapping around our +heads like a bunch of fire-crackers and the mud was flying everywhere, +but that little seventeen-year-old "kid" kept feeding in belts and all +the while whooping and laughing like a maniac. It certainly cheered me +up to have him there. The whole thing was over in about twenty minutes +but, during that short time, we had learned something which can be +learned in no other way--that it is possible for thousands of bullets +to come close to you without doing any harm. From that time on, +neither Bouchard nor I ever felt the least hesitation about slipping +over the parapet at night to "see what we could see." + +During this tour we were subjected to considerably more shelling than +on the first occasion, and one morning Fritz made a mistake with one +of his shells intended for "our farm," as we called the buildings in +the rear, and dropped it "ker-plunk" right into one of our dug-outs. +It was a place we had fixed up for cooking, and we were all outside, +but it certainly made a mess of our "kitchen furniture." Then they +shot up our communication trench until it was positively dangerous to +go up and down it for rations and ammunition. Narrow escapes were +numerous, but our luck held, and we went out the night of the eighth +without having sustained a casualty. The battalion did not fare so +well, having quite a number of wounded, but none killed. + +That was our last visit to those trenches, as we marched, that night, +away to the northward. "Eéps" was the word that went up and down the +line, that being the Flemish pronunciation of Ypres, (in French +pronounced "Eé-pr" and in Tommy's English, "Wipers"). We had a hard +march; in the rain, as usual; and, about daylight, stopped at the town +of LaClytte, which was to be the battalion's billeting place for +several months. The rest of the battalion remained there a few days, +resting, but the Emma Gees went on ahead and took over some support +positions at Groot Vierstraat and along the Ypres-Neuve Eglise road. +We relieved the King Edward Horse who were acting, as was all the +cavalry, as infantry. + +My crew, together with Sandy McNab's, was assigned to an old Belgian +farm called Captain's Post. The place was pretty well shot up but we +managed to clear out enough room to give us very good quarters; by far +the best we had had since leaving England. We were some 1,250 yards +from the enemy lines but in plain sight of them, hence it was +necessary to be very careful not to allow any one to move about +outside the buildings in daytime, nor to make any smoke. + +No doubt some one got careless, for about noon the next day we heard +the long-drawn-out "who-o-o-o-i-s-s-s-h" of a big shell coming. It +struck about twenty-five yards behind our building and failed to +explode; in soldier's parlance, it was a "dud." We were eating dinner +and refused to be disturbed. Then came a steady stream of the big +fellows; to the right, to the left, in front of the building and, +finally, "smack," right into the house. Altogether, they put +thirty-two "five-point-nine" (150 mm.) shells into that one old +building and all the damage they did was to ruin our dinner by filling +the "dixie" with mud. How in the world we escaped has always been a +mystery to me, but later on, after other and worse affairs, the men +called it "McBride's luck." They shelled us pretty regularly, after +that, sometimes just two or three shells, but on at least one +occasion, they evidently had made up their minds to put the place out +of business entirely, for they kept up a continuous bombardment, with +guns of at least three calibers, for more than an hour. At that time I +was a corporal and had twelve men, with two guns at this place, yet, +although nearly every one was hit by pieces of brick and mud and +covered with dust, not a man was hurt nor a gun injured. + +[Illustration: Canadians with Machine Gun Taking Up New Positions.] + +One morning, just after daylight and during a fog, I was up in an old +hay-loft where we had a gun, when I heard a cock pheasant "squawking" +(that's the only word that describes it), out in front. Looking from +the gun position I saw him, standing on the parapet of an abandoned +French trench across the road. I could not resist the temptation, so +took a shot at him, with the result that we had pheasant stew for +dinner that day. + +It was a source of never-ceasing wonder to me that the birds and other +forms of wild life seemed to be so little affected by the continual +noise of guns and shells. So far as I could notice they did not pay +the slightest attention to it. Pheasants, partridges and rabbits were +numerous at one point in and behind our lines and I have seen them +running about, feeding or playing where shells were falling and +bursting all about them, without showing any sign of fear. Indeed +they were sometimes killed by the shells, especially shrapnel, but +those unhit would "carry on" with the business in hand, indifferent to +the fate of their companions. + +The little robin redbreasts (the English robin and the French +_rouge-gorge_) were abundant, as were the ubiquitous English sparrows, +which, sitting out in front on the barbed wire, were often used as +targets by men firing experimental shots. + +A pair of swallows reared a family of young in a dug-out which I once +occupied, the nest being within a few feet of my head when I was in my +bunk. They would come in and go out through a small hole which we left +in the burlap curtain and the old bird would sit on the nest and look +at me in such a confidential, unafraid sort of way that she made a +friend for life and I would have fought any one who had attempted to +disturb or injure her. But, of course, no such thing was possible. All +the men seemed to take a kindly interest in the birds and, except for +the occasional shot at the English sparrows (which never hit them, +anyhow), they rarely, if ever, molested any of them unless it was for +the purpose of getting a meal of pheasant or partridge, which was +considered perfectly legitimate although forbidden by "orders." It was +all right if you could "get away with it," as the saying is. One +morning, after an unusually intense bombardment of a wood called the +Bois Carré, I found many dead birds; killed either by direct hits or +by the concussion of the heavy shells. This same morning I watched a +pair of magpies who were building a nest in a tree near our station. A +shell had struck the tree, below the nest, and had cut it in half +while a large branch had lodged just above the nest. The whole thing +was swaying dangerously in the light breeze and a strong wind would +surely bring it down, but that pair of chattering magpies appeared to +be debating whether to continue their work or move elsewhere. One +would hop down to the place where the shell had hit and, cocking his +head this way and that, would let loose a flow of magpie talk that +would bring his mate to him and then they would both investigate, +flying to the shattered place, clinging to the bark and picking out +splinters and pieces of wood. Then they would go up aloft and consult +about the nest itself. I watched them for the better part of an hour +when the verdict appeared to be to "take a chance" and go ahead with +the building. We left that place soon after and I never learned the +final outcome. + +At one point, where our lines were about one hundred yards from the +enemy, there was a small pond in No Man's Land just outside our wire, +and a pair of ducks, teal, I think, made it their home during the +entire winter of 1915-16. In spite of the fact that shells were +continually falling all around and sometimes bursting squarely in the +pond itself, they never showed the least inclination to abandon the +place. As this pond was surrounded by a fringe of small willows we +often made use of the cover they afforded to make night +reconnoissances, but soon learned that it was impossible to approach +the pool without alarming the ducks and drawing from them a low +scolding note of protest, accompanied by a splashing of water. This +was carefully noted and, thereafter, all sentries at that point were +especially warned to listen intently for these noises as it would +probably mean that an enemy patrol was exploring in the vicinity. The +abandoning of so many of the farms and villages left a great many cats +without homes. Nearly every ruined barn or house sheltered one or more +of them and they were, as a rule, quite wild. Some, however, had been +caught and tamed by the soldiers who made great pets of them. +Frequently a soldier would be seen going in or out of the front line +with a kitten perched contentedly on top of his pack. There was one +big brindle "madame" cat who adopted our machine gun outfit when we +first went in. She traveled up and down the line but never stayed +anywhere except in one of the machine gun emplacements. On bright days +she would hop up on top of the parapet and sit there, making her +toilet, and then stretch out on the sand-bags for a nap. At this point +it was not possible to show a hand or a periscope or any other small +object without drawing the fire of some alert boche, but they never +shot at the cat I don't know why, superstition, perhaps. + +This old cat had two litters of kittens while she was a "member" of +our section and they were all grabbed up as soon as weaned, by both +officers and men alike. It is simply human nature to want to have a +pet of some kind and, as it was forbidden to take dogs into the lines, +the soldiers turned to the cats. Of course they were of some use in +killing mice, but the real scourge of the trenches, the giant rats, +were too big and strong for any cat to tackle. There were literally +millions of these rats. At night they appeared to be everywhere. They +would eat up any rations that were left within reach and, boldly +entering the dug-outs, would run about all over the sleeping men. It +is decidedly unpleasant to be awakened to find one of these fellows +perched on your chest and "sniff-sniff-sniffing" in your face. The men +killed them in all sorts of ways, one of the most popular of which was +to stick a bit of cheese on the end of the bayonet and, holding it +down along the bottom of the trench, wait until Mr. Rat went after the +cheese and then fire the rifle. Needless to say that rat was "na-poo," +which is soldier-French, meaning "finis." + +At Captain's Post a cat had a family of kittens, just learning to +walk, hidden in a haymow, when we were shelled unmercifully. After the +bombardment ceased, upon going up into the mow to inspect the damage, +I found them. They were all covered with brick-dust but unhurt. By +actual count, no less than five shells had burst within ten feet of +the nest in which they were hidden; in fact, the whole place was an +utter ruin, yet they came through it untouched. Then, at Sniper's Barn +there was a big black cat, wild as a fox, which had a hiding-place +somewhere among the ruins of the upper story. I had a sniping nest, +burrowed under a lot of tobacco which had been stored there, and was +occupying it one day when the Germans shelled the place. They put +several shells into that part of the building, cutting the legs off +the tripod of my telescope and burying the whole works, including +myself. But what interested and amused me most was when a shell rooted +out that cat and sent it flying down into my quarters, unhurt but so +plastered with dust from the bricks and mortar that no one would have +ever suspected it of being black. It was an entirely new variety--a +red cat. It sat and looked at me for a long time. Disgust, just plain, +every-day disgust, was written all over that animal's face. I don't +know what would have happened had I not laughed. I simply could not +help it, the sight was so funny. With my first shout the cat seemed to +"come to" and, with a terrified yowl, sped through a narrow opening +and took to the woods. + +To change the subject: Many of our men will, doubtless, be comforted +to know that in one respect Flanders is like Ireland--there are no +snakes. + +One of our guns on this line was in the upper story of an old brewery +at Vierstraat, about seven hundred yards from my position, and we +occasionally exchanged visits. One day, I was down there talking with +the boys when a five-inch (sixty pounder) shrapnel shell burst in +front of the building, the case coming right on through, into the room +where we were. It "scooted," glanced, ricochetted, or whatever you +want to call it, all around that room and you never saw such a +scampering to get out. It finally stopped, however, and one of the +boys dragged it out into the light for an examination. On the side it +was branded "BEARDMORE, SCOTLAND." Now, how do you suppose Heinie got +that? + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +OUR OWN CHEERFUL FASHION + + +On October twelfth there was a general attack along our front, to try +out some new "smoke bombs" and shells. It was the first time the smoke +barrage was used. We took our guns down about half-way to the front +line and set them up in hedge-rows and other places where we could +sweep the front in case the enemy made a counter-attack and got into +our lines. However, we were not needed, so remained spectators of +about as pretty a show as I have ever seen. At a given signal, every +gun behind our lines dropped smoke shells in a continuous row along +the line, just in front of the enemy's parapet. As each shell struck, +it burst, sending out great streamers of white smoke that soon became +a dense wall through which no one could see. Under cover of this, our +bombers advanced, threw hand grenades into the enemy trenches and then +retired. No attempt was made to take any part of the line; it was +more in the nature of a try-out for the new shells and also for the +purpose of harassing the enemy. + +Naturally, the boche, expecting a general attack, commenced to shell +everything in that part of the country and also opened up a heavy +machine-gun and rifle fire, a good deal of which came our way, but no +one was hit. On the way back to the barn, Bouchard and I were walking +side by side, perhaps three or four feet apart, when a "whizz-bang" +came right between us and struck the ground not more than ten feet in +front. In nine hundred and ninety-nine cases out of a thousand that +would have spelled our finish, but the shell struck on the edge of a +little hump, at the side of a ditch, turned sidewise and spun round +like a top. We stood there, speechless, fascinated by the peculiar +antics of the thing, until it stopped. It was a pretty toy, a 105 mm., +painted red and with a beautiful brass fuse-cap. I picked it up but as +it was too hot to handle I put on my asbestos gloves, used for +changing barrels of machine guns, and carried it "home" where I put +it away, intending to get some artilleryman to remove the fuse and +explosive so that I might keep it as a souvenir; but a bunch of boys +from the Eighteenth Battalion found it, and taking it back to their +dug-out at Ridgewood, tried to unload it themselves. Some were killed +and several wounded when the thing exploded. I afterward saw one of +those who had been wounded and he told me about it. + +At this stage of the soldier's career he is always a "souvenir +hunter," picking up and carrying around with him all sorts of things, +from German bullets to big shells. I was a fiend of the first +magnitude and collected enough stuff to stock a museum, only to have +to abandon it whenever we moved. I had French rifles, bayonets and +other equipment; German ditto and about every size and type of shell +and fuse that was used on our front. Whenever we moved I would bury or +cache the whole lot, in the hope that I could get back for it some +day. But the fever finally wore off, and I got so that I would not +even pick up a German helmet. Now, of course, I wish I had some of +that stuff to show the folks. + +On the fifteenth of October we went into the front line; a line which +we, alternating with the Twentieth Battalion, were destined to hold +until the following April. About this time the rains set in "for +keeps" and we were seldom dry or warm or clean for nearly six months. +Mud, mud, nothing but mud--mud without any bottom. We had no trenches, +proper; they were simply sand-bag barricades between us and the enemy +and it was a continual struggle to keep them built up. They would ooze +away like melting butter. + +When the deadlock came, in the fall of 1914, and the opposing armies +lay entrenched, from the North Sea to Switzerland, it found the +Germans occupying the dominating heights, with our forces hanging on, +as best they could, to positions on the lower ground. + +This was the case at the point where we were located. Our sector +(about eleven hundred yards for the battalion frontage) extended from +the Voormezeele-Wytschaete road, northward to the bottom of the hill +at the top of which was the village of St. Eloi. Directly opposite our +left was Piccadilly Farm, located on a hill about ten meters higher +than our lines. From there toward the right, the enemy line gradually +descended until, at the right of our line, it was only about two +meters higher. The distance between the front lines varied from about +seventy yards, at the right, to about two hundred and fifty yards at +the left. The net result of this situation was that the Germans could +dig trenches of considerable depth, draining the water out under their +parapets or into two small streams which ran from their lines to ours. +They had a playful habit of damming up these streams until an +unusually hard rain would come, when they would open the gates and +give us the benefit of the whole dose. I have seen the water in these +streams rise seven feet within less than an hour and there were times +when in one of our communication trenches it was over a man's head. A +soldier of the West York's regiment was drowned in this trench one +night. + +Under such conditions, it was impossible for us to dig. All we could +do was to construct sand-bag parapets or barricades, while our +so-called "dug-outs" consisted of huts constructed of sand-bags, +roofed with corrugated iron and covered with more sand-bags. They +afforded protection from shrapnel and small shell fragments, but, of +course, not against direct hits from any kind of shells. Even a little +"whizz-bang" would go through them as though they were egg-shells. All +the earth thereabouts was of the consistency of thick soup and our +parapet had a habit of sloughing away just about as fast as we could +build it up. As a matter of fact, our communication trenches did +become completely obliterated and we had no recourse but to go in and +out of the trenches "overland." At night this was not so bad, although +we were continually losing men from stray bullets. But when it was +necessary, as it sometimes was, to go in or out in daylight why, it +was a cinch that some one was going to get hit, as the enemy had had +many good snipers watching for just such opportunities. At one time, +for over two weeks more than two hundred yards of our parapet were +down, and if you went from one end of the line to the other you must +expose yourself to the full view of enemy snipers. My duties required +me to cover this stretch of trench at least twice a day. + +Our conduct in taking short cuts across the fields when the trenches +were knee-deep with mud, was scandalous in the eyes of our neighbors +of the Imperial army, as the troops from the British Isles are known. +Quite frequently we were subjected to the most scathing tongue-lashing +from officers of the old school, but we won the astonished admiration +of the Tommies by our disregard of instructions and advice. I well +remember one day when a party of us were going out through the P. & O. +communication trench and, finding the mud too deep, we climbed out and +walked across the open, whereat an old Colonel of some Highland +regiment gave us a "beautiful calling." His discourse was a +masterpiece of fluent soldier talk and, as a Scot usually does when +excited, he lapsed into the "twa-talk" of his native Hielans. I can +remember his last words, which were to the effect that: "Ye daft +Cany-deens think ye're awfu' brave but I tell ye the noo it's no +bravery; it's sheer stupidity." Of course he was right, but we could +not allow the small matter of a bullet or two to stand in the way of +our getting out in time for tea, and finally they gave it up in +disgust and allowed us to "go to hell in our own cheerful fashion," as +they said. + +With the assistance of the engineers, we finally succeeded in +constructing a new line, slightly in the rear of the old one which was +abandoned except for a couple of machine-gun positions and a listening +post. We also managed to get out a fairly good barbed-wire +entanglement along most of the front. Fritz appeared to be having his +troubles, too, so did not bother us much at night. We always got a few +shells every day and usually quite a number of rifle grenades and +"fish-tail" aerial torpedoes, but they did very little damage. Here +was where the mud was our friend, for, unless a shell dropped squarely +on the top of you, it would do no harm. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +SNIPER'S BARN + + +Just as streets and roads must have their names, so must all trenches +have official designations. This applies also to localities, farms, +cross-roads, woods and such places which have no "regular" names or +which possess Flemish or French names difficult of pronunciation by +the soldiers. + +Front-line trenches are usually designated by letters or numbers, +running in regular order, from right to left in each sector. Certain +important points may have special names. Communication trenches are +always given distinctive names. Probably the majority of these names +are those of prominent streets and roads in England, especially in +London. At Messines we had "Surrey Lane," "Stanley Road" and "Plum +Avenue" for communication trenches, while our front line embraced the +whole series of "C" trenches. During the winter we occupied the "N" +and "O" front-line trenches, while our communication trenches bore +such names as "Poppy Lane," "Bois Carré" (afterward called "Chicory +Trench" because it ran through a chicory field), and the "P. & O." so +named because it entered the front line at the junction of the "O" and +"P" trenches and P. & O. is so much easier to say than O. & P. At St. +Eloi, "Convent Lane" and "Queen Victoria Street" were examples of the +communication trenches, while the front-line positions were designated +by numbers, as elsewhere explained. Originally, they were called the +"O" and "R" trenches. Opposite Hill 60 (so named because it is sixty +meters above sea level), the numbering method was continued in the +front line, while the communication trenches included "Petticoat +Lane," "Fleet Street" and "Rat Alley." At various places along the +lines you would find "Marble Arch," "Highgate," "Piccadilly Circus," +and so on. + +Supporting points were generally designated as "S. P. 7" (or other +number), or as "Redoubts" with identifying names. In one place we had +the "Southern, Eastern and Western" redoubts along the edges of a +certain wood. + + +_WYTSCHAETE MAP_. + + _The reproduction on the opposite page is a section from the map + known as Wytschaete. Here are Shelley Farm, White Horse Cellars + and St. Eloi, with the British front line shown by faint dashes, + crossing the road that runs through White Horse Cellars, at + figure 2. The German trenches, indicated by irregular black + lines, are close to the British front at this point, but run + sharply away down to Piccadilly Farm and beyond on the left. The + trenches on this map are corrected to February 20th_, 1916. + _Sniper's Barn that figures so thrillingly in Captain McBride's + experiences is shown at the extreme left of the map, only the + word Barn appearing._ + +[Illustration: Wytschaete Map] + + +Sometimes the original Flemish names were retained for the farms, +châteaux and cross-roads, but more often they would be Anglicized by +our map makers. Thus we had "Moated Grange," "Bus House," "Shelley +Farm," "Beggar's Rest," "Dead Dog Farm," "Sniper's Barn," "Captain's +Post," "Maple Copse," the "White Château" and the "Red Château," "Dead +Horse Corner," "White Horse Cellars" and so on, indefinitely. +"Scottish Wood" was so named for the London Scottish who made a famous +charge there in the early part of the war. Hallebast Corner was +changed by the soldier to "Hell-blast" Corner, just as Ypres became +"Wipers" and Ploegstert was translated into "Plugstreet." As to the +estaminets, (drinking places), while many retained their original +names, such as "Pomme d'Or," "Repos aux Voyageurs" or "Herberg in der +Kruisstraat," such names as "The Pig & Whistle" and "Cheshire Cheese" +were not uncommon. + +"Shrapnel Corners" and "Suicide Corners" were numerous and had merely +a local significance. The names are self-explanatory. "Gordon Farm," +where the Gordon Highlanders had stopped for a time, and "School +Farm," where we had a bombing and machine-gun school, were other +examples. "Hyde Park Corner," afterward changed to "Canada Corner," +was an important junction point of the roads back of our lines. +"Bedford House" was a name given to a château which the Bedfords once +occupied. It would require a large book to enumerate them all. + +Our line was at the exact spot where the Princess Pat's first went +into action and several of them were buried in our trenches, together +with many others, both French and English. In fact, it was difficult +to dig anywhere for earth to fill sand-bags without uncovering bodies. +The whole place was nothing more nor less than one continuous grave. +There were a great many crosses, put up by comrades, giving name, date +and organization, but hundreds had no mark other than the cross, +sometimes inscribed "an unknown soldier," but more often unmarked. +Here one of our sergeants found the grave of his brother, who had been +serving in the King's Royal Rifles and I noticed another cross near by +marked with the name of Meyers, Indianapolis, Indiana, said to have +been the first man of the Princess Pat's killed in action. There was a +maze of old French and English trenches, some in front of our line and +some behind it and all more or less filled with bodies that had never +been buried. Some of the Indian troops had fought here and had left +many of their number behind. Whenever it was possible, we buried the +bodies, but often they were in such positions that this was impossible +and any attempt to do so would only have resulted in further losses. I +nearly forgot to mention it; but there were plenty of Germans mixed up +with the lot; in one small area, just in front of a farm building, +some five hundred yards in our rear, I found eight of them. Inside the +building was a dead French soldier who, as we figured it out, had +accounted for the eight boches before they got him. This place was +called Sniper's Barn. + +While our artillery had been considerably increased, it was still far +below that of the enemy in number or size of guns, and the ammunition +supply was so short that each gun was limited to a very few rounds a +day. It was only during the following summer that the English caught +up with the Germans in artillery. This, naturally, did not tend to +cheer up the men. It was aggravating, to say the least, to have the +other fellow sending over "crumps" without limit, and be able to send +back nothing but six or eight "whizz-bangs." ("Crump" is the general +name for high-explosive shells of from 4.1 up, but the commonest size +is the 5.9 or 150 mm.) + +Having been so successful at the strafing at Messines, our Colonel was +anxious that we continue the game here and I was delegated to locate a +good position and "go to it." After going over all the ground back of +our lines, I decided to try the experiment of placing the gun in a +small hedge which ran across the lower end of an old garden or +orchard, in front of Sniper's Barn; that is, on the side toward the +enemy. It looked rather foolhardy, at first glance, for the place was +in plain sight from the German lines and only about five hundred yards +away at the nearest point; but I remembered our experience at our +first strafing place and depended on Heinie to jump to the conclusion +that we were in the farm buildings, and devote his attention to them. +It worked; he "ran true to form," as a race horse man would say, and +while we maintained a gun, and sometimes two, in that place for six +months, and the boche shot up the barn regularly during all that time, +there was never a shell, apparently, directed at our position, and +except for an occasional "short," none burst near us. + +From there we would shoot, day and night, often, at the first, having +our targets where we could "see 'em fall," a very unusual occurrence +for a machine gunner, save during a general engagement. Of course we +would have to get into the position before daylight and remain until +dark as the way to and from it was exposed to view from "across the +way." + +Here we worked out many of the constantly recurring problems which +confront the machine gunner in the field, and which are, as a rule, +overlooked or neglected during the preliminary training. As our own +soldiers will have to contend with the same conditions, I may mention +some of them. + +One of the first things we discovered was that while all the +small-arms ammunition issued was made pursuant to uniform +specifications, furnished by the War Office, a large percentage of it +was manufactured in new, hastily equipped factories, by partially +trained workmen, and while it was apparently near enough to the +standard to pass the tests exacted by the inspectors, only an +extremely small proportion would function properly in machine guns or +other automatic arms. A few of the old standard brands, made in +government arsenals or by the prominent, long-established private +manufacturers, could be depended upon at all times, but, +unfortunately, these brands were comparatively scarce and hard to get. +At least seventy-five per cent. of what we received was the product of +the small, new and ill-equipped factories, established under the +press of war demands, and, while it appeared to work satisfactorily in +the ordinary rifles, both Enfield and Ross, it was utterly useless for +machine guns. The difference of a minute fraction of an inch in the +thickness of the "rim" would break extractors as fast as they could be +replaced, while various other irregularities, so small as to be +undiscoverable without the most accurate measurements by delicate +micrometers, would cause stoppages and the breaking of different small +parts. And, at that time, spare parts were almost unknown, so it +required the utmost ingenuity on the part of the gunners to improvise, +with what materials could be found on the spot, and with the very few +tools at hand, many of the small but all-important parts that go to +make up the interior economy of the guns. + +All automatically operated firearms are, of necessity, very delicately +balanced mechanisms. Whether gas or recoil operated, there must be +just sufficient power obtained from the firing of one shot to overcome +the normal friction of the working parts, eject the empty cartridge +case, withdraw a new cartridge from the belt or magazine, load it +properly in the chamber and fire it; continuing this action as long as +the trigger, or other firing device, is kept pressed or until the belt +or magazine is emptied. Ammunition which does not give the proper +amount of pressure or cartridges which, through faulty manufacture, +cause an undue amount of friction, either in seating them in the +chamber, withdrawing them from the belt or in removing the fired case, +will not operate the gun properly and will cause "jams." On the other +hand, ammunition which develops too much pressure or creates too +little friction, will cause breakages because of the excess jar and +hammering of the moving parts. + +We utilized parts of cream separators, sewing machines, baby +carriages, bicycles and various agricultural implements, found in and +around the old Belgian farms, and it soon became common talk that we +could make every part of a machine gun excepting the barrel. We +learned that there was a certain bolt, a part of the rifle carrier on +the French bicycle, which was an exact duplicate of an important part +of our guns, so, whenever we found one of those old, broken and +abandoned cycles, we would take time to remove this particular part +and carry it along for emergencies. This is but one instance of many. + +Then, there was the matter of concealing the flash, when firing at +night. As the position we occupied was in plain view of the enemy +lines, to have fired without some device to prevent the flash being +seen would, inevitably, have resulted in a concentration of fire upon +us which would have rendered the position untenable. We tried many +schemes, from the crude "sand-bag" screen to the most elaborate +devices made in the armorer's shops, while back in billets, and +finally perfected one which was thoroughly satisfactory. I can not +describe it here, as I hope to see it used by our soldiers in France, +but I can say that, out of probably fifty different contrivances made +for the same purpose, this was the only one that "filled the bill" +from every standpoint. + +As most of our firing was done at night, it was necessary to improve +the manner of mounting and "laying" the guns as we soon found that the +methods taught at the training schools and the lamps and other +mechanical devices furnished by the authorities were of no use under +actual service conditions. + +The various schemes and devices which we originated and elaborated are +at the disposal of the proper military authorities in this country +but, obviously, can not be described here. + +The foreign officers, British and French, who are now in this country +acting as instructors and advisers are doing everything in their power +to impress upon our officers and men the necessity for keeping up to +date in all the various and complicated departments of military +training, even to the exclusion of many of the pet ideas of some of +the most accomplished instructors in our service schools. The trouble +with us is that we have not, and never have had, any machine gunners +in the United States Army. By this I mean men skilled in machine +gunnery as applied to present-day warfare. The evolution of +machine-gun tactics is, perhaps, the most outstanding feature of the +whole war. From being, as it was considered four years ago, merely an +emergency weapon or, as the text-book writers were pleased to call it, +"a weapon of opportunity," it has become the most important single +weapon in use in any army, not even excepting the artillery. A +properly directed machine-gun barrage is far more difficult to +traverse than anything the artillery can put down and the combination +of artillery and machine guns, working together, whether on the +offensive or defensive, represents the highest point ever attained in +the effective use of fire in battle. + +Our instructors have been technical theorists of the very highest +order, basing their theories and working out their problems on the +experience furnished by previous wars and of course it is difficult +for them to realize that nearly every hypothesis which they have +assumed in working out their theories has been proved false. They can +not believe that "fire control" of infantry, as taught in the school +of fire, has no place in modern trench warfare. It will break the +hearts of some of them to learn that the ability to read a map and +use a prismatic compass is of far more value than knowledge of the +"mil-scale" or "fire-control rule." They will probably be scandalized +by the statement, which I make seriously and with full knowledge +whereof I speak, that one common shovel and an armful of sand-bags are +worth more than all the range-finders that have been or ever will be +bought for the use of machine gunners. + +Every foot of ground in France, Belgium and Germany has been so +thoroughly and accurately mapped that there need be no such thing as +estimating ranges. You _know_ the range; you do not have to depend on +mental or mechanical estimates. And, as machine-gun fire is almost +entirely indirect fire, the guns must be laid by using map, compass, +protractor and clinometer (quadrant), in exactly the same manner as +artillery fire is directed. The average machine gunner will probably +go through the whole war without ever seeing a live enemy--excepting +prisoners. The various methods of controlling indirect fire by +resection, base lines and observation from two or more points are, +like the use of an auxiliary aiming point, useless in trench warfare. +They are fine in theory and afford much interesting diversion on the +training ranges, but when you go to war, why, it can't be done, that's +all. + +[Illustration: Highlanders with a Maxim Gun] + +This is a common, plain, hard-headed business proposition: where the +only idea is to kill as many of the enemy as possible before he kills +you, it has been found that the oldest, crudest and most primitive +methods have, in many cases, proved the most effective for the +attainment of this end. + +Never before has it been of such vital importance to train the +individual soldier, whether he be rifleman, bomber, machine gunner or +any other specialist, so that he can "carry on" without the direction +of an officer. The officer must plan everything in advance; he must +look after the health and comfort of his men, see that they are +properly equipped and supplied, must station them in their appointed +positions, make frequent personal inspections and, finally, lead them +in the advance. But in every engagement there comes a time when every +man is "on his own," when it is impossible for the officer, if he be +still living, to direct the action. The idea that an officer can +exercise "fire control" as taught in our service schools, or can +personally direct the fire of a number of machine guns, once the +action has started, is ridiculous. The limits of one man's sphere of +action, at such a time, are extremely small. If the men have been +properly instructed, beforehand, and then given a good start, they +will do the rest. It is just this ability to assimilate individual +instruction that has made the Canadian superior to the native-born +Briton. He is better educated, as a rule, has lived a freer and more +varied life and, as a result, possesses that initiative and individual +ingenuity which are so often necessary at the critical stages of a +fight. We have every reason to expect that the American soldier, for +these same reasons, will prove to be at least the equal of the +Canadian--the finest type of fighting man yet developed by this war. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +GETTING THE FLAG + + +We soon fell into the routine of moving; from front line to support; +from support to the front line and back to reserve. For some time +these movements were uncertain but we finally settled down to a +regular schedule, which was maintained, with few breaks, throughout +the winter. When the time came to go into the reserve, the rest of the +battalion would go back to LaClytte but the Emma Gees went only to the +Vierstraat-Brasserie line before described. From there detachments +would alternate in going back to the battalion billets for a bath and +clean clothing. Some of us rigged up our own bath house in Captain's +Post, so found it unnecessary to go any farther. Personally, there was +only one day in three months when I was out of sight of the German +lines. We had comfortable quarters where we were and the towns of +Dickebusch and LaClytte had no attractions for me; and as to the +battalion billets, they were abominable. They consisted of so-called +huts which were simply floors with roofs over them: no walls at all; +just a sloping, tent-like roof on top of a rough board floor. Outside, +they were partly banked up and plentifully smeared with mud, +camouflaged, as it were. The British made it a practise at that time +to keep their troops out of the inhabited towns that were within range +of the enemy's guns, so as not to give any excuse for shelling them. +LaClytte was a very small town of but a few hundred native +inhabitants, but Dickebusch, situated about midway between the lines +and LaClytte, was a city of several thousands. In both places were +hundreds of refugees from the ruined towns to the eastward. + +However, it seemed to make little difference to the boche; he shelled +both towns, intermittently, killing a number of civilians but very +rarely hitting a soldier. Later, in the spring of 1916, they started +in to wipe out Dickebusch, and, for all practical purposes, they +succeeded. I will speak of this in a later chapter. + +Where opposing lines are so close together, say less than one hundred +yards apart, and the ground is level and star shells are going up +almost continuously, it would seem to be nearly an impossibility for +any man or number of men to venture out into No Man's Land without +being seen and fired upon by the enemy. But with certain members of +each organization it is merely a part of the daily routine. Every +night they slip over the parapet and, in small groups, patrol up and +down the line, constantly on the alert to prevent any surprise attack +by the enemy. But this is not all. There are times, at all points, +when it is necessary to put out new barbed wire or repair the old; +when large parties of men must go out there and work for hours, within +a stone's throw of a vigilant and merciless enemy. Occasionally they +are discovered and have trouble, but in the great majority of cases +the work is done and every one gets back unhurt. + +How is it done? Simply a matter of training and careful preparation. +Every man is rehearsed in his work until he can do it perfectly, +quickly and without noise. Materials are carefully checked up and +distributed and, each man having a certain specified task and no +other, there is no confusion or blundering. They all know that, when a +flare goes up near by, they must "freeze" in whatever position they +may be. Movements of any kind would be sure to discover them to the +enemy lookout, but lacking that movement it is a hundred-to-one shot +they will be undetected. + +There have been a good many instances where a flag has been planted by +the enemy, on his parapets or inside his wire, with a challenge to any +one to come over and get it. There was one such opposite our position. +Many stories had been told about that flag: The Brandenburgers had it +first, then the French got it and passed it along to the English, who +relieved them; then the Prussians took it away from the British and +had held it ever since; for about a year, in fact. We could see it, +plainly enough; a dark blue affair with some sort of a device in +yellow in the center. I often noticed it from our position back at +Sniper's Barn and had some rather hazy ideas about going over after +it. + +One dark rainy night in November, a man in the section named Lucky +announced that he was going over to Fritz's line to try to locate a +new machine-gun emplacement which we had reason to believe had been +recently constructed. He slipped over the parapet where a road ran +through our lines and those of the enemy. It was only about seventy +yards across at this point. + +Working his way through our wire, he crawled along the side of the old +disused road, there being a shallow ditch there which afforded a +little concealment. The flares were going up frequently and progress +was, of course, very slow. At one place the body of a soldier was +lying in the ditch and, in trying to roll it out of the way, he pulled +off one of the feet. By creeping along, inch by inch, he finally +reached the enemy's wire and spent about an hour working through it. +Then crawling along the outside of the parapet, stopping often to +listen, he soon found the loophole of the new gun emplacement. Taking +a sheet of paper which he had brought for the purpose, he fastened it +directly below the loophole where it would be in plain sight from our +lines but invisible to the occupants of the place. His work done, he +was about to start back when he happened to think of that flag and +concluded to have a try for it. It was probably a hundred yards or +more down the trench from where he then was and it required the utmost +care to avoid making a noise as the front of the parapet, as is always +the case, was thickly strewn with tin cans and rubbish of all sorts. +Lucky had been a big game hunter in Canada, however, and had even +stalked the wily moose which is about the last word in "still +hunting," so he managed to negotiate the distance without detection +and finally reached the flag. + +Carefully feeling up along the staff, he discovered that it was +anchored with wires which ran into the ground and then he remembered +the tales that had been told of how it was attached to a bomb or small +mine which would be exploded if the flagstaff were disturbed. That was +a common German trick and not at all unlikely in this case, but, +after thinking the matter over, he decided to make an attempt to +unfasten the wires. This did not take long, after which all that +remained was to pull out the staff and "beat it." Taking his pistol in +his right hand, to be ready for emergencies, and reaching up with the +left, he gave the pole a sharp jerk. Well, there must have been +another wire, somewhere, connected up with two "fixed rifles," aimed +directly at the stick for, when he pulled on it, two rifle reports +rang out and two bullets hit the flagstaff, cutting it off just below +his hand which was also slightly cut. Quickly rolling down into a +slight depression he hugged the flag to him and lay quiet, while the +Germans, aroused by the shots, immediately opened fire with rifles, +which were soon joined by; a machine gun. They could not hit him where +he was so he just lay still and waited. Suddenly, without warning, +they fired a flare light directly over his head. He told me afterward +that was the only time he was really scared. He thought it was a bomb. +However that soon passed and the firing having died down, he made his +way back to our lines with the flag which he gave to the Colonel the +next morning. "And they gave him a medal for that." + +On another occasion, one of our scouts made his way through the German +line and having located a battery in the rear, started back, only to +discover that the place where he had come over was now occupied by +several soldiers, and, being unable to find another opening, was +obliged to hide out and remain inside the enemy's lines all day. The +next night he managed to slip back, none the worse for his adventure. + +Such things are being done every night and some men consider it the +greatest sport in the world to go out alone and spend hours under the +lee of a German parapet listening to the Heinies talk. Soon after +that, orders were issued in our brigade that no one was to go out +alone so when we wanted to prowl around we had to start in pairs. As +soon as we were over the parapet we would split and each go his way, +to meet later at an appointed place. One man, alone, can get away +with a lot of things that would be impossible for two, but we observed +the letter, if not the spirit, of the order. + +We had cleared out one of the compartments of the big barn at +Captain's Post, carefully plugging up all the shell-holes with +sand-bags and other materials so that no light could filter through, +and there, at night, would build a great fire in the middle of the +stone floor and proceed to enjoy ourselves. Usually one or two guns +would do a little strafing every night: simply going out into the +field in front of the building and setting up the gun in a convenient +shell-hole. After a while, from our own observations and from +information supplied by the artillery, we occasionally located an +enemy battery within range of our guns. Then we would have a regular +"strafing party." Laying all the guns so as to deliver a converging +fire on the battery position, we would, as soon as it was dark, open +up on them, knowing that they would be moving about in the open and +exposed to fire. We could always tell when we had "stung" them, for +they would invariably come back at us with a tremendous fire, +shooting wildly at everything within our lines in the vain endeavor to +locate us. I'll bet we caused them to expend a hundred thousand rounds +of perfectly good ammunition in this way, but we never had a man hit +while at the game. The German is not much of a hand for night +artillery work unless you stir him up, but we could always get a rise +out of him, and often did it, just for amusement. This is what is +called "getting his wind up." The same thing can be done in the front +line by a few men opening up with five or ten rounds, rapid fire, +directed just over Heinie's parapet. In nearly every case, he will +commence shooting blindly toward our lines: the contagion will spread +and, the first thing you know, he will have wasted about a million +rounds. + +[Illustration: A Light Vickers Gun in Action] + +Here, as in most parts of the line, except during an engagement, +cooking was done right in the front trenches. The method is to use a +brazier made from an old iron bucket, punched full of holes, in which +charcoal or coke is burned. As we seldom had charcoal, it was +necessary to start the fire before daylight, using wood to ignite +the coke which made no smoke but, with careful nursing, could be made +to burn all day. The presence of smoke always drew the fire of rifle +grenades, trench-mortar shells and even artillery. It was one of our +favorite forms of amusement to locate a cook house and shoot it up; +and when a shell made a direct hit, if, among the pots and pans flying +through the air, we could distinguish a German cap or something that +looked like a part of a boche, there was much rejoicing in our lines. +Of course it was a game at which two could play and we were not immune +by any means. + +These little things helped to keep up the interest and break the +monotony of the work. About this time the famous Lahore Battery, from +the Indian city of that name, was added to the artillery behind our +sector; and they appeared not to be restricted in the number of rounds +per day which they were permitted to fire. I remember the first time +they did any shooting over our heads. It was the day after they had +"registered in" that a large working party was discovered on +Piccadilly Farm, directly opposite our left. When the F. O. O. +(forward observing officer) was informed of it, he had a good look +through his periscope binoculars and then called up the Lahore Battery +and, without any preliminary ranging shots, ordered "forty rounds per +gun." As they had six guns, they poured in the shells at the rate of +about one hundred a minute and they certainly did make things fly in +and about that farm. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +HUNTING HUNS + + +During October the casualties in the Machine Gun Section were only +three wounded, McNab, Redpath and Jack Lee all getting hit on the same +day. They were sent back to England. At that time it was not +considered the proper thing for a man to go back if he could, by any +means, "carry on" and these three were all bitterly disappointed when +they found that they would have to leave the section. There came a +time, all too soon, when a "Blighty" was the finest present a man +could get; the loss of a few fingers or even a hand or foot being +considered not too high a price to pay to get out of hell for a few +months. + +When the weather was very bad there was but little sniping-going on, +so we often went in and out of the lines "overland" in broad daylight. +Sunday, November fourteenth, was one such occasion. We had not been +relieved until noon by the Twentieth Battalion who had taken a very +roundabout way to get in, so I put it up to all my crowd to choose +whether we should spend several hours going around or take a chance +down the open road. They unanimously decided on the road, so I started +out ahead, with instructions for them to follow at about fifty-yard +intervals, and in this fashion we walked down at least four hundred +yards of open road, every foot of which was in plain sight of the +German lines, and got under cover of a small hill without a single +shot being fired. From this point it was necessary to cross another +small open space but, as it was partly screened by bushes and trees, +we did not consider it dangerous. + +We had a redoubt concealed in the small hill mentioned and I stopped +to arrange about the relief of the gun crew stationed there. The +remainder of the party, except Charlie Wendt, continued on their way +and soon disappeared in the woods. Charlie stayed a few minutes and +then said: "I'll go on ahead, Mac, and wait for you at the Eastern +Redoubt." He started out across the field and I continued my talk +with Endersby, who was in charge of the local gun, when, all at once, +I heard some one call out: "Oh, Mac," and looked to see Wendt on the +ground about one hundred yards away waving his hand to me. Endersby +immediately ran to him and I followed as soon as I could drop part of +the heavy load I was carrying. On reaching him I found that he had +been shot through the abdomen. Just then another bullet snapped beside +us, so I told Endersby to get back to the redoubt and telephone for +stretcher-bearers, while I bandaged the wound. Charlie remarked: +"Well, they got me, but I hope you get about ten of them for me." I +assured him that we would and told him to keep his nerve and he would +come through all right. He was a very strong, clean-living young man +and I really thought he had a chance. He did not think so, saying he +was afraid the doctors would have some difficulty in patching up such +a hole. He did not cry out nor make the slightest complaint but kept +assuring me that "everything is all right." + +Meantime, the sniper was keeping up a continuous fire, hitting +everything in the neighborhood but me, at whom he was shooting. It was +such a miserable exhibition of marksmanship--only about five hundred +yards distant and a bright clear day--that I told Charlie I would be +ashamed to have such a poor shot in our outfit. Any American soldier +who could qualify as a marksman would scarcely miss such a target and +a sharpshooter or expert rifleman would be forever disgraced if he +made less than the highest possible score. However, I forgave that +fellow; being a German he could not be expected to know how to shoot +straight at any range beyond three hundred meters. The shot that hit +Charlie was just a "luck shot," but that did not help much. + +I tried to drag him along toward a slight depression, but it hurt him +so I desisted and waited for the stretcher-bearers. When I saw them +approaching I called a warning and had one of them crawl to us with +the small trench stretcher, on which we managed to get Charlie into a +sheltered place, where they shifted him to a long litter and started +out with him. The last thing he said was: "It's all right, Mac; +everything is all right; don't you worry." + +They did all they could for him while I had to go back and get the +machine gun that he had dropped. The fellow across the way showed +perseverance, at any rate, and kept up his "schutzenfest" as long as I +was in sight but without result. + +Next day we learned that Charlie had died and was buried at Bailleul. +He was not only one of the most popular men in the section, but was +the first we had had killed and we all felt very much depressed. I got +a permit to go to Bailleul to see whether or not he had been properly +buried and there made my first acquaintance with the G. R. C. We had +often seen those letters, followed by a number, on the crosses, in +trenches, in cemeteries or along the roads, but none knew what they +meant. At Bailleul I found the head office of the "Graves Registration +Commission" and, within five minutes, knew where Wendt was buried and +the number of his grave. This wonderful organization undertakes to +furnish a complete record of the burial place of every soldier. Where +suitable crosses have not been provided, they furnish one, bearing an +aluminum plate showing the name, number, regiment and date of death +wherever this information is available. Now they have gone even +further and are compiling a photographic record of all known graves so +that relatives, writing to the Commission, can secure not only a +verbal description but an actual photograph of the loved one's grave. + +I went back and began to plan ways and means of "getting" Charlie's +ten boches, but a day or two later something happened to alter my +scheme to a certain extent. + +At that time, our ration parties were going out just before daylight, +as we had no communication trench and had to cross the open and +exposed ground behind our line. The two, who went from one of the +guns, however, Dupuis and Lanning, were a little bit late, so that it +was light when they started out. About fifty yards down the road was +a bend, afterward called the Devil's Elbow. From this point, they were +in plain sight from the enemy line and, no sooner had they reached the +Elbow than a sniper fired and got Lanning through the lungs. As he +fell, Dupuis knelt down to assist, when he received a bullet through +the head, killing him instantly. One of our detachment of +stretcher-bearers (composed of the members of our pipe band) was +located but a few yards away and, without hesitation, one of the +"Scotties" dashed out to help the fallen men. He was instantly shot +down, as were three others in succession, who attempted to get to the +spot. By this time an officer arrived and prevented more of the men +from running out. This officer, by crawling carefully down a shallow +ditch alongside the road, managed with the assistance of a sergeant to +recover all the bodies. Four were dead and two wounded, one of whom +died a few hours later. These stretcher-bearers were unarmed and wore +the broad white brassard with the red cross conspicuously displayed on +their sleeves. The sniper was only about one hundred yards distant +and could not possibly have failed to see this mark. + +Then and there I registered a silent vow that these men, to paraphrase +Kipling: + + ". . . should go to their God in state: + _With fifty file of Germans, to open them Heaven's + gate._" + +Later, I was to see other and worse happenings along that same road, +but, at that time, I considered this as about the limit. + +The officer who had done such splendid work in recovering the wounded +men was himself killed about an hour later, together with one of his +sergeants and two men, by a shrapnel shell. He was the first officer +we had lost in the battalion, Lieutenant Wilgress, and had been very +popular, with officers and men alike. + +It was a sad day for us, that twenty-seventh of November, 1915, and +yet it was one of those days when "there is nothing to report from the +Ypres salient." + +[Illustration: Canadian Machine Gun Section Getting Their Guns Into +Action.] + +Next day I asked and received permission to go back a few miles to a +sniper's school, where I got a specially targeted rifle, equipped +with the finest kind of a telescopic sight. I only remained long +enough to sight it in and get it "zeroed" and was back again in front +that same night. + +"Zeroing" a rifle is the process of testing it out on a range at known +distances and setting the sights to suit one's individual +peculiarities of aiming. Having once established the "zero" the +marksman can always figure the necessary alterations for other ranges +or changed conditions of wind and light. + +From that time on, I "lived" in Sniper's Barn. It made no difference +whether the battalion was in the front line or in billets, I was there +for a purpose and I accomplished it. When the guns were in the front +or in support, we had one mounted in the hedge and kept the rifle +handy. Bouchard, with a large telescope, and I with my binoculars, +scanned everything along the enemy's front and behind his lines. We +knew the ranges, to an inch. If one or two men showed, I used the +rifle; if a larger number, the machine gun. + +Prior to this time, during all the very bad weather, we had ample +opportunities to shoot individual Germans from our Sniper's Barn +position but had refrained because our own men were also necessarily +exposing themselves daily, and to have started a sniping campaign +would have done us no particular good and would certainly have +resulted in additional deaths on our side. It seems that the troops +opposed to us up to this time had been Saxons who were quite well +satisfied to leave us alone provided we would do the same by them. Of +course we did shoot them occasionally when they became too careless +and exposed themselves in groups, but that was perfectly legitimate +machine-gun work and taught them a well-needed lesson. Now, however, a +different breed of Huns had come in and they had started the dirty +work. They were Bavarians alternating with Marines, and we soon +learned that for genuine low-down cussedness the Marine had them all +beaten, although the Bavarians and Prussians were pretty bad. + +When we first began on them it was no unusual occurrence to have from +ten to twenty good open shots a day. The ranges averaged about six +hundred yards and as I was using a specially targeted Ross rifle, +equipped with the latest Warner & Swazey sight, and as I had spent +many years in learning the finer points of military rifle shooting, I +am very much afraid that some of them got hurt. For about a month we +kept it up, the "hunting" getting poorer every day until finally the +few German snipers working along the front were safely ensconced in +carefully prepared dug-outs. A boche cap above the parapet was a rare +sight, but we had our hundred, all right; and then some; for, as +Bouchard said: "We'd better get a little pay, in advance before they +'bump _us_ off.'" + +Several times in later days similar events occurred and in each case +swift and terrible retribution was meted out to the criminal enemy. +They shot down our stretcher-bearers, engaged in their noble work of +trying to save the wounded, but we took bloody toll from them whenever +this occurred, using unusual methods and taking desperate chances, +sometimes, to drive the lesson home. + +On one occasion our observers had reported a large gathering of the +enemy at a place called Hiele Farm, about eight hundred yards from our +position and I had laid two guns on them when, through our telescope, +I discovered that it was a burial party assembled in a little cemetery +just behind the farm buildings and telephoned to the officer in charge +that I did not intend to shoot up any funeral. Within a few minutes +came word than an enemy sniper had shot and killed one of our most +popular stretcher-bearers and had also fired several shots into the +wounded man whom he was bringing in, killing him also. Then, without +hesitation, I ordered both guns to open up and we maintained an +intermittent fire on that place until long after dark. We could see +numbers of Germans lying about on the ground. I have never regretted +it. + +Then, the day before Christmas, 1915, while the Twentieth Battalion +was occupying the front line and we were back in the redoubts of the +supporting line, I was up in the gun position at "S-P-7," the redoubt +just in rear of the point where the slaughter of November +twenty-seventh had taken place, when a boche shell dropped directly +in the dug-out which was my home when in the front line. It killed two +men, one I remember was named Galloway, and wounded several others. I +was so close that I could see everything that happened. One of the +wounded was in such bad shape that the only possible chance to save +his life was to get him back to a dressing station without delay. The +communication trenches were washed out and the only way was down that +ill-fated Devil's Elbow road. The officer in command called for +volunteers to carry the man out, remarking that, as it was Christmas +Eve, he did not think even a German would shoot at a wounded man or +unarmed stretcher-bearers. All hands offered to go and two were +chosen. The officer went with them and they started down the road. The +minute they reached the fatal bend, where they came in sight of the +German lines, a shot rang out and down went the first man. Another +shot and the second was down, while a third dropped the officer, who +was trying to assist the fallen. I could see each shot strike in the +water alongside the road and could tell just about the spot from +whence they came so, although we had absolute orders never to fire +from that position unless attacked, I immediately swung the gun around +and commenced to "fan" that particular spot, at the same time calling +to our signaler to get the Sixteenth Battery on the wire and call for +S. O. S. fire. (Each yard of enemy line is covered by the guns of some +one of our batteries which, when not firing, are kept "laid" on their +particular section of parapet.) Within a few moments the battery +opened up but not before at least a half dozen machine guns in our +front line had been hoisted upon the parapets and were ripping +Heinie's sand-bags across the way. During this proceeding the wounded +men were recovered from the road, but, unfortunately, both the +volunteer carriers and the man originally wounded had died. The +officer, although painfully injured, recovered. + +In retaliation for this trick, our heavy guns wiped out at least five +hundred yards of German trench. It was the most artistic job of of +work I have ever seen. From a point approximately two hundred and +fifty yards on either side of this murderer's nest we utterly +destroyed every vestige of a parapet. How many of the assassins we +killed will never be known, but our hearts were filled with unholy joy +when we could distinguish bodies or parts of enemy's bodies among the +debris thrown up by one of the big 9.2 shells. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A FINE DAY FOR MURDER + + +"Say, kid, want to go sniping?" called out a lank individual as he +came over the bridge at "S-P-7" one morning in December, 1915. + +The person addressed, a swarthy little boy wearing the uniform and +stripe of a lance-corporal of the Twenty-first Canadian Machine Gun +Section, took a long careful look around the sky, hastily swallowed a +strip of bacon he had in his fingers and as he darted into a little +"rabbit-burrow" sort of tunnel, flung back the words; "Hell, yes; this +looks like a fine day for a murder." In a few moments he reappeared +with a water-bottle and a large chunk of bread. Hastily filling the +former from a convenient petrol tin and cramming the latter into his +pockets, he walked over to the older man and divested him of some of +the paraphernalia with which he was festooned. He took a long case +containing a telescope, another carrier holding the tripod, two +bandoliers of ammunition and a large haversack. + +"How we going in?" + +"Straight across," said the sniper. + +"Ver-re-well, young-fella-me-lad, if you can stand it I can," said the +youngster, for he knew full well that to go from there to Sniper's +Barn in broad daylight meant to expose himself to observation from +"Germany," only about five hundred yards away, and with a fat chance +of playing the part of "the sniper sniped." + +Without another word they departed. The sentry on guard at the +crossing of the creek volunteered the cheerful hope that they'd get +pinked before they got across the field, upon which the boy assured +him that he would be drinking real beer in London when the pessimistic +sentry was "pushing up the daisies" in Flanders. Crossing the open +field to a hedge, they slipped into a shallow remnant of an old French +trench, just in time to escape a snapping bullet which was aimed about +one second too late. From here they crawled carefully along the hedge, +bullets cutting intermittently through the bare branches above them +and, at last, came to a small opening that gave entrance to a garden, +about one hundred yards from a group of demolished farm buildings. +Here they rested for a few minutes, while the bullets continued to +"fan" the hedge up which they had come and which led to the buildings. + +The boy--"Bou" the other called him--worked his way along the ground +to an old cherry tree and was about to lift up a sort of trap-door at +its roots when the other stopped him. + +"Never mind the gun," he said, "we'll just wait here until they do +their morning strafe and then go into the buildings. I want to try for +a few of them over on Piccadilly to-day and you can't use a machine +gun for that. You'll simply have to be the observer, that's all." + +Bou came back, lit a cigarette which the other promptly extinguished +and then subsided. + +"What you think you're going to do; shoot from the farm?" Bou couldn't +possibly keep quiet any longer. + +"Sure, Mike; why not?" + +[Illustration: Canadian Soldiers in Action with Colt Machine Guns] + +"Oh, nothing; but do you think we can get away with it?" + +"Well, you've been here as long as I have and if you have not figured +out the way the boches do things around this place I'm afraid I can't +tell you; but I'll try. Now, they saw us come over here, didn't they? +And they naturally think we are in the farm buildings. Just as soon as +that fellow who was shooting at us can get word to their batteries +they will proceed to shoot up the place. After about a dozen direct +hits they will feel pretty well satisfied that they have either driven +us out or 'na-pooed' us, so that will be our time to get inside and +take a shot at this brilliant young Bavarian who will, without a +doubt, be looking over the parapet in the hope that he may get a crack +at us trying to 'beat it.' I've been wanting to get that guinea for a +long time and have a hunch that this is our day. See?" + +Before the boy could answer there came a swift "whit; whit; whit;" and +three "bang; bang; bangs" in and above the main building of the farm. +Followed several more salvos, finally crashing through the walls and +throwing up fountains of brick-dust and earth. After waiting several +minutes they worked their way carefully along the hedge and around +behind the buildings. Entering the one nearest the road, which was a +mere shell with the roof and two walls entirely gone, they crept +cautiously across the floor, and dodging the carcass of a cow that lay +with its head in an old fireplace, they finally found themselves in a +back room. Many bales of tobacco lay piled up on the floor, covered +with the litter and wreckage from the upper story. Here the older man +uncovered an opening under the tobacco, through which they entered a +small chamber, perhaps eight feet square, comparatively clean. At one +side of this narrow space lay a figure covered with the well-known +blue overcoat of the French soldier. + +"Who's your friend?" inquired the youngster. + +"I don't know; he was here when I first came; but I think he was the +original sniper of Sniper's Barn. Look at that pile of shells beside +him." + +Near the dead soldier was his rifle and a great pile of empty +cartridge cases. + +"We'll have to bury him some day: I think he earned it. He's got a +hole right through the heart. Must have been here a year: he's all +dried up, like a mummy." + +While delivering this discourse the sniper had been carefully removing +straw and tobacco leaves from an irregular hole in the brick wall. +Here he set up the telescope and settled himself to scrutinize that +part of the German line which lay directly opposite. After a few +minutes' observation he began to clear away another and smaller +opening, to the right of and below that where the telescope was set. + +"He's there, all right: look just about four o'clock in the 'scope as +it stands. See him, right beside that leaning tree? Keep your eye on +him while I get my sight set." + +In a few seconds, everything ready for action, the tall man sprawled +himself on the floor, sling adjusted, piece loaded and cocked, while +Bou, now behind the telescope, whispered excitedly: "He's still there +and looking right at me. I can see his cap badge. He's one of those +damned Marines. Get him, Mac, for God's sake, get him, quick." + +"I'll get him, all right," muttered the other as he gingerly poked the +muzzle of his rifle through the few remaining straws. "Now watch and +see if his hands come up and whether he falls forward or just drops;" +with which he slowly pressed the trigger and the shot roared in the +small chamber. + +"You got him!" shrieked Bou; "I saw his hands come up to his face and +he pitched right forward into the trench. Hooray! that's another one +for Charlie Wendt." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +WITHOUT HOPE OF REWARD + + +All the bandsmen (we had both bagpipe and bugle bands) go into the +front line with the other troops. They are unarmed, but equipped with +first-aid kits and stretchers. It is their task to administer first +aid to all wounded and then to carry or otherwise assist them back to +the dressing stations which may be anywhere from a few hundred yards +to a mile or more, depending on the ground. When a man is hit while in +an exposed place, whether in No Man's Land or behind our lines, it is +up to the stretcher-bearers to get to him at the earliest possible +moment. I have seen these men, time after time, rush to the assistance +of a stricken soldier, knowing full well that they would immediately +become the target for snipers' bullets. Personal considerations never +appeared to enter their heads. Never, in all my experience, have I +seen one of them backward in going to the aid of a wounded man. Often +they would spend hours in the effort to bring back to the lines some +soldier too badly injured to help himself; and the pity of it was +that, on many occasions, after all their self-sacrificing labor, they +would be shot down just as they were about to come over the parapet +and into the trench. + +And all without hope of reward other than the love and admiration of +their comrades. There was a time, before this war, when such exploits +were considered worth the Victoria Cross. Now, however, they are +merely a matter of daily routine. Thousands of men are, every day, +performing deeds of valor, which in any other war would have brought +the highest decorations, without receiving even so much as an +honorable mention. Exposure to fire such as theorists had told us +would demoralize any army is merely a part of the day's work. Troops +go in and out of the trenches, often under artillery fire that, +according to our books, ought to annihilate them, and they do it +without thinking it anything unusual or worthy of comment other than +perhaps, in answer to a question, to remark: "Oh, yes, they shot us up +a bit in the P. & O." or "They handed us a few 'crumps' and 'woolly +bears' coming through Ridgewood." ("Woolly bear" is the name given to +a large, high explosive shell, with time fuse, which bursts overhead, +giving out a dense black smoke, which expands and rolls about in such +a manner as to suggest the animal for which it is named.) In fact, +nearly all the names invented by the soldier to describe the various +projectiles are so apt and expressive as to be self-explanatory. The +"Silent Lizzies," "Sighing Susans" and "Whispering Willies" belong to +the class of large caliber, long range naval gun shells which pass +over the front line so high that only a sort of whispering sound is +heard. The "middle heavies" with percussion fuses, which burst on +impact and give out a dense black smoke, have been called "Jack +Johnsons" and "coal boxes," but are now usually grouped under the +general designation of "crumps," because of the peculiar sound of +their explosion. They run all the way from 4.1 inch to 9.2 inch +calibers. Some of the very large shells are called "Grandmothers" or +"railroad trains." The French call them "marmites," meaning a large +cooking pot or kettle. The "whizz-bang" is just exactly what the name +would suggest: a small shell of very high velocity, which arrives and +bursts with such suddenness as to give no time for taking cover. Its +moral effect exceeds the material in the trenches, but it is deadly +along roads or in the open. Gas shells have a peculiar sound, all +their own, difficult to describe but never forgotten when once heard. +It has been described as a "rumbling" noise, but I think "gurgling" is +better. (It's a pity some one can not take a phonograph into the lines +and "can" some of these things.) When gas shells land they do not make +much noise, having a very small bursting charge; merely sufficient to +break the case which contains the gas in liquid form. They are often +mistaken, by new troops, for "duds" or "blinds," as we call shells +which fail to explode. As soon as the liquid gas is liberated, +however, it vaporizes and quickly spreads over a considerable area. +There are many kinds, but they can generally be distinguished by the +smell. Some are merely lachrymatory or "tear" shells; the gas +affecting the eyes in such a manner as to produce constant "weeping" +and consequent inability to see clearly. Others, however, are deadly +and one good breath will put a man out of action and a couple of +"lungfuls" will usually kill him. + +[Illustration: British Machine Gun Squad Using Gas Masks] + +About this time, I think it was December 19th, 1915, we had our first +experience with chlorine gas or "cloud gas" as distinguished from +"shell gas." The troops on our immediate left got a pretty bad dose, +but, owing to the peculiar formation of the lines and varying air +currents, we did not suffer severely from it. The lines in the Ypres +salient were so crooked that the enemy rarely attempted to use this +form of gas after the first big attack in April, 1915, as it would +frequently roll back upon his own troops. Shell gas was constantly +used, generally being fired against our positions in the rear; +artillery emplacements and such. Being well equipped with gas masks +or respirators, we suffered little harm from it. + +Christmas, 1915, was a quiet day on our front, both sides being +apparently willing to "lay off" for a day. There was no firing of any +kind and both our men and the enemy exposed themselves with impunity. +Aside from this, however, it was the same as any other day. There was +none of the visiting and fraternizing of which we heard so much on the +previous Christmas. The Germans opposite us had a number of musical +instruments and on that night and on New Year's Eve they almost sang +their Teutonic heads off. + +January passed quietly. By this time we had become so accustomed to +the mud and rain that I doubt if we would have been happy without +them. In spite of all the difficulties, we managed to get our rations +and _mail_ every day. The regular shelling had become a part of our +daily life, and the constantly growing list of killed and wounded we +accepted without comment. The Machine Gun Section was gradually losing +its original members and replacing them by drafts from the infantry +companies. It was simply a case of "Conditions continue normal in the +Ypres salient," to quote the official reports. We now maintained two +strafing guns, shifting about from one position to another whenever an +opportunity offered to harass the boche. + +That winter, 1915-16, was what they call a "wet winter," that is, it +rained continually and rarely got cold enough to freeze. With the +exception of a light flurry in late November and a fairly heavy snow +about the first of March, we never saw any of the "beautiful." A few +times there was frost enough to make thin ice, but never enough to +enable us to walk on top of the mud which was from six inches deep in +the best parts of the trench to thigh deep in the worst. We had no +rubber boots at the start but got some late in the winter. + +A peculiar affliction, first noticed during this war, is what is known +as "trench feet." Where men are required to remain for long periods +standing in cold water and unable to move about to any great extent, +the circulation of blood in the lower limbs becomes sluggish and, +eventually, stops. The result appears to be exactly the same as that +caused by severe frost-bite; in fact it _is_ freezing without frost, +(I don't know why not, if you can cook with a fireless cooker), and, +in severe cases, amputation is necessary. + +While the Imperial troops on our flank suffered considerably from this +dreaded affliction, we had but few cases, although our position was +infinitely worse than theirs, we being in lower ground. Probably the +average Canadian is better able to stand the cold and wet than the +native-born Briton. We had but one case in the Machine Gun Section and +that was not severe. + +As a preventive measure, whale oil was issued with positive orders +that every man must, at some time during each twenty-four hours, +remove his shoes and socks and rub his feet with this oil. I never did +think the oil was anything but just an excuse to make the men rub as +that in itself would be sufficient to restore the circulation. At any +rate, when the oil gave out, we still kept up the rubbing game and +there was no noticeable change in the result. + +Another hitherto unknown disease which developed during that season +was what is commonly known as "trench fever." The victim's temperature +runs up around one hundred and three and he is affected with lassitude +and general debility and it requires from three weeks to a month in +hospital to put him in shape for duty. The medical officers use a +Greek name for this fever, which, translated, means, "a fever of +unknown origin" but the colloquial designation is "G. O. K.," (God +only knows). It is rarely, if ever, fatal. I never heard of any one +dying of it. + +Then there is a sort of skin affection; a "rash," which is said to be +caused by eating so much meat, especially fats, without taking +sufficient exercise. A few sulphur baths at specially prepared places +behind the lines soon eradicate this trouble. + +Really dangerous diseases are extremely rare. Typhoid fever is almost +unknown, pneumonia is seldom heard of and even rheumatism, which one +would naturally expect to be prevalent, is by no means common. The +ratio of sickness, from all causes, was far below that in any of the +training camps in this country although never, in Canada, England, +Flanders or France, did we have as comfortable quarters as are +furnished for all the troops here. But we _did_ have at all times, +plenty of good warm woolen clothing and an abundance of substantial +food. Cotton uniforms, underwear or socks are unknown in any army +except that of the United States. Perhaps you can find the answer in +that statement. + +During February an almost continuous fight was waged for a small +length of trench on our left, known as the International Trench, +because it changed hands so often. It culminated, March second, with +the Battle of the Bluff, by which British troops took and held this +line. We were in support, as usual, and suffered rather heavily from +shell fire. This was the beginning of the spring offensive, and from +that time on we caught it, hot and heavy, for four solid months. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE WAR IN THE AIR + + +From the time we first caught sight of our guns shelling the German +airplanes there was rarely a day that we did not see many of them, +scouting, bombarding or fighting. At first, as mentioned elsewhere, +they flew very low; within easy range of machine-gun fire, but soon +began to climb to higher altitudes until, at the time of my departure, +most of their work was done from a height of about twelve thousand +feet. + +There was one of our planes, piloted by a major. I never heard his +name but he was known all up and down the line as "The Mad Major." He +was a pioneer in all the marvelous evolutions which now form an +important part of the airman's training. Side slips, spinning dives, +tail slides; all were alike to him. He would go over the enemy lines +and circle about, directing the fire of a battery, scorning to notice +the fire of the "Archies," (flyers' name for anti-aircraft guns) and +when that job was finished, would come home in a series of +somersaults, loops and spins which made one dizzy to watch. He was a +great joker and frequently, when the shell-bursts were unusually thick +around him, would come tumbling down from the sky like a shot pigeon, +only to recover at a height of several hundred feet and shoot off in a +bee line for the air dome. I've no doubt that the enemy often thought +they had "got him," but at last reports he was still there. + +I watched the planes for months without seeing one hit and had about +concluded that, to make an Irish bull, the only safe place on earth +was up in the air, when, one morning, hearing the now familiar +"put-put-put" of machine guns up above, we looked up to see one of our +large observing biplanes engaged with a very small but fast enemy +plane. The boche had all the best of it and soon our plane was seen to +slip and stagger and begin to descend. The little "wasp" came swooping +down after it, firing all the while until, when a few hundred feet +from the ground, our machine turned its nose straight downward and +crashed to earth, well behind our lines, both occupants being +instantly killed, or perhaps they had already been killed by the +bullets. The German thereupon turned and was soon back over his own +territory. That same afternoon, another of our machines was shot down, +apparently by the same man, just opposite our position, inside the +German lines. + +[Illustration: German Aeroplane Trophy--Jules Vedrine Examining the +Machine Gun] + +Shortly after this, when back in reserve, we watched another fight +directly over our heads. This was a pitiful tragedy. One of England's +best and most famous flyers, Captain Saunders, had been over the +German lines and had engaged and brought down an enemy and then, +having exhausted his ammunition, started back "home" for more, but +encountered a fast-flying boche who immediately attacked him. Being +unable to return the fire, he tried every trick known to the birdman +to escape but without avail. He came lower and lower in his evolutions +and finally settled into a wide and sweeping spiral. The boche did not +come very low as several machine guns and "Archies" opened on him. +The other plane came slowly down in its perfect spiral course and, +noticing that the engine was not running, we thought the aviator was +intending to make a landing in a large open field toward which he was +descending, but when the spiral continued until the tip of one wing +touched the ground and crumpled up we knew there was something wrong +and ran to the spot, not more than one hundred yards from where we +were standing. We got the Captain out and found that he had been shot +in the head but was still conscious. He died within a short time. + +Other of our aviators who had witnessed his first fight furnished the +beginning of the story and we could see that in the second engagement +he never fired a shot, and every one of his magazines was empty. I +examined them myself. + +The large, sausage-shaped observation balloons sometimes afford a +little diversion. When we were at Dranoutre one of them used to hang +over our billeting place. One day an enterprising Hun came flying +across and endeavored to attack it but was driven off by two of our +planes. + +Again, one of our balloons broke away in a strong wind and started +toward Germany. Both the occupants of the basket made safe parachute +descents with all their instruments and papers, but the balloon sailed +swiftly away. Then the Germans opened on it with every gun in that +sector. I feel sure that they fired at least two thousand shots at it. +The air around was so filled with the smoke of shell-bursts that it +was sometimes difficult to discern the balloon itself. It was late in +the evening and the last we saw of the "sausage" it was still +traveling eastward, apparently unhit. The joke of the whole thing is +that the balloon was never hit and, the wind veering during the night, +it returned and came down inside our lines within a few miles of its +starting place. + +On two occasions Zeppelins came over our lines, evidently returning +from raids across the Channel. One time it was night and we could only +hear, but not see the air-ship. The other time, during the St. Eloi +fight, I saw one, just at daybreak. It was in plain sight but well +over the German lines and headed east. No attempt was made to do any +bombing of our positions by the Zeppelins although we occasionally +received visits from bombing airplanes. The night before I left +France, the last time, they dropped several bombs on the village of +Ecoviers where I was staying. The only result was the killing of two +civilians, the wounding of several others and the wrecking of one of +the few whole houses in the town which had often been a victim of +shells. Not a soldier was injured. + +You have, no doubt, read of cases where bombs have been dropped on or +near hospitals, ambulances and so on, and possibly you think that this +was intentional on the part of the boche. If so you flatter him. This +bomb dropping is, at best, very uncertain business and it would be +well-nigh impossible for the most expert flyer to aim at and hit any +single building. The fact is that, in nearly every town and city +behind the lines, hospitals, ammunition stores and billets are located +in close proximity to one another, with probably a railway running +near by, so that any attempt to bomb the really important "military" +points will necessarily jeopardize the homes of non-combatants--including +hospitals. Even the Zeppelins, which are much more stable than an +airplane, have never been able to place their bombs with any degree of +accuracy. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE BATTLE OF ST. ELOI + + +No one realizes better than I the utter futility of attempting to +describe a modern battle so that the reader can really understand or +visualize it. There are no words in any vocabulary that convey the +emotions and thoughts of persons during the long days and nights of +horror--of the continual crash of the shells, the melting away or +total annihilation of parapets and dug-outs; being buried and +spattered with mud and blood; with dead and wounded everywhere and, +worst of all, the pitiful ravings of those whose nerves have suddenly +given way from shell shock. No imagination can grasp it; no picture +can more than suggest a small part of it. None who has not had the +actual experience can ever understand it. The hospital and ambulance +people back at the rear see some of the results, but even they can +have no conception of what it is like to be actually in the torment +and hell-fire _at the front_. + +I could not, if I so desired, give an accurate description of the +operations in general. I have not the necessary data as to the various +troops engaged or local results accomplished. Historians will record +all that. My field of description is limited to my field of personal +observation, which was not very extensive. I suppose, however, that I +saw as much as it was possible for any one person to see, so I shall +try to describe that part of the battle of St. Eloi in which it was my +fortune to participate. + +At the point at the southern end of the Ypres salient, where the line +turns sharply to the eastward, stood the village of St. Eloi. It +consisted of perhaps fifteen or twenty buildings of the substantial +brick and iron construction characteristic of all Flemish towns and +was situated at the intersection of the two main roads paved with +granite blocks, one running to Ypres and the other through +Voormezeele. The village itself, except for two or three outlying +buildings, was inside our lines. The portion held by the enemy, +however, included a prominent eminence, called the "Mound," which +dominated our whole line for a mile or more. This mound had been a +bone of contention for more than a year and several desperate attempts +had been made to take it; notably in February and in March, 1915, when +the Princess Pat's were so terribly cut up and lost their first +Commanding Officer, Colonel Farquhar. All these attempts having +failed, our engineers proceeded to drive tunnels and lay mines, six in +number, so as to cut off the point of the German salient for a +distance of about six hundred yards. + +All was completed; mines loaded and ready, and the time for the attack +was fixed for daybreak of the twenty-seventh of March. The mines were +to be fired simultaneously, followed immediately by an attack, in +force, by the Royal Fusiliers, the Northumberland Fusiliers and a +battalion of the West Yorkshires. Our brigade (Fourth Canadian) was +immediately to the right of the point of attack, but, as the Imperial +troops had changed their machine guns for the lighter Lewis automatic +rifles to be used with the advancing troops, it was deemed advisable +to bring up all available machine guns of the heavier types to +support the advance and to resist the inevitable counter-attacks. +These guns, twelve in number, were placed at advantageous positions on +the flanks of the attacking troops. I was only a sergeant at that +time, but, having been an officer, and having had more actual +experience in machine-gun work than the others, the direct supervision +of these guns was entrusted to me. + + +_ST. ELOI MAP_ + + _The map on the opposite page is known as St. Eloi map. It is + particularly interesting as showing, very faintly, a great group + of mine craters within the British lines. No. 1 can be seen in + the lower left section just above the horizontal fold in the map + and to the left of the perpendicular. Here the British line comes + in at the lower left corner, where it almost immediately + branches, passing through figures 44 and 77, joining the main + line again at the left and below Shelley Farm. Within this loop + are the six enormous mine craters. No. 2 is immediately to the + right of figure 96, while 3, 4 and 5 are in a line with it just + to the right of the perpendicular fold. The faint dotted line + that comes to an apex just below St. Eloi is the British trench + known as Queen Victoria Street. This map is made from air + photographs dated March 5th, 1916._ + +[Illustration: St. Eloi Map] + + +We got all the guns up and in place during the night of the +twenty-sixth. In addition, our people brought up a great many trench +mortars of different calibers, with enormous quantities of ammunition. +We then sat down to wait for the "zero" hour, meaning the time for the +show to begin. I took my position at our extreme left, as I wanted to +be where I could see everything. + +Promptly at the appointed time, the mines were fired and then ensued +the most appallingly magnificent sight I have ever witnessed. There +was little noise but the very earth appeared to writhe and tremble in +agony. Then, slowly, it seemed in the dim light, the ground heaved up +and up until, finally, bursting all bonds, earth, trees, buildings, +trenches and men went skyward. Immediately followed great clouds of +flaming gas, expanding and growing like gigantic red roses suddenly +bursting into full bloom. It was an earthquake, followed by a volcanic +eruption. + +Before the flying debris had reached the ground the Fusiliers were +over the top, fighting their way through the jungles of wire and shell +craters. The occupation of the mine craters themselves was, of course, +unopposed as there was no one there to offer opposition. They kept on, +however, meeting the German reinforcements coming up from the rear, +fighting them to a standstill and establishing themselves beyond the +Mound. + +Then all hell broke loose. From the beginning our artillery, machine +guns and trench mortars had been maintaining a continuous fire, but +the Germans, taken by surprise, were several minutes getting started. +When they did open up, however, they gave us the greatest +demonstration of accurate and unlimited artillery fire which I, or any +of us, for that matter, had ever seen. The air seemed to be literally +full of shells bursting like a million fire-flies. Our parapets were +blown down in a hundred places and the air was filled with flying +sand-bags, iron beams and timbers. A shell struck under the gun by +which I was standing and flung gun, tripod, ammunition-box and all, +high into the air. Even under such conditions I could not help +laughing at the ridiculous sight of that gun as it spun around in the +air, with the legs of the tripod sticking stiffly out and the belt of +ammunition coiling and uncoiling around it, like a serpent. The +lance-corporal in charge of it looked on, spell-bound, and when it +finally came down back of a dug-out, he looked at me with a most +peculiar expression and said: "Well, what do you think of that?" Then +he jumped up and went after the wreckage and, strange to relate, not a +thing was broken. After about twenty minutes of stripping and cleaning +he had the gun back on the parapet, shooting away as though nothing +had happened. He was an Irishman, named Meeks. + +I walked down the trench to get a spare barrel for a gun when a shell +struck about ten feet in front, killing a man. I started on and +another lit exactly where I had been standing. During that little trip +of perhaps fifty yards and back I was knocked down and partly buried +no less than four times. + +Then the prisoners commenced to come back. They appeared to be glad to +get out of it and I don't blame them. When they found that they had to +go through the Canadian's lines, however, they held back. They had +been told that the Canadians killed all prisoners. (We had heard +something of the same kind about the Germans, too.) However, when our +cooks came out with "dixies" full of steaming tea, with bread and +marmalade sandwiches, they soon became reconciled. Our men made no +distinction that morning between captor and captive, serving all alike +with everything we had to eat or drink. At one time, however, owing to +the congestion in the trench, we were compelled to "shoo" a lot of the +prisoners back "overland," to the next support trench. As their +artillery was raising merry hell all over that section, they were a +bit backward about starting and it required threats and a display of +bayonets to get them out of the trench and on their way. It was a +funny sight to see them beat it. There was little in the way of +obstacles to impede their progress and I think that several of them +came near to establishing new world's records for the distance. When +they arrived at the second line they wasted no time in climbing down +into it; they went in head-first, like divers going into the water. I +don't think any of them was hit during this maneuver, at least I did +not see any of them fall. + +Now, it has come to be an axiom that "any one can take a trench but +few can hold one." It is another way of expressing the idea that "it +isn't the original cost--it's the upkeep." + +It was no trick at all, with the assistance of the mines, to advance +our lines to what had been the German third line, but, right there, +some one had made a miscalculation. It's a cinch our "higher-ups" did +not know how much artillery the Germans had that they could turn on +that salient. Our own artillery had been greatly increased and they +evidently thought we were at least equal to the enemy in this respect, +but, say: the stuff he turned loose on us made our artillery look like +pikers. For every "whizz-bang" we sent over he returned about a dozen +5.9's. By that night, nearly all the original attackers were gone and +Fritz was back in at least two of the craters. + +During the day a good many of us, including all our stretcher-bearers, +made many trips through the devastated German trenches, getting out +wounded and collecting arms and other plunder. I went up where the +Fusiliers were trying to consolidate their position, intending to +bring up a few guns if it appeared to be practicable, but abandoned +the idea as, in my opinion, they were due to be shelled out within a +short time, which proved to be correct. We did dig out and mount a +German gun which was used for a while, but I then had it taken, with +several others, back to our line. We could do so much more good from +our original position by maintaining a continuous barrage to hamper +the enemy in getting up supports. From prisoners taken later we +learned that our machine-gun barrage was much more effective than that +of our artillery. However, as we were obliged to fire from temporary +positions, on the parapet and without cover of any kind, it was +impossible to prevent the loss of some guns by direct hits from +shells. During that night and the next day a Highland brigade came up +to relieve the Fusiliers. They included battalions of the Royal Scots +and the Gordons. + +By this time the Germans had brought up more guns and were keeping up +such a terrific fire on our position that it did not seem humanly +possible to hold it, but that night a bombing attack by the Fourth +Canadian Brigade bombers, reinforced by about two hundred volunteers, +retook the craters and reestablished our line in a more advanced +position than that occupied by the original attackers. This line was +thereafter called the Canadian trench to distinguish it from the +other, which was called the British trench. + +Early next morning we had a chance to see some of the "Kilties" +in action with the bayonet, during a counter-attack, which they +repulsed. As I remember it, they did very little shooting but jumped +out of their trench to meet the attackers with the cold steel. I never +saw any lot of soldiers who seemed so utterly determined to wipe out +all opposition. They were like wild men; savage and blood-thirsty in +the onslaught and, although the Germans must have outnumbered them at +least three to one, they never had a chance against those brawny +Scots. But few of the boches got back to their own line and no +prisoners were taken. We then appreciated the nickname given by the +Germans (first applied to Canadian Highlanders at Langemarck, but +afterward used to designate all "Kilties"), "The Ladies from Hell." + +From that time the Canadians were alone in the fight. The Fusiliers, +having started it, faded away, and the Scots, after a few brief days, +likewise vanished and for two months or more St. Eloi was a continuous +struggle between the Second Canadian Division and at least four +German Divisions, including some of the infamous Prussian Guards. + +During the next twelve days the righting was almost uninterrupted. +Troops came in and troops went out, but the Emma Gees held on, +forever, as it seemed to us. But few remained of the original gun +crews who started the engagement. Not all had been killed or wounded, +but it had been necessary to relieve some who were utterly exhausted. +How I kept going is a mystery to me as it was to others at the time. +One thing which probably helped was the fact that I never, for one +minute, permitted myself to think of anything except the matter of +keeping those guns going. Sentiment I absolutely cast out. I was +nothing but a cold-blooded machine. Good friends were killed but I +gave them no thought other than to get the bodies out of the trench so +that we need not step on them. To tie up and assist wounded was a mere +matter of routine. In no other way could I have withstood the awful +strain. I was hit, slightly, on several occasions but never severely +enough to necessitate my going out. A dug-out in which I had a table +where I wrote reports and figured firing data was hit no less than +three times while I was in it, finally becoming a total wreck. The +fact that I was not killed a hundred times was due to just that many +miracles--nothing less. My leather jacket and my tunic were cut to +shreds by bits of shell, a bullet went through my cap and another +grazed my head so close as to raise a red welt, but that same old +"luck" which had become proverbial in the battalion, still held and I +was not seriously injured. + +Our troubles were not all caused by artillery fire by any means. Fritz +had a large and varied assortment of "Minenwerfer" with which to +entertain us at all hours, day and night. A good many people, even +among the soldiers themselves, think that Minenwerfer or "Minnie" for +short, is the name of the projectile or torpedo, while, as a matter of +fact, it is the instrument which throws it; a literal translation +being "mine-thrower." In the same way they often speak of the +shells thrown by trench mortars as "trench mortars" themselves. Now +the family of "Minnies" is a large one and includes every device, from +the ancient types used by the Greeks and Romans, with springs of wood, +to the latest and most modern contraption in which the propelling +power may be steel springs, compressed air or a small charge of +powder. In its smallest form it is simply a "rifle grenade," somewhat +similar to a hand grenade or ordinary "bomb," to which is attached a +rod of brass or iron which slips down into the bore of the regular +service rifle and is fired with a blank cartridge. Other and newer +types are without this rod but have vanes or rudders affixed to the +rear end which serve to guide the projectile in its flight. These +usually have a hole through the center through which the bullet passes +and can thus be used with the regular service ammunition. This whole +class, embracing everything from the small "pineapples," fired from +the rifle, to the monstrous "aerial torpedoes," are commonly spoken of +as "fish-tails." + +The shells from the trench mortars proper, and most of the +"fish-tail" family, are somewhat similar to ordinary artillery shells +in that they are made of steel or iron and designed to burst into +small fragments, each of which constitutes a deadly missile. On the +other hand, the "mines" thrown by the Minenwerfer, are merely light +sheet-metal containers for heavy charges of high explosives (T. N. T. +or tri-nitro-toluol as a rule), and depend for their effectiveness on +the shock and blasting effect of the detonation. They have been +increasing in size continually. At first we called them "sausages," +then "rum-jars" (they resembled the ordinary one-gallon rum jar in +size and shape), then they became "flying pigs" and by this time, I +have no doubt, new and still more expressive names have been applied +to them. + +The havoc created in a trench by one of the large ones passes belief. +The strongest dug-out is wiped out in a twinkle; whole sections of +parapet are obliterated, and where was a strong, well-built wall eight +feet or more in height there remains a hole or "crater" fifteen or +twenty feet in diameter and several feet deep. Any man who happens to +be within this area is, of course, blown to atoms, while frequently +men in the near vicinity, but not exposed to the direct blast, are +killed instantaneously by the shock. Medical men say that the effect +is identical to that known as "caisson sickness," and is caused by the +formation of bubbles of carbonic acid gas in the blood vessels. Not +being a "medico" I can not vouch for this, but you can take it for +what it is worth. + +In daylight it is not difficult to dodge these devilish things and +even at night, if they come one at a time, it is possible to escape +the most of them, but when they come over in flocks, as they sometimes +do, it is more a matter of luck than anything else. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +FOURTEEN DAYS' FIGHTING + + +[Illustration: Lewis Gun in Action in Front-Line Trench.] + +By this time there was no doubt of the enemy's superiority in +artillery, and to make matters worse, the craters were changing hands +daily or even hourly. We never knew, for sure, whether our troops or +those of the enemy held any certain crater, except the ones on each +end, numbers one and six (we held them throughout the entire two +months of fighting), but numbers two, three, four and five were +debatable ground for several weeks. On two occasions I made the +complete circuit of all the craters at night, going through the +Canadian trench and coming back via what had been our original front +line. On one of these trips I was accompanied by Captain Congreve, +afterward Major Congreve, V. C., (now dead) who was the only staff +officer I saw in that sector during all the time we were in the line. +Sometimes we met individual German sentries and quick, quiet and +accurate work was necessary to avoid detection and probable capture. I +found that a French bayonet, the rapier shape, was a very satisfactory +weapon at such times. Trench knives have been invented since and may +be an improvement. After leaving me that night Captain Congreve came +upon a party of eighty-two Germans, commanded by an officer, who had +been cut off in one of the craters for several days, without food or +ammunition, and captured them all, single-handed. For this feat he +received the Distinguished Service Order and promotion to Major. +Later, on the Somme, he continued his brilliant work and won the award +of the Victoria Cross, but was killed at Mametz Wood before receiving +the decoration, which was given to his widow. He was only twenty-five +at the time of his death but had proved himself one of the most +enterprising officers in the British army. + +What had been left of the village of St. Eloi when the fight commenced +was rapidly disappearing under the hail of shells. Where our original +front line had been there remained but few detached fragments of +parapet. For perhaps six hundred yards we were holding on with +scattered and isolated groups. At one place, on our immediate left, +was a hole in the line at least two hundred yards wide. Time after +time the Canadians attacked and retook the craters, only to be +literally blown out of them by the ensuing hurricane of shells. + +The task of getting out the wounded was heart-breaking. Our own +stretcher-bearers worked night and day, but they had suffered many +casualties and were unequal to the task. The Border Regiment and the +Durham Light Infantry, who occupied our old trenches and were not +under heavy fire, sent volunteer carrying parties to assist in the +work, so that all were taken out with a minimum of delay. It was +impossible to remove the dead and they were buried in shell-holes, +where they fell. During the succeeding days many were disinterred by +other shells. + +Then, the matter of maintaining communication with our supports and +the headquarters in the rear was of the utmost importance and our +signalers waged a continuous fight, against heavy odds, to keep the +wires connected up. It would not be fair to others to specify any +particular branch as being better. All who serve in the front line at +a time like this are equally entitled to credit. At times, when it is +necessary to go out and search for breaks and repair them, the work of +the signalers is "extra hazardous," just as is that of the +stretcher-bearers when obliged to expose themselves to succor the +wounded, or the machine gunner when it is necessary to mount his gun +on top of the parapet, within plain sight of the enemy, or the +riflemen, bombers and scouts in advancing to the attack. There can be +no fair distinction--they all, taken as a unit, are in a class +separated by a wide gulf from those back in supporting or reserve or +artillery positions, who, in turn, are separated from the transport +and ambulance drivers, who, while occasionally under shell fire, are +in the zone of comparative safety, where "people" still live and farm +and run stores and estaminets. I would not have you think that I am +minimizing the value of the services of these men. Their work is of +vital importance to the success of the fighting forces and _must_ be +done; and I can truly say that in all my experience I have never known +them to fail in the performance of their duties. + +In this war, as in most others, it is the infantryman who stands the +brunt of the fighting. True, he is disguised under many other names, +such as rifleman, bomber, automatic rifleman, rifle-grenadier, scout, +signaler, sniper, runner or machine gunner but, when you get right +down to the bottom of the whole business, he is the fellow who travels +on his two feet and actually "goes over and gets 'em." Trenches can be +battered to pieces by artillery but they can not be actually "taken" +and held by any one but the plodding, patient, long-suffering +"doughboy" or "web-foot" as he is called by the men of the other +branches. + +At one time, during this period, Sergeant H. Norton-Taylor and four +men from our section, held one of the craters for five days, against +numerous attacks, and even captured prisoners. They had no food, water +or ammunition other than that which they could get from the bodies of +dead soldiers in the immediate vicinity. We sent many detachments to +relieve them but were unable to locate their position and it was only +by accident that they were discovered and relieved by a scouting party +of the Nineteenth Battalion which was over on our left. But for this, +they might be there now, as they were not the quitting kind. + +Norton-Taylor was commissioned and commanded the section at +Courcellette, where he was killed, September 15, 1916. He came of a +long line of distinguished British officers, his father having been a +Colonel in the Royal Field Artillery. A brother and a brother-in-law +were in the service, one of them losing both feet by a shell. A sister +was working in the hospitals in France and another in England. He was +a true friend and a gallant officer--every inch a gentleman. + +On the night of April tenth we were relieved by the Twentieth +Battalion and went out for a rest. I had not laid down to sleep for +fourteen days, snatching what rest I could, for fifteen or twenty +minutes at a time, leaning against a parapet or propped up in the +corner of a traverse. We were only able to get as far as Voormezeele, +where we stopped in the ruins of the convent school, and dropping on +the stone floor slept like the dead for twenty-four hours. The place +was being shelled all this time but none knew or cared. The next night +we made our way to where the battalion was in billets, near +Renninghelst, where I immediately "flopped" for a straight forty-eight +hours' continuous sleep. After that a bath, a shave and general +clean-up, supplemented by a good hot "feed," made me as good as new. +During that two weeks up in front we had had no warm food, nothing but +"bully and biscuits" and, occasionally, a can of "Maconochie," a +ration of prepared meat and vegetables, which is excellent when served +hot but not very palatable when eaten cold. + +We now had the longest rest we had enjoyed since coming over, as we +did not go back to the front line until April twentieth. Our Sixth +and Fifth Brigades had been in during the time we were out and both +had suffered severely in the many counter-attacks, but held on, like +true British bull-dogs, to what had been our original front line. The +craters were lost as it was impossible for any troops to hold them +under the devastating fire of the German guns. Nearly every battalion +of the Second Canadian Division had retaken one or more of them but, +as it only resulted in additional loss of life, it was decided by the +higher command to give it up and endeavor to reestablish our front +along its original line. + +We went in via Voormezeele, a town of several thousand inhabitants +before the war, now a pile of ruins. From here a _pavé_ road ran +directly to St. Eloi and there had been two good communication +trenches leading up to the front line. We soon discovered however that +several things had happened during our absence. On the road to St. +Eloi and about five hundred yards behind our front line, had been a +Belgian farm called Bus House. (A London omnibus was lying, smashed, +in front of it.) This place was now but a pile of brick and timbers. +To the left, another group of farm buildings, called Shelley Farm, was +in about the same condition, and where St. Eloi had been was nothing +but a barren waste. Not a sign of a house or any part of a house was +visible; not a brick remained and even the roads, the fine stone-paved +roads, had been obliterated. Where had been hedges or trees there was +nothing but a desolate expanse of mud which, from a distance, appeared +to be a smooth level plain. For a good six hundred yards back of our +front line there was not a shrub or bush or tree nor any landmark of +any kind. Every inch of this ground had been churned over and over +again by shells. Literally, it was not possible to set foot on a spot +which had not been upturned. The whole area was simply a continuation +of shell craters, joined and interlocked without a break. Where our +communication and support trenches had been it was just the same. No +man could have gone over that ground and said: "Here was a house," or +"There was a field," or "That was once a road," because house, turnip +field and road looked exactly alike. The great granite blocks of the +road had been pulverized to dust, and the bricks of the houses had +shared a like fate. Even the contour of the ground was changed--ditches, +depressions and ridges having been hammered to a uniform elevation. + +And every hole was full of water. To traverse this desert one must +wade and flounder through liquid mud waist deep and sometimes deeper. +Yet it had to be done. We had nine positions up there at each of which +a handful of men must be relieved daily; or rather nightly, as it was, +obviously, impossible to move about over that open expanse in +daylight. Every yard of it was under scrutiny from the German lines +and, even at night, owing to the lavish use of star-shells by the +enemy, it was a long and slow journey as it was necessary to stop and +remain absolutely quiet when a light came near. + +The hardest thing about the whole business was to find the men who +were to be relieved. There was no path nor road nor landmark of any +kind. During the time we were in, it rained continuously and at no +time was a star visible. The positions where they were stationed were +exactly like the rest of the surrounding country--merely enlarged +shell-holes with, perhaps, a fragment of a sand-bag parapet. No lights +could be shown, they did not even dare use "Very lights," as our +"star-lights" are known. They were not in any regular formation but at +irregular intervals along what had been a very crooked line. +Fortunately, we had a "natural born" guide on our first trip in and we +found them all. After that we managed to "carry on" but not without +many slips. It was nothing unusual for a relief party suddenly to find +themselves in the German lines and have to work their way out as best +they could. If caught out after dawn one had to lie low in a +shell-hole all day, probably under heavy artillery fire, until +darkness came and made it possible to return unseen. This trouble was +not confined to our side and it was by no means an uncommon occurrence +for parties of the enemy to get lost in the same way. Sometimes +these adventures resulted in rather sharp bombing engagements. One +night a whole platoon of about forty Germans went through a gap in our +line and bumped into a strong supporting party of ours at Shelley Farm +where they were all captured. They had been looking for one of the +craters whose garrison they were to relieve. Individual prisoners were +taken nearly every night. + +[Illustration: Canadian Machine Gunners Digging Themselves Into +Shell-Holes] + +Under the prevailing conditions, it was impossible to take machine +guns up, so we depended entirely upon Lewis guns. Fortunately no +determined attack was made on us during this time as it is extremely +doubtful if we could have held them there. We would, of course, have +stopped them a few hundred yards back, at our support line, and I must +confess that I had at times a sneaking desire to see them come over +and get into that mud so we could move back to comparatively +comfortable quarters. + +As we no longer had any trenches, we abandoned the old letter method +of designation and simply numbered the various positions. On the +first morning in, the gun and crew at No. 14 were blown up by a shell. +This was an unlucky position as the same thing had happened there to a +crew from the Twentieth Battalion. We then moved that position some +fifty yards to one side and had no further trouble. + +We alternated with other battalions of the division, going in and out, +holding that line and gradually improving it, until, on the twenty-second +day of May, while we were back in billets, I was "warned for leave" (a +week in England), and little Bouchard, my particular protégé and +warmest friend, was to go along. + +You people who have stayed at home can never realize what "leave" +means to a soldier after eight months in the trenches and I, for one, +will not attempt the impossible by trying to describe the sensation. + +We packed our kits and hiked to Poperinghe, where, after sitting up +all night, we took train at four o'clock A.M., arriving at Boulogne +about noon and were in "Blighty" by four in the afternoon. + +"Oh, ain't it a grand and glorious feeling!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +BLIGHTY AND BACK + + +In London we found things running along about as usual and proceeded +to enjoy ourselves. Oh, the luxury of having clean clothes and being +able to keep them clean: to sleep in real beds and eat from regular +dishes and at white-clothed tables. It seemed almost worth the price +we had paid to be able to get so much downright enjoyment out of the +merest "necessities" of ordinary civilian life. The theaters were all +running and we took in some show every night, but I derived the most +satisfaction from taking my young companion around to see the museums +and many old historical places in and about London. He was a stranger +and I was fairly well acquainted. + +But, when the time drew near for us to go back, I began to experience +a feeling of depression. While I had not noticed it before, I suppose +the cumulative effect of the experiences of the last eight months was +beginning to tell on me. I noticed that Bouchard appeared to be in +about the same condition. He would sometimes sit for an hour or more, +in our room at the Cecil, gazing into space, never uttering a word. +Poor boy, while of course he could not _know_ that this was to be his +last trip, I believe he had a presentiment that such was the case. + +I found myself now and then "checking up" my own physical and mental +condition. I had been slightly injured several times--two scratches +from bullets on my left hand, a bullet in my right elbow, two pieces +of shell in my shoulder, a knee-cap knocked loose and a fractured +cheek-bone from the fuse-cap of a "whizz-bang." None of these had put +me out of action for more than a few hours and I had managed to keep +out of the hospital. (I had an instinctive dread of hospitals.) But I +knew, right down in my heart, that my nerve was weakening. Thinking +over some of the things we had done, I believed I could never do them +again. I do not think the man ever lived who would not, eventually, +get into this condition. Some men "break" at the first shell that +strikes near them, while others will go for months under the heaviest +shell fire but, as I have said, it will certainly get them in the end. +Of course I did not express any of these feelings to Bouchard, but +tried to keep things moving all the time so as to give him little +opportunity to worry. But, to tell the truth, I guess I needed the +diversion more than he did, for he was the bravest and "gamest" +youngster I ever knew. + +Before we left France for our week in London I was told by my Colonel +that I had been recommended for a commission and something or other in +the way of a decoration and he suggested that I call upon General +Carson, Canadian General in London, and find out about it. I did call +at the General's office several times but was unable to see him. It +afterward developed that the commission had already been gazetted and +I was really and truly a First "Leftenant." I did not hear of it for +nearly a month and, during the interval, went through, as a sergeant, +one of the hottest times in my whole career. + +When our leave was up we, together with hundreds of others, left +Victoria Station early one morning for Folkestone and Boulogne and so +on, back to Poperinghe, where we arrived just at daybreak the +following morning and were welcomed by an early rising boche airman, +who dropped about half a dozen bombs, evidently aimed at the railroad +station. Fortunately, no one was hit. Then we trudged down the road, +kilometer after kilometer, every one gloomy and grouchy, looking for +our several units. Ours had moved and we spent the whole day before we +located it. + +We found the battalion in camp near the town of Dickebusch and soon +settled down to the same old routine. They had not been back in the +line since we left but had been engaged in some special work in and +around this town, about which there is an interesting story. + +Dickebusch was a town of several thousand inhabitants and considerable +commercial importance, located on the Ypres-Bailleul road, about +three and one-half miles directly west of St. Eloi. All troops going +into the line anywhere from Wytschaete to Hill 60 were obliged to pass +through or very close to it. Just east of the town was a shallow lake +or pond, about a mile long and half as broad, called Dickebusch Etang, +to cross which it was necessary to follow a narrow causeway, +constructed by our engineers. While we continually passed and repassed +through the place, we never had any troops actually billeted there, as +it was within easy range of the German guns and was still occupied by +the native population. + +About the time of the St. Eloi affair, however, one of our Brigade +Headquarters had been located in a group of buildings at the edge of +the town, perfectly camouflaged and concealed from aircraft +observation. It had long been suspected that there were spies among +the people of this place and that they had effective means of +communicating with the enemy, so when Fritz turned his guns on that +headquarters, no one was very much surprised, but a determined effort +was made to discover the guilty parties. Just what means were used I +do not know, but it was learned that several of the prominent +citizens, including the mayor or burgomaster, were in on it and they +were summarily dealt with. + +Following this, German airmen dropped notices into the town, warning +all the civilians to get out as they were going to raze it to the +ground. Not many would have gone, however, had not our authorities +ordered the evacuation. As soon as the people had moved out, our +troops proceeded to prepare the buildings for use as billets, +reinforcing lower rooms and cellars with iron beams and protecting +them with sand-bags. This was the work with which our battalion, and +others, had been occupied and was just about completed when, true to +their word, the Heinies started in, systematically, to write "finis" +for Dickebusch. The church had already been pretty well shot up, as +well as the surrounding graveyard where many of the tombs and +monuments were smashed and the dead thrown from their graves. This +blowing up of the dead seems to be a favorite pastime with the gentle +Hun. They, the Germans, were now engaged in the demolition of the +buildings along the principal streets and were doing it in a very +thorough manner. We had here many demonstrations of a matter about +which I have been questioned, times without number, by both military +men and civilians, and that is, "What is the effective radius of a +shell of a certain caliber?" It is one of the things which our +theorists in general, and artillerymen in particular, delight in. Many +hours of learned discourse have been devoted to proving, +theoretically, that an area of a given size can be made impassable by +dropping a certain number of shells on it, at stated intervals. This +is all rot. Common sense should teach us better. The plain fact is +that it depends entirely upon what the shell strikes. If it falls on +soft earth, the effect is merely local and a man within a few feet +would be uninjured; while, should it fall on a hard, stone-paved road, +pieces might be effective at a distance of half a mile or more. + +In the bombing schools we are told that the Mills hand grenade has an +effective radius of ten yards, yet one will quite frequently escape +unhurt from a dozen of them bursting within this radius and yet may be +hit by a fragment from a distance of two hundred yards or more. All +these theories are based on the assumption that the ground on a +battle-field is level, free from obstructions and of a uniform degree +of hardness; not one of which conditions ever exists. A small ditch, a +log or stump or a water-filled shell-hole will make so much difference +in the effect of the explosion of a shell or bomb that all efforts to +prove anything by mathematics is a waste of time. If one is unlucky he +will probably get hurt, otherwise not. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +OUT IN FRONT FIGHTING + + +We had been "home" but a few days when we received rush orders to pack +up and march toward Ypres. There had been an intense bombardment going +on up that way and we soon learned the cause from straggling wounded +whom we met coming along the road. It was the second of June, 1916, +and the Germans had launched their great surprise attack against the +Canadians at Hooge. It was the beginning of what has been called the +Third Battle of Ypres, but will probably be recorded in history as the +Battle of Sanctuary Wood. + +The enemy had gradually increased his customary bombardment and then, +assisted by some mines, had swept forward, in broad daylight, +overwhelming the defenders of the first and second lines by sheer +force of numbers and had only been checked after he had driven through +our lines to a depth of at least seven hundred yards over a front of +nearly a mile, including the village of Hooge, and was firmly +established in a large forest called Sanctuary Wood and in other woods +to the south. By the time we had arrived at our reserve lines (called +the G. H. Q. or General Headquarters Line), we were diverted and +directed to a position on the line just south of the center of the +disturbance where we "dug ourselves in" and held on for four days. +Shell fire was about all we got here, but there was plenty of that. +The rifle and machine-gun bullets that came our way were not numerous +enough to cause any concern although we did lose a few men in that +way. + +Here the news of the fight filtered through to us. It seemed that the +Princess Pat's (unfortunate beggars), had got another cutting-up, +together with some of the Mounted Rifles, and Major-General Mercer and +Brigadier-General Victor Williams, who had been up in the front line +on a tour of inspection, had both been wounded and captured. General +Mercer afterward died, in German hands, but General Williams +recovered and remains a prisoner. It was said that less than one +hundred from each the Pat's and the Fourth C. M. R. came out of the +fight. + +[Illustration: A Shell Exploding in Front of a Dug-in Machine Gun.] + +At this place several of our gun positions were in the grounds of what +had been one of the most beautiful châteaux in Flanders--the Château +Segard, hundreds of years old but kept up in the most modern style +until the war came. Now the buildings were but a mass of ruins. Not +only this but the grounds had been wonderfully laid out in groves, +gardens, moats and fish-ponds with carefully planned walks and drives +throughout the whole estate which comprised at least forty acres. +There were trees and plants from all over the world; beautiful borders +and hedges of sweet-smelling, flowering shrubs and cunningly planned +paths through the thickets, ending at some old wondrously carved stone +bench with perhaps an arbor covered with climbing rose bushes. + +All had felt the blighting touch of the vandal shells. The trees were +shattered, the roads and paths torn up, the ponds filled with debris +and the beautiful lawn pitted with craters, but in spite of all this +devastation, the flowers and trees were making a brave fight to live. +I could not but think, as I wandered through this place, how well the +little flowers and the mighty oaks typified the spirit of France and +Belgium. Sorely stricken they were--wounded unto death; but with that +sublime courage and determination which have been the admiration of +the world they were resolved that _they should not die_. + +Along the main road leading up to the château was a charming little +chapel, handsomely decorated and appointed. It was the only structure +on the estate that had not been struck by a shell. We used it as +sleeping quarters for two crews whose guns were located in the +immediate vicinity. One night a big shell struck so close as to jar +all the saints and apostles from their niches and send them crashing +to the floor, but did no other damage. + +This same thing happened to us once when we were sleeping in the +convent school at Voormezeele, when all the statues on the walls were +hurled down upon us by a large shell which struck the building. + +The boys used to take these sacred effigies and place them on graves +of their dead friends. We were not a very religious bunch but I +suppose they thought it might help some--at any rate it proved their +good intentions and I never interfered to stop it. + +For several days the fighting continued furiously, the Canadians +recovering some of the lost ground, including most of Sanctuary Wood, +and then things settled down to the old "siege operation." During this +time we had many opportunities to watch the splendid work of the men +of the ammunition columns taking shells up to the batteries in broad +daylight and within plain view of the enemy lines. It was one of the +most inspiring sights I have ever witnessed and brought back memories +of pictures I had seen of artillery going into action in the old days. + +Down the road they would come, on the dead gallop, drivers standing in +their stirrups, waving their whips and shouting at the horses, while +the limbers bounded crazily over the shell-torn road, the men holding +on for dear life and the shells bursting with a continuous roar all +about them. It was the sight of a lifetime, and whenever they came +past our men would spring out of the trenches and cheer as though mad. +Time after time they made the trip and the escapes of some were +miraculous. A few were hit, wagons smashed and horses and men killed +or wounded, but not many, considering the number of chances they took. + +The stories of heroism during that first day's fighting equal anything +in history. Batteries were shot down to a man but continued working +the guns to the last. One artilleryman, the last of his gun squad, +after having one arm shot off at the elbow, continued to load and +fire. Then a shell blew off about a foot of the muzzle of the gun but +he still kept it going. He was found, lying dead across his gun and a +trail of clotted blood showed where he had gone back and forth to the +ammunition recess, bringing up shells. One member of the crew +remained alive long enough to tell the story. + +In another place, in Sanctuary Wood, were two guns known as "sacrifice +guns," as they were intended to cover a certain exposed approach in +case of an attack and to fight to the finish. How well they carried +out their orders may be judged from the fact that every man was killed +at the guns, _by German bayonets_, after having shot down many times +their own number of the enemy. + +Our old friends of the Lahore Battery lost so many men that they were +having difficulty in maintaining an effective fire until two of our +machine-gun squads volunteered to act as ammunition carriers, which +they did for several hours, suffering heavy casualties. + +Here occurred the only case of which I have ever heard where one of +our medical officers was apparently "murdered." Captain Haight, M. O. +of one of our western battalions was reported, on excellent authority, +to have been bayoneted and killed while attending the wounded. + +While we were here, Major-General Turner, V. C., who was in command +of the entire Canadian Corps, paid us a visit. He came up unannounced +and accompanied by a lone Staff Captain. I was instructed to act as +his guide over our sector. During one trip along an exposed road we +found ourselves in the midst of a furious hail of shells. I looked at +the General to see if he wanted to take cover (I'm sure the rest of us +did); he never "batted an eye" but continued at an even pace, talking, +asking questions and stopping here and there to observe some +particular point. I overheard one of our men say: "_General_ Turner? +General _Hell!_ he ain't no general; _he's_ a reg'lar _soldier_." + +On the night of the sixth we were relieved and, next day, took up our +quarters in Dickebusch. The Emma Gees had taken possession of a bank +building, about the best in town, and had strengthened it, inside and +out, with steel and sand-bags until it looked as though it would +withstand any bombardment. Fortunately it was not hit while we were +there, although many large shells fell very near; but when I again +passed that way, just a week later, I noticed that a big shell had +gone through our carefully prepared "bombproof" and completely wrecked +it. We only remained a few days and then received orders to go into +the front line at Hill 60 (south of Hooge), as an attack was to be +made to recover the trenches lost on the second. + + +_HOLLEBEKE TRENCH MAP_ + + _The map on the opposite page is a reproduction of what is known + as "Hollebeke Trench Map--Part of Sheet 28." Famous Hill 60 is + shown encircled by a contour line, just below Zwarteleen. The + road running off at top and left of map leads to Ypres. The black + and white line immediately to the right of this army road is the + railroad from Ypres to Comines. The fine irregular lines + represent the perfect network of main and communication German + trenches. Various signs indicate supply dumps, dug-outs, mine + craters, observation posts, earthworks, mine craters fortified, + hedges, fences or ditches, churches, mills, roads, footpaths, + entanglements, ground cut up by artillery fire, etc., etc. The + British front-line trench is shown very faintly on this + reproduction but can be picked up as it passes through the first + "e" in Zwarteleen and traced up past the figure 30. At the left + of Zwarteleen it can be seen crossing the railroad and army road. + This map, as were the others, was carried by Captain McBride and + the section shown represents about one-sixth of the total size. + It was made from photographs taken by Allied aviators. The + blurred line bisecting the map just below figures 35 and 36 is + one of the well worn folds in the map_. + +[Illustration: Hollebeke Trench Map] + + +As we had never been in the sector it was necessary for the +non-commissioned officers to go in a day ahead to locate the gun +positions and be able to guide the section in. We went in in daylight +(the non-coms.) and found it to be the longest trip we had ever +undertaken on such a mission. From Bedford House, on the reserve line, +it is at least two miles to the front line, all the way exposed to +observation and fire. There had been a little trench tramway but it +had been wrecked by shells. By breaking our party up into twos we +escaped any severe shelling and the rifle fire was at such long range +that we ignored it. Beyond three hundred yards the German's shooting +is a joke. + +We went over the position which extends from what was known as the +Ravine, to a point exactly opposite Hill 60. At some places the lines +were less than forty yards apart and it was possible to throw hand +grenades back and forth. It required the entire day to familiarize +ourselves with the wonderful maze of communication and support +trenches at this place, as we had never seen anything like it before. +We had become so accustomed to doing without communication trenches +that they were a distinct novelty. They, together with the many +support trenches, made a perfect labyrinth: like a spider's web, only +not quite so regular in form. + +The next night we moved in. As the battalion was crossing the long +open stretch we came under fire from an enemy machine gun and some men +were hit. There's no use talking, no other weapon used in the war is +as deadly as a machine gun. Where you can walk through an artillery +barrage with a few casualties, the well-directed fire of only one +machine gun will pile men up as fast as they come along. When one of +them catches you in the open the only thing to do is to drop into the +nearest hole and stay there until the firing ceases. + +We went in on the night of the twelfth and the attack was scheduled +for the night of the thirteenth, or rather the morning of the +fourteenth, as the preliminary bombardment was to commence at +twelve-forty-five and "zero" was one-thirty A.M. + +This was the greatest place I have ever seen for rifle grenades and +"Minnies." They came over in flocks or shoals and one must be +everlastingly on the lookout to dodge them. But we had as many as they +and also a lot of Stokes guns which seemed to "put the fear of God" +into the boche. They sprung a new "Minnie" here, much larger than any +we had seen. It hurled a whale of a shell; not less than one hundred +and sixty pounds of pure T. N. T., and what it did to our trenches and +dug-outs was a sin. And the worst of it was, they had it in a hole in +a deep railroad cutting at the bottom of Hill 60, where our artillery +could not reach it. + +At this time we had both the regular machine guns and also a lot of +Lewis automatic rifles. Shortly after, the latter were turned over to +the infantry companies, while the former were taken into the +newly-organized machine gun corps, an entirely separate branch of the +service, which was under the direct command of the Brigade Commander. +The guns were distributed along the line in favorable locations for +either defense or offense but, as there were no prepared emplacements, +the men had but little protection. + +Here our work, as at St. Eloi, was to support the advance; in fact, +that is the normal function of machine guns in an attack, although the +lighter automatic rifles of the Lewis type are usually with the +assaulting troops. + +Our "Higher Command" had learned a lesson from the St. Eloi experience +and had brought up many new batteries, including a fair sprinkling of +the "super-heavies" of twelve and fifteen-inch calibers. It has been +said, on good authority, that we had more than one thousand guns +concentrated on about a thousand yards of trench, or a gun to every +yard, and I am perfectly willing to believe it after hearing them all +at work. It was our first experience of that delightful situation +where we had "superiority of fire" and it made everybody happy. +Afterward, on the Somme and Ancre, it had become a permanent +condition; but to us, who had been "carrying on" under the +overwhelming odds of the German guns, it was a welcome change. It did +our hearts good to hear those monster thirteen hundred and fifty pound +"babies" coming over our heads with a "woosh" and landing in the lines +across the way, on Hill 60, where they left marks like mine craters. +We could put up with quite a lot just to see that, and although we +were suffering considerably from the rifle grenades and the "Minnies," +every one appeared to be in a good humor. + +With everything ready we waited for the "zero" hour. Exactly at the +designated time the artillery opened. It was as though all the hounds +of hell were let loose. Such a wailing and screeching and hissing as +filled the air, from the eighteen-pounders ("whizz-bangs"), which +seemed to just shave our own parapet, to the gigantic missiles from +the "How-guns," as the Howitzers are affectionately called, each with +its own peculiar noise. The explosions became merged into a continual +roaring crash, without pause or break. Then our Stokes guns joined in, +and, if there ever was an infernal machine, that is it. Vomiting out +shells as fast as they can be fed into its hungry maw; so fast, +indeed, that it is possible for seven of them to be in the air at one +time, from one gun, at a range of less than four hundred yards, it is +the last word in rapid-fire artillery. + +Of course the Emma Gees started at the head of the procession and kept +up a continuous fire. + +Fritz soon began to do the best he could but, what with the noise of +our own guns and the bursting shells, we were unable to hear his +unless they struck very close. He did give us trouble, though, with +that devilish Minenwerfer which sent over a wheel-barrow load of high +explosive at each shot. He blew the left end of our line "off the map" +for a distance of a hundred yards or more and made it untenable--for +any one but a machine gunner. The infantry was ordered to evacuate +that part and did so, but not the Emma Gees; they stuck until one of +the big "terrors," striking alongside, killed and wounded all the crew +but one and then he still stuck it, loading and firing until I was +able to get a reserve crew up to relieve him. He was a Scot, one of +the kind that doesn't know what it means to quit. Here's to you, +"Wullie" Shepherd, wherever you are! + +The attack was carried off with absolute precision. At one-thirty the +barrage lifted and over the boys went, sweeping everything before +them, back to the original position and then a little farther for good +measure. By daylight they had the new line so well consolidated that +Fritz was never able to make a dent in it and the Canadian prestige +was once more established. + +At the left end of our line, where the Minenwerfer had done so much +damage, was a mine shaft; one of many in that vicinity which our +engineers were driving under Hill 60 (they afterward blew it up), and +it seemed as though the boche knew of it and was endeavoring to cave +it in with the "Minnies." In fact, they did succeed in partly +destroying it, but the sheltering roof at the month of the shaft +remained in fair condition, and as it was the only protective covering +in that neighborhood, Bouchard and I were sitting inside, with our +feet hanging down the shaft, holding down that end of the line. We had +relieved the other crew, or rather I had sent them back about two +hundred yards along the trench as a precautionary measure and then, +feeling that some one _must_ remain to keep lookout, decided to take +care of the job myself. The boy, of course, insisted upon staying with +me. The big fellows were coming over with regularity (I nearly said +monotonous, but those things never get monotonous), and were bursting +too close for comfort. Bou had just made a proposition that we sneak +over after dark and try to locate the devil-machine and blow it up, +when we heard something moving below us in the mine-shaft, and a +moment later a mud-encrusted face came up into the light. With an +unusually fluent flow of "language," which sounded strangely familiar +to me, two men came up the ladder, and as the first one emerged into +the daylight he took a look at me and said: "Hello, Mac; it's a long +way to Ft. George, isn't it?" When he had removed some of the dirt +from his face I recognized a miner, named McLeod, who had once helped +rescue me from the Giscome Rapids and afterward worked for me up in +British Columbia. He and his partner had been caught in the shaft and +had been a day digging themselves out. After a rest of a few minutes +they went their way, down the trench, and I never saw or heard of them +again. + +[Illustration: Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing with Periscope at +Hill 60] + +During the next hour or two I managed to work around through the +wreckage of this part of our line, searching for wounded and making a +list of the dead. I found none of the former, all having been removed +by their companions when they were ordered to evacuate, but I did find +a number of bodies which I examined for identification disks or other +marks and made a complete record which I afterward turned in to our +Headquarters. This is a custom that is always followed, if possible, +so that, in the event that your own troops do not return to that spot, +a record will be preserved and relatives notified. If this were not +done, many would be reported as "missing" which is, to relatives, far +more terrible than the knowledge that death has been swift and sure. +This is work in which many chaplains have especially distinguished +themselves, often working close behind the advancing lines during a +battle; writing last messages for the dying and compiling lists of the +dead who may or may not be buried at a later date. + +In burying dead on the field, every effort is made so to mark the +grave that it may afterward be identified and a proper record obtained +for the archives of the Graves Registration Commission. The best way +is to write all the data, name, regiment and number together with the +date, on a piece of paper, place it in a bottle and stick the bottle, +neck down, in the top of the grave. If no bottle is available, the +next best way is to write the record on a smooth piece of wood with +an ordinary lead pencil which will withstand the action of water far +better than ink or indelible pencil. + +Here I had my last talk with Bouchard. He was very anxious to go to +college and take an engineering course. I suggested Purdue, but he +thought he would find it necessary to spend a year or two at some +preparatory school. He had heard me speak of Culver and was very much +interested in that place, and when I left it was definitely decided +that, should he survive the war, he would spend at least four years at +any educational institution I might recommend. + +As soon as darkness came our infantry returned, and by working hard +all night managed to restore the damaged part of the parapet. I went +back to my dug-out for a little sleep and had just made myself +comfortable when a six-inch shell struck the place and drove me out, +together with a companion, George Paudash, a Chippeway Indian and +corporal of our section. We had several Indians, there being two pairs +of brothers, all from the same reservation and all of them splendid +soldiers. + +We had several men hit that night by rifle grenades. I particularly +remember two: Flanagan and McFarland. The former was hit in numerous +places, some of them really serious, but was most concerned over a +little scratch on his face which he was afraid would injure his +good-looks. McFarland, just a boy, about eighteen, had his left hand +terribly mangled and nearly twenty pieces of metal in other parts of +his body, but he laughed and called out: "I've got my Blighty; I've +got my Blighty." His brother had been shot through both eyes and +totally blinded a short time before. By the merest chance I saw +McFarland a few days later, as he was being taken aboard a hospital +ship at Boulogne and he then gave me his wrist watch, which had been +shattered and driven into the flesh, asking that I send it to his +father in Canada: I sent it by registered post, from London, but never +heard from it. + +The artillery fighting continued for several days and on the night of +the eighteenth we were relieved and moved back to Bedford House, in +reserve. + +Next morning I was summoned to Battalion Headquarters and informed +that I had been commissioned and was ordered back to England to act as +an instructor in one of the training divisions. Our Colonel at this +time also received his promotion to Brigadier-General and he promised, +as soon as he was assigned to a brigade, that he would request I be +transferred to his command as brigade machine gun officer. He did, +afterward, make an effort to have this done, but it was too late. I +had finally got my "long Blighty," and was out. + +It was hard to part from that old crowd. I did not know when I would +get back, but we all knew, without question, that there would be other +faces gone from the ranks before we met again. When I did return, +during the Somme campaign, I was attached to another battalion and did +not often see the Twenty-first and when I did, I recognized but few of +them. They had taken part in the great advance of September +fifteenth, which captured Courcellette and numerous other towns--the +greatest gain ever made in one day on the Western Front until the +recent one at Cambrai--and had helped to add another glorious page to +Canada's brilliant record. But the cost was great. Many, oh, so many +of the bravest and the best fell that day and among them was "my +little boy," Bouchard, killed at the age of eighteen, after two years +of service. + +Yes; a boy in years, but he worked like a man, fought like a man and, +thank God he died like a man--out in front, fighting. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +DOWN AN OUT--FOR A WHILE + + +While the following has no direct connection with the machine guns, +and is, really, a part of "another story," I think it fitting that I +take this opportunity to render my humble tribute of gratitude and +admiration for the splendid work of the British Red Cross Society; and +that the reader may fully understand, it is necessary to relate the +occurrences which led up to my first hospital experience. + +Upon returning to England, I was assigned to a Training Battalion at +our old camp--Sandling--but found the work so tedious and monotonous +that I requested a transfer to other and more active duties, and soon +after was engaged first, in conducting troops to France; then, as a +messenger to and from the various headquarters; later, on +court-martial work at Rouen and Le Havre; and finally reassigned to +the Fourth Canadian Brigade and ordered to the front, during the +latter part of the Somme Battle. I was with a party of officers of the +Gloucestershire and the "Ox and Bucks" (Oxford and Buckinghamshire) +Regiments and through an error on the part of the R. T. O. (railway +transportation officer) my transportation order was made out the same +as theirs, and the first thing I knew I was away over on the right of +our line, opposite Combles, where we joined the French. As there was a +fight on, I went in with the "Glosters," and after the fall of Combles +made my way up the line until I located my own command, near +Courcellette. + +Here I heard of the great advance of September fifteenth and also of +the death of many of my old friends. Among them, it seemed, Bouchard +and his crew had been wiped out by a big shell, but no one had been +able to get back to look for them or bury them. I was very busy, but +getting all available information as to the spot where they were seen +to fall, I managed, at night, to make several trips over the ground, +but without result. The spot was near the famous "Sugar Refinery," +just outside the village, and as this had been one of the hottest +places in the fight, there were many bodies lying around but none that +I could recognize. + +I had a cross made, bearing the names of all the crew and decided +that, at the first opportunity, I would plant it at that spot; and +when our whole division was ordered out, on October tenth, I took the +cross and made my way up the Bapaume road and across the shell-torn +field to the place. The enemy was shelling the road, dropping several +heavies near me, so I hastily gathered into a shell-hole the remains +of all the dead in the immediate vicinity and covered them up as best +I could, then placed the cross firmly in the ground and turned to +leave. I had not gone far when a "crump" struck so close as to stun +and partly bury me. When I regained my senses I found that I could not +see. My eyes, especially the left, had been giving me a great deal of +trouble ever since I had been hit on the side of the face by a piece +of shell at the time of the Bluff fight, but now they appeared to be +entirely out of commission, and were very painful. + +I lay there for some time, trying to figure some way out of it, all +the time hearing the shells coming over. This gave me an idea. Knowing +the direction from which the shells came with relation to the location +of the road, I started out to make my way there. Troops were +continually passing at night and I would be sure to find assistance. + +From that time on my remembrance of things is not clear. I have hazy +recollections of falling into a trench, crawling out and getting +tangled up in some wire and then, I think I fell into another hole. I +do remember, distinctly, talking aloud to myself, as though to another +person, and telling him to "get down on your knees and crawl, you damn +fool: first thing you know you'll fall into one of those deep holes +and break your neck." + +Whatever I did after that must have been done instinctively. (Was +afterward told that I was found, lying stretched out across the +Bapaume road.) + +[Illustration: Removing the German Wounded from Mont St. Eloi] + +The next thing I knew I suddenly discovered that I was trying to +_think_ of something. I believe I was conscious. I felt as though I +_could_ move if I wanted to, but didn't want to. I could see nothing, +but that also was of no importance. It was something else that was +wrong and it worried me in a vague, half-interested sort of way. One +thing was sure--I was dead, all right, and it wasn't half bad. Even if +I couldn't see or move or think, I was not suffering any pain or +inconvenience, which was a great relief from "soldiering." Nothing +seemed to matter, anyway, and I guess I went to sleep. + +I felt, or rather sensed, the presence of others moving about from +time to time, but took no interest in the matter until, suddenly, back +came the old feeling that something was not right--that there had been +a big change in all the affairs of the world--and then, after what +seemed hours of struggling with the problem, it came to me like a +flash--it was the "quiet" that was bothering me. That was it; there +was no noise; and then, my brain becoming clearer all the time, I +began to wonder whether I was deaf or whether the war was over. It +occurred to me that I might clap my hands or make some movement to +find out whether or not I could hear, but the idea was dismissed as +involving too much exertion; just as it was too much work to open my +eyes to try to see. + +Then I _heard_ some one come close to me, heard voices, faint and far +away they seemed, so I shouted to them (I thought I shouted but it was +only a mumbling whisper), and then a voice, low and close at hand, +asked me: "Are you awake?" + +"Course; what's matter?" + +"Nothing is the matter; you're all right now. Don't you think you +could eat something?" + +I pondered that for some time, but as I was quite comfortable and +could not see the sense of dead folks eating, anyhow, I declined and +fell asleep again. It was too much trouble to talk, especially to +answer questions. + +When next I awoke it was different. I actually opened my eyes, or at +least one of them, the other being bandaged, and I could see a face +looking down at me--a face and a white expanse of something with +a brilliant red cross in the center, and when the face asked me how I +felt now and did I think I could eat a little, I grunted something +which was intended to assure her that I was feeling all right and was +hungry. At any rate, she understood, and disappearing, soon returned +with a tray, loaded with things. She first helped me hold up my head +while she gave me a tumblerful of hot milk with brandy in it, but that +was no good--it would not stay down; so, after a little trouble on +that account, she vanished again and came back with a pint bottle of +champagne which she opened and fed to me; first a spoonful at a time +and then a full glass. That paved the way all right and I was able to +eat something, I don't remember just what, but it was good. + +By this time I had discovered that I still had all my hands and feet +and could move them about. Satisfied on that point, I asked where I +was. + +"Hospital; but you mustn't talk." + +"What hospital; why can't I talk?" + +"Number Twelve; but I think you should keep quiet and rest." + +"Had plenty rest; where's Number Twelve?" + +"St. Pol; but, really, you must go to sleep now." + +I went to sleep, wondering how the dickens I happened to be in St. +Paul, which was what I understood her to say. (The French spell it +differently but pronounce it about the same.) + +From that time on, scarcely an hour passed that one of the kindly +nurses or sisters did not come in and look to see if I was awake, and +if so, could they get me something to eat or drink. It was heaven, all +right; or at least, my idea of what heaven should be. + +I learned that, although I was disabled on the night of the tenth, I +was not picked up until the twelfth and then had been relayed through +several dressing stations and hospitals until I landed in Number +Twelve General Hospital, at the town of St. Pol. It was a B. R. C. +(British Red Cross) institution and was altogether different from my +preconceived ideas of hospitals. The day when I first "woke up" was +the fifteenth of October, my birthday. + +After several days I was put aboard a hospital train and taken to +LeTreport, where I was assigned to Lady Murray's Hospital, another +B. R. C. place. It had been, before the war, The Golf Hotel, one of the +many splendid seaside hotels that have been converted into hospitals. +Here, again, I was royally treated. Every wish appeared to be +anticipated by the indefatigable and ever-cheerful women and girls, +many of them volunteers, members of prominent and even titled +families. Lady Murray personally visited every patient at least once a +day. + +All these ambulances at LeTreport are driven by girls belonging to the +V. A. D. I'm not sure whether it means Volunteer Ambulance Department or +Volunteer Aid Department, but that is immaterial; they are wonders, +whatever name they sail under. + +They work all hours, day or night, transferring patients to and from +trains and hospitals. They furnished their own uniforms and paid all +their own expenses, and for a long time served without any +compensation, but I have heard that a small allowance has been made +them recently. + +The girl who took us down to the train told me that she had been over +there two years. I asked her if it was not pretty hard work and she +replied: "Oh, sometimes it is hard, when the weather is bad, but we +know it is nothing to what the men are doing up in front, so we are +glad to be able to do our little bit, wherever we can." + +Going down the hill, we passed a big ambulance, filled with wounded, +standing alongside the road. A little slip of a girl, who looked as +though she weighed about ninety pounds, was changing a tire and I +honestly believe that that tire and rim weighed as much as she did. +Our driver stopped and proffered assistance but the little one +declined, remarking that we'd better hurry or she would beat us to the +train. As a matter of fact, she was not five minutes after us. + +I was in pretty bad shape; could see very little and had an attack of +trench fever. As soon as I was able to travel I was sent, with +several others, by hospital train to Le Havre, where we went aboard +the hospital ship _Carisbrook Castle_, landing at Southampton, and so +on to London, where I was lucky enough to draw an assignment to +another B. R. C. hospital--Mrs. Pollock's, at 50 Weymouth Street. And +here I remained until, passed on by numerous "boards" and subjected to +many examinations, I found myself again on the way to France, where I +reported the fifth of December--still able to "carry on." + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMMA GEES*** + + +******* This file should be named 20655-8.txt or 20655-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/5/20655 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Emma Gees</p> +<p>Author: Herbert Wes McBride</p> +<p>Release Date: February 24, 2007 [eBook #20655]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMMA GEES***</p> +<br><br><center><h4 class="pg">E-text prepared by<br> +Geetu Melwani, Christine P. Travers, Chuck Greif, Jeannie Howse,<br> +and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br> +(<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/c/">http://www.pgdp.net/c/</a>)<br> +from digital material generously made available by<br> +Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries<br> +(<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/toronto">http://www.archive.org/details/toronto</a>)</h4></center><br><br> +<p> </p> +<table border=0 bgcolor="ccccff" cellpadding=10> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See + <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/theemmagees00mcbruoft"> + http://www.archive.org/details/theemmagees00mcbruoft</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<center> +<table border=0 cellpadding=10> + <tr> + <td> + <center>Transcriber's note:</center> + <br> + Obvious printer's errors have been corrected.<br> + The original spelling has been retained. + </td> + </tr> +</table> +</center> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p> </p> + +<a id="img000" name="img000"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img000.jpg" width="400" height="400" +alt="Cover" title=""> +</div> + + +<h1>THE EMMA GEES</h1> + + +<a id="img001" name="img001"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img001.jpg" width="350" height="572" +alt="Bouchard" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Bouchard</p> + + +<h1>THE EMMA GEES</h1> + + +<h4><i>By</i></h4> + +<h2>HERBERT W. McBRIDE</h2> + +<h4>Captain, U. S. A.<br> +Late Twenty-first Canadian Battalion</h4> + +<h2> </h2> + +<h4>Illustrated<br> +with Photographs and<br> +Trench Maps</h4> + +<h4>INDIANAPOLIS<br> +THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY<br> +PUBLISHERS</h4> + + + + +<h4> +<span class="smcap">Copyright 1918<br> +The Bobbs-Merrill Company</span></h4> + +<h6>PRESS OF<br> +BRAUNWORTH & CO.<br> +BOOK MANUFACTURERS<br> +BROOKLYN, N. Y.</h6> + + + + + + +<h2>To The Memory Of</h2> + +<h1><span class="smcap">William Emmanuel Bouchard</span></h1> + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">Lance-Corporal<br> +Machine Gun Section<br> +Twenty-first Canadian Infantry<br> +Battalion</span></p> + +<p class="p2"> </p> + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">Killed in Action, at Courcellette<br> +September 15th</span><br> +1916</p> + +<div class="p2 left20"> +<p class="poem"> +In Flanders' fields the crosses stand--<br> +Strange harvest for a fertile land!<br> +Where once the wheat and barley grew,<br> +With scarlet poppies running through.<br> +This year the poppies bloom to greet<br> +Not oats nor barley nor white wheat,<br> +But only crosses, row by row,<br> +Where stalwart reapers used to go.<br> +<span class="left05"><i>Harvest in +Flanders</i></span>--<span class="smcap">Louise Driscoll</span></p> +</div> + + + + +<h2>INTRODUCTION</h2> + + +<p>When the final history of this war is written, it is doubtful if any +other name will so appeal to the Canadian as Ypres and the Ypres +Salient; every foot of which is hallowed ground to French, Belgians, +British and Colonials alike; not a yard of which has not been +consecrated to the cause of human liberty and baptized in the blood of +democracy.</p> + +<p>Here the tattered remnants of that glorious "contemptible little +army," in October, 1914, checked the first great onrush of the vandal +hordes and saved the channel ports, the loss of which would have been +far more serious than the capture of Paris and might, conceivably, +have proved the decisive factor in bringing about a Prussian victory +in the war.</p> + +<p>Here the first Canadian troops to fight on the soil of Europe, the +Princess Pat's, received their trial by fire and came through it with +untarnished name, and here, also, the First Canadian Contingent +withstood the terrible ordeal of poison gas in April, 1915, and, +outnumbered four to one, with flank exposed and without any artillery +support worthy of mention, hurled back, time after time, the flower of +the Prussian army, and, in the words of the Commanding General of all +the British troops: "saved the situation."</p> + +<p>Here, too, as was fitting, we received our baptism of fire (Second +Canadian Division), as did also the third when it came over.</p> + +<p>For more than a year this salient was the home of the Canadian soldier +and Langemarck, St. Julien, Hill 60, St. Eloi, Hooge, and a host of +other names in this sector, have been emblazoned, in letters of fire, +on his escutcheon.</p> + +<p>Baffled in his attempts to capture the city of Ypres, the Hun began +systematically to destroy it, turning his heaviest guns on the two +most prominent structures: The Halles (Cloth Hall), and St. Martin's +Cathedral, two of the grandest architectural monuments in Europe. Now +there was no military significance in this; it was simply an +exhibition of unbridled rage and savagery. With Rheims Cathedral, and +hundreds of lesser churches and châteaux, these ruins will be +perpetual monuments to the wanton ruthlessness of German kultur.</p> + +<p>When we first went there the towers of both these structures were +still standing and formed landmarks that could be seen for miles. +Gradually, under the continued bombardment, they melted away until, +when I last passed through the martyred city, nothing but small bits +of shattered wall could be seen, rising but a few feet above the +surrounding piles of broken stones.</p> + +<p>Glorious Ypres! Probably never again will you become the city of more +than two hundred thousand, whose "Red-coated Burghers" won the day at +Courtrai, against the trained army of the Count d'Artois; possibly +never again achieve the commercial prominence enjoyed but four short +years since; but your name will be forever remembered in the hearts of +men from all the far ends of the earth where liberty and justice +prevail.</p> + +<p class="quotedr">H. W. McB.</p> + + + +<h2>NEW NAMES FOR OLD LETTERS</h2> + +<p>When reading messages sent by any "visual" method of signaling, such +as flags, heliograph or lamp, it is necessary for the receiver to keep +his eyes steadily fixed upon the sender, probably using binoculars or +telescope, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, for him to +write down each letter as it comes, and as this is absolutely required +in military work, where nearly everything is in code or cipher, the +services of a second man are needed to write down the letters as the +first calls them off.</p> + +<p>As many letters of the alphabet have sounds more or less similar, such +as "S" and "F," "M" and "N" and "D" and "T," many mistakes have +occurred. Therefore, the ingenuity of the signaler was called upon to +invent names for certain of the letters most commonly confused. Below +is a list of the ones which are now officially recognized:</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" summary="New names for old letters." +class="table1"> +<colgroup> + <col class="c05"> + <col class="c10"> + <col class="c05"> +</colgroup> + + +<tbody> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">A + </td> + <td class="td-center">pronounced + </td> + <td>ack + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">B + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>beer + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">D + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>don + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">M + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>emma + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">P + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>pip + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">S + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>esses + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">T + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>tock + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">V + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>vick + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">Z + </td> + <td class="td-center">" + </td> + <td>zed + </td> +</tr> +</tbody> +</table> + +<p>The last is, of course, the usual pronunciation of this letter in +England and Canada, but, as it may be unfamiliar to some readers, I +have included it.</p> + +<p>After a short time all soldiers get the habit of using these +designations in ordinary conversation. For instance, one will say: "I +am going over to 'esses-pip seven,'" meaning "Supporting Point No. 7," +or, in stating the time for any event, "ack-emma" is A.M. and +"pip-emma" P.M.</p> + +<p>As the first ten letters of the alphabet are also used to represent +numerals in certain methods of signaling, some peculiar combinations +occur, as, for instance: "N-ack-beer" meaning trench "N-12," or +"O-don" for "O-4."</p> + +<p>"Ack-pip-emma" is the Assistant Provost Marshal, whom everybody hates, +while just "pip-emma" is the Paymaster, who is always welcome.</p> + +<p>Thus, the Machine Gunner is an "Emma Gee" throughout the army.</p> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="3" summary="Contents." +class="table2"> +<colgroup> + <col class="c10"> + <col class="c60"> +</colgroup> + + +<tbody> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">Chapter + </td> + <td> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">I + </td> + <td><a href="#page001"><span class="smcap">Headed for the Kaiser</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">II + </td> + <td><a href="#page012"><span class="smcap">Straight to the Front</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">III + </td> + <td><a href="#page031"><span class="smcap">In the Midst of a +Battle-Field</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">IV + </td> + <td><a href="#page047"><span class="smcap">Eight Days In</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">V + </td> + <td><a href="#page060"><span class="smcap">At Captain's Post</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">VI + </td> + <td><a href="#page074"><span class="smcap">Our Own Cheerful Fashion</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">VII + </td> + <td><a href="#page083"><span class="smcap">Sniper's Barn</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">VIII + </td> + <td><a href="#page099"><span class="smcap">Getting the Flag</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">IX + </td> + <td><a href="#page111"><span class="smcap">Hunting Huns</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">X + </td> + <td><a href="#page126"><span class="smcap">A Fine Day for Murder</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">XI + </td> + <td><a href="#page133"><span class="smcap">Without Hope of Reward</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">XII + </td> + <td><a href="#page143"><span class="smcap">The War in the Air</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">XIII + </td> + <td><a href="#page150"><span class="smcap">The Battle of St. Eloi</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">XIV + </td> + <td><a href="#page166"><span class="smcap">Fourteen Days' Fighting</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">XV + </td> + <td><a href="#page179"><span class="smcap">Blighty and Back</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">XVI + </td> + <td><a href="#page187"><span class="smcap">Out in Front Fighting</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-right">XVII + </td> + <td><a href="#page209"><span class="smcap">Down and Out--For a While</span></a> + </td> +</tr> +</tbody> +</table> + + + +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<div class="left20"> +<p><a href="#img001"><span class="smcap">Bouchard</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img002"><span class="smcap">French Hotchkiss Gun Firing at +Aeroplane</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img004"><span class="smcap">Hotel Du Faucon</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img005"><span class="smcap">Light Vickers Gun in Action +Against Aircraft</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img006"><span class="smcap">French Using an Ordinary Wine +Barrel on Which a Wagon Wheel Is Mounted to Facilitate the +Revolving Movement to any Desired Direction</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img007"><span class="smcap">French Paper War-Money, Issued by +the Various Municipalities. Every Town Has its Bank of +Issue. There are Practically no Coins in +Circulation</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img008"><span class="smcap">Canadians with Machine Gun Taking +Up New Positions</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img009"><span class="smcap">Wytschaete Map</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img010"><span class="smcap">Highlanders with a +Maxim Gun</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img011"><span class="smcap">A Light Vickers Gun in +Action</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img012"><span class="smcap">Canadian Machine Gun Section Getting +Their Guns into Action</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img013"><span class="smcap">Canadian Soldiers in Action with +Colt Machine Guns</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img014"><span class="smcap">British Machine Gun Squad Using +Gas Masks</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img015"><span class="smcap">German Aeroplane Trophy--Jules Vedrine +Examining the Machine Gun</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img016"><span class="smcap">St. Eloi Map</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img017"><span class="smcap">Lewis Gun in Action +in Front-Line Trench</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img018"><span class="smcap">Canadian Machine Gunners Digging +Themselves into Shell-Holes</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img019"><span class="smcap">A Shell Exploding in Front of a +Dug-in Machine Gun</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img020"><span class="smcap">Hollebeke Map</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img021"><span class="smcap">Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing +with Periscope at Hill 60</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#img022"><span class="smcap">Removing the German Wounded +from Mont St. Eloi</span></a></p> + +</div> + + + + + + +<h1>THE +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page001" +name="page001">(p. 001)</a></span> EMMA GEES</h1> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Headed for the Kaiser</span></h4> + + +<p>The following somewhat disjointed narrative, written at the +solicitation of numerous friends, follows the general course of my +experience as a member of the Machine Gun Section of the Twenty-first +Canadian Infantry Battalion. Compiled from letters written from the +front, supplemented by notes and maps and an occasional short +dissertation covering some phase of present-day warfare and its +weapons and methods, it is offered in the hope that, despite its utter +lack of literary merit, it may prove of interest to those who are +about to engage in the "great adventure" or who have relatives and +friends "over there." The only virtue claimed for the story is that it +is all literally true: every place, name and date being authentic. The +maps shown are exact reproductions of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page002" name="page002">(p. 002)</a></span> +front-line trench maps +made from airplane photographs. They have never before been published +in this country.</p> + +<p>I am sorry I can not truthfully say that the early reports of German +atrocities, or the news of Belgium's wanton invasion impelled me to +fly to Canada to enlist and offer my life in the cause of humanity.</p> + +<p>No, it was simply that I wanted to find out what a "regular war" was +like. It looked as though there was going to be a good scrap on and I +didn't want to miss it. I had been a conscientious student of the +"war-game" for a good many years and was anxious to get some real +first-hand information. I got what I was looking for, all right.</p> + +<p>The preliminaries can be briefly summarized. The battalion mobilized +at Kingston, Ontario, October 19th, 1914, and spent the winter +training at that place. The training was of the general character +established by long custom but included more target practise and more +and longer route marches than usual. The two things we really learned +were how to march and how to shoot, both of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page003" name="page003">(p. 003)</a></span> +which +accomplishments stood us in good stead at a later date.</p> + +<p>Leaving Kingston May 5th, 1915, we sailed from Montreal the following +morning on the <i>Metagama</i>, a splendid ship of about twelve thousand +tons. We had as company on board, several hospital units, including +about one hundred and fifty Nursing Sisters, all togged up in their +natty blue uniforms and wearing the two stars of First "Leftenant," +which rank they hold. And, believe me, they deserve it, too. Of course +they were immediately nicknamed the "Bluebirds." Many's the man in +that crowd who has since had cause to bless those same bluebirds in +the hospitals of France and England.</p> + +<p>We ran into ice at the mouth of the St. Lawrence and for two days were +constantly in sight of bergs. It was a beautiful spectacle but I'm +afraid we did not properly appreciate it. We remembered the <i>Titanic</i>.</p> + +<p>Then we got word by wireless that the <i>Lusitania</i> had been torpedoed. +I think an effort was made to suppress this news but it soon ran +throughout +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page004" name="page004">(p. 004)</a></span> +the ship. Personally, I did not believe it. I had +had plenty of experience of "soldier stories," which start from +nowhere and amount to nothing, and besides, I could not believe that +any nation that laid any claims to civilization would permit or commit +such an outrage. I began to believe it however when, next day, we +received orders to go down in the hold and get out all our guns and +mount them on deck. We had six guns; two more than the usual allotment +for a battalion; two having been presented to our Commanding Officer, +Lieutenant-Colonel (now Brigadier-General) W. St. Pierre Hughes, by +old associates in Canada, just a few days before our departure.</p> + +<p>Two of the guns were mounted on the forward deck, two on the flying +bridge and two on the aft bridge. I'm not sure, to this day, just what +we expected to do against a submarine with those machine guns, but at +any rate they seemed to give an additional feeling of security to the +others on board and of course we machine gunners put up an awful bluff +to persuade them that we could sink any U-boat without the least +difficulty. Of one thing +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page005" name="page005">(p. 005)</a></span> +we were sure. Being a troop ship we +could expect no mercy from an enemy and we were at least prepared to +make it hot for any of them who came fooling around within range +provided they came to the surface. I was with the forward guns and, as +we had several days of pretty rough weather, it was a wet job. Our +wireless was continually cracking and sputtering so I suppose the +skipper was getting his sailing orders from the Admiralty as we +changed direction several times a day. We had no convoying war-ships +and sighted but few boats, mostly Norwegian sailing vessels, until, +one night about nine o'clock, several dark slim shadows came slipping +up out of the blackness and established themselves in front, on both +flanks and behind us. We gunners had been warned by the captain to +look out for something of the kind, but I can assure any one who has +not been through the experience that the sigh of relief which went up +from those gun crews was sincere and deep. We were running without +lights, of course, and none but the crew was allowed on deck. The +destroyers (for such they were), were also +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page006" name="page006">(p. 006)</a></span> +perfectly dark +and we could barely discern their outlines as they glided silently +along, accommodating their pace to ours.</p> + +<p>Just before sunrise we dropped anchor inside Plymouth breakwater. This +was a surprise, as we had expected to land at Liverpool or Bristol. +But you may depend on it, no one made any complaint; any port in +England looked good to us. A few hours later we moved into the harbor +and tied up at Devonport Dock where we lay all day, unloading cargo. +Right next to us was a big transport just about to sail for the +Dardanelles. The Dublin Fusiliers were aboard her and they gave us a +cheer as we came in. Poor devils, they had a rough time of it down +there; but I guess by this time they think the same about us; so we'll +call it square.</p> + +<p>It rained all day, but we finally got everything off the ship and on +the trains and pulled out about dark. No one knew where we were going. +The only training camp we had heard of in England was Salisbury Plain +and what we had heard of that place did not make any of us anxious to +see it. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page007" name="page007">(p. 007)</a></span> +The First Canadian Division had been there and the +reports they sent home were anything but encouraging. Our men were +nearly all native-born Canadians and "Yankees," and they cracked many +a joke about the little English "carriages," but they soon learned to +respect the pulling power of the engines. We made ourselves as +comfortable as possible with eight in a compartment, each man with his +full kit, and soon after daylight the train stopped and we were told +to get out. The name of the station was Westerhanger but that did not +tell us anything. The native Britishers we had in our crowd were +mostly from "north of the Tweed" so what could they be expected to +know about Kent. For Kent it was, sure enough, and after a march of +some two or three miles we found ourselves "at home" in West Sandling +Camp. And how proudly we marched up the long hill and past the Brigade +Headquarters, our pipers skirling their heartiest and the drummers +beating as never before. For we were on exhibition and we knew it. The +roads were lined with soldiers and they cheered and cheered as we came +marching +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page008" name="page008">(p. 008)</a></span> +in. We were tired, our loads were heavy and the mud +was deep, but never a man in that column would have traded his place +for the most luxurious comforts at home.</p> + +<p>There came a time when we hated that hill and that camp as the devil +hates holy water, but that Sunday morning, marching into a British +camp, with British soldiers, eager to keep right on across the channel +and clean up Kaiser Bill and feeling as though we were able to do it, +single-handed--why, the meanest private in the Twenty-first Canadians +considered himself just a little bit better than any one else on +earth.</p> + +<p>Thus we came to our home in England, where we worked and sweated and +swore for four solid months before we were considered fit to take our +place in the firing-line. All that time, from the top of Tolsford +Hill, just at the edge of our camp, we could see France, "the promised +land"; we could hear the big guns nearly every night, and we, in our +ignorance, could not understand why we were not allowed to go over and +settle the whole business. We marched all over Southern England. I +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page009" name="page009">(p. 009)</a></span> +<i>know</i> I have slept under every hedge-row in Kent. We dug +trenches one day and filled them up the next. We made bombs and +learned to throw them. We mastered every kind of signaling from +semaphore to wireless, and we nearly wore out the old Roman stone +roads hiking all the way from Hythe to Canterbury. We carried those +old Colt guns and heavy tripods far enough to have taken us to Bagdad +and back.</p> + +<p>But, oh, man! what a tough lot of soldiers it made of us. Without just +that seasoning we would never have been able to make even the first +two days' marches when we finally did go across. The weaklings fell by +the wayside and were replaced until, when the "great day" came and we +embarked for France, I verily believe that that battalion, and +especially the "Emma Gees," was about the toughest lot of soldiers who +ever went to war.</p> + +<p>(Emma Gee is signaler's lingo for M. G., meaning machine gunner.)</p> + +<p>It must not be inferred that our four months in England were all work +and worry. Personally, I derived +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page010" name="page010">(p. 010)</a></span> +great pleasure from them. +We were right in the midst of a lot of old and interesting places +which figure largely in the early history of England. Within a mile of +our camp was Saltwood Castle, built in 499 by the Romans and enlarged +by the Normans. It was here that the conspirators met to plan the +assassination of Thomas à Becket at Canterbury, only sixteen miles +away, and which we had ample opportunities to visit. Hythe, one of the +ancient "Cinque Ports," was but a mile or so distant, with its old +church dating from the time of Ethelbert, King of Kent. In its crypt +are the bones of several hundred persons which have been there since +the time of the Crusaders, and in the church, proper, are arms and +armor of some of the old timers who went on those same Crusades. Among +numerous tablets on the walls is one "To the memory of Captain Robert +Furnis, Commanding H. M. S. Queen Charlotte: killed at the Battle of +Lake Erie: 1813"--Perry's victory. About three miles away was "Monk's +Horton, Horton Park and Horton Priory," the latter church dating from +the twelfth +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page011" name="page011">(p. 011)</a></span> +century and remaining just about as it was when +it was built. Then there was Lympne Castle, another Roman stronghold; +Cæsar's Plain and Cæsar's Camp, where Julius is said to have spent +some time on his memorable expedition to England; and, within easy +reach by bicycle, Hastings and Battle Abbey where William the Norman +defeated Harold and conquered England. The very roads over which we +marched were, many of them, built by the Romans. Every little town and +hamlet through which we passed has a history running back for hundreds +of years. We took our noon rest one day in the yard of the famous +"Chequers Inn," on the road to Canterbury. We camped one night in +Hatch Park, where the deer scampered about in great droves. On Sundays +we could charter one of the big "rubber-neck" autos and make the round +trip to Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Deal and Dover.</p> + +<a id="img002" name="img002"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img002.jpg" width="400" height="555" +alt="<i>Photo by Western Newspaper Union</i> French Hotchkiss Gun +Firing at Aeroplane" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter"> <i>Photo by Western Newspaper Union</i><br> +French Hotchkiss Gun Firing at Aeroplane</p> + +<p>But, just the same, when we were told, positively, that we were going +to leave, there were no tears shed. We had gone over there to fight +and nothing else would satisfy us.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER II +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page012" name="page012">(p. 012)</a></span> </h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Straight to the Front</span></h4> + + +<p>The Machine Gun Section, having its own transport, traveled via +Southampton, as there were better facilities for loading horses and +wagons there than at the ports from which the remainder of the troops +embarked. After we had everything aboard ship it was an even bet among +the crowd as to whether we were going to France, the Dardanelles or +Mesopotamia. There were other ships there, loading just as we were, +some of which were known to be destined for the eastern theater; so +how could we know? As a matter of fact, our officers did not know any +more about it than the men.</p> + +<p>On the dock I discovered a box containing blank post-cards given out +by "The Missions to Seamen." I wrote one to my mother and stuck it in +a mail-box, on the chance that it <i>might</i> go through. I had no stamps +and didn't really expect it to be taken up, but some one +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page013" name="page013">(p. 013)</a></span> +"with a heart" inscribed on it "O. H. M. S.," and, sure enough, On His +Majesty's Service it went, straight to Indianapolis.</p> + +<a id="img003" name="img003"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img003.jpg" width="500" height="347" +alt="Post Card" title=""> +</div> + +<p>After having everything nicely stowed in the hold, Sandy McNab and I +had to go down and dig out a couple of guns to mount on deck. It +required quite a lot of acrobatic stunts to get down in the first +place and then to get the guns and ammunition up, but we managed to +finish the job just before dark and got the guns mounted, mine on the +starboard and Sandy's on the port side, before we steamed out. It was +a black drizzly night +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page014" name="page014">(p. 014)</a></span> +and the cold wind cut like a knife, +but we "stood to" until dawn, expecting anything or nothing. After an +hour or so we didn't care much what happened.</p> + +<p>Everything was dark, not a light showing aboard ship or elsewhere +until, about midnight, I saw a glow on the horizon, nearly dead ahead. +As the ship's lookouts said nothing, I did likewise, but I assure you +I was mightily puzzled. I knew we could not be near enough to shore to +see a lighthouse and, anyway, there was too much light for any +ordinary shore signal. I finally concluded that it must be a ship +burning and wondered what we would do about it, but the thing +gradually took on the appearance of a gigantic Christmas tree and then +I felt sure that I was going "plumb nutty." I sneaked over to McNab's +side and found him in about the same frame of mind. We were both too +proud to ask questions, so we simply stood there and watched--what do +you suppose?--<i>a hospital ship!</i> lighted from water line to truck with +hundreds of electric lights; strings of them running from mast-head to +mast-head and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page015" name="page015">(p. 015)</a></span> +dozens along the sides, fitted with reflectors +to throw the light down so as to show the broad green stripe which is +prescribed by the Geneva Convention. Then we both laughed. Little did +we think then that we would both be coming back to "Blighty" on just +such a ship; Sandy within a few weeks and I more than a year later.</p> + +<p>Before daylight we picked up a string of beacons, red and white, and +dropped anchor. As soon as it was light we could see the harbor of Le +Havre. I had been there before and recognized it quickly enough. Then +we knew that France was our destination.</p> + +<p>After waiting for the proper stage of the tide, the anchor was +weighed, and with a lot of fussy little tugs buzzing about, now +pushing at one end and then scurrying around to give a pull at the +other, we finally tied up to the dock at our appointed place and +prepared to disembark. The docks were thronged with men, mostly in +some sort of uniform and all busy. Many of the French soldiers were +wearing the old uniforms of blue and red, while others were clothed in +corduroy. The new +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page016" name="page016">(p. 016)</a></span> +"horizon blue" had not yet been adopted. +There were many English soldiers, mostly elderly men of the so-called +"Navvie's Battalions," but among all the others, was quite a number +whose uniform was the subject for much speculation until some one +happened to notice that they were always working in groups and were, +invariably, accompanied by a <i>poilu</i> carrying a rifle with bayonet +fixed. It was our first sight of German prisoners and it gave us a +genuine thrill. The war was coming closer to us every minute.</p> + +<p>Disembarking was nothing more than common, every-day, hard labor, +relieved, occasionally, by the antics of some of the horses that did +not want to go down the steep narrow gangway. It was the devil's own +job to get them aboard in the first place and equally difficult to +persuade them to go ashore. Such perversity, I have noticed, is not +confined to horses: the average soldier can give exhibitions of it +that would shame the wildest mustang.</p> + +<p>We had been living, since leaving Sandling, on "bully beef" and +biscuits, but here on the dock we found +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page017" name="page017">(p. 017)</a></span> +one of those +wonderful little coffee canteens, maintained and operated by one of +the many thousands of noble English women who, from the beginning of +the war, have managed, God knows how, always to be at the right place +at the right time, to cheer the soldier on his way; working, +apparently, night and day, to hand out a cup of hot coffee or tea or +chocolate to any tired and dirty Tommy who happened to come along. If +you have any money, you pay a penny; if you are broke, it doesn't make +the least bit of difference; you get your coffee just the same, and +the smile that always accompanies the service is as cheerful and +genuine in the one case as in the other. Many women of the oldest and +most aristocratic families of England have given, and are still +giving, not only their money but their personal labor to this work; +making sandwiches, boiling tea, yes, and washing the dishes, too, day +after day and month after month. You do not often hear of them; they +are too busy to advertise. But Tommy knows and I venture the assertion +that no single sentence or "slogan" has been as often used among +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page018" name="page018">(p. 018)</a></span> +the soldiers in France as "God bless the women."</p> + +<p>So we finally got everything off, wagons loaded and teams hitched up, +and about mid-afternoon made our way through the quaint old city to a +"rest camp" on the outskirts where we had time to wash and shave and +eat another biscuit before we received orders that we were to march, +at midnight, and entrain at Station No.--. It commenced to rain about +this time and never let up until we had entrained the next morning.</p> + +<p>That was a night of horrors. Sloshing through the mud, over unknown +roads and streets, soaked to the skin. Oh! well, it was a very good +initiation for what was to follow, all right, all right.</p> + +<p>Polite language is not adequate to describe the loading of our train: +getting all the wagons on the dinky little flat-cars and the horses +aboard. The horses fared better than the men for, while they were only +eight to a car, we were forty or more; and in the same kind of cars, +too. They look like our ordinary cattle cars but are only about +one-half as big. Forty men, with full equipment, have +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page019" name="page019">(p. 019)</a></span> +some +difficulty to crowd into one, let alone to sit or lie down. And, of +course, everything we had was soaked through. When I come to think of +it, the strangest thing about the whole business was that there were +no genuine complaints. The usual "grousing," of course, without which +no soldier could remain healthy, but I never heard a word that could +have been taken to indicate that any one was really unhappy. While we +were loading, our cooks had managed to make up a good lot of hot tea +and that helped some. We also got an issue of cheese and more bully +and biscuits and, after filling up on these, everybody joined in a +"sing-song" which continued for hours.</p> + +<p>This subject of soldier's songs would make an interesting study for a +psychologist. Not being versed in this science I can only note some of +the peculiarities which impressed me from time to time.</p> + +<p>The first thing that one notices is the fact that the so-called +soldier's songs, written by our multitudinous army of "popular" +song-smiths to catch the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page020" name="page020">(p. 020)</a></span> +fleeting-fancy of the patriotically +aroused populace, are conspicuous by their absence. No matter how +great a popularity they may achieve among the home-folk and even the +embryo soldiers, during the early days of their training, they seldom +survive long enough to become popular with the soldiers in the field. +When in training, far away from the field of battle, soldiers appear +very fond of all the "Go get the Kaiser" and "On to Berlin" stuff and +are not at all averse to complimenting themselves on their heroism and +invincibility, with specific declarations of what they are going to +do. Sort of "Oh, what a brave boy I am," you know. But as they come +closer to the real business of war, while their enthusiasm and +determination may be not a whit less, they become more reserved and +less prone to self-advertisements; so, as they <i>must</i> sing something, +they fall back on the old-timers, such as <i>Annie Laurie</i> or <i>My Old +Kentucky Home</i> when they feel particularly sentimental, and for +marching songs, any nonsensical music-hall jingle with a "swing" to it +will serve.</p> + +<p>Our +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page021" name="page021">(p. 021)</a></span> +crowd was what might be called "a regular singing bunch" +and had a large and varied repertoire, including everything from +religious hymns to many of that class of peculiar soldier's songs +which although vividly expressive and appropriate to the occasion are, +unfortunately, not for publication. Among the most popular were <i>The +Tulip and the Rose</i>, <i>Michigan</i> and <i>There's a Long, Long Trail +Awinding</i>, together with several local compositions set to such airs +as <i>John Brown's Body</i> and <i>British Grenadiers</i>. You might hear +<i>Onward, Christian Soldier</i> sandwiched between some of the worst of +the "bad ones" or <i>Calvary</i> followed by <i>The Buccaneers</i>. You never +heard that last one, and never will, unless you "go for a soldier."</p> + +<p>I've heard men singing doleful songs, such as <i>I Want to Go Home</i>, +when everything was bright and cheerful with no sign of war, and I +have heard them, in the midst of the most deadly combat, shouting one +of Harry Lauder's favorites, as <i>I Love a Lassie</i>. I once saw a long +line "going over the top" in the gray of the morning, and when +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page022" name="page022">(p. 022)</a></span> +they had got lined up, outside the wire, and started on their +plodding journey which is the "charge" of now-a-days, one waved to his +neighbor who happened to be on a slight ridge above him and sang out: +"You tak the High Road an' I'll tak the Low Road." And immediately the +song spread up and down the line; even above the tremendous roar of +the guns you could hear that battalion going into action to the tune +of <i>Loch Lomond</i>.</p> + +<p>So, you see, there is a difference between "songs about soldiers" and +"soldier's songs," the latter being the ones he sings because they +appeal to his fancy and the former including the long and constantly +growing list of cheaply-sentimental airs intended for home +consumption. The difference between the two classes is as great as +that between war as it really is and war as the people at home think +it is. This is a difference which will never be understood by any +excepting those who have been over there. Those so unfortunate as to +be unable to learn it at first hand will be forever ignorant of the +real meaning of war. There +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page023" name="page023">(p. 023)</a></span> +is no language which can +adequately describe it; no artist can paint it; no imagination can +conceive it. It is just short of the knowledge of one who has died and +returned to life. So, by all means, let us have songs if they serve to +cheer or amuse any one, whether at home or abroad.</p> + +<p>It will probably do the soldier no harm to have people think he is a +"little tin god on wheels" any more than it will hurt him to be +belittled by the sickly mollycoddling name of "Sammie," no matter how +deeply he resents it. It is astonishing to me that our newspapers +persist in the use of this appellation in the face of the fact, which +they should know, that it is obnoxious to the American soldier +himself. Would they call a Canadian or Australian or Scotch soldier a +"Tommy"? If they do, I advise them to hide out and do it by telephone. +Such sobriquets, to be of any real value, must come spontaneously; +perhaps by accident; possibly conferred by an enemy. They can never be +"invented."</p> + +<p>But, to get back to our story. This country through +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page024" name="page024">(p. 024)</a></span> +which we +passed is an historical pageant,--from the very port of Harfleur, +which figures largely in the stories of both Norman and English +invasion, all the way up the valley of the Seine. Who could see Rouen, +for the first time, without experiencing a thrill of sentiment as the +memories of Jeanne d'Arc, Rollo the Norman, Duke William, Harold and +many others come forth from their hiding-places in the back of one's +brain? Although we passed through without a stop, we could see the +wonderful cathedral and the hospice on the hill and, crossing the +river, we had a fleeting glimpse of the delightful little village of +St. Adrien, with its curious church, cut out of the face of the chalk +cliff; where the maidens come to pray the good Saint Bonaventure to +send them a husband within the year.</p> + +<p>On, past the field of Crécy, across the Somme which was to us only a +name at that time but to become "an experience" at a later date, we +made our slow progress across northern France. At a certain junction +we were joined by the rest of the battalion which had traveled from +England by a different and shorter route.</p> + +<p>In +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page025" name="page025">(p. 025)</a></span> +the early hours of the morning we came to our stopping +place, St. Omer, which was then the headquarters of the British +Expeditionary Force in France. We did not tarry, however, but before +daylight were on the march--eastward. We stopped for a couple of +hours, near some little town, long enough to make tea, and then went +on again. This was the hardest day we had had. Every one was +overloaded, as a new soldier always is, and, moreover, our packs and +clothing had not dried and we were carrying forty or fifty pounds of +water in addition to the regulation sixty-one-pound equipment. Then, +too, the roads were of the kind called <i>pavé</i>; that is, paved with +what we know as cobble-stones or Belgian blocks. On the smooth stone +or macadamized roads of England we would not have minded it so much, +but this kind of going was new to us: ankles were continually turning, +our iron-shod soles eternally slipping on the knobbed surface of the +cobbles and, take it all in all, I consider it the hardest march I +have ever done, and I have made forty-eight miles in one day over the +snow in the Northwest, too.</p> + +<p>About +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page026" name="page026">(p. 026)</a></span> +dark we were halted at a farm and told that we were to +go into bivouac and would probably remain there for a week or more. +Now, one characteristic of the good machine gunner is that he is +always about two jumps ahead of the other fellow, so, there being a +big barn with lots of clean straw in it, we just naturally took +possession while the rest of the troops were patiently waiting for the +Quartermaster to assign them to billets. Of course we had a fight on +our hands a little later but, by a compromise which let the signalers +and scouts come in with us, we were enabled to hang on to the best +part of the place. From names inscribed on the beams we learned that +the Princess Pat's had once occupied the same place, and from the +people who lived there we heard tales of how the Germans had carried +off all their stock when they made their first great advance. All this +was the next day, however, as we were too tired even to eat that +night; we simply dropped on the straw and slept.</p> + +<p>Next morning was bright and fair and everybody got busy, drying kits, +overhauling and cleaning the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page027" name="page027">(p. 027)</a></span> +guns and ammunition and fixing +up our quarters for the promised week's rest. About four o'clock in +the afternoon we were ordered to form up and march to a place about +two miles distant, where, we were told, General Alderson, +Commander-in-Chief of the Canadians, was to give us a little talk.</p> + +<p>We arrived at the appointed place ahead of time, and while we were +lying about waiting we had our first glimpse of real war. It was a +long way off and high up in the air but it was a thrilling sight for +us. A couple of German airplanes were being shelled by some of our +anti-aircraft guns, and as we watched the numerous shell-bursts, +apparently close to the planes, we expected, every moment, to see the +flyers come tumbling down. However, none was hit and they went on +their way. It was only later we learned that it is the rarest thing in +the world for an airplane to be brought down by guns from the ground. +I suppose I have seen several hundred thousand shots fired at them and +have yet to see one hit by a shell from an "Archie" and only +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page028" name="page028">(p. 028)</a></span> +one by machine-gun fire from the ground. The majority of planes +destroyed are shot down by machine guns in combat with other flyers.</p> + +<p>When the General finally came, he looked us over and told us what a +fine body of troops we appeared to be, and just for that, he was going +to let us go right into the front line, instead of putting us through +the usual preliminary stages in reserve and support. Of course we felt +properly "swelled up" about it and considered it a great compliment. +We did not know, what we now know, that they were about to start the +big offensive which is known as the Battle of Loos and that the +British had not enough troops in France to be able to afford such +luxuries as reserves. It was a case of everybody get in and "get your +feet wet."</p> + +<p>As we were to march at daybreak, we had a busy night getting our +scattered belongings together and repacked. This was our first +experience of what shortly became a common occurrence and we soon +learned that, in the field, a soldier never knows one day where he +will be the next, and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page029" name="page029">(p. 029)</a></span> +thus he is always "expecting the +unexpected."</p> + +<a id="img004" name="img004"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img004.jpg" width="600" height="370" +alt="Hotel Du Faucon" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Hotel Du Faucon</p> + +<p>We moved out at dawn and had another heart-breaking march as the +weather had turned very warm. Through Hazebrouck and numerous small +towns we continued our eastward way to Bailleul, stopping there for an +hour's rest. Our section happened to be right in the market square so +had a good opportunity to see some of the principal points of interest +in this famous and ancient city. The Hotel de Ville with its curious +weather-vane of twelfth-century vintage and the Hotel Fauçon +particularly interested me: the former because I had read of it and +the latter because it had real beer on ice. This is the place which +Bairnsfather speaks of as the hotel at which one could live and go to +war every day and I afterward did that very thing, for one day; +leaving the front-line trenches in the morning, having a good dinner +at the Fauçon and being back in the front line at night. That happened +to be Thanksgiving Day; November 25, 1915.</p> + +<p>After our rest we continued on our way and arrived +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page030" name="page030">(p. 030)</a></span> +at the +little town of Dranoutre, in Flanders, about five o'clock in the +evening and went into bivouac. On this day's march we saw more +evidence of war. Here and there a grave beside the road; occasionally +a house that showed the effect of shell or rifle fire and, almost +continually, firing at airplanes, both Allied and German.</p> + +<p>At our camp we found detachments of the East Kents (The Buffs), and +the Second East Surrey Regiment, from whom we were to take over a +sector of the line. They said that it was comparatively quiet at that +point but had been pretty rough a few months earlier.</p> + +<p>The Machine Gun Section went in the next morning, two days ahead of +the infantry, and the East Surreys remained during the two days to +show us the ropes. They were a splendid lot of soldiers and I am sorry +to say that when they left us it was to go to Loos, where they were +badly cut up at the Hohenzollern redoubt. We never connected up with +them again.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER III +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page031" name="page031">(p. 031)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">In the Midst of a Battle-Field</span></h4> + + +<p>It was a bright warm Sunday morning, that nineteenth day of September, +when we made our first trip to the front-line trenches. Only the +Number Ones, lance corporals, of each gun went in ahead, the guns and +remainder of the section to come up after dark. I was a "lance-jack" +at that time, in charge of No. 6 gun; and had a crew of the youngest +boys in the section, two of whom were under seventeen when they +enlisted and not one of whom was twenty at that time. Subsequent +events proved them to be the equals of any in the whole section; a +section of which a general officer afterward wrote: "I consider it the +best in France." They were strong and healthy, keen observers, always +ready for any duty and during all the time I was with them I never saw +one of them weaken. They played the game right up to the finish, in +fair weather and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page032" name="page032">(p. 032)</a></span> +foul, during the easy times and the +"rough," each until his appointed time came to "go West." One, in +particular, named Bouchard, a boy who enlisted when but sixteen, +developed into the brightest and most efficient machine gunner I have +ever known. His zeal and eagerness to learn so impressed me that it +became my greatest pleasure to give him all the assistance in my +power, and, despite the difference in our ages, there grew up between +us such a friendship as can only be achieved between kindred spirits +sharing the vicissitudes of war. Small of stature and slight of frame, +it was only by sheer grit and determination that he was able to endure +the terrible strain of that first winter. At times, when the mud was +nearly waist deep, he would throw away his overcoat, blanket and other +personal effects, but never would he give up his beloved gun. When +trenches were absolutely impassable he would climb up on top, scorning +bullets and shells, intent on the one job in hand--to get to his +appointed station without delay. He was a constant source of +inspiration to all of us, often inciting the older heads to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page033" name="page033">(p. 033)</a></span> +undertake and achieve the apparently impossible by daring them to +follow his lead.</p> + +<p>Our sector was made up of what were then known as the "C" trenches, +running north from the Neuve Eglise-Messines road and directly between +Wulverghem and Messines. To the south of the road was the Douve River +and just beyond that "Plugstreet" (Ploegstert). There had been some +very hard fighting all along the Messines Ridge during the preceding +year, but for several months things had been quiet. Now, by "quiet" I +do not mean that there was any cessation of hostilities for there is +always artillery firing and sniping going on, with a fair amount of +rifle grenade and trench-mortar activity. It simply means that there +is no attempt being made, by either side, to attack in force and to +capture and hold captured ground.</p> + +<p>Our route, that first morning, was rather a roundabout one, by way of +Lindhoek, taken, as explained by our guide, because it was less +exposed to enemy observation than a much shorter road which we used +when moving at night. When a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page034" name="page034">(p. 034)</a></span> +short distance out from town, +we passed in front of one of our howitzer batteries which decided that +then was just the proper time to cut loose with a salvo, right over +our heads. We were not more than fifty yards from the guns and the +result was that we were all "scared stiff," to say nothing of being +almost deafened. This appears to be a characteristic and never-ending +joke with artillerymen and so we soon learned to "spot" their +emplacements and go behind them, when possible.</p> + +<p>At all cross-roads ("Kruisstraat," in Flemish), sentries were +stationed who acted as guides and also gave warning of the approach of +enemy aircraft. At a long blast of the whistle every person was +supposed to stop and not make a move until the signal "all clear," +indicated by two blasts, was given. It appears that, while the airmen +have no difficulty in seeing moving objects on the ground it is next +to impossible for them to locate stationary ones.</p> + +<a id="img005" name="img005"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img005.jpg" width="600" height="363" +alt="Light Vickers Gun in Action Against Aircraft" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Light Vickers Gun in Action Against Aircraft.</p> + +<p>As we progressed, the signs of war were multiplied. Numerous graves +along the road, each marked +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page035" name="page035">(p. 035)</a></span> +by a cross, houses and barns +torn by shells, a bridge and railroad track blown up and trees +shattered and rent, until, finally, everything was desolation. When we +arrived at Wulverghem, we had our first sight of a really "ruined" +town. Of course we saw many worse ones later, but at that time, we +could not conceive more complete destruction than had been wrought +here by the German shells. Every building had been hit, perhaps +several times; some had one or more walls standing, while many were +totally destroyed and were nothing but piles of broken brick and +mortar. Part of the church tower remained and one hand of the clock +still hung to the side facing the German lines. This seemed to +aggravate the boche as, every day, he would send from a dozen to forty +or fifty shells over, all seemingly directed at the church tower.</p> + +<p>As Messines Ridge is now "ours" I think there can be no objection to +my going into details about our dispositions. Our Battalion +Headquarters was located in the St. Quentin Cabaret, about two hundred +yards south of Wulverghem and we had +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page036" name="page036">(p. 036)</a></span> +a supporting gun, with +infantry, at Souvenir Farm and also at a redoubt near by, called +"S-5." Our front-line guns were distributed from the Neuve Eglise road +to the northern end of our battalion frontage, about "C-3."</p> + +<p>These numbers refer to certain locations on the map, and the cabarets +are not exactly such as one is accustomed to seeing in American +cities. They are, or were, inns, such as in England would be called +public houses and in America, road houses. In Flemish they are +<i>herbergs</i>, but these happened to bear French names, hence were called +cabarets. One can not help wondering at the indiscriminate manner in +which French and Flemish names are used in this corner of the world. +Neuve Eglise, Bailleul, Dranoutre and Locre are all mixed up with +Wolverghem, Ploegstert, Wytschaete and Lindhoek: Ypres and Dickebusch +are neighbors; while St. Julian and Langemarck lie side by side, as do +Groot Vierstraat and LaClytte. Look at a map of West Flanders and the +adjoining parts of France and you will see what I mean.</p> + +<p>Just +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page037" name="page037">(p. 037)</a></span> +as we arrived at the Battalion Headquarters the signal +was sounded, "German up," which is the short way of saying that an +enemy airplane is approaching, so we were obliged to take cover and +remain quiet for some time. We were near a group of farm buildings +and, going inside, found that former occupants had left elaborate +records of their visits. Among other mural decorations were some rough +sketches drawn by Captain Bairnsfather, which afterward became famous +as "Fragments from France."</p> + +<p>This suggests another interesting field for speculation. Why is it +that all men, regardless of race, creed or color, have an inborn +craving to inscribe their names on walls and trees and rocks, +especially on walls other than those of their own home? Wherever you +go, all over the world, you will find the carved or written record +stating that, at such and such a date, John Doe, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, +honored the place with his presence. The buildings of Flanders and +France are storehouses of historical records. From them the historian +could almost reconstruct the campaigns +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page038" name="page038">(p. 038)</a></span> +of the war. Would it +not be an interesting task to make a thorough search of all the old +buildings and dug-outs, just as the archeologists have been doing in +Egypt and all the ancient habitations of mankind? The prehistoric +caves of Spain or the cliff dwellings of the Colorado could not be +more interesting than a compilation of these records, including the +drawings and sketches, some of which are real works of art. Regimental +crests and badges are often shown with the utmost attention to detail +and, in one place which we afterward occupied, one of the walls bore +an elaborately carved tablet enumerating the campaigns and battles of +one of the oldest British line regiments, together with a list of the +honors, V. C's. and so on, won by members thereof. On one of the walls +at Captain's Post one of my boys, Charlie Wendt, carved a large maple +leaf upon which he inscribed the names of all our squad. He was killed +a few days later and others at various times and of that whole list, I +am the sole survivor. I would give a great deal to have that bit of +wall here in my own home.</p> + +<p>Meantime, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page039" name="page039">(p. 039)</a></span> +the <i>Allemand</i> has gone away and we are free to +continue our journey to the front line.</p> + +<p>In an orchard behind the house we entered a communication trench and +after a few final words of advice from the guide as to the necessity +of keeping our heads down wherever the walls were low, started on the +mile-long trip. We learned that the trench by which we were going in +was named Surrey Lane, in honor of the West Surreys who constructed +it. At various points we came upon intersecting trenches, most of +which were marked with the name of the point to which they led. One, I +remember, was "Wipers Road"; not that it ran all the way to Ypres but +led in the direction of that place.</p> + +<p>Except for an occasional large shell, whispering overhead, consigned +from Kemmel to Warneton or vice versa, and the distant muttering of +the French guns away to the south, everything was quiet and peaceful, +and had it not been for the ruined buildings and torn-up roads it +would have been difficult to imagine that we were in the midst of a +battle-field.</p> + +<p>Passing through all the maze of cross trenches, we +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page040" name="page040">(p. 040)</a></span> +finally +reached the front line which we found to be what we afterward called a +"half-and-half" trench; that is, it was dug down to a depth of perhaps +four feet and built up about the same with sand-bags, making it +possibly eight feet from the bottom of trench to top of parapet. It +was quite dry and clean and comfortable and proved that the Buffs and +Surreys had not been loafing during the summer. I'm afraid we did not +properly appreciate it at that time, but as I look back over all the +time that has passed since, I am compelled to admit that it was the +finest bit of trench we ever occupied.</p> + +<p>We had no more than arrived in the line than the cook of the first gun +crew we struck brought out a "dixie" of tea and an unlimited supply of +bread and butter and jam and invited us to fill up. ("Dixie" is the +soldier's name for the camp kettle used in the British army.) Now if +you have been paying attention to the story of our movements since +leaving England, I think you can readily imagine that we were hungry. +These soldiers had been out, some of them, since the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page041" name="page041">(p. 041)</a></span> +beginning of the war and had become inured to all the hardships which +are a necessary part of the game, and, splendid fellows that they +were, the first thing they thought of was our comfort. From that time +on I never met up with any body of British Imperial soldiers who did +not show this same consideration and solicitude for the stranger. And +they do it so unostentatiously and naturally that they challenge the +admiration of all, especially of Colonials such as we, who were, I +fear, very apt to forget the little niceties of manner which are +inbred in the native Briton. While we afterward became the best of +friends there was never any danger of our becoming "alike." We +secretly admired their perfect and unalterable observance of all +orders even though we were, at the same time, scheming to evade a lot +of those same restrictions which appeared to us to be unnecessary. +They, on their part, could not help admitting that the dash and +"devil-may-care" spirit shown by our men often accomplished results +not otherwise attainable but from the emulation of which they were +barred by "traditions." The +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page042" name="page042">(p. 042)</a></span> +discipline of the one and the +discipline of the other are based on two entirely different modes of +life; the former carefully trained to rely on and obey implicitly the +orders of any superior officer, while the latter looks only for +initial direction, depending upon his own initiative and ingenuity to +see him through any trouble that might arise.</p> + +<p>From this line we could see the whole valley which separated us from +the famous Messines Ridge. The enemy was firmly established on its +crest, with his advance lines in the valley and even, at some places, +on the sides of the slope below us. The town of Messines, directly +opposite, was in plain sight but nearly a mile away, the church and +hospice, or infirmary, being conspicuous landmarks on the sky-line. +Our front lines were from about one hundred and fifty to three hundred +yards apart. Numerous ruined farms and cabarets were scattered along +the line, sometimes in our territory and sometimes belonging to the +enemy. These were, as a rule, converted into +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page043" name="page043">(p. 043)</a></span> +redoubts or +"strong-points," and defended by both infantry and machine guns. To +the northward, within the German lines, was the town of Wytschaete, +while we had Mont Kemmel, a prominent hill which gave our artillery +good observation all the way from Ypres to "Plugstreet."</p> + +<p>Several of the prominent roads within the German lines were in plain +sight from our position and, while the artillery devoted considerable +attention to harassing the enemy, we were not sufficiently supplied +with ammunition at that time to strafe them as was desirable. This was +especially true of several "dumps," which is the colloquial word +designating the points where the wagons and motor transports deposit +ammunition, food and other trench stores and whence they are carried +up to the front line by the men. Thus an ammunition dump means a point +where ammunition is stored, while a ration dump is a place where the +ration carrying parties repair at night to procure the rations for +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page044" name="page044">(p. 044)</a></span> +the following day. At some points the field cookers or +"rolling kitchens" come up at night and the cooked food is carried +from there to the front. One such place at Messines, we called +"Cooker's Halt."</p> + +<p>The machine gun officer of the outgoing Surreys had begun to develop +some ideas of his own as to the feasibility of strafing enemy +transports and dumps at night and had selected a tentative position +behind a slight crest, about one hundred and fifty yards N. E. of "In +den Kraatenberg Cabaret" and immediately adjacent to a disused +communication trench called "Plum Avenue." Now I had been a crank on +long range, indirect fire in England, so I had no difficulty in +persuading our M. G. officer to turn this job over to me. We improved +the position and also established another one, about one hundred yards +down the trench for daylight work against aircraft. In those days the +planes would come over at altitudes of two thousand feet and less and +we had some splendid opportunities to practise on them. We succeeded +in bringing one down with his petrol tank +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page045" name="page045">(p. 045)</a></span> +on fire, and we +turned back a good many more until they began to fly so high that we +could not reach them. At night, by using information obtained from our +artillery and our own forward observers, we were able to cut up a lot +of their transports. At first they would drive down to a place called +the Barricade, but after we caught them there two or three times they +came only to the top of the hill, to "Cooker's Halt." We soon chased +them out of that, however, and then I guess poor Fritz had to carry +his stuff all the way from behind the Ridge. On two occasions we +caught large working parties, in broad daylight, and cut them up and +dispersed them. Our position in front of the group of buildings (In +den Kraatenberg) naturally led the enemy to believe that we were using +the building for cover, so he shelled the poor inoffensive houses and +barns most industriously but never put anything close enough to our +real position to do any damage. This taught me a lesson which I put +into operation, later on, at Sniper's Barn, with the best of results.</p> + +<a id="img006" name="img006"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img006.jpg" width="600" height="369" +alt="French Using an Ordinary Wine Barrel on which a Wagon +Wheel Is Mounted to Facilitate the Revolving Movement to Any Desired +Direction" title=""> +</div> + + +<p class="figcenter">French Using an Ordinary Wine Barrel on which a Wagon +Wheel Is Mounted to Facilitate the Revolving Movement to Any Desired +Direction.</p> + +<p>From +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page046" name="page046">(p. 046)</a></span> +that time on, strafing was an important part of machine +gunnery until, now, together with barrage fire, it comprises about all +there is to machine-gun work, proper, for the automatic rifle has +taken over the greater part of the front-line offensive work.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER IV +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page047" name="page047">(p. 047)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Eight Days In</span></h4> + + +<p>As the subject of machine guns is one of great interest at this time, +it may not be amiss to devote a little space to explaining some of the +salient features of the most commonly used types.</p> + +<p>All automatic arms are divided into classes, as determined by the +following characteristics:</p> + +<p>1st. Method of applying the power necessary to operate: (gas or +recoil).</p> + +<p>2nd. Method of supplying ammunition: (belt, magazine or clip).</p> + +<p>3rd. Method of cooling: (water or air).</p> + +<p>Another well-defined distinction is made between the true machine gun +and the automatic rifle; the former being so heavy that it must be +mounted on a substantial tripod or other base, while the latter is so +light that it may be carried and operated by a single man. Of the +former class, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page048" name="page048">(p. 048)</a></span> +the Colt, (35 lbs.), the Vickers, (38 lbs.) +and the Maxim, (63 lbs.) may be taken as representative. They are all +mounted, for field work, on tripods weighing fifty pounds or more. In +the latter class, the Lewis, Benet-Mercie, and Hotchkiss, running from +17 to 25 lbs., are fair examples. They are all equipped with light, +skeleton "legs" or tripods, which, by the way, are never used in the +field although they are still considered essential for training +purposes.</p> + +<p>In the gas-operated arms, a small hole is drilled in the under side of +the barrel, six to eight inches from the muzzle, so that, when the +bullet has passed this point, and during the time it takes it to +traverse the remaining few inches to the muzzle, a certain portion of +the enclosed gas is forced through this hole, where it is "trapped," +in a small "gas-chamber" and its force directed against a piston or +lever which, being connected with the necessary working parts of the +gun by cams, links or ratchets, performs the functions of removing and +ejecting the empty cartridge case, withdrawing a new cartridge from +the belt, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page049" name="page049">(p. 049)</a></span> +clip or magazine, and "cocking" the gun: that is, +forcing the "hammer" or striker back and compressing its spring. As +the pressure generated in the barrel by our ammunition is not less +than 50,000 lbs. to the square inch, very little gas is required to do +all this. There must also be sufficient force to compress or coil a +strong spring or springs called "main-springs" or retracting springs +which, in their turn, force the mechanism forward to its original +position, seating the new cartridge in the chamber and releasing the +striker, thus firing another shot. This action continues as long as +the "trigger" is kept pressed or until the belt or magazine is +emptied. The Colt, Benet-Mercie, Hotchkiss and Lewis are in this +class. They are all of the air-cooled type.</p> + +<p>In the recoil operated guns, the barrel itself is forced to the rear +by the "kick," as we commonly call it, and the force applied directly +to the working parts, thus performing the same operations above +described. The Maxim, Vickers, Vickers-Maxim and Maxim-Nordenfeldt +belong to this class. They are all water-cooled, having a water-jacket +of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page050" name="page050">(p. 050)</a></span> +sheet metal entirely surrounding the barrel.</p> + +<p>All the last-mentioned class, and also the Colt, have the ammunition +loaded in belts containing two hundred and fifty rounds each. The +Hotchkiss and Benet-Mercie use clips of from twenty to thirty rounds, +while the Lewis is fed from a round, flat, pan-shaped magazine holding +forty-seven rounds. (For aircraft guns these magazines are made +larger; about double this capacity, I think.)</p> + +<p>During the early part of the war, before the advent of the Lewis and +other automatic rifles, the only machine guns in general use were of +the heavy, tripod-mounted type and it was necessary for them to +advance with or even ahead of attacking troops. As the guns and +tripods were very conspicuous objects they naturally became the +especial targets for enemy riflemen and snipers and the casualties +among machine gunners ran far above the average for other troops. It +was this that caused the Emma Gee sections to be named Suicide Clubs.</p> + + +<p>Now, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page051" name="page051">(p. 051)</a></span> +however, the Lewis gun, being light and inconspicuous, +can be carried by advancing troops and used effectively in the attack +without its operators suffering excessively, and at the same time it +has been demonstrated that the true machine gun, of the heavier type, +mounted on its firm base, can effectively cooperate with the artillery +in maintaining protective or other barrages and in delivering +harassing fire upon the enemy at points behind his front line. As this +fire is, necessarily, over the heads of our own troops, sometimes but +a few feet over them, it must be extremely accurate and dependable and +it has been proved that guns of the lighter, automatic-rifle type, can +not be safely used for this purpose, even when mounted on the heavy +tripods of the other guns. This is probably due to the excessive +vibration of the lighter barrels.</p> + +<p>For the benefit of any who are not familiar with the word, I might +say, in passing, that "<i>barrage</i>" is a French word meaning a "barrier" +or a "dam" and when used in a military sense it means a veritable +barrier or wall of fire, where the shells +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page052" name="page052">(p. 052)</a></span> +or bullets, or +both, are falling so thickly as to make it impossible for any body of +troops to go through without suffering great loss.</p> + +<p>I know nothing of the Browning gun, as it is a new invention and has +never been used in the field. We can only hope that it will prove as +good as the Vickers and Lewis which are giving perfect satisfaction on +the battle-fields of Flanders and France. No real machine gunner +expects or requires anything better, but I can not imagine any <i>one</i> +type of gun that can replace both of them, any more than a single +class of artillery can combine the functions of both the light field +guns and the heavy howitzers.</p> + +<p>The Germans evidently had good spies within our lines as they always +knew when we changed over; that is, when we took over a new line. At +first they would call out: "Hello, Canadians, how are you," sometimes +even naming the battalion. Later on, however, they used much stronger +language but they knew who we were, just the same. Their methods of +communicating information from our lines were many and very ingenious. +For +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page053" name="page053">(p. 053)</a></span> +instance, at one time it was learned by our intelligence +department that spies were making use of the many windmills to signal +messages across the line. They did this by stopping the sails of the +mills at certain angles and moving them about from time to time. When +this was discovered the orders went out for all windmills to be +stopped in such a position that the arms should always be at an exact +forty-five degree angle whenever the mill was not running, with the +understanding that failure to observe this regulation would result in +our artillery in the immediate vicinity turning their guns on the +offending mill. At one place we discovered a large periscope with a +heliographic attachment by which a seemingly inoffensive Belgian +peasant kept in constant communication with the boche. This periscope +was concealed in the chimney of a partially ruined farm building +within our lines. At other places underground cables were discovered, +with telephones or field telegraph instruments concealed in cellars or +old buildings. Carrier pigeons were also much used and, without a +doubt, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page054" name="page054">(p. 054)</a></span> +many men passed back and forth between the lines, +some of them, as we learned from time to time, regularly enlisted in +our armies. At several places we had men shot down and killed by +snipers masquerading as farmers, behind our lines. Needless to say, +such affairs were promptly attended to, on the spot, "<i>tout de suite</i>" +as the French say.</p> + +<p>So, although that part of the line had been very quiet for a long +time, they began at once to give us a reception. While the shelling +was as nothing compared to bombardments we went through later, still +it gave us an opportunity to make the acquaintance of the various +kinds of shells from "whizz-bangs" up to something of about eight-inch +caliber.</p> + +<p>The first casualty in the battalion was a scout named Boyer who was +killed on his initial trip into No Man's Land the first night in the +trenches. Next day Starkey decided he could not see enough with a +periscope, so took a look over the parapet. Both men are buried in the +garden back of the St. Quentin Cabaret together with many from +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page055" name="page055">(p. 055)</a></span> +the best and most famous British Line Regiments.</p> + +<p>The Emma Gees came out pretty lucky, having but one man seriously +wounded. His name was Mangan, a Yankee, who had served in the U. S. +Army in the Philippines. He was badly wounded by shrapnel and was sent +back to England. We used to hear from him occasionally until about a +year later the letters stopped.</p> + +<p>After eight days we were relieved by the Twentieth Battalion and went +back to Dranoutre for our first "rest." We went by way of Neuve Eglise +but, as it was night, we could see but little of that much shot-up +city. It commenced to rain before we started out and kept it up until +we went back again, four days later. At that time it was customary to +carry in and out everything, including ammunition, and we soon learned +to dread the days when we had to move. We would have preferred to stay +in the front line for a month at a time rather than carry all that +heavy stuff in and out so often. However, we managed to get a bath and +some clean clothes, which made everybody +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page056" name="page056">(p. 056)</a></span> +feel better. We had +no regular billets at Dranoutre but rigged up little shelter tents, +somewhat similar to those used in the U. S. Army, by lacing two or +more rubber sheets together. Our cooking was done by gun crews, +somewhat on the order of a lot of Boy Scouts, in that no two crews had +the same ideas or used the same methods. My squad dug out a nice +little "stove" in a bank, and by covering it with flattened-out +biscuit tins and making a pipe of tin cans of various sorts, managed +to get along very well. Here we received our first pay since arriving +in France; fifteen francs each. It doesn't sound like much but, +believe me, we made those "sous" go a long way and bought lots of +little delicacies we could not otherwise have had.</p> + +<p>While at Dranoutre we associated with the inhabitants, in the stores +and estaminets. The Germans had taken of whatever they needed in the +way of live stock and foodstuffs, but the town itself happened to be +one of the many scattered up and down the line, which had miraculously +escaped even an ordinary bombardment.</p> + +<a id="img007" name="img007"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img007.jpg" width="500" height="823" +alt="French Paper War-Money" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>French Paper War-Money</i></p> + + + +<p>There +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page057" name="page057">(p. 057)</a></span> +were refugees, hundreds of them; from the towns and +cities farther to the eastward, whence they had fled with little or +nothing besides the clothes on their backs. There were children who +had lost their parents; wives who knew not what had become of their +husbands, and men whose wives and families were somewhere back in the +German-occupied territory. They told of enduring the direst hardships +and suffering; of cold and hunger.</p> + +<p>Every town behind the lines that had escaped destruction was crowded +with these poor homeless people. Every habitable house sheltered all +who could find no room to lie on the floor. Those who could, worked on +the roads or in the neighboring fields. Many of the women worked in +the military laundries. They all received some assistance from the +French Government and from the many charitable societies. When talking +with them they would tell their stories in a monotonous sort of way, +seldom making any complaint; seeming to think that all these things +were to be endured as a matter of course.</p> + +<p>I <span class="pagenum"><a id="page058" name="page058">(p. 058)</a></span> +have read all the available reports on the subject of +atrocities and have no doubt that they are true, but none ever came +under my personal observation.</p> + +<p>In the midst of a battle many men do things which would, at other +times, fill them with horror. The excitement of combat seems to breed +a lust for killing and the sight of blood is like a red flag to a +bull. This, unfortunately, is not confined to Germans. One of our +officers who had had a brother killed a few days before deliberately +shot and killed several unarmed prisoners. He was, himself, killed the +same day. On another occasion, a wounded German, lying in a +shell-hole, stabbed and killed one of our wounded and attacked another +only to be beaten at his own game and killed with his own knife. A +soldier of the Royal Fusiliers, at St. Eloi, was detected by his +sergeant in the act of shooting an unarmed prisoner, whereupon the +sergeant immediately shot and killed the soldier. I saw this, myself.</p> + +<p>But the deliberate shooting of wounded men and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page059" name="page059">(p. 059)</a></span> +stretcher-bearers has been, so far as I know, confined to the Hun. On +numerous occasions, some of which are mentioned elsewhere in this +story, German snipers deliberately and in cold blood shot down our +helpless wounded and the men who were endeavoring to succor them.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER V +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page060" name="page060">(p. 060)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">At Captain's Post</span></h4> + + +<p>The Battle of Loos had opened on the twenty-fifth of September and, +although it was a considerable distance to the south of us, we had +been hearing the continuous rumble of the guns ever since we had come +up to the line. It was the first time we had heard "drum-fire," as the +French call it. It is such an incessant bombardment, with such a large +number of guns, that you can not distinguish any single reports, but +the whole makes a continual "rumble," something like the roll of heavy +thunder in the distance; never slacking, night or day. I have +forgotten just how many days they kept it up, but it was something +like two weeks.</p> + +<p>To create a diversion, and prevent the enemy from taking troops from +other parts of the line to strengthen the attacked point, our +artillery, all along the line, was doing its best and our infantry +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page061" name="page061">(p. 061)</a></span> +made feint attacks at several places. We had gone back in the +line on the first of October and, early the next morning, our brigade, +Fourth Canadian, took part in one of these attacks. Our battalion did +not go "over the top," but Bouchard and I stuck our gun up on the +parapet and helped support the advance, which was made by the +Nineteenth Battalion. It was our first experience of that kind and +was, to say the least, interesting. The enemy kept up an incessant +rifle and machine-gun fire on our position, the bullets were snapping +around our heads like a bunch of fire-crackers and the mud was flying +everywhere, but that little seventeen-year-old "kid" kept feeding in +belts and all the while whooping and laughing like a maniac. It +certainly cheered me up to have him there. The whole thing was over in +about twenty minutes but, during that short time, we had learned +something which can be learned in no other way--that it is possible +for thousands of bullets to come close to you without doing any harm. +From that time on, neither Bouchard nor I ever felt the least +hesitation about slipping over the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page062" name="page062">(p. 062)</a></span> +parapet at night to "see +what we could see."</p> + +<p>During this tour we were subjected to considerably more shelling than +on the first occasion, and one morning Fritz made a mistake with one +of his shells intended for "our farm," as we called the buildings in +the rear, and dropped it "ker-plunk" right into one of our dug-outs. +It was a place we had fixed up for cooking, and we were all outside, +but it certainly made a mess of our "kitchen furniture." Then they +shot up our communication trench until it was positively dangerous to +go up and down it for rations and ammunition. Narrow escapes were +numerous, but our luck held, and we went out the night of the eighth +without having sustained a casualty. The battalion did not fare so +well, having quite a number of wounded, but none killed.</p> + +<p>That was our last visit to those trenches, as we marched, that night, +away to the northward. "Eéps" was the word that went up and down the +line, that being the Flemish pronunciation of Ypres, (in French +pronounced "Eé-pr" and in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page063" name="page063">(p. 063)</a></span> +Tommy's English, "Wipers"). We had +a hard march; in the rain, as usual; and, about daylight, stopped at +the town of LaClytte, which was to be the battalion's billeting place +for several months. The rest of the battalion remained there a few +days, resting, but the Emma Gees went on ahead and took over some +support positions at Groot Vierstraat and along the Ypres-Neuve Eglise +road. We relieved the King Edward Horse who were acting, as was all +the cavalry, as infantry.</p> + +<p>My crew, together with Sandy McNab's, was assigned to an old Belgian +farm called Captain's Post. The place was pretty well shot up but we +managed to clear out enough room to give us very good quarters; by far +the best we had had since leaving England. We were some 1,250 yards +from the enemy lines but in plain sight of them, hence it was +necessary to be very careful not to allow any one to move about +outside the buildings in daytime, nor to make any smoke.</p> + +<p>No doubt some one got careless, for about noon the next day we heard +the long-drawn-out "who-o-o-o-i-s-s-s-h" of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page064" name="page064">(p. 064)</a></span> +a big shell +coming. It struck about twenty-five yards behind our building and +failed to explode; in soldier's parlance, it was a "dud." We were +eating dinner and refused to be disturbed. Then came a steady stream +of the big fellows; to the right, to the left, in front of the +building and, finally, "smack," right into the house. Altogether, they +put thirty-two "five-point-nine" (150 mm.) shells into that one old +building and all the damage they did was to ruin our dinner by filling +the "dixie" with mud. How in the world we escaped has always been a +mystery to me, but later on, after other and worse affairs, the men +called it "McBride's luck." They shelled us pretty regularly, after +that, sometimes just two or three shells, but on at least one +occasion, they evidently had made up their minds to put the place out +of business entirely, for they kept up a continuous bombardment, with +guns of at least three calibers, for more than an hour. At that time I +was a corporal and had twelve men, with two guns at this place, yet, +although nearly every one +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page065" name="page065">(p. 065)</a></span> +was hit by pieces of brick and +mud and covered with dust, not a man was hurt nor a gun injured.</p> + +<a id="img008" name="img008"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img008.jpg" width="600" height="357" +alt="Canadians with Machine Gun Taking Up New Positions" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Canadians with Machine Gun Taking Up New Positions.</p> + +<p>One morning, just after daylight and during a fog, I was up in an old +hay-loft where we had a gun, when I heard a cock pheasant "squawking" +(that's the only word that describes it), out in front. Looking from +the gun position I saw him, standing on the parapet of an abandoned +French trench across the road. I could not resist the temptation, so +took a shot at him, with the result that we had pheasant stew for +dinner that day.</p> + +<p>It was a source of never-ceasing wonder to me that the birds and other +forms of wild life seemed to be so little affected by the continual +noise of guns and shells. So far as I could notice they did not pay +the slightest attention to it. Pheasants, partridges and rabbits were +numerous at one point in and behind our lines and I have seen them +running about, feeding or playing where shells were falling and +bursting all about them, without showing any sign of fear. Indeed +they +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page066" name="page066">(p. 066)</a></span> +were sometimes killed by the shells, especially +shrapnel, but those unhit would "carry on" with the business in hand, +indifferent to the fate of their companions.</p> + +<p>The little robin redbreasts (the English robin and the French +<i>rouge-gorge</i>) were abundant, as were the ubiquitous English sparrows, +which, sitting out in front on the barbed wire, were often used as +targets by men firing experimental shots.</p> + +<p>A pair of swallows reared a family of young in a dug-out which I once +occupied, the nest being within a few feet of my head when I was in my +bunk. They would come in and go out through a small hole which we left +in the burlap curtain and the old bird would sit on the nest and look +at me in such a confidential, unafraid sort of way that she made a +friend for life and I would have fought any one who had attempted to +disturb or injure her. But, of course, no such thing was possible. All +the men seemed to take a kindly interest in the birds and, except for +the occasional shot at the English sparrows (which +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page067" name="page067">(p. 067)</a></span> +never hit +them, anyhow), they rarely, if ever, molested any of them unless it +was for the purpose of getting a meal of pheasant or partridge, which +was considered perfectly legitimate although forbidden by "orders." It +was all right if you could "get away with it," as the saying is. One +morning, after an unusually intense bombardment of a wood called the +Bois Carré, I found many dead birds; killed either by direct hits or +by the concussion of the heavy shells. This same morning I watched a +pair of magpies who were building a nest in a tree near our station. A +shell had struck the tree, below the nest, and had cut it in half +while a large branch had lodged just above the nest. The whole thing +was swaying dangerously in the light breeze and a strong wind would +surely bring it down, but that pair of chattering magpies appeared to +be debating whether to continue their work or move elsewhere. One +would hop down to the place where the shell had hit and, cocking his +head this way and that, would let loose a flow of magpie talk that +would bring his mate to him and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page068" name="page068">(p. 068)</a></span> +then they would both +investigate, flying to the shattered place, clinging to the bark and +picking out splinters and pieces of wood. Then they would go up aloft +and consult about the nest itself. I watched them for the better part +of an hour when the verdict appeared to be to "take a chance" and go +ahead with the building. We left that place soon after and I never +learned the final outcome.</p> + +<p>At one point, where our lines were about one hundred yards from the +enemy, there was a small pond in No Man's Land just outside our wire, +and a pair of ducks, teal, I think, made it their home during the +entire winter of 1915-16. In spite of the fact that shells were +continually falling all around and sometimes bursting squarely in the +pond itself, they never showed the least inclination to abandon the +place. As this pond was surrounded by a fringe of small willows we +often made use of the cover they afforded to make night +reconnoissances, but soon learned that it was impossible to approach +the pool without alarming the ducks and drawing from +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page069" name="page069">(p. 069)</a></span> +them a +low scolding note of protest, accompanied by a splashing of water. +This was carefully noted and, thereafter, all sentries at that point +were especially warned to listen intently for these noises as it would +probably mean that an enemy patrol was exploring in the vicinity. The +abandoning of so many of the farms and villages left a great many cats +without homes. Nearly every ruined barn or house sheltered one or more +of them and they were, as a rule, quite wild. Some, however, had been +caught and tamed by the soldiers who made great pets of them. +Frequently a soldier would be seen going in or out of the front line +with a kitten perched contentedly on top of his pack. There was one +big brindle "madame" cat who adopted our machine gun outfit when we +first went in. She traveled up and down the line but never stayed +anywhere except in one of the machine gun emplacements. On bright days +she would hop up on top of the parapet and sit there, making her +toilet, and then stretch out on the sand-bags for a nap. At this point +it was not possible to show a hand or a periscope or +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page070" name="page070">(p. 070)</a></span> +any +other small object without drawing the fire of some alert boche, but +they never shot at the cat I don't know why, superstition, perhaps.</p> + +<p>This old cat had two litters of kittens while she was a "member" of +our section and they were all grabbed up as soon as weaned, by both +officers and men alike. It is simply human nature to want to have a +pet of some kind and, as it was forbidden to take dogs into the lines, +the soldiers turned to the cats. Of course they were of some use in +killing mice, but the real scourge of the trenches, the giant rats, +were too big and strong for any cat to tackle. There were literally +millions of these rats. At night they appeared to be everywhere. They +would eat up any rations that were left within reach and, boldly +entering the dug-outs, would run about all over the sleeping men. It +is decidedly unpleasant to be awakened to find one of these fellows +perched on your chest and "sniff-sniff-sniffing" in your face. The men +killed them in all sorts of ways, one of the most popular of which was +to stick a bit +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page071" name="page071">(p. 071)</a></span> +of cheese on the end of the bayonet and, +holding it down along the bottom of the trench, wait until Mr. Rat +went after the cheese and then fire the rifle. Needless to say that +rat was "na-poo," which is soldier-French, meaning "finis."</p> + +<p>At Captain's Post a cat had a family of kittens, just learning to +walk, hidden in a haymow, when we were shelled unmercifully. After the +bombardment ceased, upon going up into the mow to inspect the damage, +I found them. They were all covered with brick-dust but unhurt. By +actual count, no less than five shells had burst within ten feet of +the nest in which they were hidden; in fact, the whole place was an +utter ruin, yet they came through it untouched. Then, at Sniper's Barn +there was a big black cat, wild as a fox, which had a hiding-place +somewhere among the ruins of the upper story. I had a sniping nest, +burrowed under a lot of tobacco which had been stored there, and was +occupying it one day when the Germans shelled the place. They put +several shells into that part of the building, cutting the legs +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page072" name="page072">(p. 072)</a></span> +off the tripod of my telescope and burying the whole works, +including myself. But what interested and amused me most was when a +shell rooted out that cat and sent it flying down into my quarters, +unhurt but so plastered with dust from the bricks and mortar that no +one would have ever suspected it of being black. It was an entirely +new variety--a red cat. It sat and looked at me for a long time. +Disgust, just plain, every-day disgust, was written all over that +animal's face. I don't know what would have happened had I not +laughed. I simply could not help it, the sight was so funny. With my +first shout the cat seemed to "come to" and, with a terrified yowl, +sped through a narrow opening and took to the woods.</p> + +<p>To change the subject: Many of our men will, doubtless, be comforted +to know that in one respect Flanders is like Ireland--there are no +snakes.</p> + +<p>One of our guns on this line was in the upper story of an old brewery +at Vierstraat, about seven hundred yards from my position, and we +occasionally exchanged +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page073" name="page073">(p. 073)</a></span> +visits. One day, I was down there +talking with the boys when a five-inch (sixty pounder) shrapnel shell +burst in front of the building, the case coming right on through, into +the room where we were. It "scooted," glanced, ricochetted, or +whatever you want to call it, all around that room and you never saw +such a scampering to get out. It finally stopped, however, and one of +the boys dragged it out into the light for an examination. On the side +it was branded "BEARDMORE, SCOTLAND." Now, how do you suppose Heinie +got that?</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER VI +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page074" name="page074">(p. 074)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Our Own Cheerful Fashion</span></h4> + + +<p>On October twelfth there was a general attack along our front, to try +out some new "smoke bombs" and shells. It was the first time the smoke +barrage was used. We took our guns down about half-way to the front +line and set them up in hedge-rows and other places where we could +sweep the front in case the enemy made a counter-attack and got into +our lines. However, we were not needed, so remained spectators of +about as pretty a show as I have ever seen. At a given signal, every +gun behind our lines dropped smoke shells in a continuous row along +the line, just in front of the enemy's parapet. As each shell struck, +it burst, sending out great streamers of white smoke that soon became +a dense wall through which no one could see. Under cover of this, our +bombers advanced, threw hand grenades into the enemy trenches and then +retired. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page075" name="page075">(p. 075)</a></span> +No attempt was made to take any part of the line; +it was more in the nature of a try-out for the new shells and also for +the purpose of harassing the enemy.</p> + +<p>Naturally, the boche, expecting a general attack, commenced to shell +everything in that part of the country and also opened up a heavy +machine-gun and rifle fire, a good deal of which came our way, but no +one was hit. On the way back to the barn, Bouchard and I were walking +side by side, perhaps three or four feet apart, when a "whizz-bang" +came right between us and struck the ground not more than ten feet in +front. In nine hundred and ninety-nine cases out of a thousand that +would have spelled our finish, but the shell struck on the edge of a +little hump, at the side of a ditch, turned sidewise and spun round +like a top. We stood there, speechless, fascinated by the peculiar +antics of the thing, until it stopped. It was a pretty toy, a 105 mm., +painted red and with a beautiful brass fuse-cap. I picked it up but as +it was too hot to handle I put on my asbestos gloves, used for +changing barrels +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page076" name="page076">(p. 076)</a></span> +of machine guns, and carried it "home" +where I put it away, intending to get some artilleryman to remove the +fuse and explosive so that I might keep it as a souvenir; but a bunch +of boys from the Eighteenth Battalion found it, and taking it back to +their dug-out at Ridgewood, tried to unload it themselves. Some were +killed and several wounded when the thing exploded. I afterward saw +one of those who had been wounded and he told me about it.</p> + +<p>At this stage of the soldier's career he is always a "souvenir +hunter," picking up and carrying around with him all sorts of things, +from German bullets to big shells. I was a fiend of the first +magnitude and collected enough stuff to stock a museum, only to have +to abandon it whenever we moved. I had French rifles, bayonets and +other equipment; German ditto and about every size and type of shell +and fuse that was used on our front. Whenever we moved I would bury or +cache the whole lot, in the hope that I could get back for it some +day. But the fever finally wore off, and I got so that I +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page077" name="page077">(p. 077)</a></span> +would not even pick up a German helmet. Now, of course, I wish I had +some of that stuff to show the folks.</p> + +<p>On the fifteenth of October we went into the front line; a line which +we, alternating with the Twentieth Battalion, were destined to hold +until the following April. About this time the rains set in "for +keeps" and we were seldom dry or warm or clean for nearly six months. +Mud, mud, nothing but mud--mud without any bottom. We had no trenches, +proper; they were simply sand-bag barricades between us and the enemy +and it was a continual struggle to keep them built up. They would ooze +away like melting butter.</p> + +<p>When the deadlock came, in the fall of 1914, and the opposing armies +lay entrenched, from the North Sea to Switzerland, it found the +Germans occupying the dominating heights, with our forces hanging on, +as best they could, to positions on the lower ground.</p> + +<p>This was the case at the point where we were located. Our sector +(about eleven hundred yards for +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page078" name="page078">(p. 078)</a></span> +the battalion frontage) +extended from the Voormezeele-Wytschaete road, northward to the bottom +of the hill at the top of which was the village of St. Eloi. Directly +opposite our left was Piccadilly Farm, located on a hill about ten +meters higher than our lines. From there toward the right, the enemy +line gradually descended until, at the right of our line, it was only +about two meters higher. The distance between the front lines varied +from about seventy yards, at the right, to about two hundred and fifty +yards at the left. The net result of this situation was that the +Germans could dig trenches of considerable depth, draining the water +out under their parapets or into two small streams which ran from +their lines to ours. They had a playful habit of damming up these +streams until an unusually hard rain would come, when they would open +the gates and give us the benefit of the whole dose. I have seen the +water in these streams rise seven feet within less than an hour and +there were times when in one of our communication trenches it was over +a man's head. A soldier of the West York's +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page079" name="page079">(p. 079)</a></span> +regiment was +drowned in this trench one night.</p> + +<p>Under such conditions, it was impossible for us to dig. All we could +do was to construct sand-bag parapets or barricades, while our +so-called "dug-outs" consisted of huts constructed of sand-bags, +roofed with corrugated iron and covered with more sand-bags. They +afforded protection from shrapnel and small shell fragments, but, of +course, not against direct hits from any kind of shells. Even a little +"whizz-bang" would go through them as though they were egg-shells. All +the earth thereabouts was of the consistency of thick soup and our +parapet had a habit of sloughing away just about as fast as we could +build it up. As a matter of fact, our communication trenches did +become completely obliterated and we had no recourse but to go in and +out of the trenches "overland." At night this was not so bad, although +we were continually losing men from stray bullets. But when it was +necessary, as it sometimes was, to go in or out in daylight why, it +was a cinch +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page080" name="page080">(p. 080)</a></span> +that some one was going to get hit, as the enemy +had many good snipers watching for just such opportunities. At one +time, for over two weeks more than two hundred yards of our parapet +were down, and if you went from one end of the line to the other you +must expose yourself to the full view of enemy snipers. My duties +required me to cover this stretch of trench at least twice a day.</p> + +<p>Our conduct in taking short cuts across the fields when the trenches +were knee-deep with mud, was scandalous in the eyes of our neighbors +of the Imperial army, as the troops from the British Isles are known. +Quite frequently we were subjected to the most scathing tongue-lashing +from officers of the old school, but we won the astonished admiration +of the Tommies by our disregard of instructions and advice. I well +remember one day when a party of us were going out through the P. & O. +communication trench and, finding the mud too deep, we climbed out and +walked across the open, whereat an old Colonel of some Highland +regiment gave us a "beautiful +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page081" name="page081">(p. 081)</a></span> +calling." His discourse was a +masterpiece of fluent soldier talk and, as a Scot usually does when +excited, he lapsed into the "twa-talk" of his native Hielans. I can +remember his last words, which were to the effect that: "Ye daft +Cany-deens think ye're awfu' brave but I tell ye the noo it's no +bravery; it's sheer stupidity." Of course he was right, but we could +not allow the small matter of a bullet or two to stand in the way of +our getting out in time for tea, and finally they gave it up in +disgust and allowed us to "go to hell in our own cheerful fashion," as +they said.</p> + +<p>With the assistance of the engineers, we finally succeeded in +constructing a new line, slightly in the rear of the old one which was +abandoned except for a couple of machine-gun positions and a listening +post. We also managed to get out a fairly good barbed-wire +entanglement along most of the front. Fritz appeared to be having his +troubles, too, so did not bother us much at night. We always got a few +shells every day and usually quite a number of rifle grenades and +"fish-tail" +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page082" name="page082">(p. 082)</a></span> +aerial torpedoes, but they did very little +damage. Here was where the mud was our friend, for, unless a shell +dropped squarely on the top of you, it would do no harm.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER VII +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page083" name="page083">(p. 083)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Sniper's Barn</span></h4> + + +<p>Just as streets and roads must have their names, so must all trenches +have official designations. This applies also to localities, farms, +cross-roads, woods and such places which have no "regular" names or +which possess Flemish or French names difficult of pronunciation by +the soldiers.</p> + +<p>Front-line trenches are usually designated by letters or numbers, +running in regular order, from right to left in each sector. Certain +important points may have special names. Communication trenches are +always given distinctive names. Probably the majority of these names +are those of prominent streets and roads in England, especially in +London. At Messines we had "Surrey Lane," "Stanley Road" and "Plum +Avenue" for communication trenches, while our front line embraced the +whole series of "C" trenches. During the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page084" name="page084">(p. 084)</a></span> +winter we occupied +the "N" and "O" front-line trenches, while our communication trenches +bore such names as "Poppy Lane," "Bois Carré" (afterward called +"Chicory Trench" because it ran through a chicory field), and the +"P. & O." so named because it entered the front line at the junction +of the "O" and "P" trenches and P. & O. is so much easier to say than +O. & P. At St. Eloi, "Convent Lane" and "Queen Victoria Street" were +examples of the communication trenches, while the front-line positions +were designated by numbers, as elsewhere explained. Originally, they +were called the "O" and "R" trenches. Opposite Hill 60 (so named +because it is sixty meters above sea level), the numbering method was +continued in the front line, while the communication trenches included +"Petticoat Lane," "Fleet Street" and "Rat Alley." At various places +along the lines you would find "Marble Arch," "Highgate," "Piccadilly +Circus," and so on.</p> + +<p>Supporting points were generally designated as "S. P. 7" (or other +number), or as "Redoubts" with identifying names. In one place we had +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page085" name="page085">(p. 085)</a></span> +the "Southern, Eastern and Western" redoubts along the edges +of a certain wood.</p> + + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>WYTSCHAETE MAP</i>.</p> + +<p class="left05"><i>The reproduction on the opposite page is a section from the map known +as Wytschaete. Here are Shelley Farm, White Horse Cellars and St. +Eloi, with the British front line shown by faint dashes, crossing the +road that runs through White Horse Cellars, at figure 2. The German +trenches, indicated by irregular black lines, are close to the British +front at this point, but run sharply away down to Piccadilly Farm and +beyond on the left. The trenches on this map are corrected to February +20th</i>, 1916. <i>Sniper's Barn that figures so thrillingly in Captain +McBride's experiences is shown at the extreme left of the map, only +the word Barn appearing.</i></p> + +<a id="img009" name="img009"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img009.jpg" width="600" height="400" +alt="Wytschaete Map" title=""> +</div> + + + + + +<p>Sometimes the original Flemish names were retained for the farms, +châteaux and cross-roads, but more often they would be Anglicized by +our map makers. Thus we had "Moated Grange," "Bus House," "Shelley +Farm," "Beggar's Rest," "Dead Dog Farm," "Sniper's Barn," "Captain's +Post," "Maple Copse," the "White Château" and the "Red Château," "Dead +Horse Corner," "White Horse Cellars" and so on, indefinitely. +"Scottish Wood" was so named for the London Scottish who made a famous +charge there in the early part of the war. Hallebast Corner was +changed by the soldier to "Hell-blast" Corner, just as Ypres became +"Wipers" and Ploegstert was translated into "Plugstreet." As to the +estaminets, (drinking places), while many retained their original +names, such as "Pomme d'Or," "Repos aux Voyageurs" or "Herberg in der +Kruisstraat," such names as "The Pig & Whistle" and "Cheshire Cheese" +were not uncommon.</p> + +<p>"Shrapnel +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page086" name="page086">(p. 086)</a></span> +Corners" and "Suicide Corners" were numerous and +had merely a local significance. The names are self-explanatory. +"Gordon Farm," where the Gordon Highlanders had stopped for a time, +and "School Farm," where we had a bombing and machine-gun school, were +other examples. "Hyde Park Corner," afterward changed to "Canada +Corner," was an important junction point of the roads back of our +lines. "Bedford House" was a name given to a château which the +Bedfords once occupied. It would require a large book to enumerate +them all.</p> + +<p>Our line was at the exact spot where the Princess Pat's first went +into action and several of them were buried in our trenches, together +with many others, both French and English. In fact, it was difficult +to dig anywhere for earth to fill sand-bags without uncovering bodies. +The whole place was nothing more nor less than one continuous grave. +There were a great many crosses, put up by comrades, giving name, date +and organization, but hundreds had no mark other than +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page087" name="page087">(p. 087)</a></span> +the +cross, sometimes inscribed "an unknown soldier," but more often +unmarked. Here one of our sergeants found the grave of his brother, +who had been serving in the King's Royal Rifles and I noticed another +cross near by marked with the name of Meyers, Indianapolis, Indiana, +said to have been the first man of the Princess Pat's killed in +action. There was a maze of old French and English trenches, some in +front of our line and some behind it and all more or less filled with +bodies that had never been buried. Some of the Indian troops had +fought here and had left many of their number behind. Whenever it was +possible, we buried the bodies, but often they were in such positions +that this was impossible and any attempt to do so would only have +resulted in further losses. I nearly forgot to mention it; but there +were plenty of Germans mixed up with the lot; in one small area, just +in front of a farm building, some five hundred yards in our rear, I +found eight of them. Inside the building was a dead French soldier +who, as we figured it out, had accounted for the eight boches +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page088" name="page088">(p. 088)</a></span> +before they got him. This place was called Sniper's Barn.</p> + +<p>While our artillery had been considerably increased, it was still far +below that of the enemy in number or size of guns, and the ammunition +supply was so short that each gun was limited to a very few rounds a +day. It was only during the following summer that the English caught +up with the Germans in artillery. This, naturally, did not tend to +cheer up the men. It was aggravating, to say the least, to have the +other fellow sending over "crumps" without limit, and be able to send +back nothing but six or eight "whizz-bangs." ("Crump" is the general +name for high-explosive shells of from 4.1 up, but the commonest size +is the 5.9 or 150 mm.)</p> + +<p>Having been so successful at the strafing at Messines, our Colonel was +anxious that we continue the game here and I was delegated to locate a +good position and "go to it." After going over all the ground back of +our lines, I decided to try the experiment of placing the gun in a +small hedge which ran across the lower end of an old garden or +orchard, in front of Sniper's Barn; that +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page089" name="page089">(p. 089)</a></span> +is, on the side +toward the enemy. It looked rather foolhardy, at first glance, for the +place was in plain sight from the German lines and only about five +hundred yards away at the nearest point; but I remembered our +experience at our first strafing place and depended on Heinie to jump +to the conclusion that we were in the farm buildings, and devote his +attention to them. It worked; he "ran true to form," as a race horse +man would say, and while we maintained a gun, and sometimes two, in +that place for six months, and the boche shot up the barn regularly +during all that time, there was never a shell, apparently, directed at +our position, and except for an occasional "short," none burst near +us.</p> + +<p>From there we would shoot, day and night, often, at the first, having +our targets where we could "see 'em fall," a very unusual occurrence +for a machine gunner, save during a general engagement. Of course we +would have to get into the position before daylight and remain until +dark as the way to and from it was exposed to view from "across the +way."</p> + +<p>Here we worked out many of the constantly recurring +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page090" name="page090">(p. 090)</a></span> +problems +which confront the machine gunner in the field, and which are, as a +rule, overlooked or neglected during the preliminary training. As our +own soldiers will have to contend with the same conditions, I may +mention some of them.</p> + +<p>One of the first things we discovered was that while all the +small-arms ammunition issued was made pursuant to uniform +specifications, furnished by the War Office, a large percentage of it +was manufactured in new, hastily equipped factories, by partially +trained workmen, and while it was apparently near enough to the +standard to pass the tests exacted by the inspectors, only an +extremely small proportion would function properly in machine guns or +other automatic arms. A few of the old standard brands, made in +government arsenals or by the prominent, long-established private +manufacturers, could be depended upon at all times, but, +unfortunately, these brands were comparatively scarce and hard to get. +At least seventy-five per cent. of what we received was the product of +the small, new +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page091" name="page091">(p. 091)</a></span> +and ill-equipped factories, established under +the press of war demands, and, while it appeared to work +satisfactorily in the ordinary rifles, both Enfield and Ross, it was +utterly useless for machine guns. The difference of a minute fraction +of an inch in the thickness of the "rim" would break extractors as +fast as they could be replaced, while various other irregularities, so +small as to be undiscoverable without the most accurate measurements +by delicate micrometers, would cause stoppages and the breaking of +different small parts. And, at that time, spare parts were almost +unknown, so it required the utmost ingenuity on the part of the +gunners to improvise, with what materials could be found on the spot, +and with the very few tools at hand, many of the small but +all-important parts that go to make up the interior economy of the +guns.</p> + +<p>All automatically operated firearms are, of necessity, very delicately +balanced mechanisms. Whether gas or recoil operated, there must be +just sufficient power obtained from the firing of one shot to overcome +the normal friction of the working +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page092" name="page092">(p. 092)</a></span> +parts, eject the empty +cartridge case, withdraw a new cartridge from the belt or magazine, +load it properly in the chamber and fire it; continuing this action as +long as the trigger, or other firing device, is kept pressed or until +the belt or magazine is emptied. Ammunition which does not give the +proper amount of pressure or cartridges which, through faulty +manufacture, cause an undue amount of friction, either in seating them +in the chamber, withdrawing them from the belt or in removing the +fired case, will not operate the gun properly and will cause "jams." +On the other hand, ammunition which develops too much pressure or +creates too little friction, will cause breakages because of the +excess jar and hammering of the moving parts.</p> + +<p>We utilized parts of cream separators, sewing machines, baby +carriages, bicycles and various agricultural implements, found in and +around the old Belgian farms, and it soon became common talk that we +could make every part of a machine gun excepting the barrel. We +learned that there was a certain bolt, a part of the rifle carrier on +the French +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page093" name="page093">(p. 093)</a></span> +bicycle, which was an exact duplicate of an +important part of our guns, so, whenever we found one of those old, +broken and abandoned cycles, we would take time to remove this +particular part and carry it along for emergencies. This is but one +instance of many.</p> + +<p>Then, there was the matter of concealing the flash, when firing at +night. As the position we occupied was in plain view of the enemy +lines, to have fired without some device to prevent the flash being +seen would, inevitably, have resulted in a concentration of fire upon +us which would have rendered the position untenable. We tried many +schemes, from the crude "sand-bag" screen to the most elaborate +devices made in the armorer's shops, while back in billets, and +finally perfected one which was thoroughly satisfactory. I can not +describe it here, as I hope to see it used by our soldiers in France, +but I can say that, out of probably fifty different contrivances made +for the same purpose, this was the only one that "filled the bill" +from every standpoint.</p> + +<p>As most of our firing was done at night, it was necessary +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page094" name="page094">(p. 094)</a></span> +to +improve the manner of mounting and "laying" the guns as we soon found +that the methods taught at the training schools and the lamps and +other mechanical devices furnished by the authorities were of no use +under actual service conditions.</p> + +<p>The various schemes and devices which we originated and elaborated are +at the disposal of the proper military authorities in this country +but, obviously, can not be described here.</p> + +<p>The foreign officers, British and French, who are now in this country +acting as instructors and advisers are doing everything in their power +to impress upon our officers and men the necessity for keeping up to +date in all the various and complicated departments of military +training, even to the exclusion of many of the pet ideas of some of +the most accomplished instructors in our service schools. The trouble +with us is that we have not, and never have had, any machine gunners +in the United States Army. By this I mean men skilled in machine +gunnery as applied to present-day warfare. The evolution of +machine-gun tactics is, perhaps, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page095" name="page095">(p. 095)</a></span> +the most outstanding +feature of the whole war. From being, as it was considered four years +ago, merely an emergency weapon or, as the text-book writers were +pleased to call it, "a weapon of opportunity," it has become the most +important single weapon in use in any army, not even excepting the +artillery. A properly directed machine-gun barrage is far more +difficult to traverse than anything the artillery can put down and the +combination of artillery and machine guns, working together, whether +on the offensive or defensive, represents the highest point ever +attained in the effective use of fire in battle.</p> + +<p>Our instructors have been technical theorists of the very highest +order, basing their theories and working out their problems on the +experience furnished by previous wars and of course it is difficult +for them to realize that nearly every hypothesis which they have +assumed in working out their theories has been proved false. They can +not believe that "fire control" of infantry, as taught in the school +of fire, has no place in modern trench warfare. It will break the +hearts +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page096" name="page096">(p. 096)</a></span> +of some of them to learn that the ability to read a +map and use a prismatic compass is of far more value than knowledge of +the "mil-scale" or "fire-control rule." They will probably be +scandalized by the statement, which I make seriously and with full +knowledge whereof I speak, that one common shovel and an armful of +sand-bags are worth more than all the range-finders that have been or +ever will be bought for the use of machine gunners.</p> + +<p>Every foot of ground in France, Belgium and Germany has been so +thoroughly and accurately mapped that there need be no such thing as +estimating ranges. You <i>know</i> the range; you do not have to depend on +mental or mechanical estimates. And, as machine-gun fire is almost +entirely indirect fire, the guns must be laid by using map, compass, +protractor and clinometer (quadrant), in exactly the same manner as +artillery fire is directed. The average machine gunner will probably +go through the whole war without ever seeing a live enemy--excepting +prisoners. The various methods of controlling indirect +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page097" name="page097">(p. 097)</a></span> +fire +by resection, base lines and observation from two or more points are, +like the use of an auxiliary aiming point, useless in trench warfare. +They are fine in theory and afford much interesting diversion on the +training ranges, but when you go to war, why, it can't be done, that's +all.</p> + +<a id="img010" name="img010"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img010.jpg" width="600" height="432" +alt="Highlanders with a Maxim Gun" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Highlanders with a Maxim Gun</p> + +<p>This is a common, plain, hard-headed business proposition: where the +only idea is to kill as many of the enemy as possible before he kills +you, it has been found that the oldest, crudest and most primitive +methods have, in many cases, proved the most effective for the +attainment of this end.</p> + +<p>Never before has it been of such vital importance to train the +individual soldier, whether he be rifleman, bomber, machine gunner or +any other specialist, so that he can "carry on" without the direction +of an officer. The officer must plan everything in advance; he must +look after the health and comfort of his men, see that they are +properly equipped and supplied, must station them in their appointed +positions, make frequent personal +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page098" name="page098">(p. 098)</a></span> +inspections and, finally, +lead them in the advance. But in every engagement there comes a time +when every man is "on his own," when it is impossible for the officer, +if he be still living, to direct the action. The idea that an officer +can exercise "fire control" as taught in our service schools, or can +personally direct the fire of a number of machine guns, once the +action has started, is ridiculous. The limits of one man's sphere of +action, at such a time, are extremely small. If the men have been +properly instructed, beforehand, and then given a good start, they +will do the rest. It is just this ability to assimilate individual +instruction that has made the Canadian superior to the native-born +Briton. He is better educated, as a rule, has lived a freer and more +varied life and, as a result, possesses that initiative and individual +ingenuity which are so often necessary at the critical stages of a +fight. We have every reason to expect that the American soldier, for +these same reasons, will prove to be at least the equal of the +Canadian--the finest type of fighting man yet developed by this war.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page099" name="page099">(p. 099)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Getting the Flag</span></h4> + + +<p>We soon fell into the routine of moving; from front line to support; +from support to the front line and back to reserve. For some time +these movements were uncertain but we finally settled down to a +regular schedule, which was maintained, with few breaks, throughout +the winter. When the time came to go into the reserve, the rest of the +battalion would go back to LaClytte but the Emma Gees went only to the +Vierstraat-Brasserie line before described. From there detachments +would alternate in going back to the battalion billets for a bath and +clean clothing. Some of us rigged up our own bath house in Captain's +Post, so found it unnecessary to go any farther. Personally, there was +only one day in three months when I was out of sight of the German +lines. We had comfortable quarters where we were and the towns of +Dickebusch and LaClytte had no attractions for me; and as to the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page100" name="page100">(p. 100)</a></span> +battalion billets, they were abominable. They consisted of +so-called huts which were simply floors with roofs over them: no walls +at all; just a sloping, tent-like roof on top of a rough board floor. +Outside, they were partly banked up and plentifully smeared with mud, +camouflaged, as it were. The British made it a practise at that time +to keep their troops out of the inhabited towns that were within range +of the enemy's guns, so as not to give any excuse for shelling them. +LaClytte was a very small town of but a few hundred native +inhabitants, but Dickebusch, situated about midway between the lines +and LaClytte, was a city of several thousands. In both places were +hundreds of refugees from the ruined towns to the eastward.</p> + +<p>However, it seemed to make little difference to the boche; he shelled +both towns, intermittently, killing a number of civilians but very +rarely hitting a soldier. Later, in the spring of 1916, they started +in to wipe out Dickebusch, and, for all practical purposes, they +succeeded. I will speak of this in a later chapter.</p> + +<p>Where +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page101" name="page101">(p. 101)</a></span> +opposing lines are so close together, say less than one +hundred yards apart, and the ground is level and star shells are going +up almost continuously, it would seem to be nearly an impossibility +for any man or number of men to venture out into No Man's Land without +being seen and fired upon by the enemy. But with certain members of +each organization it is merely a part of the daily routine. Every +night they slip over the parapet and, in small groups, patrol up and +down the line, constantly on the alert to prevent any surprise attack +by the enemy. But this is not all. There are times, at all points, +when it is necessary to put out new barbed wire or repair the old; +when large parties of men must go out there and work for hours, within +a stone's throw of a vigilant and merciless enemy. Occasionally they +are discovered and have trouble, but in the great majority of cases +the work is done and every one gets back unhurt.</p> + +<p>How is it done? Simply a matter of training and careful preparation. +Every man is rehearsed in his work until he can do it perfectly, +quickly and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page102" name="page102">(p. 102)</a></span> +without noise. Materials are carefully checked +up and distributed and, each man having a certain specified task and +no other, there is no confusion or blundering. They all know that, +when a flare goes up near by, they must "freeze" in whatever position +they may be. Movements of any kind would be sure to discover them to +the enemy lookout, but lacking that movement it is a hundred-to-one +shot they will be undetected.</p> + +<p>There have been a good many instances where a flag has been planted by +the enemy, on his parapets or inside his wire, with a challenge to any +one to come over and get it. There was one such opposite our position. +Many stories had been told about that flag: The Brandenburgers had it +first, then the French got it and passed it along to the English, who +relieved them; then the Prussians took it away from the British and +had held it ever since; for about a year, in fact. We could see it, +plainly enough; a dark blue affair with some sort of a device in +yellow in the center. I often noticed it from our position back at +Sniper's Barn +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page103" name="page103">(p. 103)</a></span> +and had some rather hazy ideas about going +over after it.</p> + +<p>One dark rainy night in November, a man in the section named Lucky +announced that he was going over to Fritz's line to try to locate a +new machine-gun emplacement which we had reason to believe had been +recently constructed. He slipped over the parapet where a road ran +through our lines and those of the enemy. It was only about seventy +yards across at this point.</p> + +<p>Working his way through our wire, he crawled along the side of the old +disused road, there being a shallow ditch there which afforded a +little concealment. The flares were going up frequently and progress +was, of course, very slow. At one place the body of a soldier was +lying in the ditch and, in trying to roll it out of the way, he pulled +off one of the feet. By creeping along, inch by inch, he finally +reached the enemy's wire and spent about an hour working through it. +Then crawling along the outside of the parapet, stopping often to +listen, he soon found the loophole of the new gun emplacement. Taking +a sheet of paper +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page104" name="page104">(p. 104)</a></span> +which he had brought for the purpose, he +fastened it directly below the loophole where it would be in plain +sight from our lines but invisible to the occupants of the place. His +work done, he was about to start back when he happened to think of +that flag and concluded to have a try for it. It was probably a +hundred yards or more down the trench from where he then was and it +required the utmost care to avoid making a noise as the front of the +parapet, as is always the case, was thickly strewn with tin cans and +rubbish of all sorts. Lucky had been a big game hunter in Canada, +however, and had even stalked the wily moose which is about the last +word in "still hunting," so he managed to negotiate the distance +without detection and finally reached the flag.</p> + +<p>Carefully feeling up along the staff, he discovered that it was +anchored with wires which ran into the ground and then he remembered +the tales that had been told of how it was attached to a bomb or small +mine which would be exploded if the flagstaff were disturbed. That was +a common +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page105" name="page105">(p. 105)</a></span> +German trick and not at all unlikely in this case, +but, after thinking the matter over, he decided to make an attempt to +unfasten the wires. This did not take long, after which all that +remained was to pull out the staff and "beat it." Taking his pistol in +his right hand, to be ready for emergencies, and reaching up with the +left, he gave the pole a sharp jerk. Well, there must have been +another wire, somewhere, connected up with two "fixed rifles," aimed +directly at the stick for, when he pulled on it, two rifle reports +rang out and two bullets hit the flagstaff, cutting it off just below +his hand which was also slightly cut. Quickly rolling down into a +slight depression he hugged the flag to him and lay quiet, while the +Germans, aroused by the shots, immediately opened fire with rifles, +which were soon joined by; a machine gun. They could not hit him where +he was so he just lay still and waited. Suddenly, without warning, +they fired a flare light directly over his head. He told me afterward +that was the only time he was really scared. He thought it was a bomb. +However that soon passed and the firing having +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page106" name="page106">(p. 106)</a></span> +died down, he +made his way back to our lines with the flag which he gave to the +Colonel the next morning. "And they gave him a medal for that."</p> + +<p>On another occasion, one of our scouts made his way through the German +line and having located a battery in the rear, started back, only to +discover that the place where he had come over was now occupied by +several soldiers, and, being unable to find another opening, was +obliged to hide out and remain inside the enemy's lines all day. The +next night he managed to slip back, none the worse for his adventure.</p> + +<p>Such things are being done every night and some men consider it the +greatest sport in the world to go out alone and spend hours under the +lee of a German parapet listening to the Heinies talk. Soon after +that, orders were issued in our brigade that no one was to go out +alone so when we wanted to prowl around we had to start in pairs. As +soon as we were over the parapet we would split and each go his way, +to meet later at an appointed place. One man, alone, can get away +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page107" name="page107">(p. 107)</a></span> +with a lot of things that would be impossible for two, but we +observed the letter, if not the spirit, of the order.</p> + +<p>We had cleared out one of the compartments of the big barn at +Captain's Post, carefully plugging up all the shell-holes with +sand-bags and other materials so that no light could filter through, +and there, at night, would build a great fire in the middle of the +stone floor and proceed to enjoy ourselves. Usually one or two guns +would do a little strafing every night: simply going out into the +field in front of the building and setting up the gun in a convenient +shell-hole. After a while, from our own observations and from +information supplied by the artillery, we occasionally located an +enemy battery within range of our guns. Then we would have a regular +"strafing party." Laying all the guns so as to deliver a converging +fire on the battery position, we would, as soon as it was dark, open +up on them, knowing that they would be moving about in the open and +exposed to fire. We could always tell when we had "stung" them, for +they would invariably come +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page108" name="page108">(p. 108)</a></span> +back at us with a tremendous +fire, shooting wildly at everything within our lines in the vain +endeavor to locate us. I'll bet we caused them to expend a hundred +thousand rounds of perfectly good ammunition in this way, but we never +had a man hit while at the game. The German is not much of a hand for +night artillery work unless you stir him up, but we could always get a +rise out of him, and often did it, just for amusement. This is what is +called "getting his wind up." The same thing can be done in the front +line by a few men opening up with five or ten rounds, rapid fire, +directed just over Heinie's parapet. In nearly every case, he will +commence shooting blindly toward our lines: the contagion will spread +and, the first thing you know, he will have wasted about a million +rounds.</p> + +<a id="img011" name="img011"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img011.jpg" width="600" height="370" +alt="A Light Vickers Gun in Action" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">A Light Vickers Gun in Action</p> + +<p>Here, as in most parts of the line, except during an engagement, +cooking was done right in the front trenches. The method is to use a +brazier made from an old iron bucket, punched full of holes, in which +charcoal or coke is burned. As we seldom had charcoal, it was +necessary to start +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page109" name="page109">(p. 109)</a></span> +the fire before daylight, using wood to +ignite the coke which made no smoke but, with careful nursing, could +be made to burn all day. The presence of smoke always drew the fire of +rifle grenades, trench-mortar shells and even artillery. It was one of +our favorite forms of amusement to locate a cook house and shoot it +up; and when a shell made a direct hit, if, among the pots and pans +flying through the air, we could distinguish a German cap or something +that looked like a part of a boche, there was much rejoicing in our +lines. Of course it was a game at which two could play and we were not +immune by any means.</p> + +<p>These little things helped to keep up the interest and break the +monotony of the work. About this time the famous Lahore Battery, from +the Indian city of that name, was added to the artillery behind our +sector; and they appeared not to be restricted in the number of rounds +per day which they were permitted to fire. I remember the first time +they did any shooting over our heads. It was the day after they had +"registered in" +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page110" name="page110">(p. 110)</a></span> +that a large working party was discovered on +Piccadilly Farm, directly opposite our left. When the F. O. O. (forward +observing officer) was informed of it, he had a good look through his +periscope binoculars and then called up the Lahore Battery and, +without any preliminary ranging shots, ordered "forty rounds per gun." +As they had six guns, they poured in the shells at the rate of about +one hundred a minute and they certainly did make things fly in and +about that farm.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER IX +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page111" name="page111">(p. 111)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Hunting Huns</span></h4> + + +<p>During October the casualties in the Machine Gun Section were only +three wounded, McNab, Redpath and Jack Lee all getting hit on the same +day. They were sent back to England. At that time it was not +considered the proper thing for a man to go back if he could, by any +means, "carry on" and these three were all bitterly disappointed when +they found that they would have to leave the section. There came a +time, all too soon, when a "Blighty" was the finest present a man +could get; the loss of a few fingers or even a hand or foot being +considered not too high a price to pay to get out of hell for a few +months.</p> + +<p>When the weather was very bad there was but little sniping-going on, +so we often went in and out of the lines "overland" in broad daylight. +Sunday, November fourteenth, was one such occasion. We had not been +relieved until +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page112" name="page112">(p. 112)</a></span> +noon by the Twentieth Battalion who had taken +a very roundabout way to get in, so I put it up to all my crowd to +choose whether we should spend several hours going around or take a +chance down the open road. They unanimously decided on the road, so I +started out ahead, with instructions for them to follow at about +fifty-yard intervals, and in this fashion we walked down at least four +hundred yards of open road, every foot of which was in plain sight of +the German lines, and got under cover of a small hill without a single +shot being fired. From this point it was necessary to cross another +small open space but, as it was partly screened by bushes and trees, +we did not consider it dangerous.</p> + +<p>We had a redoubt concealed in the small hill mentioned and I stopped +to arrange about the relief of the gun crew stationed there. The +remainder of the party, except Charlie Wendt, continued on their way +and soon disappeared in the woods. Charlie stayed a few minutes and +then said: "I'll go on ahead, Mac, and wait for you at the Eastern +Redoubt." He started out across +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page113" name="page113">(p. 113)</a></span> +the field and I continued my +talk with Endersby, who was in charge of the local gun, when, all at +once, I heard some one call out: "Oh, Mac," and looked to see Wendt on +the ground about one hundred yards away waving his hand to me. +Endersby immediately ran to him and I followed as soon as I could drop +part of the heavy load I was carrying. On reaching him I found that he +had been shot through the abdomen. Just then another bullet snapped +beside us, so I told Endersby to get back to the redoubt and telephone +for stretcher-bearers, while I bandaged the wound. Charlie remarked: +"Well, they got me, but I hope you get about ten of them for me." I +assured him that we would and told him to keep his nerve and he would +come through all right. He was a very strong, clean-living young man +and I really thought he had a chance. He did not think so, saying he +was afraid the doctors would have some difficulty in patching up such +a hole. He did not cry out nor make the slightest complaint but kept +assuring me that "everything is all right."</p> + +<p>Meantime, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page114" name="page114">(p. 114)</a></span> +the sniper was keeping up a continuous fire, +hitting everything in the neighborhood but me, at whom he was +shooting. It was such a miserable exhibition of marksmanship--only +about five hundred yards distant and a bright clear day--that I told +Charlie I would be ashamed to have such a poor shot in our outfit. Any +American soldier who could qualify as a marksman would scarcely miss +such a target and a sharpshooter or expert rifleman would be forever +disgraced if he made less than the highest possible score. However, I +forgave that fellow; being a German he could not be expected to know +how to shoot straight at any range beyond three hundred meters. The +shot that hit Charlie was just a "luck shot," but that did not help +much.</p> + +<p>I tried to drag him along toward a slight depression, but it hurt him +so I desisted and waited for the stretcher-bearers. When I saw them +approaching I called a warning and had one of them crawl to us with +the small trench stretcher, on which we managed to get Charlie into a +sheltered place, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page115" name="page115">(p. 115)</a></span> +where they shifted him to a long litter and +started out with him. The last thing he said was: "It's all right, +Mac; everything is all right; don't you worry."</p> + +<p>They did all they could for him while I had to go back and get the +machine gun that he had dropped. The fellow across the way showed +perseverance, at any rate, and kept up his "schutzenfest" as long as I +was in sight but without result.</p> + +<p>Next day we learned that Charlie had died and was buried at Bailleul. +He was not only one of the most popular men in the section, but was +the first we had had killed and we all felt very much depressed. I got +a permit to go to Bailleul to see whether or not he had been properly +buried and there made my first acquaintance with the G. R. C. We had +often seen those letters, followed by a number, on the crosses, in +trenches, in cemeteries or along the roads, but none knew what they +meant. At Bailleul I found the head office of the "Graves Registration +Commission" and, within five minutes, knew where Wendt was buried and +the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page116" name="page116">(p. 116)</a></span> +number of his grave. This wonderful organization +undertakes to furnish a complete record of the burial place of every +soldier. Where suitable crosses have not been provided, they furnish +one, bearing an aluminum plate showing the name, number, regiment and +date of death wherever this information is available. Now they have +gone even further and are compiling a photographic record of all known +graves so that relatives, writing to the Commission, can secure not +only a verbal description but an actual photograph of the loved one's +grave.</p> + +<p>I went back and began to plan ways and means of "getting" Charlie's +ten boches, but a day or two later something happened to alter my +scheme to a certain extent.</p> + +<p>At that time, our ration parties were going out just before daylight, +as we had no communication trench and had to cross the open and +exposed ground behind our line. The two, who went from one of the +guns, however, Dupuis and Lanning, were a little bit late, so that it +was light when they started out. About fifty yards down the road was +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page117" name="page117">(p. 117)</a></span> +a bend, afterward called the Devil's Elbow. From this point, +they were in plain sight from the enemy line and, no sooner had they +reached the Elbow than a sniper fired and got Lanning through the +lungs. As he fell, Dupuis knelt down to assist, when he received a +bullet through the head, killing him instantly. One of our detachment +of stretcher-bearers (composed of the members of our pipe band) was +located but a few yards away and, without hesitation, one of the +"Scotties" dashed out to help the fallen men. He was instantly shot +down, as were three others in succession, who attempted to get to the +spot. By this time an officer arrived and prevented more of the men +from running out. This officer, by crawling carefully down a shallow +ditch alongside the road, managed with the assistance of a sergeant to +recover all the bodies. Four were dead and two wounded, one of whom +died a few hours later. These stretcher-bearers were unarmed and wore +the broad white brassard with the red cross conspicuously displayed on +their sleeves. The sniper was only about one hundred yards distant +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page118" name="page118">(p. 118)</a></span> +and could not possibly have failed to see this mark.</p> + +<p>Then and there I registered a silent vow that these men, to paraphrase +Kipling:</p> + +<p class="poem"> + ". . . should go to their God in state:<br> + <i>With fifty file of Germans, to open them Heaven's + gate.</i>"</p> + + +<p>Later, I was to see other and worse happenings along that same road, +but, at that time, I considered this as about the limit.</p> + +<p>The officer who had done such splendid work in recovering the wounded +men was himself killed about an hour later, together with one of his +sergeants and two men, by a shrapnel shell. He was the first officer +we had lost in the battalion, Lieutenant Wilgress, and had been very +popular, with officers and men alike.</p> + +<p>It was a sad day for us, that twenty-seventh of November, 1915, and +yet it was one of those days when "there is nothing to report from the +Ypres salient."</p> + +<a id="img012" name="img012"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img012.jpg" width="600" height="365" +alt="Canadian Machine Gun Section Getting Their Guns Into +Action" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Canadian Machine Gun Section Getting Their Guns Into +Action.</p> + +<p>Next day I asked and received permission to go back a few miles to a +sniper's school, where I got +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page119" name="page119">(p. 119)</a></span> +a specially targeted rifle, +equipped with the finest kind of a telescopic sight. I only remained +long enough to sight it in and get it "zeroed" and was back again in +front that same night.</p> + +<p>"Zeroing" a rifle is the process of testing it out on a range at known +distances and setting the sights to suit one's individual +peculiarities of aiming. Having once established the "zero" the +marksman can always figure the necessary alterations for other ranges +or changed conditions of wind and light.</p> + +<p>From that time on, I "lived" in Sniper's Barn. It made no difference +whether the battalion was in the front line or in billets, I was there +for a purpose and I accomplished it. When the guns were in the front +or in support, we had one mounted in the hedge and kept the rifle +handy. Bouchard, with a large telescope, and I with my binoculars, +scanned everything along the enemy's front and behind his lines. We +knew the ranges, to an inch. If one or two men showed, I used the +rifle; if a larger number, the machine gun.</p> + +<p>Prior to this time, during all the very bad weather, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page120" name="page120">(p. 120)</a></span> +we had +ample opportunities to shoot individual Germans from our Sniper's Barn +position but had refrained because our own men were also necessarily +exposing themselves daily, and to have started a sniping campaign +would have done us no particular good and would certainly have +resulted in additional deaths on our side. It seems that the troops +opposed to us up to this time had been Saxons who were quite well +satisfied to leave us alone provided we would do the same by them. Of +course we did shoot them occasionally when they became too careless +and exposed themselves in groups, but that was perfectly legitimate +machine-gun work and taught them a well-needed lesson. Now, however, a +different breed of Huns had come in and they had started the dirty +work. They were Bavarians alternating with Marines, and we soon +learned that for genuine low-down cussedness the Marine had them all +beaten, although the Bavarians and Prussians were pretty bad.</p> + +<p>When we first began on them it was no unusual occurrence to have from +ten to twenty good open shots a day. The ranges averaged about six +hundred +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page121" name="page121">(p. 121)</a></span> +yards and as I was using a specially targeted Ross +rifle, equipped with the latest Warner & Swazey sight, and as I had +spent many years in learning the finer points of military rifle +shooting, I am very much afraid that some of them got hurt. For about +a month we kept it up, the "hunting" getting poorer every day until +finally the few German snipers working along the front were safely +ensconced in carefully prepared dug-outs. A boche cap above the +parapet was a rare sight, but we had our hundred, all right; and then +some; for, as Bouchard said: "We'd better get a little pay, in advance +before they 'bump <i>us</i> off.'"</p> + +<p>Several times in later days similar events occurred and in each case +swift and terrible retribution was meted out to the criminal enemy. +They shot down our stretcher-bearers, engaged in their noble work of +trying to save the wounded, but we took bloody toll from them whenever +this occurred, using unusual methods and taking desperate chances, +sometimes, to drive the lesson home.</p> + +<p>On one occasion our observers had reported a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page122" name="page122">(p. 122)</a></span> +large gathering +of the enemy at a place called Hiele Farm, about eight hundred yards +from our position and I had laid two guns on them when, through our +telescope, I discovered that it was a burial party assembled in a +little cemetery just behind the farm buildings and telephoned to the +officer in charge that I did not intend to shoot up any funeral. +Within a few minutes came word than an enemy sniper had shot and +killed one of our most popular stretcher-bearers and had also fired +several shots into the wounded man whom he was bringing in, killing +him also. Then, without hesitation, I ordered both guns to open up and +we maintained an intermittent fire on that place until long after +dark. We could see numbers of Germans lying about on the ground. I +have never regretted it.</p> + +<p>Then, the day before Christmas, 1915, while the Twentieth Battalion +was occupying the front line and we were back in the redoubts of the +supporting line, I was up in the gun position at "S-P-7," the redoubt +just in rear of the point where the slaughter of November +twenty-seventh had +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page123" name="page123">(p. 123)</a></span> +taken place, when a boche shell dropped +directly in the dug-out which was my home when in the front line. It +killed two men, one I remember was named Galloway, and wounded several +others. I was so close that I could see everything that happened. One +of the wounded was in such bad shape that the only possible chance to +save his life was to get him back to a dressing station without delay. +The communication trenches were washed out and the only way was down +that ill-fated Devil's Elbow road. The officer in command called for +volunteers to carry the man out, remarking that, as it was Christmas +Eve, he did not think even a German would shoot at a wounded man or +unarmed stretcher-bearers. All hands offered to go and two were +chosen. The officer went with them and they started down the road. The +minute they reached the fatal bend, where they came in sight of the +German lines, a shot rang out and down went the first man. Another +shot and the second was down, while a third dropped the officer, who +was trying to assist the fallen. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page124" name="page124">(p. 124)</a></span> +I could see each shot +strike in the water alongside the road and could tell just about the +spot from whence they came so, although we had absolute orders never +to fire from that position unless attacked, I immediately swung the +gun around and commenced to "fan" that particular spot, at the same +time calling to our signaler to get the Sixteenth Battery on the wire +and call for S. O. S. fire. (Each yard of enemy line is covered by the +guns of some one of our batteries which, when not firing, are kept +"laid" on their particular section of parapet.) Within a few moments +the battery opened up but not before at least a half dozen machine +guns in our front line had been hoisted upon the parapets and were +ripping Heinie's sand-bags across the way. During this proceeding the +wounded men were recovered from the road, but, unfortunately, both the +volunteer carriers and the man originally wounded had died. The +officer, although painfully injured, recovered.</p> + +<p>In retaliation for this trick, our heavy guns wiped out at least five +hundred yards of German trench. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page125" name="page125">(p. 125)</a></span> +It was the most artistic job +of work I have ever seen. From a point approximately two hundred and +fifty yards on either side of this murderer's nest we utterly +destroyed every vestige of a parapet. How many of the assassins we +killed will never be known, but our hearts were filled with unholy joy +when we could distinguish bodies or parts of enemy's bodies among the +debris thrown up by one of the big 9.2 shells.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER X +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page126" name="page126">(p. 126)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">A Fine Day for Murder</span></h4> + + +<p>"Say, kid, want to go sniping?" called out a lank individual as he +came over the bridge at "S-P-7" one morning in December, 1915.</p> + +<p>The person addressed, a swarthy little boy wearing the uniform and +stripe of a lance-corporal of the Twenty-first Canadian Machine Gun +Section, took a long careful look around the sky, hastily swallowed a +strip of bacon he had in his fingers and as he darted into a little +"rabbit-burrow" sort of tunnel, flung back the words; "Hell, yes; this +looks like a fine day for a murder." In a few moments he reappeared +with a water-bottle and a large chunk of bread. Hastily filling the +former from a convenient petrol tin and cramming the latter into his +pockets, he walked over to the older man and divested him of some of +the paraphernalia with which he was festooned. He took a long case +containing a telescope, another +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page127" name="page127">(p. 127)</a></span> +carrier holding the tripod, +two bandoliers of ammunition and a large haversack.</p> + +<p>"How we going in?"</p> + +<p>"Straight across," said the sniper.</p> + +<p>"Ver-re-well, young-fella-me-lad, if you can stand it I can," said the +youngster, for he knew full well that to go from there to Sniper's +Barn in broad daylight meant to expose himself to observation from +"Germany," only about five hundred yards away, and with a fat chance +of playing the part of "the sniper sniped."</p> + +<p>Without another word they departed. The sentry on guard at the +crossing of the creek volunteered the cheerful hope that they'd get +pinked before they got across the field, upon which the boy assured +him that he would be drinking real beer in London when the pessimistic +sentry was "pushing up the daisies" in Flanders. Crossing the open +field to a hedge, they slipped into a shallow remnant of an old French +trench, just in time to escape a snapping bullet which was aimed about +one second too late. From here they crawled carefully along the hedge, +bullets cutting intermittently +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page128" name="page128">(p. 128)</a></span> +through the bare branches +above them and, at last, came to a small opening that gave entrance to +a garden, about one hundred yards from a group of demolished farm +buildings. Here they rested for a few minutes, while the bullets +continued to "fan" the hedge up which they had come and which led to +the buildings.</p> + +<p>The boy--"Bou" the other called him--worked his way along the ground +to an old cherry tree and was about to lift up a sort of trap-door at +its roots when the other stopped him.</p> + +<p>"Never mind the gun," he said, "we'll just wait here until they do +their morning strafe and then go into the buildings. I want to try for +a few of them over on Piccadilly to-day and you can't use a machine +gun for that. You'll simply have to be the observer, that's all."</p> + +<p>Bou came back, lit a cigarette which the other promptly extinguished +and then subsided.</p> + +<p>"What you think you're going to do; shoot from the farm?" Bou couldn't +possibly keep quiet any longer.</p> + +<p>"Sure, Mike; why not?"</p> + +<a id="img013" name="img013"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img013.jpg" width="600" height="362" +alt="Canadian Soldiers in Action with Colt Machine Guns" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Canadian Soldiers in Action with Colt Machine Guns</p> + +<p>"Oh, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page129" name="page129">(p. 129)</a></span> +nothing; but do you think we can get away with it?"</p> + +<p>"Well, you've been here as long as I have and if you have not figured +out the way the boches do things around this place I'm afraid I can't +tell you; but I'll try. Now, they saw us come over here, didn't they? +And they naturally think we are in the farm buildings. Just as soon as +that fellow who was shooting at us can get word to their batteries +they will proceed to shoot up the place. After about a dozen direct +hits they will feel pretty well satisfied that they have either driven +us out or 'na-pooed' us, so that will be our time to get inside and +take a shot at this brilliant young Bavarian who will, without a +doubt, be looking over the parapet in the hope that he may get a crack +at us trying to 'beat it.' I've been wanting to get that guinea for a +long time and have a hunch that this is our day. See?"</p> + +<p>Before the boy could answer there came a swift "whit; whit; whit;" and +three "bang; bang; bangs" in and above the main building of the farm. +Followed several more salvos, finally crashing +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page130" name="page130">(p. 130)</a></span> +through the +walls and throwing up fountains of brick-dust and earth. After waiting +several minutes they worked their way carefully along the hedge and +around behind the buildings. Entering the one nearest the road, which +was a mere shell with the roof and two walls entirely gone, they crept +cautiously across the floor, and dodging the carcass of a cow that lay +with its head in an old fireplace, they finally found themselves in a +back room. Many bales of tobacco lay piled up on the floor, covered +with the litter and wreckage from the upper story. Here the older man +uncovered an opening under the tobacco, through which they entered a +small chamber, perhaps eight feet square, comparatively clean. At one +side of this narrow space lay a figure covered with the well-known +blue overcoat of the French soldier.</p> + +<p>"Who's your friend?" inquired the youngster.</p> + +<p>"I don't know; he was here when I first came; but I think he was the +original sniper of Sniper's Barn. Look at that pile of shells beside +him."</p> + +<p>Near +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page131" name="page131">(p. 131)</a></span> +the dead soldier was his rifle and a great pile of empty +cartridge cases.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to bury him some day: I think he earned it. He's got a +hole right through the heart. Must have been here a year: he's all +dried up, like a mummy."</p> + +<p>While delivering this discourse the sniper had been carefully removing +straw and tobacco leaves from an irregular hole in the brick wall. +Here he set up the telescope and settled himself to scrutinize that +part of the German line which lay directly opposite. After a few +minutes' observation he began to clear away another and smaller +opening, to the right of and below that where the telescope was set.</p> + +<p>"He's there, all right: look just about four o'clock in the 'scope as +it stands. See him, right beside that leaning tree? Keep your eye on +him while I get my sight set."</p> + +<p>In a few seconds, everything ready for action, the tall man sprawled +himself on the floor, sling adjusted, piece loaded and cocked, while +Bou, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page132" name="page132">(p. 132)</a></span> +now behind the telescope, whispered excitedly: "He's +still there and looking right at me. I can see his cap badge. He's one +of those damned Marines. Get him, Mac, for God's sake, get him, +quick."</p> + +<p>"I'll get him, all right," muttered the other as he gingerly poked the +muzzle of his rifle through the few remaining straws. "Now watch and +see if his hands come up and whether he falls forward or just drops;" +with which he slowly pressed the trigger and the shot roared in the +small chamber.</p> + +<p>"You got him!" shrieked Bou; "I saw his hands come up to his face and +he pitched right forward into the trench. Hooray! that's another one +for Charlie Wendt."</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XI +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page133" name="page133">(p. 133)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Without Hope of Reward</span></h4> + + +<p>All the bandsmen (we had both bagpipe and bugle bands) go into the +front line with the other troops. They are unarmed, but equipped with +first-aid kits and stretchers. It is their task to administer first +aid to all wounded and then to carry or otherwise assist them back to +the dressing stations which may be anywhere from a few hundred yards +to a mile or more, depending on the ground. When a man is hit while in +an exposed place, whether in No Man's Land or behind our lines, it is +up to the stretcher-bearers to get to him at the earliest possible +moment. I have seen these men, time after time, rush to the assistance +of a stricken soldier, knowing full well that they would immediately +become the target for snipers' bullets. Personal considerations never +appeared to enter their heads. Never, in all my experience, have I +seen one of them backward in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page134" name="page134">(p. 134)</a></span> +going to the aid of a wounded +man. Often they would spend hours in the effort to bring back to the +lines some soldier too badly injured to help himself; and the pity of +it was that, on many occasions, after all their self-sacrificing +labor, they would be shot down just as they were about to come over +the parapet and into the trench.</p> + +<p>And all without hope of reward other than the love and admiration of +their comrades. There was a time, before this war, when such exploits +were considered worth the Victoria Cross. Now, however, they are +merely a matter of daily routine. Thousands of men are, every day, +performing deeds of valor, which in any other war would have brought +the highest decorations, without receiving even so much as an +honorable mention. Exposure to fire such as theorists had told us +would demoralize any army is merely a part of the day's work. Troops +go in and out of the trenches, often under artillery fire that, +according to our books, ought to annihilate them, and they do it +without thinking it anything unusual or +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page135" name="page135">(p. 135)</a></span> +worthy of comment +other than perhaps, in answer to a question, to remark: "Oh, yes, they +shot us up a bit in the P. & O." or "They handed us a few 'crumps' and +'woolly bears' coming through Ridgewood." ("Woolly bear" is the name +given to a large, high explosive shell, with time fuse, which bursts +overhead, giving out a dense black smoke, which expands and rolls +about in such a manner as to suggest the animal for which it is +named.) In fact, nearly all the names invented by the soldier to +describe the various projectiles are so apt and expressive as to be +self-explanatory. The "Silent Lizzies," "Sighing Susans" and +"Whispering Willies" belong to the class of large caliber, long range +naval gun shells which pass over the front line so high that only a +sort of whispering sound is heard. The "middle heavies" with +percussion fuses, which burst on impact and give out a dense black +smoke, have been called "Jack Johnsons" and "coal boxes," but are now +usually grouped under the general designation of "crumps," because of +the peculiar sound of their explosion. They run all +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page136" name="page136">(p. 136)</a></span> +the way +from 4.1 inch to 9.2 inch calibers. Some of the very large shells are +called "Grandmothers" or "railroad trains." The French call them +"marmites," meaning a large cooking pot or kettle. The "whizz-bang" is +just exactly what the name would suggest: a small shell of very high +velocity, which arrives and bursts with such suddenness as to give no +time for taking cover. Its moral effect exceeds the material in the +trenches, but it is deadly along roads or in the open. Gas shells have +a peculiar sound, all their own, difficult to describe but never +forgotten when once heard. It has been described as a "rumbling" +noise, but I think "gurgling" is better. (It's a pity some one can not +take a phonograph into the lines and "can" some of these things.) When +gas shells land they do not make much noise, having a very small +bursting charge; merely sufficient to break the case which contains +the gas in liquid form. They are often mistaken, by new troops, for +"duds" or "blinds," as we call shells which fail to explode. As soon +as the liquid gas is liberated, however, it vaporizes and quickly +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page137" name="page137">(p. 137)</a></span> +spreads over a considerable area. There are many kinds, but +they can generally be distinguished by the smell. Some are merely +lachrymatory or "tear" shells; the gas affecting the eyes in such a +manner as to produce constant "weeping" and consequent inability to +see clearly. Others, however, are deadly and one good breath will put +a man out of action and a couple of "lungfuls" will usually kill him.</p> + +<a id="img014" name="img014"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img014.jpg" width="600" height="371" +alt="British Machine Gun Squad Using Gas Masks" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">British Machine Gun Squad Using Gas Masks</p> + +<p>About this time, I think it was December 19th, 1915, we had our first +experience with chlorine gas or "cloud gas" as distinguished from +"shell gas." The troops on our immediate left got a pretty bad dose, +but, owing to the peculiar formation of the lines and varying air +currents, we did not suffer severely from it. The lines in the Ypres +salient were so crooked that the enemy rarely attempted to use this +form of gas after the first big attack in April, 1915, as it would +frequently roll back upon his own troops. Shell gas was constantly +used, generally being fired against our positions in the rear; +artillery emplacements and such. Being well equipped with +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page138" name="page138">(p. 138)</a></span> +gas masks or respirators, we suffered little harm from it.</p> + +<p>Christmas, 1915, was a quiet day on our front, both sides being +apparently willing to "lay off" for a day. There was no firing of any +kind and both our men and the enemy exposed themselves with impunity. +Aside from this, however, it was the same as any other day. There was +none of the visiting and fraternizing of which we heard so much on the +previous Christmas. The Germans opposite us had a number of musical +instruments and on that night and on New Year's Eve they almost sang +their Teutonic heads off.</p> + +<p>January passed quietly. By this time we had become so accustomed to +the mud and rain that I doubt if we would have been happy without +them. In spite of all the difficulties, we managed to get our rations +and <i>mail</i> every day. The regular shelling had become a part of our +daily life, and the constantly growing list of killed and wounded we +accepted without comment. The Machine Gun Section was gradually losing +its original members and replacing them by drafts from the infantry +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page139" name="page139">(p. 139)</a></span> +companies. It was simply a case of "Conditions continue +normal in the Ypres salient," to quote the official reports. We now +maintained two strafing guns, shifting about from one position to +another whenever an opportunity offered to harass the boche.</p> + +<p>That winter, 1915-16, was what they call a "wet winter," that is, it +rained continually and rarely got cold enough to freeze. With the +exception of a light flurry in late November and a fairly heavy snow +about the first of March, we never saw any of the "beautiful." A few +times there was frost enough to make thin ice, but never enough to +enable us to walk on top of the mud which was from six inches deep in +the best parts of the trench to thigh deep in the worst. We had no +rubber boots at the start but got some late in the winter.</p> + +<p>A peculiar affliction, first noticed during this war, is what is known +as "trench feet." Where men are required to remain for long periods +standing in cold water and unable to move about to any great extent, +the circulation of blood in the lower +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page140" name="page140">(p. 140)</a></span> +limbs becomes sluggish +and, eventually, stops. The result appears to be exactly the same as +that caused by severe frost-bite; in fact it <i>is</i> freezing without +frost, (I don't know why not, if you can cook with a fireless cooker), +and, in severe cases, amputation is necessary.</p> + +<p>While the Imperial troops on our flank suffered considerably from this +dreaded affliction, we had but few cases, although our position was +infinitely worse than theirs, we being in lower ground. Probably the +average Canadian is better able to stand the cold and wet than the +native-born Briton. We had but one case in the Machine Gun Section and +that was not severe.</p> + +<p>As a preventive measure, whale oil was issued with positive orders +that every man must, at some time during each twenty-four hours, +remove his shoes and socks and rub his feet with this oil. I never did +think the oil was anything but just an excuse to make the men rub as +that in itself would be sufficient to restore the circulation. At any +rate, when the oil gave out, we still kept up the rubbing game and +there was no noticeable change in the result.</p> + +<p>Another +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page141" name="page141">(p. 141)</a></span> +hitherto unknown disease which developed during that +season was what is commonly known as "trench fever." The victim's +temperature runs up around one hundred and three and he is affected +with lassitude and general debility and it requires from three weeks +to a month in hospital to put him in shape for duty. The medical +officers use a Greek name for this fever, which, translated, means, "a +fever of unknown origin" but the colloquial designation is "G. O. K.," +(God only knows). It is rarely, if ever, fatal. I never heard of any +one dying of it.</p> + +<p>Then there is a sort of skin affection; a "rash," which is said to be +caused by eating so much meat, especially fats, without taking +sufficient exercise. A few sulphur baths at specially prepared places +behind the lines soon eradicate this trouble.</p> + +<p>Really dangerous diseases are extremely rare. Typhoid fever is almost +unknown, pneumonia is seldom heard of and even rheumatism, which one +would naturally expect to be prevalent, is by no means common. The +ratio of sickness, from all causes, was far below that in any of the +training camps +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page142" name="page142">(p. 142)</a></span> +in this country although never, in Canada, +England, Flanders or France, did we have as comfortable quarters as +are furnished for all the troops here. But we <i>did</i> have at all times, +plenty of good warm woolen clothing and an abundance of substantial +food. Cotton uniforms, underwear or socks are unknown in any army +except that of the United States. Perhaps you can find the answer in +that statement.</p> + +<p>During February an almost continuous fight was waged for a small +length of trench on our left, known as the International Trench, +because it changed hands so often. It culminated, March second, with +the Battle of the Bluff, by which British troops took and held this +line. We were in support, as usual, and suffered rather heavily from +shell fire. This was the beginning of the spring offensive, and from +that time on we caught it, hot and heavy, for four solid months.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XII +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page143" name="page143">(p. 143)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">THE WAR IN THE AIR</span></h4> + + +<p>From the time we first caught sight of our guns shelling the German +airplanes there was rarely a day that we did not see many of them, +scouting, bombarding or fighting. At first, as mentioned elsewhere, +they flew very low; within easy range of machine-gun fire, but soon +began to climb to higher altitudes until, at the time of my departure, +most of their work was done from a height of about twelve thousand +feet.</p> + +<p>There was one of our planes, piloted by a major. I never heard his +name but he was known all up and down the line as "The Mad Major." He +was a pioneer in all the marvelous evolutions which now form an +important part of the airman's training. Side slips, spinning dives, +tail slides; all were alike to him. He would go over the enemy lines +and circle about, directing the fire of a battery, scorning to notice +the fire of the "Archies," +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page144" name="page144">(p. 144)</a></span> +(flyers' name for anti-aircraft +guns) and when that job was finished, would come home in a series of +somersaults, loops and spins which made one dizzy to watch. He was a +great joker and frequently, when the shell-bursts were unusually thick +around him, would come tumbling down from the sky like a shot pigeon, +only to recover at a height of several hundred feet and shoot off in a +bee line for the air dome. I've no doubt that the enemy often thought +they had "got him," but at last reports he was still there.</p> + +<p>I watched the planes for months without seeing one hit and had about +concluded that, to make an Irish bull, the only safe place on earth +was up in the air, when, one morning, hearing the now familiar +"put-put-put" of machine guns up above, we looked up to see one of our +large observing biplanes engaged with a very small but fast enemy +plane. The boche had all the best of it and soon our plane was seen to +slip and stagger and begin to descend. The little "wasp" came swooping +down after it, firing all the while until, when a few hundred feet +from the ground, our +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page145" name="page145">(p. 145)</a></span> +machine turned its nose straight +downward and crashed to earth, well behind our lines, both occupants +being instantly killed, or perhaps they had already been killed by the +bullets. The German thereupon turned and was soon back over his own +territory. That same afternoon, another of our machines was shot down, +apparently by the same man, just opposite our position, inside the +German lines.</p> + +<a id="img015" name="img015"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img015.jpg" width="600" height="371" +alt="German Aeroplane Trophy--Jules Vedrine Examining the +Machine Gun" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">German Aeroplane Trophy--Jules Vedrine Examining the +Machine Gun</p> + +<p>Shortly after this, when back in reserve, we watched another fight +directly over our heads. This was a pitiful tragedy. One of England's +best and most famous flyers, Captain Saunders, had been over the +German lines and had engaged and brought down an enemy and then, +having exhausted his ammunition, started back "home" for more, but +encountered a fast-flying boche who immediately attacked him. Being +unable to return the fire, he tried every trick known to the birdman +to escape but without avail. He came lower and lower in his evolutions +and finally settled into a wide and sweeping spiral. The boche did not +come very low as several machine +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page146" name="page146">(p. 146)</a></span> +guns and "Archies" opened +on him. The other plane came slowly down in its perfect spiral course +and, noticing that the engine was not running, we thought the aviator +was intending to make a landing in a large open field toward which he +was descending, but when the spiral continued until the tip of one +wing touched the ground and crumpled up we knew there was something +wrong and ran to the spot, not more than one hundred yards from where +we were standing. We got the Captain out and found that he had been +shot in the head but was still conscious. He died within a short time.</p> + +<p>Other of our aviators who had witnessed his first fight furnished the +beginning of the story and we could see that in the second engagement +he never fired a shot, and every one of his magazines was empty. I +examined them myself.</p> + +<p>The large, sausage-shaped observation balloons sometimes afford a +little diversion. When we were at Dranoutre one of them used to hang +over our billeting place. One day an enterprising Hun came flying +across and endeavored to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page147" name="page147">(p. 147)</a></span> +attack it but was driven off by two +of our planes.</p> + +<p>Again, one of our balloons broke away in a strong wind and started +toward Germany. Both the occupants of the basket made safe parachute +descents with all their instruments and papers, but the balloon sailed +swiftly away. Then the Germans opened on it with every gun in that +sector. I feel sure that they fired at least two thousand shots at it. +The air around was so filled with the smoke of shell-bursts that it +was sometimes difficult to discern the balloon itself. It was late in +the evening and the last we saw of the "sausage" it was still +traveling eastward, apparently unhit. The joke of the whole thing is +that the balloon was never hit and, the wind veering during the night, +it returned and came down inside our lines within a few miles of its +starting place.</p> + +<p>On two occasions Zeppelins came over our lines, evidently returning +from raids across the Channel. One time it was night and we could only +hear, but not see the air-ship. The other time, during the St. Eloi +fight, I saw one, just at +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page148" name="page148">(p. 148)</a></span> +daybreak. It was in plain sight +but well over the German lines and headed east. No attempt was made to +do any bombing of our positions by the Zeppelins although we +occasionally received visits from bombing airplanes. The night before +I left France, the last time, they dropped several bombs on the +village of Ecoviers where I was staying. The only result was the +killing of two civilians, the wounding of several others and the +wrecking of one of the few whole houses in the town which had often +been a victim of shells. Not a soldier was injured.</p> + +<p>You have, no doubt, read of cases where bombs have been dropped on or +near hospitals, ambulances and so on, and possibly you think that this +was intentional on the part of the boche. If so you flatter him. This +bomb dropping is, at best, very uncertain business and it would be +well-nigh impossible for the most expert flyer to aim at and hit any +single building. The fact is that, in nearly every town and city +behind the lines, hospitals, ammunition stores and billets are located +in close proximity to one another, with probably a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page149" name="page149">(p. 149)</a></span> +railway +running near by, so that any attempt to bomb the really important +"military" points will necessarily jeopardize the homes of +non-combatants--including hospitals. Even the Zeppelins, which are +much more stable than an airplane, have never been able to place their +bombs with any degree of accuracy.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XIII +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page150" name="page150">(p. 150)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">The Battle of St. Eloi</span></h4> + + +<p>No one realizes better than I the utter futility of attempting to +describe a modern battle so that the reader can really understand or +visualize it. There are no words in any vocabulary that convey the +emotions and thoughts of persons during the long days and nights of +horror--of the continual crash of the shells, the melting away or +total annihilation of parapets and dug-outs; being buried and +spattered with mud and blood; with dead and wounded everywhere and, +worst of all, the pitiful ravings of those whose nerves have suddenly +given way from shell shock. No imagination can grasp it; no picture +can more than suggest a small part of it. None who has not had the +actual experience can ever understand it. The hospital and ambulance +people back at the rear see some of the results, but even they can +have no conception of what it is like to be actually in the torment +and hell-fire <i>at the front</i>.</p> + +<p>I +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page151" name="page151">(p. 151)</a></span> +could not, if I so desired, give an accurate description of +the operations in general. I have not the necessary data as to the +various troops engaged or local results accomplished. Historians will +record all that. My field of description is limited to my field of +personal observation, which was not very extensive. I suppose, +however, that I saw as much as it was possible for any one person to +see, so I shall try to describe that part of the battle of St. Eloi in +which it was my fortune to participate.</p> + +<p>At the point at the southern end of the Ypres salient, where the line +turns sharply to the eastward, stood the village of St. Eloi. It +consisted of perhaps fifteen or twenty buildings of the substantial +brick and iron construction characteristic of all Flemish towns and +was situated at the intersection of the two main roads paved with +granite blocks, one running to Ypres and the other through +Voormezeele. The village itself, except for two or three outlying +buildings, was inside our lines. The portion held by the enemy, +however, included a prominent eminence, called the "Mound," which +dominated +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page152" name="page152">(p. 152)</a></span> +our whole line for a mile or more. This mound had +been a bone of contention for more than a year and several desperate +attempts had been made to take it; notably in February and in March, +1915, when the Princess Pat's were so terribly cut up and lost their +first Commanding Officer, Colonel Farquhar. All these attempts having +failed, our engineers proceeded to drive tunnels and lay mines, six in +number, so as to cut off the point of the German salient for a +distance of about six hundred yards.</p> + +<p>All was completed; mines loaded and ready, and the time for the attack +was fixed for daybreak of the twenty-seventh of March. The mines were +to be fired simultaneously, followed immediately by an attack, in +force, by the Royal Fusiliers, the Northumberland Fusiliers and a +battalion of the West Yorkshires. Our brigade (Fourth Canadian) was +immediately to the right of the point of attack, but, as the Imperial +troops had changed their machine guns for the lighter Lewis automatic +rifles to be used with the advancing troops, it was deemed advisable +to bring up all available +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page153" name="page153">(p. 153)</a></span> +machine guns of the heavier types +to support the advance and to resist the inevitable counter-attacks. +These guns, twelve in number, were placed at advantageous positions on +the flanks of the attacking troops. I was only a sergeant at that +time, but, having been an officer, and having had more actual +experience in machine-gun work than the others, the direct supervision +of these guns was entrusted to me.</p> + +<a id="img016" name="img016"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img016.jpg" width="600" height="399" +alt="St. Eloi Map" title=""> +</div> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>ST. ELOI MAP</i></p> + +<p class="left05"> + <i>The map on the opposite page is known as St. Eloi map. It is + particularly interesting as showing, very faintly, a great group + of mine craters within the British lines. No. 1 can be seen in + the lower left section just above the horizontal fold in the map + and to the left of the perpendicular. Here the British line comes + in at the lower left corner, where it almost immediately + branches, passing through figures 44 and 77, joining the main + line again at the left and below Shelley Farm. Within this loop + are the six enormous mine craters. No. 2 is immediately to the + right of figure 96, while 3, 4 and 5 are in a line with it just + to the right of the perpendicular fold. The faint dotted line + that comes to an apex just below St. Eloi is the British trench + known as Queen Victoria Street. This map is made from air + photographs dated March 5th, 1916.</i> +</p> + + + +<p>We got all the guns up and in place during the night of the +twenty-sixth. In addition, our people brought up a great many trench +mortars of different calibers, with enormous quantities of ammunition. +We then sat down to wait for the "zero" hour, meaning the time for the +show to begin. I took my position at our extreme left, as I wanted to +be where I could see everything.</p> + +<p>Promptly at the appointed time, the mines were fired and then ensued +the most appallingly magnificent sight I have ever witnessed. There +was little noise but the very earth appeared to writhe and tremble in +agony. Then, slowly, it seemed in the dim light, the ground heaved up +and up until, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page154" name="page154">(p. 154)</a></span> +finally, bursting all bonds, earth, trees, +buildings, trenches and men went skyward. Immediately followed great +clouds of flaming gas, expanding and growing like gigantic red roses +suddenly bursting into full bloom. It was an earthquake, followed by a +volcanic eruption.</p> + +<p>Before the flying debris had reached the ground the Fusiliers were +over the top, fighting their way through the jungles of wire and shell +craters. The occupation of the mine craters themselves was, of course, +unopposed as there was no one there to offer opposition. They kept on, +however, meeting the German reinforcements coming up from the rear, +fighting them to a standstill and establishing themselves beyond the +Mound.</p> + +<p>Then all hell broke loose. From the beginning our artillery, machine +guns and trench mortars had been maintaining a continuous fire, but +the Germans, taken by surprise, were several minutes getting started. +When they did open up, however, they gave us the greatest +demonstration of accurate and unlimited artillery fire which I, or any +of us, for that matter, had ever seen. The air +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page155" name="page155">(p. 155)</a></span> +seemed to be +literally full of shells bursting like a million fire-flies. Our +parapets were blown down in a hundred places and the air was filled +with flying sand-bags, iron beams and timbers. A shell struck under +the gun by which I was standing and flung gun, tripod, ammunition-box +and all, high into the air. Even under such conditions I could not +help laughing at the ridiculous sight of that gun as it spun around in +the air, with the legs of the tripod sticking stiffly out and the belt +of ammunition coiling and uncoiling around it, like a serpent. The +lance-corporal in charge of it looked on, spell-bound, and when it +finally came down back of a dug-out, he looked at me with a most +peculiar expression and said: "Well, what do you think of that?" Then +he jumped up and went after the wreckage and, strange to relate, not a +thing was broken. After about twenty minutes of stripping and cleaning +he had the gun back on the parapet, shooting away as though nothing +had happened. He was an Irishman, named Meeks.</p> + +<p>I walked down the trench to get a spare barrel for +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page156" name="page156">(p. 156)</a></span> +a gun +when a shell struck about ten feet in front, killing a man. I started +on and another lit exactly where I had been standing. During that +little trip of perhaps fifty yards and back I was knocked down and +partly buried no less than four times.</p> + +<p>Then the prisoners commenced to come back. They appeared to be glad to +get out of it and I don't blame them. When they found that they had to +go through the Canadian's lines, however, they held back. They had +been told that the Canadians killed all prisoners. (We had heard +something of the same kind about the Germans, too.) However, when our +cooks came out with "dixies" full of steaming tea, with bread and +marmalade sandwiches, they soon became reconciled. Our men made no +distinction that morning between captor and captive, serving all alike +with everything we had to eat or drink. At one time, however, owing to +the congestion in the trench, we were compelled to "shoo" a lot of the +prisoners back "overland," to the next support trench. As their +artillery was raising merry +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page157" name="page157">(p. 157)</a></span> +hell all over that section, they +were a bit backward about starting and it required threats and a +display of bayonets to get them out of the trench and on their way. It +was a funny sight to see them beat it. There was little in the way of +obstacles to impede their progress and I think that several of them +came near to establishing new world's records for the distance. When +they arrived at the second line they wasted no time in climbing down +into it; they went in head-first, like divers going into the water. I +don't think any of them was hit during this maneuver, at least I did +not see any of them fall.</p> + +<p>Now, it has come to be an axiom that "any one can take a trench but +few can hold one." It is another way of expressing the idea that "it +isn't the original cost--it's the upkeep."</p> + +<p>It was no trick at all, with the assistance of the mines, to advance +our lines to what had been the German third line, but, right there, +some one had made a miscalculation. It's a cinch our "higher-ups" did +not know how much artillery the Germans had that they could turn on +that +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page158" name="page158">(p. 158)</a></span> +salient. Our own artillery had been greatly increased +and they evidently thought we were at least equal to the enemy in this +respect, but, say: the stuff he turned loose on us made our artillery +look like pikers. For every "whizz-bang" we sent over he returned +about a dozen 5.9's. By that night, nearly all the original attackers +were gone and Fritz was back in at least two of the craters.</p> + +<p>During the day a good many of us, including all our stretcher-bearers, +made many trips through the devastated German trenches, getting out +wounded and collecting arms and other plunder. I went up where the +Fusiliers were trying to consolidate their position, intending to +bring up a few guns if it appeared to be practicable, but abandoned +the idea as, in my opinion, they were due to be shelled out within a +short time, which proved to be correct. We did dig out and mount a +German gun which was used for a while, but I then had it taken, with +several others, back to our line. We could do so much more good from +our original position by maintaining a continuous barrage +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page159" name="page159">(p. 159)</a></span> +to +hamper the enemy in getting up supports. From prisoners taken later we +learned that our machine-gun barrage was much more effective than that +of our artillery. However, as we were obliged to fire from temporary +positions, on the parapet and without cover of any kind, it was +impossible to prevent the loss of some guns by direct hits from +shells. During that night and the next day a Highland brigade came up +to relieve the Fusiliers. They included battalions of the Royal Scots +and the Gordons.</p> + +<p>By this time the Germans had brought up more guns and were keeping up +such a terrific fire on our position that it did not seem humanly +possible to hold it, but that night a bombing attack by the Fourth +Canadian Brigade bombers, reinforced by about two hundred volunteers, +retook the craters and reestablished our line in a more advanced +position than that occupied by the original attackers. This line was +thereafter called the Canadian trench to distinguish it from the +other, which was called the British trench.</p> + +<p>Early +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page160" name="page160">(p. 160)</a></span> +next morning we had a chance to see some of the +"Kilties" in action with the bayonet, during a counter-attack, which +they repulsed. As I remember it, they did very little shooting but +jumped out of their trench to meet the attackers with the cold steel. +I never saw any lot of soldiers who seemed so utterly determined to +wipe out all opposition. They were like wild men; savage and +blood-thirsty in the onslaught and, although the Germans must have +outnumbered them at least three to one, they never had a chance +against those brawny Scots. But few of the boches got back to their +own line and no prisoners were taken. We then appreciated the nickname +given by the Germans (first applied to Canadian Highlanders at +Langemarck, but afterward used to designate all "Kilties"), "The +Ladies from Hell."</p> + +<p>From that time the Canadians were alone in the fight. The Fusiliers, +having started it, faded away, and the Scots, after a few brief days, +likewise vanished and for two months or more St. Eloi was a continuous +struggle between the Second Canadian +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page161" name="page161">(p. 161)</a></span> +Division and at least +four German Divisions, including some of the infamous Prussian Guards.</p> + +<p>During the next twelve days the righting was almost uninterrupted. +Troops came in and troops went out, but the Emma Gees held on, +forever, as it seemed to us. But few remained of the original gun +crews who started the engagement. Not all had been killed or wounded, +but it had been necessary to relieve some who were utterly exhausted. +How I kept going is a mystery to me as it was to others at the time. +One thing which probably helped was the fact that I never, for one +minute, permitted myself to think of anything except the matter of +keeping those guns going. Sentiment I absolutely cast out. I was +nothing but a cold-blooded machine. Good friends were killed but I +gave them no thought other than to get the bodies out of the trench so +that we need not step on them. To tie up and assist wounded was a mere +matter of routine. In no other way could I have withstood the awful +strain. I was hit, slightly, on several occasions but +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page162" name="page162">(p. 162)</a></span> +never +severely enough to necessitate my going out. A dug-out in which I had +a table where I wrote reports and figured firing data was hit no less +than three times while I was in it, finally becoming a total wreck. +The fact that I was not killed a hundred times was due to just that +many miracles--nothing less. My leather jacket and my tunic were cut +to shreds by bits of shell, a bullet went through my cap and another +grazed my head so close as to raise a red welt, but that same old +"luck" which had become proverbial in the battalion, still held and I +was not seriously injured.</p> + +<p>Our troubles were not all caused by artillery fire by any means. Fritz +had a large and varied assortment of "Minenwerfer" with which to +entertain us at all hours, day and night. A good many people, even +among the soldiers themselves, think that Minenwerfer or "Minnie" for +short, is the name of the projectile or torpedo, while, as a matter of +fact, it is the instrument which throws it; a literal translation +being "mine-thrower." In the same way they often speak of the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page163" name="page163">(p. 163)</a></span> +shells thrown by trench mortars as "trench mortars" themselves. +Now the family of "Minnies" is a large one and includes every device, +from the ancient types used by the Greeks and Romans, with springs of +wood, to the latest and most modern contraption in which the +propelling power may be steel springs, compressed air or a small +charge of powder. In its smallest form it is simply a "rifle grenade," +somewhat similar to a hand grenade or ordinary "bomb," to which is +attached a rod of brass or iron which slips down into the bore of the +regular service rifle and is fired with a blank cartridge. Other and +newer types are without this rod but have vanes or rudders affixed to +the rear end which serve to guide the projectile in its flight. These +usually have a hole through the center through which the bullet passes +and can thus be used with the regular service ammunition. This whole +class, embracing everything from the small "pineapples," fired from +the rifle, to the monstrous "aerial torpedoes," are commonly spoken of +as "fish-tails."</p> + +<p>The shells from the trench mortars proper, and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page164" name="page164">(p. 164)</a></span> +most of the +"fish-tail" family, are somewhat similar to ordinary artillery shells +in that they are made of steel or iron and designed to burst into +small fragments, each of which constitutes a deadly missile. On the +other hand, the "mines" thrown by the Minenwerfer, are merely light +sheet-metal containers for heavy charges of high explosives (T. N. T. or +tri-nitro-toluol as a rule), and depend for their effectiveness on the +shock and blasting effect of the detonation. They have been increasing +in size continually. At first we called them "sausages," then +"rum-jars" (they resembled the ordinary one-gallon rum jar in size and +shape), then they became "flying pigs" and by this time, I have no +doubt, new and still more expressive names have been applied to them.</p> + +<p>The havoc created in a trench by one of the large ones passes belief. +The strongest dug-out is wiped out in a twinkle; whole sections of +parapet are obliterated, and where was a strong, well-built wall eight +feet or more in height there remains a hole or "crater" fifteen or +twenty feet in diameter and several feet deep. Any man who happens +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page165" name="page165">(p. 165)</a></span> +to be within this area is, of course, blown to atoms, while +frequently men in the near vicinity, but not exposed to the direct +blast, are killed instantaneously by the shock. Medical men say that +the effect is identical to that known as "caisson sickness," and is +caused by the formation of bubbles of carbonic acid gas in the blood +vessels. Not being a "medico" I can not vouch for this, but you can +take it for what it is worth.</p> + +<p>In daylight it is not difficult to dodge these devilish things and +even at night, if they come one at a time, it is possible to escape +the most of them, but when they come over in flocks, as they sometimes +do, it is more a matter of luck than anything else.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XIV +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page166" name="page166">(p. 166)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Fourteen Days' Fighting</span></h4> + +<a id="img017" name="img017"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img017.jpg" width="600" height="377" +alt="Lewis Gun in Action in Front-Line Trench" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Lewis Gun in Action in Front-Line Trench.</p> + +<p>By this time there was no doubt of the enemy's superiority in +artillery, and to make matters worse, the craters were changing hands +daily or even hourly. We never knew, for sure, whether our troops or +those of the enemy held any certain crater, except the ones on each +end, numbers one and six (we held them throughout the entire two +months of fighting), but numbers two, three, four and five were +debatable ground for several weeks. On two occasions I made the +complete circuit of all the craters at night, going through the +Canadian trench and coming back via what had been our original front +line. On one of these trips I was accompanied by Captain Congreve, +afterward Major Congreve, V. C., (now dead) who was the only staff +officer I saw in that sector during all the time we were in the line. +Sometimes we met individual German +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page167" name="page167">(p. 167)</a></span> +sentries and quick, +quiet and accurate work was necessary to avoid detection and probable +capture. I found that a French bayonet, the rapier shape, was a very +satisfactory weapon at such times. Trench knives have been invented +since and may be an improvement. After leaving me that night Captain +Congreve came upon a party of eighty-two Germans, commanded by an +officer, who had been cut off in one of the craters for several days, +without food or ammunition, and captured them all, single-handed. For +this feat he received the Distinguished Service Order and promotion to +Major. Later, on the Somme, he continued his brilliant work and won +the award of the Victoria Cross, but was killed at Mametz Wood before +receiving the decoration, which was given to his widow. He was only +twenty-five at the time of his death but had proved himself one of the +most enterprising officers in the British army.</p> + +<p>What had been left of the village of St. Eloi when the fight commenced +was rapidly disappearing under the hail of shells. Where our original +front +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page168" name="page168">(p. 168)</a></span> +line had been there remained but few detached +fragments of parapet. For perhaps six hundred yards we were holding on +with scattered and isolated groups. At one place, on our immediate +left, was a hole in the line at least two hundred yards wide. Time +after time the Canadians attacked and retook the craters, only to be +literally blown out of them by the ensuing hurricane of shells.</p> + +<p>The task of getting out the wounded was heart-breaking. Our own +stretcher-bearers worked night and day, but they had suffered many +casualties and were unequal to the task. The Border Regiment and the +Durham Light Infantry, who occupied our old trenches and were not +under heavy fire, sent volunteer carrying parties to assist in the +work, so that all were taken out with a minimum of delay. It was +impossible to remove the dead and they were buried in shell-holes, +where they fell. During the succeeding days many were disinterred by +other shells.</p> + +<p>Then, the matter of maintaining communication with +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page169" name="page169">(p. 169)</a></span> +our +supports and the headquarters in the rear was of the utmost importance +and our signalers waged a continuous fight, against heavy odds, to +keep the wires connected up. It would not be fair to others to specify +any particular branch as being better. All who serve in the front line +at a time like this are equally entitled to credit. At times, when it +is necessary to go out and search for breaks and repair them, the work +of the signalers is "extra hazardous," just as is that of the +stretcher-bearers when obliged to expose themselves to succor the +wounded, or the machine gunner when it is necessary to mount his gun +on top of the parapet, within plain sight of the enemy, or the +riflemen, bombers and scouts in advancing to the attack. There can be +no fair distinction--they all, taken as a unit, are in a class +separated by a wide gulf from those back in supporting or reserve or +artillery positions, who, in turn, are separated from the transport +and ambulance drivers, who, while occasionally under shell fire, are +in the zone of comparative safety, where "people" still live and farm +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page170" name="page170">(p. 170)</a></span> +and run stores and estaminets. I would not have you think +that I am minimizing the value of the services of these men. Their +work is of vital importance to the success of the fighting forces and +<i>must</i> be done; and I can truly say that in all my experience I have +never known them to fail in the performance of their duties.</p> + +<p>In this war, as in most others, it is the infantryman who stands the +brunt of the fighting. True, he is disguised under many other names, +such as rifleman, bomber, automatic rifleman, rifle-grenadier, scout, +signaler, sniper, runner or machine gunner but, when you get right +down to the bottom of the whole business, he is the fellow who travels +on his two feet and actually "goes over and gets 'em." Trenches can be +battered to pieces by artillery but they can not be actually "taken" +and held by any one but the plodding, patient, long-suffering +"doughboy" or "web-foot" as he is called by the men of the other +branches.</p> + +<p>At one time, during this period, Sergeant H. Norton-Taylor and four +men from our section, held +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page171" name="page171">(p. 171)</a></span> +one of the craters for five days, +against numerous attacks, and even captured prisoners. They had no +food, water or ammunition other than that which they could get from +the bodies of dead soldiers in the immediate vicinity. We sent many +detachments to relieve them but were unable to locate their position +and it was only by accident that they were discovered and relieved by +a scouting party of the Nineteenth Battalion which was over on our +left. But for this, they might be there now, as they were not the +quitting kind.</p> + +<p>Norton-Taylor was commissioned and commanded the section at +Courcellette, where he was killed, September 15, 1916. He came of a +long line of distinguished British officers, his father having been a +Colonel in the Royal Field Artillery. A brother and a brother-in-law +were in the service, one of them losing both feet by a shell. A sister +was working in the hospitals in France and another in England. He was +a true friend and a gallant officer--every inch a gentleman.</p> + +<p>On the night of April tenth we were relieved by the Twentieth +Battalion and went out for a rest. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page172" name="page172">(p. 172)</a></span> +I had not laid down to +sleep for fourteen days, snatching what rest I could, for fifteen or +twenty minutes at a time, leaning against a parapet or propped up in +the corner of a traverse. We were only able to get as far as +Voormezeele, where we stopped in the ruins of the convent school, and +dropping on the stone floor slept like the dead for twenty-four hours. +The place was being shelled all this time but none knew or cared. The +next night we made our way to where the battalion was in billets, near +Renninghelst, where I immediately "flopped" for a straight forty-eight +hours' continuous sleep. After that a bath, a shave and general +clean-up, supplemented by a good hot "feed," made me as good as new. +During that two weeks up in front we had had no warm food, nothing but +"bully and biscuits" and, occasionally, a can of "Maconochie," a +ration of prepared meat and vegetables, which is excellent when served +hot but not very palatable when eaten cold.</p> + +<p>We now had the longest rest we had enjoyed since coming over, as we +did not go back to the front +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page173" name="page173">(p. 173)</a></span> +line until April twentieth. Our +Sixth and Fifth Brigades had been in during the time we were out and +both had suffered severely in the many counter-attacks, but held on, +like true British bull-dogs, to what had been our original front line. +The craters were lost as it was impossible for any troops to hold them +under the devastating fire of the German guns. Nearly every battalion +of the Second Canadian Division had retaken one or more of them but, +as it only resulted in additional loss of life, it was decided by the +higher command to give it up and endeavor to reestablish our front +along its original line.</p> + +<p>We went in via Voormezeele, a town of several thousand inhabitants +before the war, now a pile of ruins. From here a <i>pavé</i> road ran +directly to St. Eloi and there had been two good communication +trenches leading up to the front line. We soon discovered however that +several things had happened during our absence. On the road to St. +Eloi and about five hundred yards behind our front line, had been a +Belgian farm called Bus House. (A London omnibus was lying, smashed, +in <span class="pagenum"><a id="page174" name="page174">(p. 174)</a></span> +front of it.) This place was now but a pile of brick and +timbers. To the left, another group of farm buildings, called Shelley +Farm, was in about the same condition, and where St. Eloi had been was +nothing but a barren waste. Not a sign of a house or any part of a +house was visible; not a brick remained and even the roads, the fine +stone-paved roads, had been obliterated. Where had been hedges or +trees there was nothing but a desolate expanse of mud which, from a +distance, appeared to be a smooth level plain. For a good six hundred +yards back of our front line there was not a shrub or bush or tree nor +any landmark of any kind. Every inch of this ground had been churned +over and over again by shells. Literally, it was not possible to set +foot on a spot which had not been upturned. The whole area was simply +a continuation of shell craters, joined and interlocked without a +break. Where our communication and support trenches had been it was +just the same. No man could have gone over that ground and said: "Here +was a house," or "There was a field," or "That was once a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page175" name="page175">(p. 175)</a></span> +road," because house, turnip field and road looked exactly alike. The +great granite blocks of the road had been pulverized to dust, and the +bricks of the houses had shared a like fate. Even the contour of the +ground was changed--ditches, depressions and ridges having been +hammered to a uniform elevation.</p> + +<p>And every hole was full of water. To traverse this desert one must +wade and flounder through liquid mud waist deep and sometimes deeper. +Yet it had to be done. We had nine positions up there at each of which +a handful of men must be relieved daily; or rather nightly, as it was, +obviously, impossible to move about over that open expanse in +daylight. Every yard of it was under scrutiny from the German lines +and, even at night, owing to the lavish use of star-shells by the +enemy, it was a long and slow journey as it was necessary to stop and +remain absolutely quiet when a light came near.</p> + +<p>The hardest thing about the whole business was to find the men who +were to be relieved. There was no path nor road nor landmark of any +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page176" name="page176">(p. 176)</a></span> +kind. During the time we were in, it rained continuously and +at no time was a star visible. The positions where they were stationed +were exactly like the rest of the surrounding country--merely enlarged +shell-holes with, perhaps, a fragment of a sand-bag parapet. No lights +could be shown, they did not even dare use "Very lights," as our +"star-lights" are known. They were not in any regular formation but at +irregular intervals along what had been a very crooked line. +Fortunately, we had a "natural born" guide on our first trip in and we +found them all. After that we managed to "carry on" but not without +many slips. It was nothing unusual for a relief party suddenly to find +themselves in the German lines and have to work their way out as best +they could. If caught out after dawn one had to lie low in a +shell-hole all day, probably under heavy artillery fire, until +darkness came and made it possible to return unseen. This trouble was +not confined to our side and it was by no means an uncommon occurrence +for parties of the enemy to get lost in the same way. Sometimes +these +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page177" name="page177">(p. 177)</a></span> +adventures resulted in rather sharp bombing +engagements. One night a whole platoon of about forty Germans went +through a gap in our line and bumped into a strong supporting party of +ours at Shelley Farm where they were all captured. They had been +looking for one of the craters whose garrison they were to relieve. +Individual prisoners were taken nearly every night.</p> + +<a id="img018" name="img018"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img018.jpg" width="600" height="372" +alt="Canadian Machine Gunners Digging Themselves Into +Shell-Holes" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Canadian Machine Gunners Digging Themselves Into +Shell-Holes</p> + +<p>Under the prevailing conditions, it was impossible to take machine +guns up, so we depended entirely upon Lewis guns. Fortunately no +determined attack was made on us during this time as it is extremely +doubtful if we could have held them there. We would, of course, have +stopped them a few hundred yards back, at our support line, and I must +confess that I had at times a sneaking desire to see them come over +and get into that mud so we could move back to comparatively +comfortable quarters.</p> + +<p>As we no longer had any trenches, we abandoned the old letter method +of designation and simply numbered the various positions. On the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page178" name="page178">(p. 178)</a></span> +first morning in, the gun and crew at No. 14 were blown up by a +shell. This was an unlucky position as the same thing had happened +there to a crew from the Twentieth Battalion. We then moved that +position some fifty yards to one side and had no further trouble.</p> + +<p>We alternated with other battalions of the division, going in and out, +holding that line and gradually improving it, until, on the +twenty-second day of May, while we were back in billets, I was "warned +for leave" (a week in England), and little Bouchard, my particular +protégé and warmest friend, was to go along.</p> + +<p>You people who have stayed at home can never realize what "leave" +means to a soldier after eight months in the trenches and I, for one, +will not attempt the impossible by trying to describe the sensation.</p> + +<p>We packed our kits and hiked to Poperinghe, where, after sitting up +all night, we took train at four o'clock <span class="smcap">A.M.</span>, arriving at Boulogne +about noon and were in "Blighty" by four in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Oh, ain't it a grand and glorious feeling!"</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XV +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page179" name="page179">(p. 179)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Blighty and Back</span></h4> + + +<p>In London we found things running along about as usual and proceeded +to enjoy ourselves. Oh, the luxury of having clean clothes and being +able to keep them clean: to sleep in real beds and eat from regular +dishes and at white-clothed tables. It seemed almost worth the price +we had paid to be able to get so much downright enjoyment out of the +merest "necessities" of ordinary civilian life. The theaters were all +running and we took in some show every night, but I derived the most +satisfaction from taking my young companion around to see the museums +and many old historical places in and about London. He was a stranger +and I was fairly well acquainted.</p> + +<p>But, when the time drew near for us to go back, I began to experience +a feeling of depression. While I had not noticed it before, I suppose +the cumulative +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page180" name="page180">(p. 180)</a></span> +effect of the experiences of the last eight +months was beginning to tell on me. I noticed that Bouchard appeared +to be in about the same condition. He would sometimes sit for an hour +or more, in our room at the Cecil, gazing into space, never uttering a +word. Poor boy, while of course he could not <i>know</i> that this was to +be his last trip, I believe he had a presentiment that such was the +case.</p> + +<p>I found myself now and then "checking up" my own physical and mental +condition. I had been slightly injured several times--two scratches +from bullets on my left hand, a bullet in my right elbow, two pieces +of shell in my shoulder, a knee-cap knocked loose and a fractured +cheek-bone from the fuse-cap of a "whizz-bang." None of these had put +me out of action for more than a few hours and I had managed to keep +out of the hospital. (I had an instinctive dread of hospitals.) But I +knew, right down in my heart, that my nerve was weakening. Thinking +over some of the things we had done, I believed I could never do them +again. I do not think the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page181" name="page181">(p. 181)</a></span> +man ever lived who would not, +eventually, get into this condition. Some men "break" at the first +shell that strikes near them, while others will go for months under +the heaviest shell fire but, as I have said, it will certainly get +them in the end. Of course I did not express any of these feelings to +Bouchard, but tried to keep things moving all the time so as to give +him little opportunity to worry. But, to tell the truth, I guess I +needed the diversion more than he did, for he was the bravest and +"gamest" youngster I ever knew.</p> + +<p>Before we left France for our week in London I was told by my Colonel +that I had been recommended for a commission and something or other in +the way of a decoration and he suggested that I call upon General +Carson, Canadian General in London, and find out about it. I did call +at the General's office several times but was unable to see him. It +afterward developed that the commission had already been gazetted and +I was really and truly a First "Leftenant." I did not hear of it for +nearly a month and, during the interval, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page182" name="page182">(p. 182)</a></span> +went through, as a +sergeant, one of the hottest times in my whole career.</p> + +<p>When our leave was up we, together with hundreds of others, left +Victoria Station early one morning for Folkestone and Boulogne and so +on, back to Poperinghe, where we arrived just at daybreak the +following morning and were welcomed by an early rising boche airman, +who dropped about half a dozen bombs, evidently aimed at the railroad +station. Fortunately, no one was hit. Then we trudged down the road, +kilometer after kilometer, every one gloomy and grouchy, looking for +our several units. Ours had moved and we spent the whole day before we +located it.</p> + +<p>We found the battalion in camp near the town of Dickebusch and soon +settled down to the same old routine. They had not been back in the +line since we left but had been engaged in some special work in and +around this town, about which there is an interesting story.</p> + +<p>Dickebusch was a town of several thousand inhabitants and considerable +commercial importance, located +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page183" name="page183">(p. 183)</a></span> +on the Ypres-Bailleul road, +about three and one-half miles directly west of St. Eloi. All troops +going into the line anywhere from Wytschaete to Hill 60 were obliged +to pass through or very close to it. Just east of the town was a +shallow lake or pond, about a mile long and half as broad, called +Dickebusch Etang, to cross which it was necessary to follow a narrow +causeway, constructed by our engineers. While we continually passed +and repassed through the place, we never had any troops actually +billeted there, as it was within easy range of the German guns and was +still occupied by the native population.</p> + +<p>About the time of the St. Eloi affair, however, one of our Brigade +Headquarters had been located in a group of buildings at the edge of +the town, perfectly camouflaged and concealed from aircraft +observation. It had long been suspected that there were spies among +the people of this place and that they had effective means of +communicating with the enemy, so when Fritz turned his guns on that +headquarters, no +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page184" name="page184">(p. 184)</a></span> +one was very much surprised, but a +determined effort was made to discover the guilty parties. Just what +means were used I do not know, but it was learned that several of the +prominent citizens, including the mayor or burgomaster, were in on it +and they were summarily dealt with.</p> + +<p>Following this, German airmen dropped notices into the town, warning +all the civilians to get out as they were going to raze it to the +ground. Not many would have gone, however, had not our authorities +ordered the evacuation. As soon as the people had moved out, our +troops proceeded to prepare the buildings for use as billets, +reinforcing lower rooms and cellars with iron beams and protecting +them with sand-bags. This was the work with which our battalion, and +others, had been occupied and was just about completed when, true to +their word, the Heinies started in, systematically, to write "finis" +for Dickebusch. The church had already been pretty well shot up, as +well as the surrounding graveyard where many of the tombs and +monuments were smashed and the dead thrown from their graves. This +blowing +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page185" name="page185">(p. 185)</a></span> +up of the dead seems to be a favorite pastime with +the gentle Hun. They, the Germans, were now engaged in the demolition +of the buildings along the principal streets and were doing it in a +very thorough manner. We had here many demonstrations of a matter +about which I have been questioned, times without number, by both +military men and civilians, and that is, "What is the effective radius +of a shell of a certain caliber?" It is one of the things which our +theorists in general, and artillerymen in particular, delight in. Many +hours of learned discourse have been devoted to proving, +theoretically, that an area of a given size can be made impassable by +dropping a certain number of shells on it, at stated intervals. This +is all rot. Common sense should teach us better. The plain fact is +that it depends entirely upon what the shell strikes. If it falls on +soft earth, the effect is merely local and a man within a few feet +would be uninjured; while, should it fall on a hard, stone-paved road, +pieces might be effective at a distance of half a mile or more.</p> + +<p>In +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page186" name="page186">(p. 186)</a></span> +the bombing schools we are told that the Mills hand +grenade has an effective radius of ten yards, yet one will quite +frequently escape unhurt from a dozen of them bursting within this +radius and yet may be hit by a fragment from a distance of two hundred +yards or more. All these theories are based on the assumption that the +ground on a battle-field is level, free from obstructions and of a +uniform degree of hardness; not one of which conditions ever exists. A +small ditch, a log or stump or a water-filled shell-hole will make so +much difference in the effect of the explosion of a shell or bomb that +all efforts to prove anything by mathematics is a waste of time. If +one is unlucky he will probably get hurt, otherwise not.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XVI +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page187" name="page187">(p. 187)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Out in Front Fighting</span></h4> + + +<p>We had been "home" but a few days when we received rush orders to pack +up and march toward Ypres. There had been an intense bombardment going +on up that way and we soon learned the cause from straggling wounded +whom we met coming along the road. It was the second of June, 1916, +and the Germans had launched their great surprise attack against the +Canadians at Hooge. It was the beginning of what has been called the +Third Battle of Ypres, but will probably be recorded in history as the +Battle of Sanctuary Wood.</p> + +<p>The enemy had gradually increased his customary bombardment and then, +assisted by some mines, had swept forward, in broad daylight, +overwhelming the defenders of the first and second lines by sheer +force of numbers and had only been checked after he had driven through +our lines +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page188" name="page188">(p. 188)</a></span> +to a depth of at least seven hundred yards over a +front of nearly a mile, including the village of Hooge, and was firmly +established in a large forest called Sanctuary Wood and in other woods +to the south. By the time we had arrived at our reserve lines (called +the G. H. Q. or General Headquarters Line), we were diverted and +directed to a position on the line just south of the center of the +disturbance where we "dug ourselves in" and held on for four days. +Shell fire was about all we got here, but there was plenty of that. +The rifle and machine-gun bullets that came our way were not numerous +enough to cause any concern although we did lose a few men in that +way.</p> + +<p>Here the news of the fight filtered through to us. It seemed that the +Princess Pat's (unfortunate beggars), had got another cutting-up, +together with some of the Mounted Rifles, and Major-General Mercer and +Brigadier-General Victor Williams, who had been up in the front line +on a tour of inspection, had both been wounded and captured. General +Mercer afterward died, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page189" name="page189">(p. 189)</a></span> +in German hands, but General +Williams recovered and remains a prisoner. It was said that less than +one hundred from each the Pat's and the Fourth C. M. R. came out of the +fight.</p> + +<a id="img019" name="img019"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img019.jpg" width="600" height="370" +alt="A Shell Exploding in Front of a Dug-in Machine Gun" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">A Shell Exploding in Front of a Dug-in Machine Gun.</p> + +<p>At this place several of our gun positions were in the grounds of what +had been one of the most beautiful châteaux in Flanders--the Château +Segard, hundreds of years old but kept up in the most modern style +until the war came. Now the buildings were but a mass of ruins. Not +only this but the grounds had been wonderfully laid out in groves, +gardens, moats and fish-ponds with carefully planned walks and drives +throughout the whole estate which comprised at least forty acres. +There were trees and plants from all over the world; beautiful borders +and hedges of sweet-smelling, flowering shrubs and cunningly planned +paths through the thickets, ending at some old wondrously carved stone +bench with perhaps an arbor covered with climbing rose bushes.</p> + +<p>All had felt the blighting touch of the vandal shells. The trees were +shattered, the roads and paths +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page190" name="page190">(p. 190)</a></span> +torn up, the ponds filled +with debris and the beautiful lawn pitted with craters, but in spite +of all this devastation, the flowers and trees were making a brave +fight to live. I could not but think, as I wandered through this +place, how well the little flowers and the mighty oaks typified the +spirit of France and Belgium. Sorely stricken they were--wounded unto +death; but with that sublime courage and determination which have been +the admiration of the world they were resolved that <i>they should not +die</i>.</p> + +<p>Along the main road leading up to the château was a charming little +chapel, handsomely decorated and appointed. It was the only structure +on the estate that had not been struck by a shell. We used it as +sleeping quarters for two crews whose guns were located in the +immediate vicinity. One night a big shell struck so close as to jar +all the saints and apostles from their niches and send them crashing +to the floor, but did no other damage.</p> + +<p>This same thing happened to us once when we were sleeping in the +convent school at Voormezeele, when +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page191" name="page191">(p. 191)</a></span> +all the statues on the +walls were hurled down upon us by a large shell which struck the +building.</p> + +<p>The boys used to take these sacred effigies and place them on graves +of their dead friends. We were not a very religious bunch but I +suppose they thought it might help some--at any rate it proved their +good intentions and I never interfered to stop it.</p> + +<p>For several days the fighting continued furiously, the Canadians +recovering some of the lost ground, including most of Sanctuary Wood, +and then things settled down to the old "siege operation." During this +time we had many opportunities to watch the splendid work of the men +of the ammunition columns taking shells up to the batteries in broad +daylight and within plain view of the enemy lines. It was one of the +most inspiring sights I have ever witnessed and brought back memories +of pictures I had seen of artillery going into action in the old days.</p> + +<p>Down the road they would come, on the dead gallop, drivers standing in +their stirrups, waving their +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page192" name="page192">(p. 192)</a></span> +whips and shouting at the +horses, while the limbers bounded crazily over the shell-torn road, +the men holding on for dear life and the shells bursting with a +continuous roar all about them. It was the sight of a lifetime, and +whenever they came past our men would spring out of the trenches and +cheer as though mad. Time after time they made the trip and the +escapes of some were miraculous. A few were hit, wagons smashed and +horses and men killed or wounded, but not many, considering the number +of chances they took.</p> + +<p>The stories of heroism during that first day's fighting equal anything +in history. Batteries were shot down to a man but continued working +the guns to the last. One artilleryman, the last of his gun squad, +after having one arm shot off at the elbow, continued to load and +fire. Then a shell blew off about a foot of the muzzle of the gun but +he still kept it going. He was found, lying dead across his gun and a +trail of clotted blood showed where he had gone back and forth to the +ammunition recess, bringing up shells. One member +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page193" name="page193">(p. 193)</a></span> +of the +crew remained alive long enough to tell the story.</p> + +<p>In another place, in Sanctuary Wood, were two guns known as "sacrifice +guns," as they were intended to cover a certain exposed approach in +case of an attack and to fight to the finish. How well they carried +out their orders may be judged from the fact that every man was killed +at the guns, <i>by German bayonets</i>, after having shot down many times +their own number of the enemy.</p> + +<p>Our old friends of the Lahore Battery lost so many men that they were +having difficulty in maintaining an effective fire until two of our +machine-gun squads volunteered to act as ammunition carriers, which +they did for several hours, suffering heavy casualties.</p> + +<p>Here occurred the only case of which I have ever heard where one of +our medical officers was apparently "murdered." Captain Haight, M. O. +of one of our western battalions was reported, on excellent authority, +to have been bayoneted and killed while attending the wounded.</p> + +<p>While we were here, Major-General Turner, V. C., +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page194" name="page194">(p. 194)</a></span> +who was in +command of the entire Canadian Corps, paid us a visit. He came up +unannounced and accompanied by a lone Staff Captain. I was instructed +to act as his guide over our sector. During one trip along an exposed +road we found ourselves in the midst of a furious hail of shells. I +looked at the General to see if he wanted to take cover (I'm sure the +rest of us did); he never "batted an eye" but continued at an even +pace, talking, asking questions and stopping here and there to observe +some particular point. I overheard one of our men say: "<i>General</i> +Turner? General <i>Hell!</i> he ain't no general; <i>he's</i> a reg'lar +<i>soldier</i>."</p> + +<p>On the night of the sixth we were relieved and, next day, took up our +quarters in Dickebusch. The Emma Gees had taken possession of a bank +building, about the best in town, and had strengthened it, inside and +out, with steel and sand-bags until it looked as though it would +withstand any bombardment. Fortunately it was not hit while we were +there, although many large shells fell very near; but when I again +passed that way, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page195" name="page195">(p. 195)</a></span> +just a week later, I noticed that a big +shell had gone through our carefully prepared "bombproof" and +completely wrecked it. We only remained a few days and then received +orders to go into the front line at Hill 60 (south of Hooge), as an +attack was to be made to recover the trenches lost on the second.</p> + +<a id="img020" name="img020"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img020.jpg" width="600" height="400" +alt="Hollebeke Trench Map" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>HOLLEBEKE TRENCH MAP</i></p> + +<p class="left05"> + <i>The map on the opposite page is a reproduction of what is known + as "Hollebeke Trench Map--Part of Sheet 28." Famous Hill 60 is + shown encircled by a contour line, just below Zwarteleen. The + road running off at top and left of map leads to Ypres. The black + and white line immediately to the right of this army road is the + railroad from Ypres to Comines. The fine irregular lines + represent the perfect network of main and communication German + trenches. Various signs indicate supply dumps, dug-outs, mine + craters, observation posts, earthworks, mine craters fortified, + hedges, fences or ditches, churches, mills, roads, footpaths, + entanglements, ground cut up by artillery fire, etc., etc. The + British front-line trench is shown very faintly on this + reproduction but can be picked up as it passes through the first + "e" in Zwarteleen and traced up past the figure 30. At the left + of Zwarteleen it can be seen crossing the railroad and army road. + This map, as were the others, was carried by Captain McBride and + the section shown represents about one-sixth of the total size. + It was made from photographs taken by Allied aviators. The + blurred line bisecting the map just below figures 35 and 36 is + one of the well worn folds in the map</i>. +</p> + + + +<p>As we had never been in the sector it was necessary for the +non-commissioned officers to go in a day ahead to locate the gun +positions and be able to guide the section in. We went in in daylight +(the non-coms.) and found it to be the longest trip we had ever +undertaken on such a mission. From Bedford House, on the reserve line, +it is at least two miles to the front line, all the way exposed to +observation and fire. There had been a little trench tramway but it +had been wrecked by shells. By breaking our party up into twos we +escaped any severe shelling and the rifle fire was at such long range +that we ignored it. Beyond three hundred yards the German's shooting +is a joke.</p> + +<p>We went over the position which extends from what +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page196" name="page196">(p. 196)</a></span> +was known +as the Ravine, to a point exactly opposite Hill 60. At some places the +lines were less than forty yards apart and it was possible to throw +hand grenades back and forth. It required the entire day to +familiarize ourselves with the wonderful maze of communication and +support trenches at this place, as we had never seen anything like it +before. We had become so accustomed to doing without communication +trenches that they were a distinct novelty. They, together with the +many support trenches, made a perfect labyrinth: like a spider's web, +only not quite so regular in form.</p> + +<p>The next night we moved in. As the battalion was crossing the long +open stretch we came under fire from an enemy machine gun and some men +were hit. There's no use talking, no other weapon used in the war is +as deadly as a machine gun. Where you can walk through an artillery +barrage with a few casualties, the well-directed fire of only one +machine gun will pile men up as fast as they come along. When one of +them catches you in the open the only thing to do is to drop into +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page197" name="page197">(p. 197)</a></span> +the nearest hole and stay there until the firing ceases.</p> + +<p>We went in on the night of the twelfth and the attack was scheduled +for the night of the thirteenth, or rather the morning of the +fourteenth, as the preliminary bombardment was to commence at +twelve-forty-five and "zero" was one-thirty <span class="smcap">A.M.</span></p> + +<p>This was the greatest place I have ever seen for rifle grenades and +"Minnies." They came over in flocks or shoals and one must be +everlastingly on the lookout to dodge them. But we had as many as they +and also a lot of Stokes guns which seemed to "put the fear of God" +into the boche. They sprung a new "Minnie" here, much larger than any +we had seen. It hurled a whale of a shell; not less than one hundred +and sixty pounds of pure T. N. T., and what it did to our trenches and +dug-outs was a sin. And the worst of it was, they had it in a hole in +a deep railroad cutting at the bottom of Hill 60, where our artillery +could not reach it.</p> + +<p>At this time we had both the regular machine guns +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page198" name="page198">(p. 198)</a></span> +and also a +lot of Lewis automatic rifles. Shortly after, the latter were turned +over to the infantry companies, while the former were taken into the +newly-organized machine gun corps, an entirely separate branch of the +service, which was under the direct command of the Brigade Commander. +The guns were distributed along the line in favorable locations for +either defense or offense but, as there were no prepared emplacements, +the men had but little protection.</p> + +<p>Here our work, as at St. Eloi, was to support the advance; in fact, +that is the normal function of machine guns in an attack, although the +lighter automatic rifles of the Lewis type are usually with the +assaulting troops.</p> + +<p>Our "Higher Command" had learned a lesson from the St. Eloi experience +and had brought up many new batteries, including a fair sprinkling of +the "super-heavies" of twelve and fifteen-inch calibers. It has been +said, on good authority, that we had more than one thousand guns +concentrated on about a thousand yards of trench, or a gun to every +yard, and I am perfectly willing to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page199" name="page199">(p. 199)</a></span> +believe it after hearing +them all at work. It was our first experience of that delightful +situation where we had "superiority of fire" and it made everybody +happy. Afterward, on the Somme and Ancre, it had become a permanent +condition; but to us, who had been "carrying on" under the +overwhelming odds of the German guns, it was a welcome change. It did +our hearts good to hear those monster thirteen hundred and fifty pound +"babies" coming over our heads with a "woosh" and landing in the lines +across the way, on Hill 60, where they left marks like mine craters. +We could put up with quite a lot just to see that, and although we +were suffering considerably from the rifle grenades and the "Minnies," +every one appeared to be in a good humor.</p> + +<p>With everything ready we waited for the "zero" hour. Exactly at the +designated time the artillery opened. It was as though all the hounds +of hell were let loose. Such a wailing and screeching and hissing as +filled the air, from the eighteen-pounders ("whizz-bangs"), which +seemed to just shave our own parapet, to the gigantic missiles +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page200" name="page200">(p. 200)</a></span> +from the "How-guns," as the Howitzers are affectionately called, +each with its own peculiar noise. The explosions became merged into a +continual roaring crash, without pause or break. Then our Stokes guns +joined in, and, if there ever was an infernal machine, that is it. +Vomiting out shells as fast as they can be fed into its hungry maw; so +fast, indeed, that it is possible for seven of them to be in the air +at one time, from one gun, at a range of less than four hundred yards, +it is the last word in rapid-fire artillery.</p> + +<p>Of course the Emma Gees started at the head of the procession and kept +up a continuous fire.</p> + +<p>Fritz soon began to do the best he could but, what with the noise of +our own guns and the bursting shells, we were unable to hear his +unless they struck very close. He did give us trouble, though, with +that devilish Minenwerfer which sent over a wheel-barrow load of high +explosive at each shot. He blew the left end of our line "off the map" +for a distance of a hundred yards +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page201" name="page201">(p. 201)</a></span> +or more and made it +untenable--for any one but a machine gunner. The infantry was ordered +to evacuate that part and did so, but not the Emma Gees; they stuck +until one of the big "terrors," striking alongside, killed and wounded +all the crew but one and then he still stuck it, loading and firing +until I was able to get a reserve crew up to relieve him. He was a +Scot, one of the kind that doesn't know what it means to quit. Here's +to you, "Wullie" Shepherd, wherever you are!</p> + +<p>The attack was carried off with absolute precision. At one-thirty the +barrage lifted and over the boys went, sweeping everything before +them, back to the original position and then a little farther for good +measure. By daylight they had the new line so well consolidated that +Fritz was never able to make a dent in it and the Canadian prestige +was once more established.</p> + +<p>At the left end of our line, where the Minenwerfer had done so much +damage, was a mine shaft; one of many in that vicinity which our +engineers were driving under Hill 60 (they afterward +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page202" name="page202">(p. 202)</a></span> +blew it +up), and it seemed as though the boche knew of it and was endeavoring +to cave it in with the "Minnies." In fact, they did succeed in partly +destroying it, but the sheltering roof at the month of the shaft +remained in fair condition, and as it was the only protective covering +in that neighborhood, Bouchard and I were sitting inside, with our +feet hanging down the shaft, holding down that end of the line. We had +relieved the other crew, or rather I had sent them back about two +hundred yards along the trench as a precautionary measure and then, +feeling that some one <i>must</i> remain to keep lookout, decided to take +care of the job myself. The boy, of course, insisted upon staying with +me. The big fellows were coming over with regularity (I nearly said +monotonous, but those things never get monotonous), and were bursting +too close for comfort. Bou had just made a proposition that we sneak +over after dark and try to locate the devil-machine and blow it up, +when we heard something moving below us in the mine-shaft, and a +moment later a mud-encrusted face came +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page203" name="page203">(p. 203)</a></span> +up into the light. +With an unusually fluent flow of "language," which sounded strangely +familiar to me, two men came up the ladder, and as the first one +emerged into the daylight he took a look at me and said: "Hello, Mac; +it's a long way to Ft. George, isn't it?" When he had removed some of +the dirt from his face I recognized a miner, named McLeod, who had +once helped rescue me from the Giscome Rapids and afterward worked for +me up in British Columbia. He and his partner had been caught in the +shaft and had been a day digging themselves out. After a rest of a few +minutes they went their way, down the trench, and I never saw or heard +of them again.</p> + +<a id="img021" name="img021"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img021.jpg" width="600" height="376" +alt="Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing with Periscope at +Hill 60" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing with Periscope at +Hill 60</p> + +<p>During the next hour or two I managed to work around through the +wreckage of this part of our line, searching for wounded and making a +list of the dead. I found none of the former, all having been removed +by their companions when they were ordered to evacuate, but I did find +a number of bodies which I examined for identification disks or other +marks and made a complete record +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page204" name="page204">(p. 204)</a></span> +which I afterward turned in +to our Headquarters. This is a custom that is always followed, if +possible, so that, in the event that your own troops do not return to +that spot, a record will be preserved and relatives notified. If this +were not done, many would be reported as "missing" which is, to +relatives, far more terrible than the knowledge that death has been +swift and sure. This is work in which many chaplains have especially +distinguished themselves, often working close behind the advancing +lines during a battle; writing last messages for the dying and +compiling lists of the dead who may or may not be buried at a later +date.</p> + +<p>In burying dead on the field, every effort is made so to mark the +grave that it may afterward be identified and a proper record obtained +for the archives of the Graves Registration Commission. The best way +is to write all the data, name, regiment and number together with the +date, on a piece of paper, place it in a bottle and stick the bottle, +neck down, in the top of the grave. If no bottle is available, the +next best way +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page205" name="page205">(p. 205)</a></span> +is to write the record on a smooth piece of +wood with an ordinary lead pencil which will withstand the action of +water far better than ink or indelible pencil.</p> + +<p>Here I had my last talk with Bouchard. He was very anxious to go to +college and take an engineering course. I suggested Purdue, but he +thought he would find it necessary to spend a year or two at some +preparatory school. He had heard me speak of Culver and was very much +interested in that place, and when I left it was definitely decided +that, should he survive the war, he would spend at least four years at +any educational institution I might recommend.</p> + +<p>As soon as darkness came our infantry returned, and by working hard +all night managed to restore the damaged part of the parapet. I went +back to my dug-out for a little sleep and had just made myself +comfortable when a six-inch shell struck the place and drove me out, +together with a companion, George Paudash, a Chippeway Indian and +corporal of our section. We had several Indians, there being two pairs +of brothers, all +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page206" name="page206">(p. 206)</a></span> +from the same reservation and all of them +splendid soldiers.</p> + +<p>We had several men hit that night by rifle grenades. I particularly +remember two: Flanagan and McFarland. The former was hit in numerous +places, some of them really serious, but was most concerned over a +little scratch on his face which he was afraid would injure his +good-looks. McFarland, just a boy, about eighteen, had his left hand +terribly mangled and nearly twenty pieces of metal in other parts of +his body, but he laughed and called out: "I've got my Blighty; I've +got my Blighty." His brother had been shot through both eyes and +totally blinded a short time before. By the merest chance I saw +McFarland a few days later, as he was being taken aboard a hospital +ship at Boulogne and he then gave me his wrist watch, which had been +shattered and driven into the flesh, asking that I send it to his +father in Canada: I sent it by registered post, from London, but never +heard from it.</p> + +<p>The artillery fighting continued for several days and on the night of +the eighteenth we were relieved +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page207" name="page207">(p. 207)</a></span> +and moved back to Bedford +House, in reserve.</p> + +<p>Next morning I was summoned to Battalion Headquarters and informed +that I had been commissioned and was ordered back to England to act as +an instructor in one of the training divisions. Our Colonel at this +time also received his promotion to Brigadier-General and he promised, +as soon as he was assigned to a brigade, that he would request I be +transferred to his command as brigade machine gun officer. He did, +afterward, make an effort to have this done, but it was too late. I +had finally got my "long Blighty," and was out.</p> + +<p>It was hard to part from that old crowd. I did not know when I would +get back, but we all knew, without question, that there would be other +faces gone from the ranks before we met again. When I did return, +during the Somme campaign, I was attached to another battalion and did +not often see the Twenty-first and when I did, I recognized but few of +them. They had taken part in the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page208" name="page208">(p. 208)</a></span> +great advance of September +fifteenth, which captured Courcellette and numerous other towns--the +greatest gain ever made in one day on the Western Front until the +recent one at Cambrai--and had helped to add another glorious page to +Canada's brilliant record. But the cost was great. Many, oh, so many +of the bravest and the best fell that day and among them was "my +little boy," Bouchard, killed at the age of eighteen, after two years +of service.</p> + +<p>Yes; a boy in years, but he worked like a man, fought like a man and, +thank God he died like a man--out in front, fighting.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XVII +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page209" name="page209">(p. 209)</a></span></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Down an Out--for a While</span></h4> + + +<p>While the following has no direct connection with the machine guns, +and is, really, a part of "another story," I think it fitting that I +take this opportunity to render my humble tribute of gratitude and +admiration for the splendid work of the British Red Cross Society; and +that the reader may fully understand, it is necessary to relate the +occurrences which led up to my first hospital experience.</p> + +<p>Upon returning to England, I was assigned to a Training Battalion at +our old camp--Sandling--but found the work so tedious and monotonous +that I requested a transfer to other and more active duties, and soon +after was engaged first, in conducting troops to France; then, as a +messenger to and from the various headquarters; later, on +court-martial work at Rouen and Le Havre; and finally reassigned to +the Fourth Canadian +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page210" name="page210">(p. 210)</a></span> +Brigade and ordered to the front, during +the latter part of the Somme Battle. I was with a party of officers of +the Gloucestershire and the "Ox and Bucks" (Oxford and +Buckinghamshire) Regiments and through an error on the part of the +R. T. O. (railway transportation officer) my transportation order was +made out the same as theirs, and the first thing I knew I was away +over on the right of our line, opposite Combles, where we joined the +French. As there was a fight on, I went in with the "Glosters," and +after the fall of Combles made my way up the line until I located my +own command, near Courcellette.</p> + +<p>Here I heard of the great advance of September fifteenth and also of +the death of many of my old friends. Among them, it seemed, Bouchard +and his crew had been wiped out by a big shell, but no one had been +able to get back to look for them or bury them. I was very busy, but +getting all available information as to the spot where they were seen +to fall, I managed, at night, to make several trips over the ground, +but without result. The +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page211" name="page211">(p. 211)</a></span> +spot was near the famous "Sugar +Refinery," just outside the village, and as this had been one of the +hottest places in the fight, there were many bodies lying around but +none that I could recognize.</p> + +<p>I had a cross made, bearing the names of all the crew and decided +that, at the first opportunity, I would plant it at that spot; and +when our whole division was ordered out, on October tenth, I took the +cross and made my way up the Bapaume road and across the shell-torn +field to the place. The enemy was shelling the road, dropping several +heavies near me, so I hastily gathered into a shell-hole the remains +of all the dead in the immediate vicinity and covered them up as best +I could, then placed the cross firmly in the ground and turned to +leave. I had not gone far when a "crump" struck so close as to stun +and partly bury me. When I regained my senses I found that I could not +see. My eyes, especially the left, had been giving me a great deal of +trouble ever since I had been hit on the side of the face by a piece +of shell at the time of the Bluff fight, but +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page212" name="page212">(p. 212)</a></span> +now they +appeared to be entirely out of commission, and were very painful.</p> + +<p>I lay there for some time, trying to figure some way out of it, all +the time hearing the shells coming over. This gave me an idea. Knowing +the direction from which the shells came with relation to the location +of the road, I started out to make my way there. Troops were +continually passing at night and I would be sure to find assistance.</p> + +<p>From that time on my remembrance of things is not clear. I have hazy +recollections of falling into a trench, crawling out and getting +tangled up in some wire and then, I think I fell into another hole. I +do remember, distinctly, talking aloud to myself, as though to another +person, and telling him to "get down on your knees and crawl, you damn +fool: first thing you know you'll fall into one of those deep holes +and break your neck."</p> + +<p>Whatever I did after that must have been done instinctively. (Was +afterward told that I was found, lying stretched out across the +Bapaume road.)</p> + +<a id="img022" name="img022"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img022.jpg" width="400" height="624" +alt="Removing the German Wounded from Mont St. Eloi" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Removing the German Wounded from Mont St. Eloi</p> + +<p>The +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page213" name="page213">(p. 213)</a></span> +next thing I knew I suddenly discovered that I was trying +to <i>think</i> of something. I believe I was conscious. I felt as though I +<i>could</i> move if I wanted to, but didn't want to. I could see nothing, +but that also was of no importance. It was something else that was +wrong and it worried me in a vague, half-interested sort of way. One +thing was sure--I was dead, all right, and it wasn't half bad. Even if +I couldn't see or move or think, I was not suffering any pain or +inconvenience, which was a great relief from "soldiering." Nothing +seemed to matter, anyway, and I guess I went to sleep.</p> + +<p>I felt, or rather sensed, the presence of others moving about from +time to time, but took no interest in the matter until, suddenly, back +came the old feeling that something was not right--that there had been +a big change in all the affairs of the world--and then, after what +seemed hours of struggling with the problem, it came to me like a +flash--it was the "quiet" that was bothering me. That was it; there +was no noise; and then, my brain becoming clearer all the time, I +began to wonder whether I was deaf or whether the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page214" name="page214">(p. 214)</a></span> +war was +over. It occurred to me that I might clap my hands or make some +movement to find out whether or not I could hear, but the idea was +dismissed as involving too much exertion; just as it was too much work +to open my eyes to try to see.</p> + +<p>Then I <i>heard</i> some one come close to me, heard voices, faint and far +away they seemed, so I shouted to them (I thought I shouted but it was +only a mumbling whisper), and then a voice, low and close at hand, +asked me: "Are you awake?"</p> + +<p>"Course; what's matter?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing is the matter; you're all right now. Don't you think you +could eat something?"</p> + +<p>I pondered that for some time, but as I was quite comfortable and +could not see the sense of dead folks eating, anyhow, I declined and +fell asleep again. It was too much trouble to talk, especially to +answer questions.</p> + +<p>When next I awoke it was different. I actually opened my eyes, or at +least one of them, the other being bandaged, and I could see a face +looking +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page215" name="page215">(p. 215)</a></span> +down at me--a face and a white expanse of something +with a brilliant red cross in the center, and when the face asked me +how I felt now and did I think I could eat a little, I grunted +something which was intended to assure her that I was feeling all +right and was hungry. At any rate, she understood, and disappearing, +soon returned with a tray, loaded with things. She first helped me +hold up my head while she gave me a tumblerful of hot milk with brandy +in it, but that was no good--it would not stay down; so, after a +little trouble on that account, she vanished again and came back with +a pint bottle of champagne which she opened and fed to me; first a +spoonful at a time and then a full glass. That paved the way all right +and I was able to eat something, I don't remember just what, but it +was good.</p> + +<p>By this time I had discovered that I still had all my hands and feet +and could move them about. Satisfied on that point, I asked where I +was.</p> + +<p>"Hospital; but you mustn't talk."</p> + +<p>"What hospital; why can't I talk?"</p> + +<p>"Number +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page216" name="page216">(p. 216)</a></span> +Twelve; but I think you should keep quiet and rest."</p> + +<p>"Had plenty rest; where's Number Twelve?"</p> + +<p>"St. Pol; but, really, you must go to sleep now."</p> + +<p>I went to sleep, wondering how the dickens I happened to be in St. +Paul, which was what I understood her to say. (The French spell it +differently but pronounce it about the same.)</p> + +<p>From that time on, scarcely an hour passed that one of the kindly +nurses or sisters did not come in and look to see if I was awake, and +if so, could they get me something to eat or drink. It was heaven, all +right; or at least, my idea of what heaven should be.</p> + +<p>I learned that, although I was disabled on the night of the tenth, I +was not picked up until the twelfth and then had been relayed through +several dressing stations and hospitals until I landed in Number +Twelve General Hospital, at the town of St. Pol. It was a B. R. C. +(British Red Cross) institution and was altogether different from my +preconceived ideas of hospitals. The day when I first +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page217" name="page217">(p. 217)</a></span> +"woke +up" was the fifteenth of October, my birthday.</p> + +<p>After several days I was put aboard a hospital train and taken to +LeTreport, where I was assigned to Lady Murray's Hospital, another +B. R. C. place. It had been, before the war, The Golf Hotel, one of the +many splendid seaside hotels that have been converted into hospitals. +Here, again, I was royally treated. Every wish appeared to be +anticipated by the indefatigable and ever-cheerful women and girls, +many of them volunteers, members of prominent and even titled +families. Lady Murray personally visited every patient at least once a +day.</p> + +<p>All these ambulances at LeTreport are driven by girls belonging to the +V. A. D. I'm not sure whether it means Volunteer Ambulance Department or +Volunteer Aid Department, but that is immaterial; they are wonders, +whatever name they sail under.</p> + +<p>They work all hours, day or night, transferring patients to and from +trains and hospitals. They +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page218" name="page218">(p. 218)</a></span> +furnished their own uniforms and +paid all their own expenses, and for a long time served without any +compensation, but I have heard that a small allowance has been made +them recently.</p> + +<p>The girl who took us down to the train told me that she had been over +there two years. I asked her if it was not pretty hard work and she +replied: "Oh, sometimes it is hard, when the weather is bad, but we +know it is nothing to what the men are doing up in front, so we are +glad to be able to do our little bit, wherever we can."</p> + +<p>Going down the hill, we passed a big ambulance, filled with wounded, +standing alongside the road. A little slip of a girl, who looked as +though she weighed about ninety pounds, was changing a tire and I +honestly believe that that tire and rim weighed as much as she did. +Our driver stopped and proffered assistance but the little one +declined, remarking that we'd better hurry or she would beat us to the +train. As a matter of fact, she was not five minutes after us.</p> + +<p>I was in pretty bad shape; could see very little and had an attack of +trench fever. As soon as I was +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page219" name="page219">(p. 219)</a></span> +able to travel I was sent, +with several others, by hospital train to Le Havre, where we went +aboard the hospital ship <i>Carisbrook Castle</i>, landing at Southampton, +and so on to London, where I was lucky enough to draw an assignment to +another B. R. C. hospital--Mrs. Pollock's, at 50 Weymouth Street. And +here I remained until, passed on by numerous "boards" and subjected to +many examinations, I found myself again on the way to France, where I +reported the fifth of December--still able to "carry on."</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMMA GEES***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 20655-h.txt or 20655-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/5/20655">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/6/5/20655</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Emma Gees + + +Author: Herbert Wes McBride + + + +Release Date: February 24, 2007 [eBook #20655] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMMA GEES*** + + +E-text prepared by Geetu Melwani, Christine P. Travers, Chuck Greif, +Jeannie Howse, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team (https://www.pgdp.net/c/) from digital material generously made +available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/toronto) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 20655-h.htm or 20655-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/5/20655/20655-h/20655-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/5/20655/20655-h.zip) + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/theemmagees00mcbruoft + + +Transcriber's note: + + Obvious printer's errors have been corrected. + + The original spelling has been retained. + + The illustrations' captions have been moved out of + paragraphs, and their corresponding page numbers + changed in the List of Illustrations. + + + + + +THE EMMA GEES + +by + +HERBERT W. McBRIDE +Captain, U. S. A. +Late Twenty-first Canadian Battalion + +Illustrated with Photographs and Trench Maps + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Bouchard] + + +Indianapolis +The Bobbs-Merrill Company +Publishers +Copyright 1918 +The Bobbs-Merrill Company + +Press of +Braunworth & Co. +Book Manufacturers +Brooklyn, N. Y. + + + + + TO THE MEMORY OF + + + WILLIAM EMMANUEL BOUCHARD + + Lance-Corporal + Machine Gun Section + Twenty-first Canadian Infantry + Battalion + + + KILLED IN ACTION, AT COURCELLETTE + SEPTEMBER 15TH + 1916 + + + + + In Flanders' fields the crosses stand-- + Strange harvest for a fertile land! + Where once the wheat and barley grew, + With scarlet poppies running through. + This year the poppies bloom to greet + Not oats nor barley nor white wheat, + But only crosses, row by row, + Where stalwart reapers used to go. + _Harvest in Flanders_--Louise Driscoll + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +When the final history of this war is written, it is doubtful if any +other name will so appeal to the Canadian as Ypres and the Ypres +Salient; every foot of which is hallowed ground to French, Belgians, +British and Colonials alike; not a yard of which has not been +consecrated to the cause of human liberty and baptized in the blood of +democracy. + +Here the tattered remnants of that glorious "contemptible little +army," in October, 1914, checked the first great onrush of the vandal +hordes and saved the channel ports, the loss of which would have been +far more serious than the capture of Paris and might, conceivably, +have proved the decisive factor in bringing about a Prussian victory +in the war. + +Here the first Canadian troops to fight on the soil of Europe, the +Princess Pat's, received their trial by fire and came through it with +untarnished name, and here, also, the First Canadian Contingent +withstood the terrible ordeal of poison gas in April, 1915, and, +outnumbered four to one, with flank exposed and without any artillery +support worthy of mention, hurled back, time after time, the flower of +the Prussian army, and, in the words of the Commanding General of all +the British troops: "saved the situation." + +Here, too, as was fitting, we received our baptism of fire (Second +Canadian Division), as did also the third when it came over. + +For more than a year this salient was the home of the Canadian soldier +and Langemarck, St. Julien, Hill 60, St. Eloi, Hooge, and a host of +other names in this sector, have been emblazoned, in letters of fire, +on his escutcheon. + +Baffled in his attempts to capture the city of Ypres, the Hun began +systematically to destroy it, turning his heaviest guns on the two +most prominent structures: The Halles (Cloth Hall), and St. Martin's +Cathedral, two of the grandest architectural monuments in Europe. Now +there was no military significance in this; it was simply an +exhibition of unbridled rage and savagery. With Rheims Cathedral, and +hundreds of lesser churches and chateaux, these ruins will be +perpetual monuments to the wanton ruthlessness of German kultur. + +When we first went there the towers of both these structures were +still standing and formed landmarks that could be seen for miles. +Gradually, under the continued bombardment, they melted away until, +when I last passed through the martyred city, nothing but small bits +of shattered wall could be seen, rising but a few feet above the +surrounding piles of broken stones. + +Glorious Ypres! Probably never again will you become the city of more +than two hundred thousand, whose "Red-coated Burghers" won the day at +Courtrai, against the trained army of the Count d'Artois; possibly +never again achieve the commercial prominence enjoyed but four short +years since; but your name will be forever remembered in the hearts of +men from all the far ends of the earth where liberty and justice +prevail. + H. W. McB. + + + + +NEW NAMES FOR OLD LETTERS + + +When reading messages sent by any "visual" method of signaling, such +as flags, heliograph or lamp, it is necessary for the receiver to keep +his eyes steadily fixed upon the sender, probably using binoculars or +telescope, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, for him to +write down each letter as it comes, and as this is absolutely required +in military work, where nearly everything is in code or cipher, the +services of a second man are needed to write down the letters as the +first calls them off. + +As many letters of the alphabet have sounds more or less similar, such +as "S" and "F," "M" and "N" and "D" and "T," many mistakes have +occurred. Therefore, the ingenuity of the signaler was called upon to +invent names for certain of the letters most commonly confused. Below +is a list of the ones which are now officially recognized: + + A pronounced ack + B " beer + D " don + M " emma + P " pip + S " esses + T " tock + V " vick + Z " zed + +The last is, of course, the usual pronunciation of this letter in +England and Canada, but, as it may be unfamiliar to some readers, I +have included it. + +After a short time all soldiers get the habit of using these +designations in ordinary conversation. For instance, one will say: "I +am going over to 'esses-pip seven,'" meaning "Supporting Point No. 7," +or, in stating the time for any event, "ack-emma" is A.M. and +"pip-emma" P.M. + +As the first ten letters of the alphabet are also used to represent +numerals in certain methods of signaling, some peculiar combinations +occur, as, for instance: "N-ack-beer" meaning trench "N-12," or +"O-don" for "O-4." + +"Ack-pip-emma" is the Assistant Provost Marshal, whom everybody hates, +while just "pip-emma" is the Paymaster, who is always welcome. + +Thus, the Machine Gunner is an "Emma Gee" throughout the army. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Chapter Page + + I Headed for the Kaiser 1 + + II Straight to the Front 12 + + III In the Midst of a Battle-Field 31 + + IV Eight Days In 47 + + V At Captain's Post 60 + + VI Our Own Cheerful Fashion 74 + + VII Sniper's Barn 83 + +VIII Getting the Flag 99 + + IX Hunting Huns 111 + + X A Fine Day for Murder 126 + + XI Without Hope of Reward 133 + + XII The War in the Air 143 + +XIII The Battle of St. Eloi 150 + + XIV Fourteen Days' Fighting 166 + + XV Blighty and Back 179 + + XVI Out in Front Fighting 187 + +XVII Down and Out--For a While 209 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + Facing page + +Bouchard _Frontispiece_ + +French Hotchkiss Gun Firing at Aeroplane 11 + +Hotel Du Faucon 29 + +Light Vickers Gun in Action Against Aircraft 34 + +French Using an Ordinary Wine Barrel on Which a Wagon Wheel +Is Mounted to Facilitate the Revolving Movement to any +Desired Direction 45 + +French Paper War-Money, Issued by the Various +Municipalities. Every Town Has its Bank of Issue. There are +Practically no Coins in Circulation 56 + +Canadians with Machine Gun Taking Up New Positions 65 + +Wytschaete Map 85 + +Highlanders with a Maxim Gun 97 + +A Light Vickers Gun in Action 108 + +Canadian Machine Gun Section Getting Their Guns into Action 118 + +Canadian Soldiers in Action with Colt Machine Guns 128 + +British Machine Gun Squad Using Gas Masks 137 + +German Aeroplane Trophy--Jules Vedrine Examining the Machine +Gun 145 + +St. Eloi Map 153 + +Lewis Gun in Action in Front-Line Trench 166 + +Canadian Machine Gunners Digging Themselves into Shell-Holes 177 + +A Shell Exploding in Front of a Dug-in Machine Gun 189 + +Hollebeke Map 195 + +Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing with Periscope at Hill 60 203 + +Removing the German Wounded from Mont St. Eloi 212 + + + + +THE EMMA GEES + + + + +CHAPTER I + +HEADED FOR THE KAISER + + +The following somewhat disjointed narrative, written at the +solicitation of numerous friends, follows the general course of my +experience as a member of the Machine Gun Section of the Twenty-first +Canadian Infantry Battalion. Compiled from letters written from the +front, supplemented by notes and maps and an occasional short +dissertation covering some phase of present-day warfare and its +weapons and methods, it is offered in the hope that, despite its utter +lack of literary merit, it may prove of interest to those who are +about to engage in the "great adventure" or who have relatives and +friends "over there." The only virtue claimed for the story is that it +is all literally true: every place, name and date being authentic. The +maps shown are exact reproductions of front-line trench maps made +from airplane photographs. They have never before been published in +this country. + +I am sorry I can not truthfully say that the early reports of German +atrocities, or the news of Belgium's wanton invasion impelled me to +fly to Canada to enlist and offer my life in the cause of humanity. + +No, it was simply that I wanted to find out what a "regular war" was +like. It looked as though there was going to be a good scrap on and I +didn't want to miss it. I had been a conscientious student of the +"war-game" for a good many years and was anxious to get some real +first-hand information. I got what I was looking for, all right. + +The preliminaries can be briefly summarized. The battalion mobilized +at Kingston, Ontario, October 19th, 1914, and spent the winter +training at that place. The training was of the general character +established by long custom but included more target practise and more +and longer route marches than usual. The two things we really learned +were how to march and how to shoot, both of which accomplishments +stood us in good stead at a later date. + +Leaving Kingston May 5th, 1915, we sailed from Montreal the following +morning on the _Metagama_, a splendid ship of about twelve thousand +tons. We had as company on board, several hospital units, including +about one hundred and fifty Nursing Sisters, all togged up in their +natty blue uniforms and wearing the two stars of First "Leftenant," +which rank they hold. And, believe me, they deserve it, too. Of course +they were immediately nicknamed the "Bluebirds." Many's the man in +that crowd who has since had cause to bless those same bluebirds in +the hospitals of France and England. + +We ran into ice at the mouth of the St. Lawrence and for two days were +constantly in sight of bergs. It was a beautiful spectacle but I'm +afraid we did not properly appreciate it. We remembered the _Titanic_. + +Then we got word by wireless that the _Lusitania_ had been torpedoed. +I think an effort was made to suppress this news but it soon ran +throughout the ship. Personally, I did not believe it. I had had +plenty of experience of "soldier stories," which start from nowhere +and amount to nothing, and besides, I could not believe that any +nation that laid any claims to civilization would permit or commit +such an outrage. I began to believe it however when, next day, we +received orders to go down in the hold and get out all our guns and +mount them on deck. We had six guns; two more than the usual allotment +for a battalion; two having been presented to our Commanding Officer, +Lieutenant-Colonel (now Brigadier-General) W. St. Pierre Hughes, by +old associates in Canada, just a few days before our departure. + +Two of the guns were mounted on the forward deck, two on the flying +bridge and two on the aft bridge. I'm not sure, to this day, just what +we expected to do against a submarine with those machine guns, but at +any rate they seemed to give an additional feeling of security to the +others on board and of course we machine gunners put up an awful bluff +to persuade them that we could sink any U-boat without the least +difficulty. Of one thing we were sure. Being a troop ship we could +expect no mercy from an enemy and we were at least prepared to make it +hot for any of them who came fooling around within range provided they +came to the surface. I was with the forward guns and, as we had +several days of pretty rough weather, it was a wet job. Our wireless +was continually cracking and sputtering so I suppose the skipper was +getting his sailing orders from the Admiralty as we changed direction +several times a day. We had no convoying war-ships and sighted but few +boats, mostly Norwegian sailing vessels, until, one night about nine +o'clock, several dark slim shadows came slipping up out of the +blackness and established themselves in front, on both flanks and +behind us. We gunners had been warned by the captain to look out for +something of the kind, but I can assure any one who has not been +through the experience that the sigh of relief which went up from +those gun crews was sincere and deep. We were running without lights, +of course, and none but the crew was allowed on deck. The destroyers +(for such they were), were also perfectly dark and we could barely +discern their outlines as they glided silently along, accommodating +their pace to ours. + +Just before sunrise we dropped anchor inside Plymouth breakwater. This +was a surprise, as we had expected to land at Liverpool or Bristol. +But you may depend on it, no one made any complaint; any port in +England looked good to us. A few hours later we moved into the harbor +and tied up at Devonport Dock where we lay all day, unloading cargo. +Right next to us was a big transport just about to sail for the +Dardanelles. The Dublin Fusiliers were aboard her and they gave us a +cheer as we came in. Poor devils, they had a rough time of it down +there; but I guess by this time they think the same about us; so we'll +call it square. + +It rained all day, but we finally got everything off the ship and on +the trains and pulled out about dark. No one knew where we were going. +The only training camp we had heard of in England was Salisbury Plain +and what we had heard of that place did not make any of us anxious to +see it. The First Canadian Division had been there and the reports +they sent home were anything but encouraging. Our men were nearly all +native-born Canadians and "Yankees," and they cracked many a joke +about the little English "carriages," but they soon learned to respect +the pulling power of the engines. We made ourselves as comfortable as +possible with eight in a compartment, each man with his full kit, and +soon after daylight the train stopped and we were told to get out. The +name of the station was Westerhanger but that did not tell us +anything. The native Britishers we had in our crowd were mostly from +"north of the Tweed" so what could they be expected to know about +Kent. For Kent it was, sure enough, and after a march of some two or +three miles we found ourselves "at home" in West Sandling Camp. And +how proudly we marched up the long hill and past the Brigade +Headquarters, our pipers skirling their heartiest and the drummers +beating as never before. For we were on exhibition and we knew it. The +roads were lined with soldiers and they cheered and cheered as we came +marching in. We were tired, our loads were heavy and the mud was +deep, but never a man in that column would have traded his place for +the most luxurious comforts at home. + +There came a time when we hated that hill and that camp as the devil +hates holy water, but that Sunday morning, marching into a British +camp, with British soldiers, eager to keep right on across the channel +and clean up Kaiser Bill and feeling as though we were able to do it, +single-handed--why, the meanest private in the Twenty-first Canadians +considered himself just a little bit better than any one else on +earth. + +Thus we came to our home in England, where we worked and sweated and +swore for four solid months before we were considered fit to take our +place in the firing-line. All that time, from the top of Tolsford +Hill, just at the edge of our camp, we could see France, "the promised +land"; we could hear the big guns nearly every night, and we, in our +ignorance, could not understand why we were not allowed to go over and +settle the whole business. We marched all over Southern England. I +_know_ I have slept under every hedge-row in Kent. We dug trenches one +day and filled them up the next. We made bombs and learned to throw +them. We mastered every kind of signaling from semaphore to wireless, +and we nearly wore out the old Roman stone roads hiking all the way +from Hythe to Canterbury. We carried those old Colt guns and heavy +tripods far enough to have taken us to Bagdad and back. + +But, oh, man! what a tough lot of soldiers it made of us. Without just +that seasoning we would never have been able to make even the first +two days' marches when we finally did go across. The weaklings fell by +the wayside and were replaced until, when the "great day" came and we +embarked for France, I verily believe that that battalion, and +especially the "Emma Gees," was about the toughest lot of soldiers who +ever went to war. + +(Emma Gee is signaler's lingo for M. G., meaning machine gunner.) + +It must not be inferred that our four months in England were all work +and worry. Personally, I derived great pleasure from them. We were +right in the midst of a lot of old and interesting places which figure +largely in the early history of England. Within a mile of our camp was +Saltwood Castle, built in 499 by the Romans and enlarged by the +Normans. It was here that the conspirators met to plan the +assassination of Thomas a Becket at Canterbury, only sixteen miles +away, and which we had ample opportunities to visit. Hythe, one of the +ancient "Cinque Ports," was but a mile or so distant, with its old +church dating from the time of Ethelbert, King of Kent. In its crypt +are the bones of several hundred persons which have been there since +the time of the Crusaders, and in the church, proper, are arms and +armor of some of the old timers who went on those same Crusades. Among +numerous tablets on the walls is one "To the memory of Captain Robert +Furnis, Commanding H. M. S. Queen Charlotte: killed at the Battle of +Lake Erie: 1813"--Perry's victory. About three miles away was "Monk's +Horton, Horton Park and Horton Priory," the latter church dating from +the twelfth century and remaining just about as it was when it was +built. Then there was Lympne Castle, another Roman stronghold; Caesar's +Plain and Caesar's Camp, where Julius is said to have spent some time +on his memorable expedition to England; and, within easy reach by +bicycle, Hastings and Battle Abbey where William the Norman defeated +Harold and conquered England. The very roads over which we marched +were, many of them, built by the Romans. Every little town and hamlet +through which we passed has a history running back for hundreds of +years. We took our noon rest one day in the yard of the famous +"Chequers Inn," on the road to Canterbury. We camped one night in +Hatch Park, where the deer scampered about in great droves. On Sundays +we could charter one of the big "rubber-neck" autos and make the round +trip to Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Deal and Dover. + +[Illustration: _Photo by Western Newspaper Union_ +French Hotchkiss Gun Firing at Aeroplane] + +But, just the same, when we were told, positively, that we were going +to leave, there were no tears shed. We had gone over there to fight +and nothing else would satisfy us. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +STRAIGHT TO THE FRONT + + +The Machine Gun Section, having its own transport, traveled via +Southampton, as there were better facilities for loading horses and +wagons there than at the ports from which the remainder of the troops +embarked. After we had everything aboard ship it was an even bet among +the crowd as to whether we were going to France, the Dardanelles or +Mesopotamia. There were other ships there, loading just as we were, +some of which were known to be destined for the eastern theater; so +how could we know? As a matter of fact, our officers did not know any +more about it than the men. + +On the dock I discovered a box containing blank post-cards given out +by "The Missions to Seamen." I wrote one to my mother and stuck it in +a mail-box, on the chance that it _might_ go through. I had no stamps +and didn't really expect it to be taken up, but some one "with a +heart" inscribed on it "O. H. M. S.," and, sure enough, On His +Majesty's Service it went, straight to Indianapolis. + +[Illustration: Post Card] + +After having everything nicely stowed in the hold, Sandy McNab and I +had to go down and dig out a couple of guns to mount on deck. It +required quite a lot of acrobatic stunts to get down in the first +place and then to get the guns and ammunition up, but we managed to +finish the job just before dark and got the guns mounted, mine on the +starboard and Sandy's on the port side, before we steamed out. It was +a black drizzly night and the cold wind cut like a knife, but we +"stood to" until dawn, expecting anything or nothing. After an hour or +so we didn't care much what happened. + +Everything was dark, not a light showing aboard ship or elsewhere +until, about midnight, I saw a glow on the horizon, nearly dead ahead. +As the ship's lookouts said nothing, I did likewise, but I assure you +I was mightily puzzled. I knew we could not be near enough to shore to +see a lighthouse and, anyway, there was too much light for any +ordinary shore signal. I finally concluded that it must be a ship +burning and wondered what we would do about it, but the thing +gradually took on the appearance of a gigantic Christmas tree and then +I felt sure that I was going "plumb nutty." I sneaked over to McNab's +side and found him in about the same frame of mind. We were both too +proud to ask questions, so we simply stood there and watched--what do +you suppose?--_a hospital ship!_ lighted from water line to truck with +hundreds of electric lights; strings of them running from mast-head to +mast-head and dozens along the sides, fitted with reflectors to throw +the light down so as to show the broad green stripe which is +prescribed by the Geneva Convention. Then we both laughed. Little did +we think then that we would both be coming back to "Blighty" on just +such a ship; Sandy within a few weeks and I more than a year later. + +Before daylight we picked up a string of beacons, red and white, and +dropped anchor. As soon as it was light we could see the harbor of Le +Havre. I had been there before and recognized it quickly enough. Then +we knew that France was our destination. + +After waiting for the proper stage of the tide, the anchor was +weighed, and with a lot of fussy little tugs buzzing about, now +pushing at one end and then scurrying around to give a pull at the +other, we finally tied up to the dock at our appointed place and +prepared to disembark. The docks were thronged with men, mostly in +some sort of uniform and all busy. Many of the French soldiers were +wearing the old uniforms of blue and red, while others were clothed in +corduroy. The new "horizon blue" had not yet been adopted. There were +many English soldiers, mostly elderly men of the so-called "Navvie's +Battalions," but among all the others, was quite a number whose +uniform was the subject for much speculation until some one happened +to notice that they were always working in groups and were, +invariably, accompanied by a _poilu_ carrying a rifle with bayonet +fixed. It was our first sight of German prisoners and it gave us a +genuine thrill. The war was coming closer to us every minute. + +Disembarking was nothing more than common, every-day, hard labor, +relieved, occasionally, by the antics of some of the horses that did +not want to go down the steep narrow gangway. It was the devil's own +job to get them aboard in the first place and equally difficult to +persuade them to go ashore. Such perversity, I have noticed, is not +confined to horses: the average soldier can give exhibitions of it +that would shame the wildest mustang. + +We had been living, since leaving Sandling, on "bully beef" and +biscuits, but here on the dock we found one of those wonderful little +coffee canteens, maintained and operated by one of the many thousands +of noble English women who, from the beginning of the war, have +managed, God knows how, always to be at the right place at the right +time, to cheer the soldier on his way; working, apparently, night and +day, to hand out a cup of hot coffee or tea or chocolate to any tired +and dirty Tommy who happened to come along. If you have any money, you +pay a penny; if you are broke, it doesn't make the least bit of +difference; you get your coffee just the same, and the smile that +always accompanies the service is as cheerful and genuine in the one +case as in the other. Many women of the oldest and most aristocratic +families of England have given, and are still giving, not only their +money but their personal labor to this work; making sandwiches, +boiling tea, yes, and washing the dishes, too, day after day and month +after month. You do not often hear of them; they are too busy to +advertise. But Tommy knows and I venture the assertion that no single +sentence or "slogan" has been as often used among the soldiers in +France as "God bless the women." + +So we finally got everything off, wagons loaded and teams hitched up, +and about mid-afternoon made our way through the quaint old city to a +"rest camp" on the outskirts where we had time to wash and shave and +eat another biscuit before we received orders that we were to march, +at midnight, and entrain at Station No.--. It commenced to rain about +this time and never let up until we had entrained the next morning. + +That was a night of horrors. Sloshing through the mud, over unknown +roads and streets, soaked to the skin. Oh! well, it was a very good +initiation for what was to follow, all right, all right. + +Polite language is not adequate to describe the loading of our train: +getting all the wagons on the dinky little flat-cars and the horses +aboard. The horses fared better than the men for, while they were only +eight to a car, we were forty or more; and in the same kind of cars, +too. They look like our ordinary cattle cars but are only about +one-half as big. Forty men, with full equipment, have some difficulty +to crowd into one, let alone to sit or lie down. And, of course, +everything we had was soaked through. When I come to think of it, the +strangest thing about the whole business was that there were no +genuine complaints. The usual "grousing," of course, without which no +soldier could remain healthy, but I never heard a word that could have +been taken to indicate that any one was really unhappy. While we were +loading, our cooks had managed to make up a good lot of hot tea and +that helped some. We also got an issue of cheese and more bully and +biscuits and, after filling up on these, everybody joined in a +"sing-song" which continued for hours. + +This subject of soldier's songs would make an interesting study for a +psychologist. Not being versed in this science I can only note some of +the peculiarities which impressed me from time to time. + +The first thing that one notices is the fact that the so-called +soldier's songs, written by our multitudinous army of "popular" +song-smiths to catch the fleeting-fancy of the patriotically aroused +populace, are conspicuous by their absence. No matter how great a +popularity they may achieve among the home-folk and even the embryo +soldiers, during the early days of their training, they seldom survive +long enough to become popular with the soldiers in the field. When in +training, far away from the field of battle, soldiers appear very fond +of all the "Go get the Kaiser" and "On to Berlin" stuff and are not at +all averse to complimenting themselves on their heroism and +invincibility, with specific declarations of what they are going to +do. Sort of "Oh, what a brave boy I am," you know. But as they come +closer to the real business of war, while their enthusiasm and +determination may be not a whit less, they become more reserved and +less prone to self-advertisements; so, as they _must_ sing something, +they fall back on the old-timers, such as _Annie Laurie_ or _My Old +Kentucky Home_ when they feel particularly sentimental, and for +marching songs, any nonsensical music-hall jingle with a "swing" to it +will serve. + +Our crowd was what might be called "a regular singing bunch" and had a +large and varied repertoire, including everything from religious hymns +to many of that class of peculiar soldier's songs which although +vividly expressive and appropriate to the occasion are, unfortunately, +not for publication. Among the most popular were _The Tulip and the +Rose_, _Michigan_ and _There's a Long, Long Trail Awinding_, together +with several local compositions set to such airs as _John Brown's +Body_ and _British Grenadiers_. You might hear _Onward, Christian +Soldier_ sandwiched between some of the worst of the "bad ones" or +_Calvary_ followed by _The Buccaneers_. You never heard that last one, +and never will, unless you "go for a soldier." + +I've heard men singing doleful songs, such as _I Want to Go Home_, +when everything was bright and cheerful with no sign of war, and I +have heard them, in the midst of the most deadly combat, shouting one +of Harry Lauder's favorites, as _I Love a Lassie_. I once saw a long +line "going over the top" in the gray of the morning, and when they +had got lined up, outside the wire, and started on their plodding +journey which is the "charge" of now-a-days, one waved to his neighbor +who happened to be on a slight ridge above him and sang out: "You tak +the High Road an' I'll tak the Low Road." And immediately the song +spread up and down the line; even above the tremendous roar of the +guns you could hear that battalion going into action to the tune of +_Loch Lomond_. + +So, you see, there is a difference between "songs about soldiers" and +"soldier's songs," the latter being the ones he sings because they +appeal to his fancy and the former including the long and constantly +growing list of cheaply-sentimental airs intended for home +consumption. The difference between the two classes is as great as +that between war as it really is and war as the people at home think +it is. This is a difference which will never be understood by any +excepting those who have been over there. Those so unfortunate as to +be unable to learn it at first hand will be forever ignorant of the +real meaning of war. There is no language which can adequately +describe it; no artist can paint it; no imagination can conceive it. +It is just short of the knowledge of one who has died and returned to +life. So, by all means, let us have songs if they serve to cheer or +amuse any one, whether at home or abroad. + +It will probably do the soldier no harm to have people think he is a +"little tin god on wheels" any more than it will hurt him to be +belittled by the sickly mollycoddling name of "Sammie," no matter how +deeply he resents it. It is astonishing to me that our newspapers +persist in the use of this appellation in the face of the fact, which +they should know, that it is obnoxious to the American soldier +himself. Would they call a Canadian or Australian or Scotch soldier a +"Tommy"? If they do, I advise them to hide out and do it by telephone. +Such sobriquets, to be of any real value, must come spontaneously; +perhaps by accident; possibly conferred by an enemy. They can never be +"invented." + +But, to get back to our story. This country through which we passed +is an historical pageant,--from the very port of Harfleur, which +figures largely in the stories of both Norman and English invasion, +all the way up the valley of the Seine. Who could see Rouen, for the +first time, without experiencing a thrill of sentiment as the memories +of Jeanne d'Arc, Rollo the Norman, Duke William, Harold and many +others come forth from their hiding-places in the back of one's brain? +Although we passed through without a stop, we could see the wonderful +cathedral and the hospice on the hill and, crossing the river, we had +a fleeting glimpse of the delightful little village of St. Adrien, +with its curious church, cut out of the face of the chalk cliff; where +the maidens come to pray the good Saint Bonaventure to send them a +husband within the year. + +On, past the field of Crecy, across the Somme which was to us only a +name at that time but to become "an experience" at a later date, we +made our slow progress across northern France. At a certain junction +we were joined by the rest of the battalion which had traveled from +England by a different and shorter route. + +In the early hours of the morning we came to our stopping place, St. +Omer, which was then the headquarters of the British Expeditionary +Force in France. We did not tarry, however, but before daylight were +on the march--eastward. We stopped for a couple of hours, near some +little town, long enough to make tea, and then went on again. This was +the hardest day we had had. Every one was overloaded, as a new soldier +always is, and, moreover, our packs and clothing had not dried and we +were carrying forty or fifty pounds of water in addition to the +regulation sixty-one-pound equipment. Then, too, the roads were of the +kind called _pave_; that is, paved with what we know as cobble-stones +or Belgian blocks. On the smooth stone or macadamized roads of England +we would not have minded it so much, but this kind of going was new to +us: ankles were continually turning, our iron-shod soles eternally +slipping on the knobbed surface of the cobbles and, take it all in +all, I consider it the hardest march I have ever done, and I have made +forty-eight miles in one day over the snow in the Northwest, too. + +About dark we were halted at a farm and told that we were to go into +bivouac and would probably remain there for a week or more. Now, one +characteristic of the good machine gunner is that he is always about +two jumps ahead of the other fellow, so, there being a big barn with +lots of clean straw in it, we just naturally took possession while the +rest of the troops were patiently waiting for the Quartermaster to +assign them to billets. Of course we had a fight on our hands a little +later but, by a compromise which let the signalers and scouts come in +with us, we were enabled to hang on to the best part of the place. +From names inscribed on the beams we learned that the Princess Pat's +had once occupied the same place, and from the people who lived there +we heard tales of how the Germans had carried off all their stock when +they made their first great advance. All this was the next day, +however, as we were too tired even to eat that night; we simply +dropped on the straw and slept. + +Next morning was bright and fair and everybody got busy, drying kits, +overhauling and cleaning the guns and ammunition and fixing up our +quarters for the promised week's rest. About four o'clock in the +afternoon we were ordered to form up and march to a place about +two miles distant, where, we were told, General Alderson, +Commander-in-Chief of the Canadians, was to give us a little talk. + +We arrived at the appointed place ahead of time, and while we were +lying about waiting we had our first glimpse of real war. It was a +long way off and high up in the air but it was a thrilling sight for +us. A couple of German airplanes were being shelled by some of our +anti-aircraft guns, and as we watched the numerous shell-bursts, +apparently close to the planes, we expected, every moment, to see the +flyers come tumbling down. However, none was hit and they went on +their way. It was only later we learned that it is the rarest thing in +the world for an airplane to be brought down by guns from the ground. +I suppose I have seen several hundred thousand shots fired at them and +have yet to see one hit by a shell from an "Archie" and only one by +machine-gun fire from the ground. The majority of planes destroyed are +shot down by machine guns in combat with other flyers. + +When the General finally came, he looked us over and told us what a +fine body of troops we appeared to be, and just for that, he was going +to let us go right into the front line, instead of putting us through +the usual preliminary stages in reserve and support. Of course we felt +properly "swelled up" about it and considered it a great compliment. +We did not know, what we now know, that they were about to start the +big offensive which is known as the Battle of Loos and that the +British had not enough troops in France to be able to afford such +luxuries as reserves. It was a case of everybody get in and "get your +feet wet." + +As we were to march at daybreak, we had a busy night getting our +scattered belongings together and repacked. This was our first +experience of what shortly became a common occurrence and we soon +learned that, in the field, a soldier never knows one day where he +will be the next, and thus he is always "expecting the unexpected." + +[Illustration: Hotel Du Faucon] + +We moved out at dawn and had another heart-breaking march as the +weather had turned very warm. Through Hazebrouck and numerous small +towns we continued our eastward way to Bailleul, stopping there for an +hour's rest. Our section happened to be right in the market square so +had a good opportunity to see some of the principal points of interest +in this famous and ancient city. The Hotel de Ville with its curious +weather-vane of twelfth-century vintage and the Hotel Faucon +particularly interested me: the former because I had read of it and +the latter because it had real beer on ice. This is the place which +Bairnsfather speaks of as the hotel at which one could live and go to +war every day and I afterward did that very thing, for one day; +leaving the front-line trenches in the morning, having a good dinner +at the Faucon and being back in the front line at night. That happened +to be Thanksgiving Day; November 25, 1915. + +After our rest we continued on our way and arrived at the little town +of Dranoutre, in Flanders, about five o'clock in the evening and went +into bivouac. On this day's march we saw more evidence of war. Here +and there a grave beside the road; occasionally a house that showed +the effect of shell or rifle fire and, almost continually, firing at +airplanes, both Allied and German. + +At our camp we found detachments of the East Kents (The Buffs), and +the Second East Surrey Regiment, from whom we were to take over a +sector of the line. They said that it was comparatively quiet at that +point but had been pretty rough a few months earlier. + +The Machine Gun Section went in the next morning, two days ahead of +the infantry, and the East Surreys remained during the two days to +show us the ropes. They were a splendid lot of soldiers and I am sorry +to say that when they left us it was to go to Loos, where they were +badly cut up at the Hohenzollern redoubt. We never connected up with +them again. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +IN THE MIDST OF A BATTLE-FIELD + + +It was a bright warm Sunday morning, that nineteenth day of September, +when we made our first trip to the front-line trenches. Only the +Number Ones, lance corporals, of each gun went in ahead, the guns and +remainder of the section to come up after dark. I was a "lance-jack" +at that time, in charge of No. 6 gun; and had a crew of the youngest +boys in the section, two of whom were under seventeen when they +enlisted and not one of whom was twenty at that time. Subsequent +events proved them to be the equals of any in the whole section; a +section of which a general officer afterward wrote: "I consider it the +best in France." They were strong and healthy, keen observers, always +ready for any duty and during all the time I was with them I never saw +one of them weaken. They played the game right up to the finish, in +fair weather and foul, during the easy times and the "rough," each +until his appointed time came to "go West." One, in particular, named +Bouchard, a boy who enlisted when but sixteen, developed into the +brightest and most efficient machine gunner I have ever known. His +zeal and eagerness to learn so impressed me that it became my greatest +pleasure to give him all the assistance in my power, and, despite the +difference in our ages, there grew up between us such a friendship as +can only be achieved between kindred spirits sharing the vicissitudes +of war. Small of stature and slight of frame, it was only by sheer +grit and determination that he was able to endure the terrible strain +of that first winter. At times, when the mud was nearly waist deep, he +would throw away his overcoat, blanket and other personal effects, but +never would he give up his beloved gun. When trenches were absolutely +impassable he would climb up on top, scorning bullets and shells, +intent on the one job in hand--to get to his appointed station without +delay. He was a constant source of inspiration to all of us, often +inciting the older heads to undertake and achieve the apparently +impossible by daring them to follow his lead. + +Our sector was made up of what were then known as the "C" trenches, +running north from the Neuve Eglise-Messines road and directly between +Wulverghem and Messines. To the south of the road was the Douve River +and just beyond that "Plugstreet" (Ploegstert). There had been some +very hard fighting all along the Messines Ridge during the preceding +year, but for several months things had been quiet. Now, by "quiet" I +do not mean that there was any cessation of hostilities for there is +always artillery firing and sniping going on, with a fair amount of +rifle grenade and trench-mortar activity. It simply means that there +is no attempt being made, by either side, to attack in force and to +capture and hold captured ground. + +Our route, that first morning, was rather a roundabout one, by way of +Lindhoek, taken, as explained by our guide, because it was less +exposed to enemy observation than a much shorter road which we used +when moving at night. When a short distance out from town, we passed +in front of one of our howitzer batteries which decided that then was +just the proper time to cut loose with a salvo, right over our heads. +We were not more than fifty yards from the guns and the result was +that we were all "scared stiff," to say nothing of being almost +deafened. This appears to be a characteristic and never-ending joke +with artillerymen and so we soon learned to "spot" their emplacements +and go behind them, when possible. + +At all cross-roads ("Kruisstraat," in Flemish), sentries were +stationed who acted as guides and also gave warning of the approach of +enemy aircraft. At a long blast of the whistle every person was +supposed to stop and not make a move until the signal "all clear," +indicated by two blasts, was given. It appears that, while the airmen +have no difficulty in seeing moving objects on the ground it is next +to impossible for them to locate stationary ones. + +[Illustration: Light Vickers Gun in Action Against Aircraft.] + +As we progressed, the signs of war were multiplied. Numerous graves +along the road, each marked by a cross, houses and barns torn by +shells, a bridge and railroad track blown up and trees shattered and +rent, until, finally, everything was desolation. When we arrived at +Wulverghem, we had our first sight of a really "ruined" town. Of +course we saw many worse ones later, but at that time, we could not +conceive more complete destruction than had been wrought here by the +German shells. Every building had been hit, perhaps several times; +some had one or more walls standing, while many were totally destroyed +and were nothing but piles of broken brick and mortar. Part of the +church tower remained and one hand of the clock still hung to the side +facing the German lines. This seemed to aggravate the boche as, every +day, he would send from a dozen to forty or fifty shells over, all +seemingly directed at the church tower. + +As Messines Ridge is now "ours" I think there can be no objection to +my going into details about our dispositions. Our Battalion +Headquarters was located in the St. Quentin Cabaret, about two hundred +yards south of Wulverghem and we had a supporting gun, with infantry, +at Souvenir Farm and also at a redoubt near by, called "S-5." Our +front-line guns were distributed from the Neuve Eglise road to the +northern end of our battalion frontage, about "C-3." + +These numbers refer to certain locations on the map, and the cabarets +are not exactly such as one is accustomed to seeing in American +cities. They are, or were, inns, such as in England would be called +public houses and in America, road houses. In Flemish they are +_herbergs_, but these happened to bear French names, hence were called +cabarets. One can not help wondering at the indiscriminate manner in +which French and Flemish names are used in this corner of the world. +Neuve Eglise, Bailleul, Dranoutre and Locre are all mixed up with +Wolverghem, Ploegstert, Wytschaete and Lindhoek: Ypres and Dickebusch +are neighbors; while St. Julian and Langemarck lie side by side, as do +Groot Vierstraat and LaClytte. Look at a map of West Flanders and the +adjoining parts of France and you will see what I mean. + +Just as we arrived at the Battalion Headquarters the signal was +sounded, "German up," which is the short way of saying that an enemy +airplane is approaching, so we were obliged to take cover and remain +quiet for some time. We were near a group of farm buildings and, going +inside, found that former occupants had left elaborate records of +their visits. Among other mural decorations were some rough sketches +drawn by Captain Bairnsfather, which afterward became famous as +"Fragments from France." + +This suggests another interesting field for speculation. Why is it +that all men, regardless of race, creed or color, have an inborn +craving to inscribe their names on walls and trees and rocks, +especially on walls other than those of their own home? Wherever you +go, all over the world, you will find the carved or written record +stating that, at such and such a date, John Doe, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, +honored the place with his presence. The buildings of Flanders and +France are storehouses of historical records. From them the historian +could almost reconstruct the campaigns of the war. Would it not not +be an interesting task to make a thorough search of all the old +buildings and dug-outs, just as the archeologists have been doing in +Egypt and all the ancient habitations of mankind? The prehistoric +caves of Spain or the cliff dwellings of the Colorado could not be +more interesting than a compilation of these records, including the +drawings and sketches, some of which are real works of art. Regimental +crests and badges are often shown with the utmost attention to detail +and, in one place which we afterward occupied, one of the walls bore +an elaborately carved tablet enumerating the campaigns and battles of +one of the oldest British line regiments, together with a list of the +honors, V. C's. and so on, won by members thereof. On one of the walls +at Captain's Post one of my boys, Charlie Wendt, carved a large maple +leaf upon which he inscribed the names of all our squad. He was killed +a few days later and others at various times and of that whole list, I +am the sole survivor. I would give a great deal to have that bit of +wall here in my own home. + +Meantime, the _Allemand_ has gone away and we are free to continue our +journey to the front line. + +In an orchard behind the house we entered a communication trench and +after a few final words of advice from the guide as to the necessity +of keeping our heads down wherever the walls were low, started on the +mile-long trip. We learned that the trench by which we were going in +was named Surrey Lane, in honor of the West Surreys who constructed +it. At various points we came upon intersecting trenches, most of +which were marked with the name of the point to which they led. One, I +remember, was "Wipers Road"; not that it ran all the way to Ypres but +led in the direction of that place. + +Except for an occasional large shell, whispering overhead, consigned +from Kemmel to Warneton or vice versa, and the distant muttering of +the French guns away to the south, everything was quiet and peaceful, +and had it not been for the ruined buildings and torn-up roads it +would have been difficult to imagine that we were in the midst of a +battle-field. + +Passing through all the maze of cross trenches, we finally reached +the front line which we found to be what we afterward called a +"half-and-half" trench; that is, it was dug down to a depth of perhaps +four feet and built up about the same with sand-bags, making it +possibly eight feet from the bottom of trench to top of parapet. It +was quite dry and clean and comfortable and proved that the Buffs and +Surreys had not been loafing during the summer. I'm afraid we did not +properly appreciate it at that time, but as I look back over all the +time that has passed since, I am compelled to admit that it was the +finest bit of trench we ever occupied. + +We had no more than arrived in the line than the cook of the first gun +crew we struck brought out a "dixie" of tea and an unlimited supply of +bread and butter and jam and invited us to fill up. ("Dixie" is the +soldier's name for the camp kettle used in the British army.) Now if +you have been paying attention to the story of our movements since +leaving England, I think you can readily imagine that we were hungry. +These soldiers had been out, some of them, since the beginning of the +war and had become inured to all the hardships which are a necessary +part of the game, and, splendid fellows that they were, the first +thing they thought of was our comfort. From that time on I never met +up with any body of British Imperial soldiers who did not show this +same consideration and solicitude for the stranger. And they do it so +unostentatiously and naturally that they challenge the admiration of +all, especially of Colonials such as we, who were, I fear, very apt to +forget the little niceties of manner which are inbred in the native +Briton. While we afterward became the best of friends there was never +any danger of our becoming "alike." We secretly admired their perfect +and unalterable observance of all orders even though we were, at the +same time, scheming to evade a lot of those same restrictions which +appeared to us to be unnecessary. They, on their part, could not help +admitting that the dash and "devil-may-care" spirit shown by our men +often accomplished results not otherwise attainable but from the +emulation of which they were barred by "traditions." The discipline +of the one and the discipline of the other are based on two entirely +different modes of life; the former carefully trained to rely on and +obey implicitly the orders of any superior officer, while the latter +looks only for initial direction, depending upon his own initiative +and ingenuity to see him through any trouble that might arise. + +From this line we could see the whole valley which separated us from +the famous Messines Ridge. The enemy was firmly established on its +crest, with his advance lines in the valley and even, at some places, +on the sides of the slope below us. The town of Messines, directly +opposite, was in plain sight but nearly a mile away, the church and +hospice, or infirmary, being conspicuous landmarks on the sky-line. +Our front lines were from about one hundred and fifty to three hundred +yards apart. Numerous ruined farms and cabarets were scattered along +the line, sometimes in our territory and sometimes belonging to the +enemy. These were, as a rule, converted into redoubts or +"strong-points," and defended by both infantry and machine guns. To +the northward, within the German lines, was the town of Wytschaete, +while we had Mont Kemmel, a prominent hill which gave our artillery +good observation all the way from Ypres to "Plugstreet." + +Several of the prominent roads within the German lines were in plain +sight from our position and, while the artillery devoted considerable +attention to harassing the enemy, we were not sufficiently supplied +with ammunition at that time to strafe them as was desirable. This was +especially true of several "dumps," which is the colloquial word +designating the points where the wagons and motor transports deposit +ammunition, food and other trench stores and whence they are carried +up to the front line by the men. Thus an ammunition dump means a point +where ammunition is stored, while a ration dump is a place where the +ration carrying parties repair at night to procure the rations for +the following day. At some points the field cookers or "rolling +kitchens" come up at night and the cooked food is carried from there +to the front. One such place at Messines, we called "Cooker's Halt." + +The machine gun officer of the outgoing Surreys had begun to develop +some ideas of his own as to the feasibility of strafing enemy +transports and dumps at night and had selected a tentative position +behind a slight crest, about one hundred and fifty yards N. E. of "In +den Kraatenberg Cabaret" and immediately adjacent to a disused +communication trench called "Plum Avenue." Now I had been a crank on +long range, indirect fire in England, so I had no difficulty in +persuading our M. G. officer to turn this job over to me. We improved +the position and also established another one, about one hundred yards +down the trench for daylight work against aircraft. In those days the +planes would come over at altitudes of two thousand feet and less and +we had some splendid opportunities to practise on them. We succeeded +in bringing one down with his petrol tank on fire, and we turned +back a good many more until they began to fly so high that we could +not reach them. At night, by using information obtained from our +artillery and our own forward observers, we were able to cut up a lot +of their transports. At first they would drive down to a place called +the Barricade, but after we caught them there two or three times they +came only to the top of the hill, to "Cooker's Halt." We soon chased +them out of that, however, and then I guess poor Fritz had to carry +his stuff all the way from behind the Ridge. On two occasions we +caught large working parties, in broad daylight, and cut them up and +dispersed them. Our position in front of the group of buildings (In +den Kraatenberg) naturally led the enemy to believe that we were using +the building for cover, so he shelled the poor inoffensive houses and +barns most industriously but never put anything close enough to our +real position to do any damage. This taught me a lesson which I put +into operation, later on, at Sniper's Barn, with the best of results. + +[Illustration: French Using an Ordinary Wine Barrel on which a Wagon +Wheel Is Mounted to Facilitate the Revolving Movement to Any Desired +Direction.] + +From that time on, strafing was an important part of machine gunnery +until, now, together with barrage fire, it comprises about all there +is to machine-gun work, proper, for the automatic rifle has taken over +the greater part of the front-line offensive work. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +EIGHT DAYS IN + + +As the subject of machine guns is one of great interest at this time, +it may not be amiss to devote a little space to explaining some of the +salient features of the most commonly used types. + +All automatic arms are divided into classes, as determined by the +following characteristics: + +1st. Method of applying the power necessary to operate: (gas or recoil). + +2nd. Method of supplying ammunition: (belt, magazine or clip). + +3rd. Method of cooling: (water or air). + +Another well-defined distinction is made between the true machine gun +and the automatic rifle; the former being so heavy that it must be +mounted on a substantial tripod or other base, while the latter is so +light that it may be carried and operated by a single man. Of the +former class, the Colt, (35 lbs.), the Vickers, (38 lbs.) and the +Maxim, (63 lbs.) may be taken as representative. They are all mounted, +for field work, on tripods weighing fifty pounds or more. In the +latter class, the Lewis, Benet-Mercie, and Hotchkiss, running from 17 +to 25 lbs., are fair examples. They are all equipped with light, +skeleton "legs" or tripods, which, by the way, are never used in the +field although they are still considered essential for training +purposes. + +In the gas-operated arms, a small hole is drilled in the under side of +the barrel, six to eight inches from the muzzle, so that, when the +bullet has passed this point, and during the time it takes it to +traverse the remaining few inches to the muzzle, a certain portion of +the enclosed gas is forced through this hole, where it is "trapped," +in a small "gas-chamber" and its force directed against a piston or +lever which, being connected with the necessary working parts of the +gun by cams, links or ratchets, performs the functions of removing and +ejecting the empty cartridge case, withdrawing a new cartridge from +the belt, clip or magazine, and "cocking" the gun: that is, forcing +the "hammer" or striker back and compressing its spring. As the +pressure generated in the barrel by our ammunition is not less than +50,000 lbs. to the square inch, very little gas is required to do all +this. There must also be sufficient force to compress or coil a strong +spring or springs called "main-springs" or retracting springs which, +in their turn, force the mechanism forward to its original position, +seating the new cartridge in the chamber and releasing the striker, +thus firing another shot. This action continues as long as the +"trigger" is kept pressed or until the belt or magazine is emptied. +The Colt, Benet-Mercie, Hotchkiss and Lewis are in this class. They +are all of the air-cooled type. + +In the recoil operated guns, the barrel itself is forced to the rear +by the "kick," as we commonly call it, and the force applied directly +to the working parts, thus performing the same operations above +described. The Maxim, Vickers, Vickers-Maxim and Maxim-Nordenfeldt +belong to this class. They are all water-cooled, having a water-jacket +of sheet metal entirely surrounding the barrel. + +All the last-mentioned class, and also the Colt, have the ammunition +loaded in belts containing two hundred and fifty rounds each. The +Hotchkiss and Benet-Mercie use clips of from twenty to thirty rounds, +while the Lewis is fed from a round, flat, pan-shaped magazine holding +forty-seven rounds. (For aircraft guns these magazines are made +larger; about double this capacity, I think.) + +During the early part of the war, before the advent of the Lewis and +other automatic rifles, the only machine guns in general use were of +the heavy, tripod-mounted type and it was necessary for them to +advance with or even ahead of attacking troops. As the guns and +tripods were very conspicuous objects they naturally became the +especial targets for enemy riflemen and snipers and the casualties +among machine gunners ran far above the average for other troops. It +was this that caused the Emma Gee sections to be named Suicide Clubs. + +Now, however, the Lewis gun, being light and inconspicuous, can be +carried by advancing troops and used effectively in the attack without +its operators suffering excessively, and at the same time it has been +demonstrated that the true machine gun, of the heavier type, mounted +on its firm base, can effectively cooperate with the artillery in +maintaining protective or other barrages and in delivering harassing +fire upon the enemy at points behind his front line. As this fire is, +necessarily, over the heads of our own troops, sometimes but a few +feet over them, it must be extremely accurate and dependable and it +has been proved that guns of the lighter, automatic-rifle type, can +not be safely used for this purpose, even when mounted on the heavy +tripods of the other guns. This is probably due to the excessive +vibration of the lighter barrels. + +For the benefit of any who are not familiar with the word, I might +say, in passing, that "_barrage_" is a French word meaning a "barrier" +or a "dam" and when used in a military sense it means a veritable +barrier or wall of fire, where the shells or bullets, or both, are +falling so thickly as to make it impossible for any body of troops to +go through without suffering great loss. + +I know nothing of the Browning gun, as it is a new invention and has +never been used in the field. We can only hope that it will prove as +good as the Vickers and Lewis which are giving perfect satisfaction on +the battle-fields of Flanders and France. No real machine gunner +expects or requires anything better, but I can not imagine any _one_ +type of gun that can replace both of them, any more than a single +class of artillery can combine the functions of both the light field +guns and the heavy howitzers. + +The Germans evidently had good spies within our lines as they always +knew when we changed over; that is, when we took over a new line. At +first they would call out: "Hello, Canadians, how are you," sometimes +even naming the battalion. Later on, however, they used much stronger +language but they knew who we were, just the same. Their methods of +communicating information from our lines were many and very ingenious. +For instance, at one time it was learned by our intelligence +department that spies were making use of the many windmills to signal +messages across the line. They did this by stopping the sails of the +mills at certain angles and moving them about from time to time. When +this was discovered the orders went out for all windmills to be +stopped in such a position that the arms should always be at an exact +forty-five degree angle whenever the mill was not running, with the +understanding that failure to observe this regulation would result in +our artillery in the immediate vicinity turning their guns on the +offending mill. At one place we discovered a large periscope with a +heliographic attachment by which a seemingly inoffensive Belgian +peasant kept in constant communication with the boche. This periscope +was concealed in the chimney of a partially ruined farm building +within our lines. At other places underground cables were discovered, +with telephones or field telegraph instruments concealed in cellars or +old buildings. Carrier pigeons were also much used and, without a +doubt, many men passed back and forth between the lines, some of +them, as we learned from time to time, regularly enlisted in our +armies. At several places we had men shot down and killed by snipers +masquerading as farmers, behind our lines. Needless to say, such +affairs were promptly attended to, on the spot, "_tout de suite_" as +the French say. + +So, although that part of the line had been very quiet for a long +time, they began at once to give us a reception. While the shelling +was as nothing compared to bombardments we went through later, still +it gave us an opportunity to make the acquaintance of the various +kinds of shells from "whizz-bangs" up to something of about eight-inch +caliber. + +The first casualty in the battalion was a scout named Boyer who was +killed on his initial trip into No Man's Land the first night in the +trenches. Next day Starkey decided he could not see enough with a +periscope, so took a look over the parapet. Both men are buried in the +garden back of the St. Quentin Cabaret together with many from the +best and most famous British Line Regiments. + +The Emma Gees came out pretty lucky, having but one man seriously +wounded. His name was Mangan, a Yankee, who had served in the U. S. +Army in the Philippines. He was badly wounded by shrapnel and was sent +back to England. We used to hear from him occasionally until about a +year later the letters stopped. + +After eight days we were relieved by the Twentieth Battalion and went +back to Dranoutre for our first "rest." We went by way of Neuve Eglise +but, as it was night, we could see but little of that much shot-up +city. It commenced to rain before we started out and kept it up until +we went back again, four days later. At that time it was customary to +carry in and out everything, including ammunition, and we soon learned +to dread the days when we had to move. We would have preferred to stay +in the front line for a month at a time rather than carry all that +heavy stuff in and out so often. However, we managed to get a bath and +some clean clothes, which made everybody feel better. We had no +regular billets at Dranoutre but rigged up little shelter tents, +somewhat similar to those used in the U. S. Army, by lacing two or +more rubber sheets together. Our cooking was done by gun crews, +somewhat on the order of a lot of Boy Scouts, in that no two crews had +the same ideas or used the same methods. My squad dug out a nice +little "stove" in a bank, and by covering it with flattened-out +biscuit tins and making a pipe of tin cans of various sorts, managed +to get along very well. Here we received our first pay since arriving +in France; fifteen francs each. It doesn't sound like much but, +believe me, we made those "sous" go a long way and bought lots of +little delicacies we could not otherwise have had. + +While at Dranoutre we associated with the inhabitants, in the stores +and estaminets. The Germans had taken of whatever they needed in the +way of live stock and foodstuffs, but the town itself happened to be +one of the many scattered up and down the line, which had miraculously +escaped even an ordinary bombardment. + +[Illustration: French Paper War-Money] + +There were refugees, hundreds of them; from the towns and cities +farther to the eastward, whence they had fled with little or nothing +besides the clothes on their backs. There were children who had lost +their parents; wives who knew not what had become of their husbands, +and men whose wives and families were somewhere back in the +German-occupied territory. They told of enduring the direst hardships +and suffering; of cold and hunger. + +Every town behind the lines that had escaped destruction was crowded +with these poor homeless people. Every habitable house sheltered all +who could find no room to lie on the floor. Those who could, worked on +the roads or in the neighboring fields. Many of the women worked in +the military laundries. They all received some assistance from the +French Government and from the many charitable societies. When talking +with them they would tell their stories in a monotonous sort of way, +seldom making any complaint; seeming to think that all these things +were to be endured as a matter of course. + +I have read all the available reports on the subject of atrocities and +have no doubt that they are true, but none ever came under my personal +observation. + +In the midst of a battle many men do things which would, at other +times, fill them with horror. The excitement of combat seems to breed +a lust for killing and the sight of blood is like a red flag to a +bull. This, unfortunately, is not confined to Germans. One of our +officers who had had a brother killed a few days before deliberately +shot and killed several unarmed prisoners. He was, himself, killed the +same day. On another occasion, a wounded German, lying in a +shell-hole, stabbed and killed one of our wounded and attacked another +only to be beaten at his own game and killed with his own knife. A +soldier of the Royal Fusiliers, at St. Eloi, was detected by his +sergeant in the act of shooting an unarmed prisoner, whereupon the +sergeant immediately shot and killed the soldier. I saw this, myself. + +But the deliberate shooting of wounded men and stretcher-bearers has +been, so far as I know, confined to the Hun. On numerous occasions, +some of which are mentioned elsewhere in this story, German snipers +deliberately and in cold blood shot down our helpless wounded and the +men who were endeavoring to succor them. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +AT CAPTAIN'S POST + + +The Battle of Loos had opened on the twenty-fifth of September and, +although it was a considerable distance to the south of us, we had +been hearing the continuous rumble of the guns ever since we had come +up to the line. It was the first time we had heard "drum-fire," as the +French call it. It is such an incessant bombardment, with such a large +number of guns, that you can not distinguish any single reports, but +the whole makes a continual "rumble," something like the roll of heavy +thunder in the distance; never slacking, night or day. I have +forgotten just how many days they kept it up, but it was something +like two weeks. + +To create a diversion, and prevent the enemy from taking troops from +other parts of the line to strengthen the attacked point, our +artillery, all along the line, was doing its best and our infantry +made feint attacks at several places. We had gone back in the line on +the first of October and, early the next morning, our brigade, Fourth +Canadian, took part in one of these attacks. Our battalion did not go +"over the top," but Bouchard and I stuck our gun up on the parapet and +helped support the advance, which was made by the Nineteenth +Battalion. It was our first experience of that kind and was, to say +the least, interesting. The enemy kept up an incessant rifle and +machine-gun fire on our position, the bullets were snapping around our +heads like a bunch of fire-crackers and the mud was flying everywhere, +but that little seventeen-year-old "kid" kept feeding in belts and all +the while whooping and laughing like a maniac. It certainly cheered me +up to have him there. The whole thing was over in about twenty minutes +but, during that short time, we had learned something which can be +learned in no other way--that it is possible for thousands of bullets +to come close to you without doing any harm. From that time on, +neither Bouchard nor I ever felt the least hesitation about slipping +over the parapet at night to "see what we could see." + +During this tour we were subjected to considerably more shelling than +on the first occasion, and one morning Fritz made a mistake with one +of his shells intended for "our farm," as we called the buildings in +the rear, and dropped it "ker-plunk" right into one of our dug-outs. +It was a place we had fixed up for cooking, and we were all outside, +but it certainly made a mess of our "kitchen furniture." Then they +shot up our communication trench until it was positively dangerous to +go up and down it for rations and ammunition. Narrow escapes were +numerous, but our luck held, and we went out the night of the eighth +without having sustained a casualty. The battalion did not fare so +well, having quite a number of wounded, but none killed. + +That was our last visit to those trenches, as we marched, that night, +away to the northward. "Eeps" was the word that went up and down the +line, that being the Flemish pronunciation of Ypres, (in French +pronounced "Ee-pr" and in Tommy's English, "Wipers"). We had a hard +march; in the rain, as usual; and, about daylight, stopped at the town +of LaClytte, which was to be the battalion's billeting place for +several months. The rest of the battalion remained there a few days, +resting, but the Emma Gees went on ahead and took over some support +positions at Groot Vierstraat and along the Ypres-Neuve Eglise road. +We relieved the King Edward Horse who were acting, as was all the +cavalry, as infantry. + +My crew, together with Sandy McNab's, was assigned to an old Belgian +farm called Captain's Post. The place was pretty well shot up but we +managed to clear out enough room to give us very good quarters; by far +the best we had had since leaving England. We were some 1,250 yards +from the enemy lines but in plain sight of them, hence it was +necessary to be very careful not to allow any one to move about +outside the buildings in daytime, nor to make any smoke. + +No doubt some one got careless, for about noon the next day we heard +the long-drawn-out "who-o-o-o-i-s-s-s-h" of a big shell coming. It +struck about twenty-five yards behind our building and failed to +explode; in soldier's parlance, it was a "dud." We were eating dinner +and refused to be disturbed. Then came a steady stream of the big +fellows; to the right, to the left, in front of the building and, +finally, "smack," right into the house. Altogether, they put +thirty-two "five-point-nine" (150 mm.) shells into that one old +building and all the damage they did was to ruin our dinner by filling +the "dixie" with mud. How in the world we escaped has always been a +mystery to me, but later on, after other and worse affairs, the men +called it "McBride's luck." They shelled us pretty regularly, after +that, sometimes just two or three shells, but on at least one +occasion, they evidently had made up their minds to put the place out +of business entirely, for they kept up a continuous bombardment, with +guns of at least three calibers, for more than an hour. At that time I +was a corporal and had twelve men, with two guns at this place, yet, +although nearly every one was hit by pieces of brick and mud and +covered with dust, not a man was hurt nor a gun injured. + +[Illustration: Canadians with Machine Gun Taking Up New Positions.] + +One morning, just after daylight and during a fog, I was up in an old +hay-loft where we had a gun, when I heard a cock pheasant "squawking" +(that's the only word that describes it), out in front. Looking from +the gun position I saw him, standing on the parapet of an abandoned +French trench across the road. I could not resist the temptation, so +took a shot at him, with the result that we had pheasant stew for +dinner that day. + +It was a source of never-ceasing wonder to me that the birds and other +forms of wild life seemed to be so little affected by the continual +noise of guns and shells. So far as I could notice they did not pay +the slightest attention to it. Pheasants, partridges and rabbits were +numerous at one point in and behind our lines and I have seen them +running about, feeding or playing where shells were falling and +bursting all about them, without showing any sign of fear. Indeed +they were sometimes killed by the shells, especially shrapnel, but +those unhit would "carry on" with the business in hand, indifferent to +the fate of their companions. + +The little robin redbreasts (the English robin and the French +_rouge-gorge_) were abundant, as were the ubiquitous English sparrows, +which, sitting out in front on the barbed wire, were often used as +targets by men firing experimental shots. + +A pair of swallows reared a family of young in a dug-out which I once +occupied, the nest being within a few feet of my head when I was in my +bunk. They would come in and go out through a small hole which we left +in the burlap curtain and the old bird would sit on the nest and look +at me in such a confidential, unafraid sort of way that she made a +friend for life and I would have fought any one who had attempted to +disturb or injure her. But, of course, no such thing was possible. All +the men seemed to take a kindly interest in the birds and, except for +the occasional shot at the English sparrows (which never hit them, +anyhow), they rarely, if ever, molested any of them unless it was for +the purpose of getting a meal of pheasant or partridge, which was +considered perfectly legitimate although forbidden by "orders." It was +all right if you could "get away with it," as the saying is. One +morning, after an unusually intense bombardment of a wood called the +Bois Carre, I found many dead birds; killed either by direct hits or +by the concussion of the heavy shells. This same morning I watched a +pair of magpies who were building a nest in a tree near our station. A +shell had struck the tree, below the nest, and had cut it in half +while a large branch had lodged just above the nest. The whole thing +was swaying dangerously in the light breeze and a strong wind would +surely bring it down, but that pair of chattering magpies appeared to +be debating whether to continue their work or move elsewhere. One +would hop down to the place where the shell had hit and, cocking his +head this way and that, would let loose a flow of magpie talk that +would bring his mate to him and then they would both investigate, +flying to the shattered place, clinging to the bark and picking out +splinters and pieces of wood. Then they would go up aloft and consult +about the nest itself. I watched them for the better part of an hour +when the verdict appeared to be to "take a chance" and go ahead with +the building. We left that place soon after and I never learned the +final outcome. + +At one point, where our lines were about one hundred yards from the +enemy, there was a small pond in No Man's Land just outside our wire, +and a pair of ducks, teal, I think, made it their home during the +entire winter of 1915-16. In spite of the fact that shells were +continually falling all around and sometimes bursting squarely in the +pond itself, they never showed the least inclination to abandon the +place. As this pond was surrounded by a fringe of small willows we +often made use of the cover they afforded to make night +reconnoissances, but soon learned that it was impossible to approach +the pool without alarming the ducks and drawing from them a low +scolding note of protest, accompanied by a splashing of water. This +was carefully noted and, thereafter, all sentries at that point were +especially warned to listen intently for these noises as it would +probably mean that an enemy patrol was exploring in the vicinity. The +abandoning of so many of the farms and villages left a great many cats +without homes. Nearly every ruined barn or house sheltered one or more +of them and they were, as a rule, quite wild. Some, however, had been +caught and tamed by the soldiers who made great pets of them. +Frequently a soldier would be seen going in or out of the front line +with a kitten perched contentedly on top of his pack. There was one +big brindle "madame" cat who adopted our machine gun outfit when we +first went in. She traveled up and down the line but never stayed +anywhere except in one of the machine gun emplacements. On bright days +she would hop up on top of the parapet and sit there, making her +toilet, and then stretch out on the sand-bags for a nap. At this point +it was not possible to show a hand or a periscope or any other small +object without drawing the fire of some alert boche, but they never +shot at the cat I don't know why, superstition, perhaps. + +This old cat had two litters of kittens while she was a "member" of +our section and they were all grabbed up as soon as weaned, by both +officers and men alike. It is simply human nature to want to have a +pet of some kind and, as it was forbidden to take dogs into the lines, +the soldiers turned to the cats. Of course they were of some use in +killing mice, but the real scourge of the trenches, the giant rats, +were too big and strong for any cat to tackle. There were literally +millions of these rats. At night they appeared to be everywhere. They +would eat up any rations that were left within reach and, boldly +entering the dug-outs, would run about all over the sleeping men. It +is decidedly unpleasant to be awakened to find one of these fellows +perched on your chest and "sniff-sniff-sniffing" in your face. The men +killed them in all sorts of ways, one of the most popular of which was +to stick a bit of cheese on the end of the bayonet and, holding it +down along the bottom of the trench, wait until Mr. Rat went after the +cheese and then fire the rifle. Needless to say that rat was "na-poo," +which is soldier-French, meaning "finis." + +At Captain's Post a cat had a family of kittens, just learning to +walk, hidden in a haymow, when we were shelled unmercifully. After the +bombardment ceased, upon going up into the mow to inspect the damage, +I found them. They were all covered with brick-dust but unhurt. By +actual count, no less than five shells had burst within ten feet of +the nest in which they were hidden; in fact, the whole place was an +utter ruin, yet they came through it untouched. Then, at Sniper's Barn +there was a big black cat, wild as a fox, which had a hiding-place +somewhere among the ruins of the upper story. I had a sniping nest, +burrowed under a lot of tobacco which had been stored there, and was +occupying it one day when the Germans shelled the place. They put +several shells into that part of the building, cutting the legs off +the tripod of my telescope and burying the whole works, including +myself. But what interested and amused me most was when a shell rooted +out that cat and sent it flying down into my quarters, unhurt but so +plastered with dust from the bricks and mortar that no one would have +ever suspected it of being black. It was an entirely new variety--a +red cat. It sat and looked at me for a long time. Disgust, just plain, +every-day disgust, was written all over that animal's face. I don't +know what would have happened had I not laughed. I simply could not +help it, the sight was so funny. With my first shout the cat seemed to +"come to" and, with a terrified yowl, sped through a narrow opening +and took to the woods. + +To change the subject: Many of our men will, doubtless, be comforted +to know that in one respect Flanders is like Ireland--there are no +snakes. + +One of our guns on this line was in the upper story of an old brewery +at Vierstraat, about seven hundred yards from my position, and we +occasionally exchanged visits. One day, I was down there talking with +the boys when a five-inch (sixty pounder) shrapnel shell burst in +front of the building, the case coming right on through, into the room +where we were. It "scooted," glanced, ricochetted, or whatever you +want to call it, all around that room and you never saw such a +scampering to get out. It finally stopped, however, and one of the +boys dragged it out into the light for an examination. On the side it +was branded "BEARDMORE, SCOTLAND." Now, how do you suppose Heinie got +that? + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +OUR OWN CHEERFUL FASHION + + +On October twelfth there was a general attack along our front, to try +out some new "smoke bombs" and shells. It was the first time the smoke +barrage was used. We took our guns down about half-way to the front +line and set them up in hedge-rows and other places where we could +sweep the front in case the enemy made a counter-attack and got into +our lines. However, we were not needed, so remained spectators of +about as pretty a show as I have ever seen. At a given signal, every +gun behind our lines dropped smoke shells in a continuous row along +the line, just in front of the enemy's parapet. As each shell struck, +it burst, sending out great streamers of white smoke that soon became +a dense wall through which no one could see. Under cover of this, our +bombers advanced, threw hand grenades into the enemy trenches and then +retired. No attempt was made to take any part of the line; it was +more in the nature of a try-out for the new shells and also for the +purpose of harassing the enemy. + +Naturally, the boche, expecting a general attack, commenced to shell +everything in that part of the country and also opened up a heavy +machine-gun and rifle fire, a good deal of which came our way, but no +one was hit. On the way back to the barn, Bouchard and I were walking +side by side, perhaps three or four feet apart, when a "whizz-bang" +came right between us and struck the ground not more than ten feet in +front. In nine hundred and ninety-nine cases out of a thousand that +would have spelled our finish, but the shell struck on the edge of a +little hump, at the side of a ditch, turned sidewise and spun round +like a top. We stood there, speechless, fascinated by the peculiar +antics of the thing, until it stopped. It was a pretty toy, a 105 mm., +painted red and with a beautiful brass fuse-cap. I picked it up but as +it was too hot to handle I put on my asbestos gloves, used for +changing barrels of machine guns, and carried it "home" where I put +it away, intending to get some artilleryman to remove the fuse and +explosive so that I might keep it as a souvenir; but a bunch of boys +from the Eighteenth Battalion found it, and taking it back to their +dug-out at Ridgewood, tried to unload it themselves. Some were killed +and several wounded when the thing exploded. I afterward saw one of +those who had been wounded and he told me about it. + +At this stage of the soldier's career he is always a "souvenir +hunter," picking up and carrying around with him all sorts of things, +from German bullets to big shells. I was a fiend of the first +magnitude and collected enough stuff to stock a museum, only to have +to abandon it whenever we moved. I had French rifles, bayonets and +other equipment; German ditto and about every size and type of shell +and fuse that was used on our front. Whenever we moved I would bury or +cache the whole lot, in the hope that I could get back for it some +day. But the fever finally wore off, and I got so that I would not +even pick up a German helmet. Now, of course, I wish I had some of +that stuff to show the folks. + +On the fifteenth of October we went into the front line; a line which +we, alternating with the Twentieth Battalion, were destined to hold +until the following April. About this time the rains set in "for +keeps" and we were seldom dry or warm or clean for nearly six months. +Mud, mud, nothing but mud--mud without any bottom. We had no trenches, +proper; they were simply sand-bag barricades between us and the enemy +and it was a continual struggle to keep them built up. They would ooze +away like melting butter. + +When the deadlock came, in the fall of 1914, and the opposing armies +lay entrenched, from the North Sea to Switzerland, it found the +Germans occupying the dominating heights, with our forces hanging on, +as best they could, to positions on the lower ground. + +This was the case at the point where we were located. Our sector +(about eleven hundred yards for the battalion frontage) extended from +the Voormezeele-Wytschaete road, northward to the bottom of the hill +at the top of which was the village of St. Eloi. Directly opposite our +left was Piccadilly Farm, located on a hill about ten meters higher +than our lines. From there toward the right, the enemy line gradually +descended until, at the right of our line, it was only about two +meters higher. The distance between the front lines varied from about +seventy yards, at the right, to about two hundred and fifty yards at +the left. The net result of this situation was that the Germans could +dig trenches of considerable depth, draining the water out under their +parapets or into two small streams which ran from their lines to ours. +They had a playful habit of damming up these streams until an +unusually hard rain would come, when they would open the gates and +give us the benefit of the whole dose. I have seen the water in these +streams rise seven feet within less than an hour and there were times +when in one of our communication trenches it was over a man's head. A +soldier of the West York's regiment was drowned in this trench one +night. + +Under such conditions, it was impossible for us to dig. All we could +do was to construct sand-bag parapets or barricades, while our +so-called "dug-outs" consisted of huts constructed of sand-bags, +roofed with corrugated iron and covered with more sand-bags. They +afforded protection from shrapnel and small shell fragments, but, of +course, not against direct hits from any kind of shells. Even a little +"whizz-bang" would go through them as though they were egg-shells. All +the earth thereabouts was of the consistency of thick soup and our +parapet had a habit of sloughing away just about as fast as we could +build it up. As a matter of fact, our communication trenches did +become completely obliterated and we had no recourse but to go in and +out of the trenches "overland." At night this was not so bad, although +we were continually losing men from stray bullets. But when it was +necessary, as it sometimes was, to go in or out in daylight why, it +was a cinch that some one was going to get hit, as the enemy had had +many good snipers watching for just such opportunities. At one time, +for over two weeks more than two hundred yards of our parapet were +down, and if you went from one end of the line to the other you must +expose yourself to the full view of enemy snipers. My duties required +me to cover this stretch of trench at least twice a day. + +Our conduct in taking short cuts across the fields when the trenches +were knee-deep with mud, was scandalous in the eyes of our neighbors +of the Imperial army, as the troops from the British Isles are known. +Quite frequently we were subjected to the most scathing tongue-lashing +from officers of the old school, but we won the astonished admiration +of the Tommies by our disregard of instructions and advice. I well +remember one day when a party of us were going out through the P. & O. +communication trench and, finding the mud too deep, we climbed out and +walked across the open, whereat an old Colonel of some Highland +regiment gave us a "beautiful calling." His discourse was a +masterpiece of fluent soldier talk and, as a Scot usually does when +excited, he lapsed into the "twa-talk" of his native Hielans. I can +remember his last words, which were to the effect that: "Ye daft +Cany-deens think ye're awfu' brave but I tell ye the noo it's no +bravery; it's sheer stupidity." Of course he was right, but we could +not allow the small matter of a bullet or two to stand in the way of +our getting out in time for tea, and finally they gave it up in +disgust and allowed us to "go to hell in our own cheerful fashion," as +they said. + +With the assistance of the engineers, we finally succeeded in +constructing a new line, slightly in the rear of the old one which was +abandoned except for a couple of machine-gun positions and a listening +post. We also managed to get out a fairly good barbed-wire +entanglement along most of the front. Fritz appeared to be having his +troubles, too, so did not bother us much at night. We always got a few +shells every day and usually quite a number of rifle grenades and +"fish-tail" aerial torpedoes, but they did very little damage. Here +was where the mud was our friend, for, unless a shell dropped squarely +on the top of you, it would do no harm. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +SNIPER'S BARN + + +Just as streets and roads must have their names, so must all trenches +have official designations. This applies also to localities, farms, +cross-roads, woods and such places which have no "regular" names or +which possess Flemish or French names difficult of pronunciation by +the soldiers. + +Front-line trenches are usually designated by letters or numbers, +running in regular order, from right to left in each sector. Certain +important points may have special names. Communication trenches are +always given distinctive names. Probably the majority of these names +are those of prominent streets and roads in England, especially in +London. At Messines we had "Surrey Lane," "Stanley Road" and "Plum +Avenue" for communication trenches, while our front line embraced the +whole series of "C" trenches. During the winter we occupied the "N" +and "O" front-line trenches, while our communication trenches bore +such names as "Poppy Lane," "Bois Carre" (afterward called "Chicory +Trench" because it ran through a chicory field), and the "P. & O." so +named because it entered the front line at the junction of the "O" and +"P" trenches and P. & O. is so much easier to say than O. & P. At St. +Eloi, "Convent Lane" and "Queen Victoria Street" were examples of the +communication trenches, while the front-line positions were designated +by numbers, as elsewhere explained. Originally, they were called the +"O" and "R" trenches. Opposite Hill 60 (so named because it is sixty +meters above sea level), the numbering method was continued in the +front line, while the communication trenches included "Petticoat +Lane," "Fleet Street" and "Rat Alley." At various places along the +lines you would find "Marble Arch," "Highgate," "Piccadilly Circus," +and so on. + +Supporting points were generally designated as "S. P. 7" (or other +number), or as "Redoubts" with identifying names. In one place we had +the "Southern, Eastern and Western" redoubts along the edges of a +certain wood. + + +_WYTSCHAETE MAP_. + + _The reproduction on the opposite page is a section from the map + known as Wytschaete. Here are Shelley Farm, White Horse Cellars + and St. Eloi, with the British front line shown by faint dashes, + crossing the road that runs through White Horse Cellars, at + figure 2. The German trenches, indicated by irregular black + lines, are close to the British front at this point, but run + sharply away down to Piccadilly Farm and beyond on the left. The + trenches on this map are corrected to February 20th_, 1916. + _Sniper's Barn that figures so thrillingly in Captain McBride's + experiences is shown at the extreme left of the map, only the + word Barn appearing._ + +[Illustration: Wytschaete Map] + + +Sometimes the original Flemish names were retained for the farms, +chateaux and cross-roads, but more often they would be Anglicized by +our map makers. Thus we had "Moated Grange," "Bus House," "Shelley +Farm," "Beggar's Rest," "Dead Dog Farm," "Sniper's Barn," "Captain's +Post," "Maple Copse," the "White Chateau" and the "Red Chateau," "Dead +Horse Corner," "White Horse Cellars" and so on, indefinitely. +"Scottish Wood" was so named for the London Scottish who made a famous +charge there in the early part of the war. Hallebast Corner was +changed by the soldier to "Hell-blast" Corner, just as Ypres became +"Wipers" and Ploegstert was translated into "Plugstreet." As to the +estaminets, (drinking places), while many retained their original +names, such as "Pomme d'Or," "Repos aux Voyageurs" or "Herberg in der +Kruisstraat," such names as "The Pig & Whistle" and "Cheshire Cheese" +were not uncommon. + +"Shrapnel Corners" and "Suicide Corners" were numerous and had merely +a local significance. The names are self-explanatory. "Gordon Farm," +where the Gordon Highlanders had stopped for a time, and "School +Farm," where we had a bombing and machine-gun school, were other +examples. "Hyde Park Corner," afterward changed to "Canada Corner," +was an important junction point of the roads back of our lines. +"Bedford House" was a name given to a chateau which the Bedfords once +occupied. It would require a large book to enumerate them all. + +Our line was at the exact spot where the Princess Pat's first went +into action and several of them were buried in our trenches, together +with many others, both French and English. In fact, it was difficult +to dig anywhere for earth to fill sand-bags without uncovering bodies. +The whole place was nothing more nor less than one continuous grave. +There were a great many crosses, put up by comrades, giving name, date +and organization, but hundreds had no mark other than the cross, +sometimes inscribed "an unknown soldier," but more often unmarked. +Here one of our sergeants found the grave of his brother, who had been +serving in the King's Royal Rifles and I noticed another cross near by +marked with the name of Meyers, Indianapolis, Indiana, said to have +been the first man of the Princess Pat's killed in action. There was a +maze of old French and English trenches, some in front of our line and +some behind it and all more or less filled with bodies that had never +been buried. Some of the Indian troops had fought here and had left +many of their number behind. Whenever it was possible, we buried the +bodies, but often they were in such positions that this was impossible +and any attempt to do so would only have resulted in further losses. I +nearly forgot to mention it; but there were plenty of Germans mixed up +with the lot; in one small area, just in front of a farm building, +some five hundred yards in our rear, I found eight of them. Inside the +building was a dead French soldier who, as we figured it out, had +accounted for the eight boches before they got him. This place was +called Sniper's Barn. + +While our artillery had been considerably increased, it was still far +below that of the enemy in number or size of guns, and the ammunition +supply was so short that each gun was limited to a very few rounds a +day. It was only during the following summer that the English caught +up with the Germans in artillery. This, naturally, did not tend to +cheer up the men. It was aggravating, to say the least, to have the +other fellow sending over "crumps" without limit, and be able to send +back nothing but six or eight "whizz-bangs." ("Crump" is the general +name for high-explosive shells of from 4.1 up, but the commonest size +is the 5.9 or 150 mm.) + +Having been so successful at the strafing at Messines, our Colonel was +anxious that we continue the game here and I was delegated to locate a +good position and "go to it." After going over all the ground back of +our lines, I decided to try the experiment of placing the gun in a +small hedge which ran across the lower end of an old garden or +orchard, in front of Sniper's Barn; that is, on the side toward the +enemy. It looked rather foolhardy, at first glance, for the place was +in plain sight from the German lines and only about five hundred yards +away at the nearest point; but I remembered our experience at our +first strafing place and depended on Heinie to jump to the conclusion +that we were in the farm buildings, and devote his attention to them. +It worked; he "ran true to form," as a race horse man would say, and +while we maintained a gun, and sometimes two, in that place for six +months, and the boche shot up the barn regularly during all that time, +there was never a shell, apparently, directed at our position, and +except for an occasional "short," none burst near us. + +From there we would shoot, day and night, often, at the first, having +our targets where we could "see 'em fall," a very unusual occurrence +for a machine gunner, save during a general engagement. Of course we +would have to get into the position before daylight and remain until +dark as the way to and from it was exposed to view from "across the +way." + +Here we worked out many of the constantly recurring problems which +confront the machine gunner in the field, and which are, as a rule, +overlooked or neglected during the preliminary training. As our own +soldiers will have to contend with the same conditions, I may mention +some of them. + +One of the first things we discovered was that while all the +small-arms ammunition issued was made pursuant to uniform +specifications, furnished by the War Office, a large percentage of it +was manufactured in new, hastily equipped factories, by partially +trained workmen, and while it was apparently near enough to the +standard to pass the tests exacted by the inspectors, only an +extremely small proportion would function properly in machine guns or +other automatic arms. A few of the old standard brands, made in +government arsenals or by the prominent, long-established private +manufacturers, could be depended upon at all times, but, +unfortunately, these brands were comparatively scarce and hard to get. +At least seventy-five per cent. of what we received was the product of +the small, new and ill-equipped factories, established under the +press of war demands, and, while it appeared to work satisfactorily in +the ordinary rifles, both Enfield and Ross, it was utterly useless for +machine guns. The difference of a minute fraction of an inch in the +thickness of the "rim" would break extractors as fast as they could be +replaced, while various other irregularities, so small as to be +undiscoverable without the most accurate measurements by delicate +micrometers, would cause stoppages and the breaking of different small +parts. And, at that time, spare parts were almost unknown, so it +required the utmost ingenuity on the part of the gunners to improvise, +with what materials could be found on the spot, and with the very few +tools at hand, many of the small but all-important parts that go to +make up the interior economy of the guns. + +All automatically operated firearms are, of necessity, very delicately +balanced mechanisms. Whether gas or recoil operated, there must be +just sufficient power obtained from the firing of one shot to overcome +the normal friction of the working parts, eject the empty cartridge +case, withdraw a new cartridge from the belt or magazine, load it +properly in the chamber and fire it; continuing this action as long as +the trigger, or other firing device, is kept pressed or until the belt +or magazine is emptied. Ammunition which does not give the proper +amount of pressure or cartridges which, through faulty manufacture, +cause an undue amount of friction, either in seating them in the +chamber, withdrawing them from the belt or in removing the fired case, +will not operate the gun properly and will cause "jams." On the other +hand, ammunition which develops too much pressure or creates too +little friction, will cause breakages because of the excess jar and +hammering of the moving parts. + +We utilized parts of cream separators, sewing machines, baby +carriages, bicycles and various agricultural implements, found in and +around the old Belgian farms, and it soon became common talk that we +could make every part of a machine gun excepting the barrel. We +learned that there was a certain bolt, a part of the rifle carrier on +the French bicycle, which was an exact duplicate of an important part +of our guns, so, whenever we found one of those old, broken and +abandoned cycles, we would take time to remove this particular part +and carry it along for emergencies. This is but one instance of many. + +Then, there was the matter of concealing the flash, when firing at +night. As the position we occupied was in plain view of the enemy +lines, to have fired without some device to prevent the flash being +seen would, inevitably, have resulted in a concentration of fire upon +us which would have rendered the position untenable. We tried many +schemes, from the crude "sand-bag" screen to the most elaborate +devices made in the armorer's shops, while back in billets, and +finally perfected one which was thoroughly satisfactory. I can not +describe it here, as I hope to see it used by our soldiers in France, +but I can say that, out of probably fifty different contrivances made +for the same purpose, this was the only one that "filled the bill" +from every standpoint. + +As most of our firing was done at night, it was necessary to improve +the manner of mounting and "laying" the guns as we soon found that the +methods taught at the training schools and the lamps and other +mechanical devices furnished by the authorities were of no use under +actual service conditions. + +The various schemes and devices which we originated and elaborated are +at the disposal of the proper military authorities in this country +but, obviously, can not be described here. + +The foreign officers, British and French, who are now in this country +acting as instructors and advisers are doing everything in their power +to impress upon our officers and men the necessity for keeping up to +date in all the various and complicated departments of military +training, even to the exclusion of many of the pet ideas of some of +the most accomplished instructors in our service schools. The trouble +with us is that we have not, and never have had, any machine gunners +in the United States Army. By this I mean men skilled in machine +gunnery as applied to present-day warfare. The evolution of +machine-gun tactics is, perhaps, the most outstanding feature of the +whole war. From being, as it was considered four years ago, merely an +emergency weapon or, as the text-book writers were pleased to call it, +"a weapon of opportunity," it has become the most important single +weapon in use in any army, not even excepting the artillery. A +properly directed machine-gun barrage is far more difficult to +traverse than anything the artillery can put down and the combination +of artillery and machine guns, working together, whether on the +offensive or defensive, represents the highest point ever attained in +the effective use of fire in battle. + +Our instructors have been technical theorists of the very highest +order, basing their theories and working out their problems on the +experience furnished by previous wars and of course it is difficult +for them to realize that nearly every hypothesis which they have +assumed in working out their theories has been proved false. They can +not believe that "fire control" of infantry, as taught in the school +of fire, has no place in modern trench warfare. It will break the +hearts of some of them to learn that the ability to read a map and +use a prismatic compass is of far more value than knowledge of the +"mil-scale" or "fire-control rule." They will probably be scandalized +by the statement, which I make seriously and with full knowledge +whereof I speak, that one common shovel and an armful of sand-bags are +worth more than all the range-finders that have been or ever will be +bought for the use of machine gunners. + +Every foot of ground in France, Belgium and Germany has been so +thoroughly and accurately mapped that there need be no such thing as +estimating ranges. You _know_ the range; you do not have to depend on +mental or mechanical estimates. And, as machine-gun fire is almost +entirely indirect fire, the guns must be laid by using map, compass, +protractor and clinometer (quadrant), in exactly the same manner as +artillery fire is directed. The average machine gunner will probably +go through the whole war without ever seeing a live enemy--excepting +prisoners. The various methods of controlling indirect fire by +resection, base lines and observation from two or more points are, +like the use of an auxiliary aiming point, useless in trench warfare. +They are fine in theory and afford much interesting diversion on the +training ranges, but when you go to war, why, it can't be done, that's +all. + +[Illustration: Highlanders with a Maxim Gun] + +This is a common, plain, hard-headed business proposition: where the +only idea is to kill as many of the enemy as possible before he kills +you, it has been found that the oldest, crudest and most primitive +methods have, in many cases, proved the most effective for the +attainment of this end. + +Never before has it been of such vital importance to train the +individual soldier, whether he be rifleman, bomber, machine gunner or +any other specialist, so that he can "carry on" without the direction +of an officer. The officer must plan everything in advance; he must +look after the health and comfort of his men, see that they are +properly equipped and supplied, must station them in their appointed +positions, make frequent personal inspections and, finally, lead them +in the advance. But in every engagement there comes a time when every +man is "on his own," when it is impossible for the officer, if he be +still living, to direct the action. The idea that an officer can +exercise "fire control" as taught in our service schools, or can +personally direct the fire of a number of machine guns, once the +action has started, is ridiculous. The limits of one man's sphere of +action, at such a time, are extremely small. If the men have been +properly instructed, beforehand, and then given a good start, they +will do the rest. It is just this ability to assimilate individual +instruction that has made the Canadian superior to the native-born +Briton. He is better educated, as a rule, has lived a freer and more +varied life and, as a result, possesses that initiative and individual +ingenuity which are so often necessary at the critical stages of a +fight. We have every reason to expect that the American soldier, for +these same reasons, will prove to be at least the equal of the +Canadian--the finest type of fighting man yet developed by this war. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +GETTING THE FLAG + + +We soon fell into the routine of moving; from front line to support; +from support to the front line and back to reserve. For some time +these movements were uncertain but we finally settled down to a +regular schedule, which was maintained, with few breaks, throughout +the winter. When the time came to go into the reserve, the rest of the +battalion would go back to LaClytte but the Emma Gees went only to the +Vierstraat-Brasserie line before described. From there detachments +would alternate in going back to the battalion billets for a bath and +clean clothing. Some of us rigged up our own bath house in Captain's +Post, so found it unnecessary to go any farther. Personally, there was +only one day in three months when I was out of sight of the German +lines. We had comfortable quarters where we were and the towns of +Dickebusch and LaClytte had no attractions for me; and as to the +battalion billets, they were abominable. They consisted of so-called +huts which were simply floors with roofs over them: no walls at all; +just a sloping, tent-like roof on top of a rough board floor. Outside, +they were partly banked up and plentifully smeared with mud, +camouflaged, as it were. The British made it a practise at that time +to keep their troops out of the inhabited towns that were within range +of the enemy's guns, so as not to give any excuse for shelling them. +LaClytte was a very small town of but a few hundred native +inhabitants, but Dickebusch, situated about midway between the lines +and LaClytte, was a city of several thousands. In both places were +hundreds of refugees from the ruined towns to the eastward. + +However, it seemed to make little difference to the boche; he shelled +both towns, intermittently, killing a number of civilians but very +rarely hitting a soldier. Later, in the spring of 1916, they started +in to wipe out Dickebusch, and, for all practical purposes, they +succeeded. I will speak of this in a later chapter. + +Where opposing lines are so close together, say less than one hundred +yards apart, and the ground is level and star shells are going up +almost continuously, it would seem to be nearly an impossibility for +any man or number of men to venture out into No Man's Land without +being seen and fired upon by the enemy. But with certain members of +each organization it is merely a part of the daily routine. Every +night they slip over the parapet and, in small groups, patrol up and +down the line, constantly on the alert to prevent any surprise attack +by the enemy. But this is not all. There are times, at all points, +when it is necessary to put out new barbed wire or repair the old; +when large parties of men must go out there and work for hours, within +a stone's throw of a vigilant and merciless enemy. Occasionally they +are discovered and have trouble, but in the great majority of cases +the work is done and every one gets back unhurt. + +How is it done? Simply a matter of training and careful preparation. +Every man is rehearsed in his work until he can do it perfectly, +quickly and without noise. Materials are carefully checked up and +distributed and, each man having a certain specified task and no +other, there is no confusion or blundering. They all know that, when a +flare goes up near by, they must "freeze" in whatever position they +may be. Movements of any kind would be sure to discover them to the +enemy lookout, but lacking that movement it is a hundred-to-one shot +they will be undetected. + +There have been a good many instances where a flag has been planted by +the enemy, on his parapets or inside his wire, with a challenge to any +one to come over and get it. There was one such opposite our position. +Many stories had been told about that flag: The Brandenburgers had it +first, then the French got it and passed it along to the English, who +relieved them; then the Prussians took it away from the British and +had held it ever since; for about a year, in fact. We could see it, +plainly enough; a dark blue affair with some sort of a device in +yellow in the center. I often noticed it from our position back at +Sniper's Barn and had some rather hazy ideas about going over after +it. + +One dark rainy night in November, a man in the section named Lucky +announced that he was going over to Fritz's line to try to locate a +new machine-gun emplacement which we had reason to believe had been +recently constructed. He slipped over the parapet where a road ran +through our lines and those of the enemy. It was only about seventy +yards across at this point. + +Working his way through our wire, he crawled along the side of the old +disused road, there being a shallow ditch there which afforded a +little concealment. The flares were going up frequently and progress +was, of course, very slow. At one place the body of a soldier was +lying in the ditch and, in trying to roll it out of the way, he pulled +off one of the feet. By creeping along, inch by inch, he finally +reached the enemy's wire and spent about an hour working through it. +Then crawling along the outside of the parapet, stopping often to +listen, he soon found the loophole of the new gun emplacement. Taking +a sheet of paper which he had brought for the purpose, he fastened it +directly below the loophole where it would be in plain sight from our +lines but invisible to the occupants of the place. His work done, he +was about to start back when he happened to think of that flag and +concluded to have a try for it. It was probably a hundred yards or +more down the trench from where he then was and it required the utmost +care to avoid making a noise as the front of the parapet, as is always +the case, was thickly strewn with tin cans and rubbish of all sorts. +Lucky had been a big game hunter in Canada, however, and had even +stalked the wily moose which is about the last word in "still +hunting," so he managed to negotiate the distance without detection +and finally reached the flag. + +Carefully feeling up along the staff, he discovered that it was +anchored with wires which ran into the ground and then he remembered +the tales that had been told of how it was attached to a bomb or small +mine which would be exploded if the flagstaff were disturbed. That was +a common German trick and not at all unlikely in this case, but, +after thinking the matter over, he decided to make an attempt to +unfasten the wires. This did not take long, after which all that +remained was to pull out the staff and "beat it." Taking his pistol in +his right hand, to be ready for emergencies, and reaching up with the +left, he gave the pole a sharp jerk. Well, there must have been +another wire, somewhere, connected up with two "fixed rifles," aimed +directly at the stick for, when he pulled on it, two rifle reports +rang out and two bullets hit the flagstaff, cutting it off just below +his hand which was also slightly cut. Quickly rolling down into a +slight depression he hugged the flag to him and lay quiet, while the +Germans, aroused by the shots, immediately opened fire with rifles, +which were soon joined by; a machine gun. They could not hit him where +he was so he just lay still and waited. Suddenly, without warning, +they fired a flare light directly over his head. He told me afterward +that was the only time he was really scared. He thought it was a bomb. +However that soon passed and the firing having died down, he made his +way back to our lines with the flag which he gave to the Colonel the +next morning. "And they gave him a medal for that." + +On another occasion, one of our scouts made his way through the German +line and having located a battery in the rear, started back, only to +discover that the place where he had come over was now occupied by +several soldiers, and, being unable to find another opening, was +obliged to hide out and remain inside the enemy's lines all day. The +next night he managed to slip back, none the worse for his adventure. + +Such things are being done every night and some men consider it the +greatest sport in the world to go out alone and spend hours under the +lee of a German parapet listening to the Heinies talk. Soon after +that, orders were issued in our brigade that no one was to go out +alone so when we wanted to prowl around we had to start in pairs. As +soon as we were over the parapet we would split and each go his way, +to meet later at an appointed place. One man, alone, can get away +with a lot of things that would be impossible for two, but we observed +the letter, if not the spirit, of the order. + +We had cleared out one of the compartments of the big barn at +Captain's Post, carefully plugging up all the shell-holes with +sand-bags and other materials so that no light could filter through, +and there, at night, would build a great fire in the middle of the +stone floor and proceed to enjoy ourselves. Usually one or two guns +would do a little strafing every night: simply going out into the +field in front of the building and setting up the gun in a convenient +shell-hole. After a while, from our own observations and from +information supplied by the artillery, we occasionally located an +enemy battery within range of our guns. Then we would have a regular +"strafing party." Laying all the guns so as to deliver a converging +fire on the battery position, we would, as soon as it was dark, open +up on them, knowing that they would be moving about in the open and +exposed to fire. We could always tell when we had "stung" them, for +they would invariably come back at us with a tremendous fire, +shooting wildly at everything within our lines in the vain endeavor to +locate us. I'll bet we caused them to expend a hundred thousand rounds +of perfectly good ammunition in this way, but we never had a man hit +while at the game. The German is not much of a hand for night +artillery work unless you stir him up, but we could always get a rise +out of him, and often did it, just for amusement. This is what is +called "getting his wind up." The same thing can be done in the front +line by a few men opening up with five or ten rounds, rapid fire, +directed just over Heinie's parapet. In nearly every case, he will +commence shooting blindly toward our lines: the contagion will spread +and, the first thing you know, he will have wasted about a million +rounds. + +[Illustration: A Light Vickers Gun in Action] + +Here, as in most parts of the line, except during an engagement, +cooking was done right in the front trenches. The method is to use a +brazier made from an old iron bucket, punched full of holes, in which +charcoal or coke is burned. As we seldom had charcoal, it was +necessary to start the fire before daylight, using wood to ignite +the coke which made no smoke but, with careful nursing, could be made +to burn all day. The presence of smoke always drew the fire of rifle +grenades, trench-mortar shells and even artillery. It was one of our +favorite forms of amusement to locate a cook house and shoot it up; +and when a shell made a direct hit, if, among the pots and pans flying +through the air, we could distinguish a German cap or something that +looked like a part of a boche, there was much rejoicing in our lines. +Of course it was a game at which two could play and we were not immune +by any means. + +These little things helped to keep up the interest and break the +monotony of the work. About this time the famous Lahore Battery, from +the Indian city of that name, was added to the artillery behind our +sector; and they appeared not to be restricted in the number of rounds +per day which they were permitted to fire. I remember the first time +they did any shooting over our heads. It was the day after they had +"registered in" that a large working party was discovered on +Piccadilly Farm, directly opposite our left. When the F. O. O. +(forward observing officer) was informed of it, he had a good look +through his periscope binoculars and then called up the Lahore Battery +and, without any preliminary ranging shots, ordered "forty rounds per +gun." As they had six guns, they poured in the shells at the rate of +about one hundred a minute and they certainly did make things fly in +and about that farm. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +HUNTING HUNS + + +During October the casualties in the Machine Gun Section were only +three wounded, McNab, Redpath and Jack Lee all getting hit on the same +day. They were sent back to England. At that time it was not +considered the proper thing for a man to go back if he could, by any +means, "carry on" and these three were all bitterly disappointed when +they found that they would have to leave the section. There came a +time, all too soon, when a "Blighty" was the finest present a man +could get; the loss of a few fingers or even a hand or foot being +considered not too high a price to pay to get out of hell for a few +months. + +When the weather was very bad there was but little sniping-going on, +so we often went in and out of the lines "overland" in broad daylight. +Sunday, November fourteenth, was one such occasion. We had not been +relieved until noon by the Twentieth Battalion who had taken a very +roundabout way to get in, so I put it up to all my crowd to choose +whether we should spend several hours going around or take a chance +down the open road. They unanimously decided on the road, so I started +out ahead, with instructions for them to follow at about fifty-yard +intervals, and in this fashion we walked down at least four hundred +yards of open road, every foot of which was in plain sight of the +German lines, and got under cover of a small hill without a single +shot being fired. From this point it was necessary to cross another +small open space but, as it was partly screened by bushes and trees, +we did not consider it dangerous. + +We had a redoubt concealed in the small hill mentioned and I stopped +to arrange about the relief of the gun crew stationed there. The +remainder of the party, except Charlie Wendt, continued on their way +and soon disappeared in the woods. Charlie stayed a few minutes and +then said: "I'll go on ahead, Mac, and wait for you at the Eastern +Redoubt." He started out across the field and I continued my talk +with Endersby, who was in charge of the local gun, when, all at once, +I heard some one call out: "Oh, Mac," and looked to see Wendt on the +ground about one hundred yards away waving his hand to me. Endersby +immediately ran to him and I followed as soon as I could drop part of +the heavy load I was carrying. On reaching him I found that he had +been shot through the abdomen. Just then another bullet snapped beside +us, so I told Endersby to get back to the redoubt and telephone for +stretcher-bearers, while I bandaged the wound. Charlie remarked: +"Well, they got me, but I hope you get about ten of them for me." I +assured him that we would and told him to keep his nerve and he would +come through all right. He was a very strong, clean-living young man +and I really thought he had a chance. He did not think so, saying he +was afraid the doctors would have some difficulty in patching up such +a hole. He did not cry out nor make the slightest complaint but kept +assuring me that "everything is all right." + +Meantime, the sniper was keeping up a continuous fire, hitting +everything in the neighborhood but me, at whom he was shooting. It was +such a miserable exhibition of marksmanship--only about five hundred +yards distant and a bright clear day--that I told Charlie I would be +ashamed to have such a poor shot in our outfit. Any American soldier +who could qualify as a marksman would scarcely miss such a target and +a sharpshooter or expert rifleman would be forever disgraced if he +made less than the highest possible score. However, I forgave that +fellow; being a German he could not be expected to know how to shoot +straight at any range beyond three hundred meters. The shot that hit +Charlie was just a "luck shot," but that did not help much. + +I tried to drag him along toward a slight depression, but it hurt him +so I desisted and waited for the stretcher-bearers. When I saw them +approaching I called a warning and had one of them crawl to us with +the small trench stretcher, on which we managed to get Charlie into a +sheltered place, where they shifted him to a long litter and started +out with him. The last thing he said was: "It's all right, Mac; +everything is all right; don't you worry." + +They did all they could for him while I had to go back and get the +machine gun that he had dropped. The fellow across the way showed +perseverance, at any rate, and kept up his "schutzenfest" as long as I +was in sight but without result. + +Next day we learned that Charlie had died and was buried at Bailleul. +He was not only one of the most popular men in the section, but was +the first we had had killed and we all felt very much depressed. I got +a permit to go to Bailleul to see whether or not he had been properly +buried and there made my first acquaintance with the G. R. C. We had +often seen those letters, followed by a number, on the crosses, in +trenches, in cemeteries or along the roads, but none knew what they +meant. At Bailleul I found the head office of the "Graves Registration +Commission" and, within five minutes, knew where Wendt was buried and +the number of his grave. This wonderful organization undertakes to +furnish a complete record of the burial place of every soldier. Where +suitable crosses have not been provided, they furnish one, bearing an +aluminum plate showing the name, number, regiment and date of death +wherever this information is available. Now they have gone even +further and are compiling a photographic record of all known graves so +that relatives, writing to the Commission, can secure not only a +verbal description but an actual photograph of the loved one's grave. + +I went back and began to plan ways and means of "getting" Charlie's +ten boches, but a day or two later something happened to alter my +scheme to a certain extent. + +At that time, our ration parties were going out just before daylight, +as we had no communication trench and had to cross the open and +exposed ground behind our line. The two, who went from one of the +guns, however, Dupuis and Lanning, were a little bit late, so that it +was light when they started out. About fifty yards down the road was +a bend, afterward called the Devil's Elbow. From this point, they were +in plain sight from the enemy line and, no sooner had they reached the +Elbow than a sniper fired and got Lanning through the lungs. As he +fell, Dupuis knelt down to assist, when he received a bullet through +the head, killing him instantly. One of our detachment of +stretcher-bearers (composed of the members of our pipe band) was +located but a few yards away and, without hesitation, one of the +"Scotties" dashed out to help the fallen men. He was instantly shot +down, as were three others in succession, who attempted to get to the +spot. By this time an officer arrived and prevented more of the men +from running out. This officer, by crawling carefully down a shallow +ditch alongside the road, managed with the assistance of a sergeant to +recover all the bodies. Four were dead and two wounded, one of whom +died a few hours later. These stretcher-bearers were unarmed and wore +the broad white brassard with the red cross conspicuously displayed on +their sleeves. The sniper was only about one hundred yards distant +and could not possibly have failed to see this mark. + +Then and there I registered a silent vow that these men, to paraphrase +Kipling: + + ". . . should go to their God in state: + _With fifty file of Germans, to open them Heaven's + gate._" + +Later, I was to see other and worse happenings along that same road, +but, at that time, I considered this as about the limit. + +The officer who had done such splendid work in recovering the wounded +men was himself killed about an hour later, together with one of his +sergeants and two men, by a shrapnel shell. He was the first officer +we had lost in the battalion, Lieutenant Wilgress, and had been very +popular, with officers and men alike. + +It was a sad day for us, that twenty-seventh of November, 1915, and +yet it was one of those days when "there is nothing to report from the +Ypres salient." + +[Illustration: Canadian Machine Gun Section Getting Their Guns Into +Action.] + +Next day I asked and received permission to go back a few miles to a +sniper's school, where I got a specially targeted rifle, equipped +with the finest kind of a telescopic sight. I only remained long +enough to sight it in and get it "zeroed" and was back again in front +that same night. + +"Zeroing" a rifle is the process of testing it out on a range at known +distances and setting the sights to suit one's individual +peculiarities of aiming. Having once established the "zero" the +marksman can always figure the necessary alterations for other ranges +or changed conditions of wind and light. + +From that time on, I "lived" in Sniper's Barn. It made no difference +whether the battalion was in the front line or in billets, I was there +for a purpose and I accomplished it. When the guns were in the front +or in support, we had one mounted in the hedge and kept the rifle +handy. Bouchard, with a large telescope, and I with my binoculars, +scanned everything along the enemy's front and behind his lines. We +knew the ranges, to an inch. If one or two men showed, I used the +rifle; if a larger number, the machine gun. + +Prior to this time, during all the very bad weather, we had ample +opportunities to shoot individual Germans from our Sniper's Barn +position but had refrained because our own men were also necessarily +exposing themselves daily, and to have started a sniping campaign +would have done us no particular good and would certainly have +resulted in additional deaths on our side. It seems that the troops +opposed to us up to this time had been Saxons who were quite well +satisfied to leave us alone provided we would do the same by them. Of +course we did shoot them occasionally when they became too careless +and exposed themselves in groups, but that was perfectly legitimate +machine-gun work and taught them a well-needed lesson. Now, however, a +different breed of Huns had come in and they had started the dirty +work. They were Bavarians alternating with Marines, and we soon +learned that for genuine low-down cussedness the Marine had them all +beaten, although the Bavarians and Prussians were pretty bad. + +When we first began on them it was no unusual occurrence to have from +ten to twenty good open shots a day. The ranges averaged about six +hundred yards and as I was using a specially targeted Ross rifle, +equipped with the latest Warner & Swazey sight, and as I had spent +many years in learning the finer points of military rifle shooting, I +am very much afraid that some of them got hurt. For about a month we +kept it up, the "hunting" getting poorer every day until finally the +few German snipers working along the front were safely ensconced in +carefully prepared dug-outs. A boche cap above the parapet was a rare +sight, but we had our hundred, all right; and then some; for, as +Bouchard said: "We'd better get a little pay, in advance before they +'bump _us_ off.'" + +Several times in later days similar events occurred and in each case +swift and terrible retribution was meted out to the criminal enemy. +They shot down our stretcher-bearers, engaged in their noble work of +trying to save the wounded, but we took bloody toll from them whenever +this occurred, using unusual methods and taking desperate chances, +sometimes, to drive the lesson home. + +On one occasion our observers had reported a large gathering of the +enemy at a place called Hiele Farm, about eight hundred yards from our +position and I had laid two guns on them when, through our telescope, +I discovered that it was a burial party assembled in a little cemetery +just behind the farm buildings and telephoned to the officer in charge +that I did not intend to shoot up any funeral. Within a few minutes +came word than an enemy sniper had shot and killed one of our most +popular stretcher-bearers and had also fired several shots into the +wounded man whom he was bringing in, killing him also. Then, without +hesitation, I ordered both guns to open up and we maintained an +intermittent fire on that place until long after dark. We could see +numbers of Germans lying about on the ground. I have never regretted +it. + +Then, the day before Christmas, 1915, while the Twentieth Battalion +was occupying the front line and we were back in the redoubts of the +supporting line, I was up in the gun position at "S-P-7," the redoubt +just in rear of the point where the slaughter of November +twenty-seventh had taken place, when a boche shell dropped directly +in the dug-out which was my home when in the front line. It killed two +men, one I remember was named Galloway, and wounded several others. I +was so close that I could see everything that happened. One of the +wounded was in such bad shape that the only possible chance to save +his life was to get him back to a dressing station without delay. The +communication trenches were washed out and the only way was down that +ill-fated Devil's Elbow road. The officer in command called for +volunteers to carry the man out, remarking that, as it was Christmas +Eve, he did not think even a German would shoot at a wounded man or +unarmed stretcher-bearers. All hands offered to go and two were +chosen. The officer went with them and they started down the road. The +minute they reached the fatal bend, where they came in sight of the +German lines, a shot rang out and down went the first man. Another +shot and the second was down, while a third dropped the officer, who +was trying to assist the fallen. I could see each shot strike in the +water alongside the road and could tell just about the spot from +whence they came so, although we had absolute orders never to fire +from that position unless attacked, I immediately swung the gun around +and commenced to "fan" that particular spot, at the same time calling +to our signaler to get the Sixteenth Battery on the wire and call for +S. O. S. fire. (Each yard of enemy line is covered by the guns of some +one of our batteries which, when not firing, are kept "laid" on their +particular section of parapet.) Within a few moments the battery +opened up but not before at least a half dozen machine guns in our +front line had been hoisted upon the parapets and were ripping +Heinie's sand-bags across the way. During this proceeding the wounded +men were recovered from the road, but, unfortunately, both the +volunteer carriers and the man originally wounded had died. The +officer, although painfully injured, recovered. + +In retaliation for this trick, our heavy guns wiped out at least five +hundred yards of German trench. It was the most artistic job of of +work I have ever seen. From a point approximately two hundred and +fifty yards on either side of this murderer's nest we utterly +destroyed every vestige of a parapet. How many of the assassins we +killed will never be known, but our hearts were filled with unholy joy +when we could distinguish bodies or parts of enemy's bodies among the +debris thrown up by one of the big 9.2 shells. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A FINE DAY FOR MURDER + + +"Say, kid, want to go sniping?" called out a lank individual as he +came over the bridge at "S-P-7" one morning in December, 1915. + +The person addressed, a swarthy little boy wearing the uniform and +stripe of a lance-corporal of the Twenty-first Canadian Machine Gun +Section, took a long careful look around the sky, hastily swallowed a +strip of bacon he had in his fingers and as he darted into a little +"rabbit-burrow" sort of tunnel, flung back the words; "Hell, yes; this +looks like a fine day for a murder." In a few moments he reappeared +with a water-bottle and a large chunk of bread. Hastily filling the +former from a convenient petrol tin and cramming the latter into his +pockets, he walked over to the older man and divested him of some of +the paraphernalia with which he was festooned. He took a long case +containing a telescope, another carrier holding the tripod, two +bandoliers of ammunition and a large haversack. + +"How we going in?" + +"Straight across," said the sniper. + +"Ver-re-well, young-fella-me-lad, if you can stand it I can," said the +youngster, for he knew full well that to go from there to Sniper's +Barn in broad daylight meant to expose himself to observation from +"Germany," only about five hundred yards away, and with a fat chance +of playing the part of "the sniper sniped." + +Without another word they departed. The sentry on guard at the +crossing of the creek volunteered the cheerful hope that they'd get +pinked before they got across the field, upon which the boy assured +him that he would be drinking real beer in London when the pessimistic +sentry was "pushing up the daisies" in Flanders. Crossing the open +field to a hedge, they slipped into a shallow remnant of an old French +trench, just in time to escape a snapping bullet which was aimed about +one second too late. From here they crawled carefully along the hedge, +bullets cutting intermittently through the bare branches above them +and, at last, came to a small opening that gave entrance to a garden, +about one hundred yards from a group of demolished farm buildings. +Here they rested for a few minutes, while the bullets continued to +"fan" the hedge up which they had come and which led to the buildings. + +The boy--"Bou" the other called him--worked his way along the ground +to an old cherry tree and was about to lift up a sort of trap-door at +its roots when the other stopped him. + +"Never mind the gun," he said, "we'll just wait here until they do +their morning strafe and then go into the buildings. I want to try for +a few of them over on Piccadilly to-day and you can't use a machine +gun for that. You'll simply have to be the observer, that's all." + +Bou came back, lit a cigarette which the other promptly extinguished +and then subsided. + +"What you think you're going to do; shoot from the farm?" Bou couldn't +possibly keep quiet any longer. + +"Sure, Mike; why not?" + +[Illustration: Canadian Soldiers in Action with Colt Machine Guns] + +"Oh, nothing; but do you think we can get away with it?" + +"Well, you've been here as long as I have and if you have not figured +out the way the boches do things around this place I'm afraid I can't +tell you; but I'll try. Now, they saw us come over here, didn't they? +And they naturally think we are in the farm buildings. Just as soon as +that fellow who was shooting at us can get word to their batteries +they will proceed to shoot up the place. After about a dozen direct +hits they will feel pretty well satisfied that they have either driven +us out or 'na-pooed' us, so that will be our time to get inside and +take a shot at this brilliant young Bavarian who will, without a +doubt, be looking over the parapet in the hope that he may get a crack +at us trying to 'beat it.' I've been wanting to get that guinea for a +long time and have a hunch that this is our day. See?" + +Before the boy could answer there came a swift "whit; whit; whit;" and +three "bang; bang; bangs" in and above the main building of the farm. +Followed several more salvos, finally crashing through the walls and +throwing up fountains of brick-dust and earth. After waiting several +minutes they worked their way carefully along the hedge and around +behind the buildings. Entering the one nearest the road, which was a +mere shell with the roof and two walls entirely gone, they crept +cautiously across the floor, and dodging the carcass of a cow that lay +with its head in an old fireplace, they finally found themselves in a +back room. Many bales of tobacco lay piled up on the floor, covered +with the litter and wreckage from the upper story. Here the older man +uncovered an opening under the tobacco, through which they entered a +small chamber, perhaps eight feet square, comparatively clean. At one +side of this narrow space lay a figure covered with the well-known +blue overcoat of the French soldier. + +"Who's your friend?" inquired the youngster. + +"I don't know; he was here when I first came; but I think he was the +original sniper of Sniper's Barn. Look at that pile of shells beside +him." + +Near the dead soldier was his rifle and a great pile of empty +cartridge cases. + +"We'll have to bury him some day: I think he earned it. He's got a +hole right through the heart. Must have been here a year: he's all +dried up, like a mummy." + +While delivering this discourse the sniper had been carefully removing +straw and tobacco leaves from an irregular hole in the brick wall. +Here he set up the telescope and settled himself to scrutinize that +part of the German line which lay directly opposite. After a few +minutes' observation he began to clear away another and smaller +opening, to the right of and below that where the telescope was set. + +"He's there, all right: look just about four o'clock in the 'scope as +it stands. See him, right beside that leaning tree? Keep your eye on +him while I get my sight set." + +In a few seconds, everything ready for action, the tall man sprawled +himself on the floor, sling adjusted, piece loaded and cocked, while +Bou, now behind the telescope, whispered excitedly: "He's still there +and looking right at me. I can see his cap badge. He's one of those +damned Marines. Get him, Mac, for God's sake, get him, quick." + +"I'll get him, all right," muttered the other as he gingerly poked the +muzzle of his rifle through the few remaining straws. "Now watch and +see if his hands come up and whether he falls forward or just drops;" +with which he slowly pressed the trigger and the shot roared in the +small chamber. + +"You got him!" shrieked Bou; "I saw his hands come up to his face and +he pitched right forward into the trench. Hooray! that's another one +for Charlie Wendt." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +WITHOUT HOPE OF REWARD + + +All the bandsmen (we had both bagpipe and bugle bands) go into the +front line with the other troops. They are unarmed, but equipped with +first-aid kits and stretchers. It is their task to administer first +aid to all wounded and then to carry or otherwise assist them back to +the dressing stations which may be anywhere from a few hundred yards +to a mile or more, depending on the ground. When a man is hit while in +an exposed place, whether in No Man's Land or behind our lines, it is +up to the stretcher-bearers to get to him at the earliest possible +moment. I have seen these men, time after time, rush to the assistance +of a stricken soldier, knowing full well that they would immediately +become the target for snipers' bullets. Personal considerations never +appeared to enter their heads. Never, in all my experience, have I +seen one of them backward in going to the aid of a wounded man. Often +they would spend hours in the effort to bring back to the lines some +soldier too badly injured to help himself; and the pity of it was +that, on many occasions, after all their self-sacrificing labor, they +would be shot down just as they were about to come over the parapet +and into the trench. + +And all without hope of reward other than the love and admiration of +their comrades. There was a time, before this war, when such exploits +were considered worth the Victoria Cross. Now, however, they are +merely a matter of daily routine. Thousands of men are, every day, +performing deeds of valor, which in any other war would have brought +the highest decorations, without receiving even so much as an +honorable mention. Exposure to fire such as theorists had told us +would demoralize any army is merely a part of the day's work. Troops +go in and out of the trenches, often under artillery fire that, +according to our books, ought to annihilate them, and they do it +without thinking it anything unusual or worthy of comment other than +perhaps, in answer to a question, to remark: "Oh, yes, they shot us up +a bit in the P. & O." or "They handed us a few 'crumps' and 'woolly +bears' coming through Ridgewood." ("Woolly bear" is the name given to +a large, high explosive shell, with time fuse, which bursts overhead, +giving out a dense black smoke, which expands and rolls about in such +a manner as to suggest the animal for which it is named.) In fact, +nearly all the names invented by the soldier to describe the various +projectiles are so apt and expressive as to be self-explanatory. The +"Silent Lizzies," "Sighing Susans" and "Whispering Willies" belong to +the class of large caliber, long range naval gun shells which pass +over the front line so high that only a sort of whispering sound is +heard. The "middle heavies" with percussion fuses, which burst on +impact and give out a dense black smoke, have been called "Jack +Johnsons" and "coal boxes," but are now usually grouped under the +general designation of "crumps," because of the peculiar sound of +their explosion. They run all the way from 4.1 inch to 9.2 inch +calibers. Some of the very large shells are called "Grandmothers" or +"railroad trains." The French call them "marmites," meaning a large +cooking pot or kettle. The "whizz-bang" is just exactly what the name +would suggest: a small shell of very high velocity, which arrives and +bursts with such suddenness as to give no time for taking cover. Its +moral effect exceeds the material in the trenches, but it is deadly +along roads or in the open. Gas shells have a peculiar sound, all +their own, difficult to describe but never forgotten when once heard. +It has been described as a "rumbling" noise, but I think "gurgling" is +better. (It's a pity some one can not take a phonograph into the lines +and "can" some of these things.) When gas shells land they do not make +much noise, having a very small bursting charge; merely sufficient to +break the case which contains the gas in liquid form. They are often +mistaken, by new troops, for "duds" or "blinds," as we call shells +which fail to explode. As soon as the liquid gas is liberated, +however, it vaporizes and quickly spreads over a considerable area. +There are many kinds, but they can generally be distinguished by the +smell. Some are merely lachrymatory or "tear" shells; the gas +affecting the eyes in such a manner as to produce constant "weeping" +and consequent inability to see clearly. Others, however, are deadly +and one good breath will put a man out of action and a couple of +"lungfuls" will usually kill him. + +[Illustration: British Machine Gun Squad Using Gas Masks] + +About this time, I think it was December 19th, 1915, we had our first +experience with chlorine gas or "cloud gas" as distinguished from +"shell gas." The troops on our immediate left got a pretty bad dose, +but, owing to the peculiar formation of the lines and varying air +currents, we did not suffer severely from it. The lines in the Ypres +salient were so crooked that the enemy rarely attempted to use this +form of gas after the first big attack in April, 1915, as it would +frequently roll back upon his own troops. Shell gas was constantly +used, generally being fired against our positions in the rear; +artillery emplacements and such. Being well equipped with gas masks +or respirators, we suffered little harm from it. + +Christmas, 1915, was a quiet day on our front, both sides being +apparently willing to "lay off" for a day. There was no firing of any +kind and both our men and the enemy exposed themselves with impunity. +Aside from this, however, it was the same as any other day. There was +none of the visiting and fraternizing of which we heard so much on the +previous Christmas. The Germans opposite us had a number of musical +instruments and on that night and on New Year's Eve they almost sang +their Teutonic heads off. + +January passed quietly. By this time we had become so accustomed to +the mud and rain that I doubt if we would have been happy without +them. In spite of all the difficulties, we managed to get our rations +and _mail_ every day. The regular shelling had become a part of our +daily life, and the constantly growing list of killed and wounded we +accepted without comment. The Machine Gun Section was gradually losing +its original members and replacing them by drafts from the infantry +companies. It was simply a case of "Conditions continue normal in the +Ypres salient," to quote the official reports. We now maintained two +strafing guns, shifting about from one position to another whenever an +opportunity offered to harass the boche. + +That winter, 1915-16, was what they call a "wet winter," that is, it +rained continually and rarely got cold enough to freeze. With the +exception of a light flurry in late November and a fairly heavy snow +about the first of March, we never saw any of the "beautiful." A few +times there was frost enough to make thin ice, but never enough to +enable us to walk on top of the mud which was from six inches deep in +the best parts of the trench to thigh deep in the worst. We had no +rubber boots at the start but got some late in the winter. + +A peculiar affliction, first noticed during this war, is what is known +as "trench feet." Where men are required to remain for long periods +standing in cold water and unable to move about to any great extent, +the circulation of blood in the lower limbs becomes sluggish and, +eventually, stops. The result appears to be exactly the same as that +caused by severe frost-bite; in fact it _is_ freezing without frost, +(I don't know why not, if you can cook with a fireless cooker), and, +in severe cases, amputation is necessary. + +While the Imperial troops on our flank suffered considerably from this +dreaded affliction, we had but few cases, although our position was +infinitely worse than theirs, we being in lower ground. Probably the +average Canadian is better able to stand the cold and wet than the +native-born Briton. We had but one case in the Machine Gun Section and +that was not severe. + +As a preventive measure, whale oil was issued with positive orders +that every man must, at some time during each twenty-four hours, +remove his shoes and socks and rub his feet with this oil. I never did +think the oil was anything but just an excuse to make the men rub as +that in itself would be sufficient to restore the circulation. At any +rate, when the oil gave out, we still kept up the rubbing game and +there was no noticeable change in the result. + +Another hitherto unknown disease which developed during that season +was what is commonly known as "trench fever." The victim's temperature +runs up around one hundred and three and he is affected with lassitude +and general debility and it requires from three weeks to a month in +hospital to put him in shape for duty. The medical officers use a +Greek name for this fever, which, translated, means, "a fever of +unknown origin" but the colloquial designation is "G. O. K.," (God +only knows). It is rarely, if ever, fatal. I never heard of any one +dying of it. + +Then there is a sort of skin affection; a "rash," which is said to be +caused by eating so much meat, especially fats, without taking +sufficient exercise. A few sulphur baths at specially prepared places +behind the lines soon eradicate this trouble. + +Really dangerous diseases are extremely rare. Typhoid fever is almost +unknown, pneumonia is seldom heard of and even rheumatism, which one +would naturally expect to be prevalent, is by no means common. The +ratio of sickness, from all causes, was far below that in any of the +training camps in this country although never, in Canada, England, +Flanders or France, did we have as comfortable quarters as are +furnished for all the troops here. But we _did_ have at all times, +plenty of good warm woolen clothing and an abundance of substantial +food. Cotton uniforms, underwear or socks are unknown in any army +except that of the United States. Perhaps you can find the answer in +that statement. + +During February an almost continuous fight was waged for a small +length of trench on our left, known as the International Trench, +because it changed hands so often. It culminated, March second, with +the Battle of the Bluff, by which British troops took and held this +line. We were in support, as usual, and suffered rather heavily from +shell fire. This was the beginning of the spring offensive, and from +that time on we caught it, hot and heavy, for four solid months. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE WAR IN THE AIR + + +From the time we first caught sight of our guns shelling the German +airplanes there was rarely a day that we did not see many of them, +scouting, bombarding or fighting. At first, as mentioned elsewhere, +they flew very low; within easy range of machine-gun fire, but soon +began to climb to higher altitudes until, at the time of my departure, +most of their work was done from a height of about twelve thousand +feet. + +There was one of our planes, piloted by a major. I never heard his +name but he was known all up and down the line as "The Mad Major." He +was a pioneer in all the marvelous evolutions which now form an +important part of the airman's training. Side slips, spinning dives, +tail slides; all were alike to him. He would go over the enemy lines +and circle about, directing the fire of a battery, scorning to notice +the fire of the "Archies," (flyers' name for anti-aircraft guns) and +when that job was finished, would come home in a series of +somersaults, loops and spins which made one dizzy to watch. He was a +great joker and frequently, when the shell-bursts were unusually thick +around him, would come tumbling down from the sky like a shot pigeon, +only to recover at a height of several hundred feet and shoot off in a +bee line for the air dome. I've no doubt that the enemy often thought +they had "got him," but at last reports he was still there. + +I watched the planes for months without seeing one hit and had about +concluded that, to make an Irish bull, the only safe place on earth +was up in the air, when, one morning, hearing the now familiar +"put-put-put" of machine guns up above, we looked up to see one of our +large observing biplanes engaged with a very small but fast enemy +plane. The boche had all the best of it and soon our plane was seen to +slip and stagger and begin to descend. The little "wasp" came swooping +down after it, firing all the while until, when a few hundred feet +from the ground, our machine turned its nose straight downward and +crashed to earth, well behind our lines, both occupants being +instantly killed, or perhaps they had already been killed by the +bullets. The German thereupon turned and was soon back over his own +territory. That same afternoon, another of our machines was shot down, +apparently by the same man, just opposite our position, inside the +German lines. + +[Illustration: German Aeroplane Trophy--Jules Vedrine Examining the +Machine Gun] + +Shortly after this, when back in reserve, we watched another fight +directly over our heads. This was a pitiful tragedy. One of England's +best and most famous flyers, Captain Saunders, had been over the +German lines and had engaged and brought down an enemy and then, +having exhausted his ammunition, started back "home" for more, but +encountered a fast-flying boche who immediately attacked him. Being +unable to return the fire, he tried every trick known to the birdman +to escape but without avail. He came lower and lower in his evolutions +and finally settled into a wide and sweeping spiral. The boche did not +come very low as several machine guns and "Archies" opened on him. +The other plane came slowly down in its perfect spiral course and, +noticing that the engine was not running, we thought the aviator was +intending to make a landing in a large open field toward which he was +descending, but when the spiral continued until the tip of one wing +touched the ground and crumpled up we knew there was something wrong +and ran to the spot, not more than one hundred yards from where we +were standing. We got the Captain out and found that he had been shot +in the head but was still conscious. He died within a short time. + +Other of our aviators who had witnessed his first fight furnished the +beginning of the story and we could see that in the second engagement +he never fired a shot, and every one of his magazines was empty. I +examined them myself. + +The large, sausage-shaped observation balloons sometimes afford a +little diversion. When we were at Dranoutre one of them used to hang +over our billeting place. One day an enterprising Hun came flying +across and endeavored to attack it but was driven off by two of our +planes. + +Again, one of our balloons broke away in a strong wind and started +toward Germany. Both the occupants of the basket made safe parachute +descents with all their instruments and papers, but the balloon sailed +swiftly away. Then the Germans opened on it with every gun in that +sector. I feel sure that they fired at least two thousand shots at it. +The air around was so filled with the smoke of shell-bursts that it +was sometimes difficult to discern the balloon itself. It was late in +the evening and the last we saw of the "sausage" it was still +traveling eastward, apparently unhit. The joke of the whole thing is +that the balloon was never hit and, the wind veering during the night, +it returned and came down inside our lines within a few miles of its +starting place. + +On two occasions Zeppelins came over our lines, evidently returning +from raids across the Channel. One time it was night and we could only +hear, but not see the air-ship. The other time, during the St. Eloi +fight, I saw one, just at daybreak. It was in plain sight but well +over the German lines and headed east. No attempt was made to do any +bombing of our positions by the Zeppelins although we occasionally +received visits from bombing airplanes. The night before I left +France, the last time, they dropped several bombs on the village of +Ecoviers where I was staying. The only result was the killing of two +civilians, the wounding of several others and the wrecking of one of +the few whole houses in the town which had often been a victim of +shells. Not a soldier was injured. + +You have, no doubt, read of cases where bombs have been dropped on or +near hospitals, ambulances and so on, and possibly you think that this +was intentional on the part of the boche. If so you flatter him. This +bomb dropping is, at best, very uncertain business and it would be +well-nigh impossible for the most expert flyer to aim at and hit any +single building. The fact is that, in nearly every town and city +behind the lines, hospitals, ammunition stores and billets are located +in close proximity to one another, with probably a railway running +near by, so that any attempt to bomb the really important "military" +points will necessarily jeopardize the homes of non-combatants--including +hospitals. Even the Zeppelins, which are much more stable than an +airplane, have never been able to place their bombs with any degree of +accuracy. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE BATTLE OF ST. ELOI + + +No one realizes better than I the utter futility of attempting to +describe a modern battle so that the reader can really understand or +visualize it. There are no words in any vocabulary that convey the +emotions and thoughts of persons during the long days and nights of +horror--of the continual crash of the shells, the melting away or +total annihilation of parapets and dug-outs; being buried and +spattered with mud and blood; with dead and wounded everywhere and, +worst of all, the pitiful ravings of those whose nerves have suddenly +given way from shell shock. No imagination can grasp it; no picture +can more than suggest a small part of it. None who has not had the +actual experience can ever understand it. The hospital and ambulance +people back at the rear see some of the results, but even they can +have no conception of what it is like to be actually in the torment +and hell-fire _at the front_. + +I could not, if I so desired, give an accurate description of the +operations in general. I have not the necessary data as to the various +troops engaged or local results accomplished. Historians will record +all that. My field of description is limited to my field of personal +observation, which was not very extensive. I suppose, however, that I +saw as much as it was possible for any one person to see, so I shall +try to describe that part of the battle of St. Eloi in which it was my +fortune to participate. + +At the point at the southern end of the Ypres salient, where the line +turns sharply to the eastward, stood the village of St. Eloi. It +consisted of perhaps fifteen or twenty buildings of the substantial +brick and iron construction characteristic of all Flemish towns and +was situated at the intersection of the two main roads paved with +granite blocks, one running to Ypres and the other through +Voormezeele. The village itself, except for two or three outlying +buildings, was inside our lines. The portion held by the enemy, +however, included a prominent eminence, called the "Mound," which +dominated our whole line for a mile or more. This mound had been a +bone of contention for more than a year and several desperate attempts +had been made to take it; notably in February and in March, 1915, when +the Princess Pat's were so terribly cut up and lost their first +Commanding Officer, Colonel Farquhar. All these attempts having +failed, our engineers proceeded to drive tunnels and lay mines, six in +number, so as to cut off the point of the German salient for a +distance of about six hundred yards. + +All was completed; mines loaded and ready, and the time for the attack +was fixed for daybreak of the twenty-seventh of March. The mines were +to be fired simultaneously, followed immediately by an attack, in +force, by the Royal Fusiliers, the Northumberland Fusiliers and a +battalion of the West Yorkshires. Our brigade (Fourth Canadian) was +immediately to the right of the point of attack, but, as the Imperial +troops had changed their machine guns for the lighter Lewis automatic +rifles to be used with the advancing troops, it was deemed advisable +to bring up all available machine guns of the heavier types to +support the advance and to resist the inevitable counter-attacks. +These guns, twelve in number, were placed at advantageous positions on +the flanks of the attacking troops. I was only a sergeant at that +time, but, having been an officer, and having had more actual +experience in machine-gun work than the others, the direct supervision +of these guns was entrusted to me. + + +_ST. ELOI MAP_ + + _The map on the opposite page is known as St. Eloi map. It is + particularly interesting as showing, very faintly, a great group + of mine craters within the British lines. No. 1 can be seen in + the lower left section just above the horizontal fold in the map + and to the left of the perpendicular. Here the British line comes + in at the lower left corner, where it almost immediately + branches, passing through figures 44 and 77, joining the main + line again at the left and below Shelley Farm. Within this loop + are the six enormous mine craters. No. 2 is immediately to the + right of figure 96, while 3, 4 and 5 are in a line with it just + to the right of the perpendicular fold. The faint dotted line + that comes to an apex just below St. Eloi is the British trench + known as Queen Victoria Street. This map is made from air + photographs dated March 5th, 1916._ + +[Illustration: St. Eloi Map] + + +We got all the guns up and in place during the night of the +twenty-sixth. In addition, our people brought up a great many trench +mortars of different calibers, with enormous quantities of ammunition. +We then sat down to wait for the "zero" hour, meaning the time for the +show to begin. I took my position at our extreme left, as I wanted to +be where I could see everything. + +Promptly at the appointed time, the mines were fired and then ensued +the most appallingly magnificent sight I have ever witnessed. There +was little noise but the very earth appeared to writhe and tremble in +agony. Then, slowly, it seemed in the dim light, the ground heaved up +and up until, finally, bursting all bonds, earth, trees, buildings, +trenches and men went skyward. Immediately followed great clouds of +flaming gas, expanding and growing like gigantic red roses suddenly +bursting into full bloom. It was an earthquake, followed by a volcanic +eruption. + +Before the flying debris had reached the ground the Fusiliers were +over the top, fighting their way through the jungles of wire and shell +craters. The occupation of the mine craters themselves was, of course, +unopposed as there was no one there to offer opposition. They kept on, +however, meeting the German reinforcements coming up from the rear, +fighting them to a standstill and establishing themselves beyond the +Mound. + +Then all hell broke loose. From the beginning our artillery, machine +guns and trench mortars had been maintaining a continuous fire, but +the Germans, taken by surprise, were several minutes getting started. +When they did open up, however, they gave us the greatest +demonstration of accurate and unlimited artillery fire which I, or any +of us, for that matter, had ever seen. The air seemed to be literally +full of shells bursting like a million fire-flies. Our parapets were +blown down in a hundred places and the air was filled with flying +sand-bags, iron beams and timbers. A shell struck under the gun by +which I was standing and flung gun, tripod, ammunition-box and all, +high into the air. Even under such conditions I could not help +laughing at the ridiculous sight of that gun as it spun around in the +air, with the legs of the tripod sticking stiffly out and the belt of +ammunition coiling and uncoiling around it, like a serpent. The +lance-corporal in charge of it looked on, spell-bound, and when it +finally came down back of a dug-out, he looked at me with a most +peculiar expression and said: "Well, what do you think of that?" Then +he jumped up and went after the wreckage and, strange to relate, not a +thing was broken. After about twenty minutes of stripping and cleaning +he had the gun back on the parapet, shooting away as though nothing +had happened. He was an Irishman, named Meeks. + +I walked down the trench to get a spare barrel for a gun when a shell +struck about ten feet in front, killing a man. I started on and +another lit exactly where I had been standing. During that little trip +of perhaps fifty yards and back I was knocked down and partly buried +no less than four times. + +Then the prisoners commenced to come back. They appeared to be glad to +get out of it and I don't blame them. When they found that they had to +go through the Canadian's lines, however, they held back. They had +been told that the Canadians killed all prisoners. (We had heard +something of the same kind about the Germans, too.) However, when our +cooks came out with "dixies" full of steaming tea, with bread and +marmalade sandwiches, they soon became reconciled. Our men made no +distinction that morning between captor and captive, serving all alike +with everything we had to eat or drink. At one time, however, owing to +the congestion in the trench, we were compelled to "shoo" a lot of the +prisoners back "overland," to the next support trench. As their +artillery was raising merry hell all over that section, they were a +bit backward about starting and it required threats and a display of +bayonets to get them out of the trench and on their way. It was a +funny sight to see them beat it. There was little in the way of +obstacles to impede their progress and I think that several of them +came near to establishing new world's records for the distance. When +they arrived at the second line they wasted no time in climbing down +into it; they went in head-first, like divers going into the water. I +don't think any of them was hit during this maneuver, at least I did +not see any of them fall. + +Now, it has come to be an axiom that "any one can take a trench but +few can hold one." It is another way of expressing the idea that "it +isn't the original cost--it's the upkeep." + +It was no trick at all, with the assistance of the mines, to advance +our lines to what had been the German third line, but, right there, +some one had made a miscalculation. It's a cinch our "higher-ups" did +not know how much artillery the Germans had that they could turn on +that salient. Our own artillery had been greatly increased and they +evidently thought we were at least equal to the enemy in this respect, +but, say: the stuff he turned loose on us made our artillery look like +pikers. For every "whizz-bang" we sent over he returned about a dozen +5.9's. By that night, nearly all the original attackers were gone and +Fritz was back in at least two of the craters. + +During the day a good many of us, including all our stretcher-bearers, +made many trips through the devastated German trenches, getting out +wounded and collecting arms and other plunder. I went up where the +Fusiliers were trying to consolidate their position, intending to +bring up a few guns if it appeared to be practicable, but abandoned +the idea as, in my opinion, they were due to be shelled out within a +short time, which proved to be correct. We did dig out and mount a +German gun which was used for a while, but I then had it taken, with +several others, back to our line. We could do so much more good from +our original position by maintaining a continuous barrage to hamper +the enemy in getting up supports. From prisoners taken later we +learned that our machine-gun barrage was much more effective than that +of our artillery. However, as we were obliged to fire from temporary +positions, on the parapet and without cover of any kind, it was +impossible to prevent the loss of some guns by direct hits from +shells. During that night and the next day a Highland brigade came up +to relieve the Fusiliers. They included battalions of the Royal Scots +and the Gordons. + +By this time the Germans had brought up more guns and were keeping up +such a terrific fire on our position that it did not seem humanly +possible to hold it, but that night a bombing attack by the Fourth +Canadian Brigade bombers, reinforced by about two hundred volunteers, +retook the craters and reestablished our line in a more advanced +position than that occupied by the original attackers. This line was +thereafter called the Canadian trench to distinguish it from the +other, which was called the British trench. + +Early next morning we had a chance to see some of the "Kilties" +in action with the bayonet, during a counter-attack, which they +repulsed. As I remember it, they did very little shooting but jumped +out of their trench to meet the attackers with the cold steel. I never +saw any lot of soldiers who seemed so utterly determined to wipe out +all opposition. They were like wild men; savage and blood-thirsty in +the onslaught and, although the Germans must have outnumbered them at +least three to one, they never had a chance against those brawny +Scots. But few of the boches got back to their own line and no +prisoners were taken. We then appreciated the nickname given by the +Germans (first applied to Canadian Highlanders at Langemarck, but +afterward used to designate all "Kilties"), "The Ladies from Hell." + +From that time the Canadians were alone in the fight. The Fusiliers, +having started it, faded away, and the Scots, after a few brief days, +likewise vanished and for two months or more St. Eloi was a continuous +struggle between the Second Canadian Division and at least four +German Divisions, including some of the infamous Prussian Guards. + +During the next twelve days the righting was almost uninterrupted. +Troops came in and troops went out, but the Emma Gees held on, +forever, as it seemed to us. But few remained of the original gun +crews who started the engagement. Not all had been killed or wounded, +but it had been necessary to relieve some who were utterly exhausted. +How I kept going is a mystery to me as it was to others at the time. +One thing which probably helped was the fact that I never, for one +minute, permitted myself to think of anything except the matter of +keeping those guns going. Sentiment I absolutely cast out. I was +nothing but a cold-blooded machine. Good friends were killed but I +gave them no thought other than to get the bodies out of the trench so +that we need not step on them. To tie up and assist wounded was a mere +matter of routine. In no other way could I have withstood the awful +strain. I was hit, slightly, on several occasions but never severely +enough to necessitate my going out. A dug-out in which I had a table +where I wrote reports and figured firing data was hit no less than +three times while I was in it, finally becoming a total wreck. The +fact that I was not killed a hundred times was due to just that many +miracles--nothing less. My leather jacket and my tunic were cut to +shreds by bits of shell, a bullet went through my cap and another +grazed my head so close as to raise a red welt, but that same old +"luck" which had become proverbial in the battalion, still held and I +was not seriously injured. + +Our troubles were not all caused by artillery fire by any means. Fritz +had a large and varied assortment of "Minenwerfer" with which to +entertain us at all hours, day and night. A good many people, even +among the soldiers themselves, think that Minenwerfer or "Minnie" for +short, is the name of the projectile or torpedo, while, as a matter of +fact, it is the instrument which throws it; a literal translation +being "mine-thrower." In the same way they often speak of the +shells thrown by trench mortars as "trench mortars" themselves. Now +the family of "Minnies" is a large one and includes every device, from +the ancient types used by the Greeks and Romans, with springs of wood, +to the latest and most modern contraption in which the propelling +power may be steel springs, compressed air or a small charge of +powder. In its smallest form it is simply a "rifle grenade," somewhat +similar to a hand grenade or ordinary "bomb," to which is attached a +rod of brass or iron which slips down into the bore of the regular +service rifle and is fired with a blank cartridge. Other and newer +types are without this rod but have vanes or rudders affixed to the +rear end which serve to guide the projectile in its flight. These +usually have a hole through the center through which the bullet passes +and can thus be used with the regular service ammunition. This whole +class, embracing everything from the small "pineapples," fired from +the rifle, to the monstrous "aerial torpedoes," are commonly spoken of +as "fish-tails." + +The shells from the trench mortars proper, and most of the +"fish-tail" family, are somewhat similar to ordinary artillery shells +in that they are made of steel or iron and designed to burst into +small fragments, each of which constitutes a deadly missile. On the +other hand, the "mines" thrown by the Minenwerfer, are merely light +sheet-metal containers for heavy charges of high explosives (T. N. T. +or tri-nitro-toluol as a rule), and depend for their effectiveness on +the shock and blasting effect of the detonation. They have been +increasing in size continually. At first we called them "sausages," +then "rum-jars" (they resembled the ordinary one-gallon rum jar in +size and shape), then they became "flying pigs" and by this time, I +have no doubt, new and still more expressive names have been applied +to them. + +The havoc created in a trench by one of the large ones passes belief. +The strongest dug-out is wiped out in a twinkle; whole sections of +parapet are obliterated, and where was a strong, well-built wall eight +feet or more in height there remains a hole or "crater" fifteen or +twenty feet in diameter and several feet deep. Any man who happens to +be within this area is, of course, blown to atoms, while frequently +men in the near vicinity, but not exposed to the direct blast, are +killed instantaneously by the shock. Medical men say that the effect +is identical to that known as "caisson sickness," and is caused by the +formation of bubbles of carbonic acid gas in the blood vessels. Not +being a "medico" I can not vouch for this, but you can take it for +what it is worth. + +In daylight it is not difficult to dodge these devilish things and +even at night, if they come one at a time, it is possible to escape +the most of them, but when they come over in flocks, as they sometimes +do, it is more a matter of luck than anything else. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +FOURTEEN DAYS' FIGHTING + + +[Illustration: Lewis Gun in Action in Front-Line Trench.] + +By this time there was no doubt of the enemy's superiority in +artillery, and to make matters worse, the craters were changing hands +daily or even hourly. We never knew, for sure, whether our troops or +those of the enemy held any certain crater, except the ones on each +end, numbers one and six (we held them throughout the entire two +months of fighting), but numbers two, three, four and five were +debatable ground for several weeks. On two occasions I made the +complete circuit of all the craters at night, going through the +Canadian trench and coming back via what had been our original front +line. On one of these trips I was accompanied by Captain Congreve, +afterward Major Congreve, V. C., (now dead) who was the only staff +officer I saw in that sector during all the time we were in the line. +Sometimes we met individual German sentries and quick, quiet and +accurate work was necessary to avoid detection and probable capture. I +found that a French bayonet, the rapier shape, was a very satisfactory +weapon at such times. Trench knives have been invented since and may +be an improvement. After leaving me that night Captain Congreve came +upon a party of eighty-two Germans, commanded by an officer, who had +been cut off in one of the craters for several days, without food or +ammunition, and captured them all, single-handed. For this feat he +received the Distinguished Service Order and promotion to Major. +Later, on the Somme, he continued his brilliant work and won the award +of the Victoria Cross, but was killed at Mametz Wood before receiving +the decoration, which was given to his widow. He was only twenty-five +at the time of his death but had proved himself one of the most +enterprising officers in the British army. + +What had been left of the village of St. Eloi when the fight commenced +was rapidly disappearing under the hail of shells. Where our original +front line had been there remained but few detached fragments of +parapet. For perhaps six hundred yards we were holding on with +scattered and isolated groups. At one place, on our immediate left, +was a hole in the line at least two hundred yards wide. Time after +time the Canadians attacked and retook the craters, only to be +literally blown out of them by the ensuing hurricane of shells. + +The task of getting out the wounded was heart-breaking. Our own +stretcher-bearers worked night and day, but they had suffered many +casualties and were unequal to the task. The Border Regiment and the +Durham Light Infantry, who occupied our old trenches and were not +under heavy fire, sent volunteer carrying parties to assist in the +work, so that all were taken out with a minimum of delay. It was +impossible to remove the dead and they were buried in shell-holes, +where they fell. During the succeeding days many were disinterred by +other shells. + +Then, the matter of maintaining communication with our supports and +the headquarters in the rear was of the utmost importance and our +signalers waged a continuous fight, against heavy odds, to keep the +wires connected up. It would not be fair to others to specify any +particular branch as being better. All who serve in the front line at +a time like this are equally entitled to credit. At times, when it is +necessary to go out and search for breaks and repair them, the work of +the signalers is "extra hazardous," just as is that of the +stretcher-bearers when obliged to expose themselves to succor the +wounded, or the machine gunner when it is necessary to mount his gun +on top of the parapet, within plain sight of the enemy, or the +riflemen, bombers and scouts in advancing to the attack. There can be +no fair distinction--they all, taken as a unit, are in a class +separated by a wide gulf from those back in supporting or reserve or +artillery positions, who, in turn, are separated from the transport +and ambulance drivers, who, while occasionally under shell fire, are +in the zone of comparative safety, where "people" still live and farm +and run stores and estaminets. I would not have you think that I am +minimizing the value of the services of these men. Their work is of +vital importance to the success of the fighting forces and _must_ be +done; and I can truly say that in all my experience I have never known +them to fail in the performance of their duties. + +In this war, as in most others, it is the infantryman who stands the +brunt of the fighting. True, he is disguised under many other names, +such as rifleman, bomber, automatic rifleman, rifle-grenadier, scout, +signaler, sniper, runner or machine gunner but, when you get right +down to the bottom of the whole business, he is the fellow who travels +on his two feet and actually "goes over and gets 'em." Trenches can be +battered to pieces by artillery but they can not be actually "taken" +and held by any one but the plodding, patient, long-suffering +"doughboy" or "web-foot" as he is called by the men of the other +branches. + +At one time, during this period, Sergeant H. Norton-Taylor and four +men from our section, held one of the craters for five days, against +numerous attacks, and even captured prisoners. They had no food, water +or ammunition other than that which they could get from the bodies of +dead soldiers in the immediate vicinity. We sent many detachments to +relieve them but were unable to locate their position and it was only +by accident that they were discovered and relieved by a scouting party +of the Nineteenth Battalion which was over on our left. But for this, +they might be there now, as they were not the quitting kind. + +Norton-Taylor was commissioned and commanded the section at +Courcellette, where he was killed, September 15, 1916. He came of a +long line of distinguished British officers, his father having been a +Colonel in the Royal Field Artillery. A brother and a brother-in-law +were in the service, one of them losing both feet by a shell. A sister +was working in the hospitals in France and another in England. He was +a true friend and a gallant officer--every inch a gentleman. + +On the night of April tenth we were relieved by the Twentieth +Battalion and went out for a rest. I had not laid down to sleep for +fourteen days, snatching what rest I could, for fifteen or twenty +minutes at a time, leaning against a parapet or propped up in the +corner of a traverse. We were only able to get as far as Voormezeele, +where we stopped in the ruins of the convent school, and dropping on +the stone floor slept like the dead for twenty-four hours. The place +was being shelled all this time but none knew or cared. The next night +we made our way to where the battalion was in billets, near +Renninghelst, where I immediately "flopped" for a straight forty-eight +hours' continuous sleep. After that a bath, a shave and general +clean-up, supplemented by a good hot "feed," made me as good as new. +During that two weeks up in front we had had no warm food, nothing but +"bully and biscuits" and, occasionally, a can of "Maconochie," a +ration of prepared meat and vegetables, which is excellent when served +hot but not very palatable when eaten cold. + +We now had the longest rest we had enjoyed since coming over, as we +did not go back to the front line until April twentieth. Our Sixth +and Fifth Brigades had been in during the time we were out and both +had suffered severely in the many counter-attacks, but held on, like +true British bull-dogs, to what had been our original front line. The +craters were lost as it was impossible for any troops to hold them +under the devastating fire of the German guns. Nearly every battalion +of the Second Canadian Division had retaken one or more of them but, +as it only resulted in additional loss of life, it was decided by the +higher command to give it up and endeavor to reestablish our front +along its original line. + +We went in via Voormezeele, a town of several thousand inhabitants +before the war, now a pile of ruins. From here a _pave_ road ran +directly to St. Eloi and there had been two good communication +trenches leading up to the front line. We soon discovered however that +several things had happened during our absence. On the road to St. +Eloi and about five hundred yards behind our front line, had been a +Belgian farm called Bus House. (A London omnibus was lying, smashed, +in front of it.) This place was now but a pile of brick and timbers. +To the left, another group of farm buildings, called Shelley Farm, was +in about the same condition, and where St. Eloi had been was nothing +but a barren waste. Not a sign of a house or any part of a house was +visible; not a brick remained and even the roads, the fine stone-paved +roads, had been obliterated. Where had been hedges or trees there was +nothing but a desolate expanse of mud which, from a distance, appeared +to be a smooth level plain. For a good six hundred yards back of our +front line there was not a shrub or bush or tree nor any landmark of +any kind. Every inch of this ground had been churned over and over +again by shells. Literally, it was not possible to set foot on a spot +which had not been upturned. The whole area was simply a continuation +of shell craters, joined and interlocked without a break. Where our +communication and support trenches had been it was just the same. No +man could have gone over that ground and said: "Here was a house," or +"There was a field," or "That was once a road," because house, turnip +field and road looked exactly alike. The great granite blocks of the +road had been pulverized to dust, and the bricks of the houses had +shared a like fate. Even the contour of the ground was changed--ditches, +depressions and ridges having been hammered to a uniform elevation. + +And every hole was full of water. To traverse this desert one must +wade and flounder through liquid mud waist deep and sometimes deeper. +Yet it had to be done. We had nine positions up there at each of which +a handful of men must be relieved daily; or rather nightly, as it was, +obviously, impossible to move about over that open expanse in +daylight. Every yard of it was under scrutiny from the German lines +and, even at night, owing to the lavish use of star-shells by the +enemy, it was a long and slow journey as it was necessary to stop and +remain absolutely quiet when a light came near. + +The hardest thing about the whole business was to find the men who +were to be relieved. There was no path nor road nor landmark of any +kind. During the time we were in, it rained continuously and at no +time was a star visible. The positions where they were stationed were +exactly like the rest of the surrounding country--merely enlarged +shell-holes with, perhaps, a fragment of a sand-bag parapet. No lights +could be shown, they did not even dare use "Very lights," as our +"star-lights" are known. They were not in any regular formation but at +irregular intervals along what had been a very crooked line. +Fortunately, we had a "natural born" guide on our first trip in and we +found them all. After that we managed to "carry on" but not without +many slips. It was nothing unusual for a relief party suddenly to find +themselves in the German lines and have to work their way out as best +they could. If caught out after dawn one had to lie low in a +shell-hole all day, probably under heavy artillery fire, until +darkness came and made it possible to return unseen. This trouble was +not confined to our side and it was by no means an uncommon occurrence +for parties of the enemy to get lost in the same way. Sometimes +these adventures resulted in rather sharp bombing engagements. One +night a whole platoon of about forty Germans went through a gap in our +line and bumped into a strong supporting party of ours at Shelley Farm +where they were all captured. They had been looking for one of the +craters whose garrison they were to relieve. Individual prisoners were +taken nearly every night. + +[Illustration: Canadian Machine Gunners Digging Themselves Into +Shell-Holes] + +Under the prevailing conditions, it was impossible to take machine +guns up, so we depended entirely upon Lewis guns. Fortunately no +determined attack was made on us during this time as it is extremely +doubtful if we could have held them there. We would, of course, have +stopped them a few hundred yards back, at our support line, and I must +confess that I had at times a sneaking desire to see them come over +and get into that mud so we could move back to comparatively +comfortable quarters. + +As we no longer had any trenches, we abandoned the old letter method +of designation and simply numbered the various positions. On the +first morning in, the gun and crew at No. 14 were blown up by a shell. +This was an unlucky position as the same thing had happened there to a +crew from the Twentieth Battalion. We then moved that position some +fifty yards to one side and had no further trouble. + +We alternated with other battalions of the division, going in and out, +holding that line and gradually improving it, until, on the twenty-second +day of May, while we were back in billets, I was "warned for leave" (a +week in England), and little Bouchard, my particular protege and +warmest friend, was to go along. + +You people who have stayed at home can never realize what "leave" +means to a soldier after eight months in the trenches and I, for one, +will not attempt the impossible by trying to describe the sensation. + +We packed our kits and hiked to Poperinghe, where, after sitting up +all night, we took train at four o'clock A.M., arriving at Boulogne +about noon and were in "Blighty" by four in the afternoon. + +"Oh, ain't it a grand and glorious feeling!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +BLIGHTY AND BACK + + +In London we found things running along about as usual and proceeded +to enjoy ourselves. Oh, the luxury of having clean clothes and being +able to keep them clean: to sleep in real beds and eat from regular +dishes and at white-clothed tables. It seemed almost worth the price +we had paid to be able to get so much downright enjoyment out of the +merest "necessities" of ordinary civilian life. The theaters were all +running and we took in some show every night, but I derived the most +satisfaction from taking my young companion around to see the museums +and many old historical places in and about London. He was a stranger +and I was fairly well acquainted. + +But, when the time drew near for us to go back, I began to experience +a feeling of depression. While I had not noticed it before, I suppose +the cumulative effect of the experiences of the last eight months was +beginning to tell on me. I noticed that Bouchard appeared to be in +about the same condition. He would sometimes sit for an hour or more, +in our room at the Cecil, gazing into space, never uttering a word. +Poor boy, while of course he could not _know_ that this was to be his +last trip, I believe he had a presentiment that such was the case. + +I found myself now and then "checking up" my own physical and mental +condition. I had been slightly injured several times--two scratches +from bullets on my left hand, a bullet in my right elbow, two pieces +of shell in my shoulder, a knee-cap knocked loose and a fractured +cheek-bone from the fuse-cap of a "whizz-bang." None of these had put +me out of action for more than a few hours and I had managed to keep +out of the hospital. (I had an instinctive dread of hospitals.) But I +knew, right down in my heart, that my nerve was weakening. Thinking +over some of the things we had done, I believed I could never do them +again. I do not think the man ever lived who would not, eventually, +get into this condition. Some men "break" at the first shell that +strikes near them, while others will go for months under the heaviest +shell fire but, as I have said, it will certainly get them in the end. +Of course I did not express any of these feelings to Bouchard, but +tried to keep things moving all the time so as to give him little +opportunity to worry. But, to tell the truth, I guess I needed the +diversion more than he did, for he was the bravest and "gamest" +youngster I ever knew. + +Before we left France for our week in London I was told by my Colonel +that I had been recommended for a commission and something or other in +the way of a decoration and he suggested that I call upon General +Carson, Canadian General in London, and find out about it. I did call +at the General's office several times but was unable to see him. It +afterward developed that the commission had already been gazetted and +I was really and truly a First "Leftenant." I did not hear of it for +nearly a month and, during the interval, went through, as a sergeant, +one of the hottest times in my whole career. + +When our leave was up we, together with hundreds of others, left +Victoria Station early one morning for Folkestone and Boulogne and so +on, back to Poperinghe, where we arrived just at daybreak the +following morning and were welcomed by an early rising boche airman, +who dropped about half a dozen bombs, evidently aimed at the railroad +station. Fortunately, no one was hit. Then we trudged down the road, +kilometer after kilometer, every one gloomy and grouchy, looking for +our several units. Ours had moved and we spent the whole day before we +located it. + +We found the battalion in camp near the town of Dickebusch and soon +settled down to the same old routine. They had not been back in the +line since we left but had been engaged in some special work in and +around this town, about which there is an interesting story. + +Dickebusch was a town of several thousand inhabitants and considerable +commercial importance, located on the Ypres-Bailleul road, about +three and one-half miles directly west of St. Eloi. All troops going +into the line anywhere from Wytschaete to Hill 60 were obliged to pass +through or very close to it. Just east of the town was a shallow lake +or pond, about a mile long and half as broad, called Dickebusch Etang, +to cross which it was necessary to follow a narrow causeway, +constructed by our engineers. While we continually passed and repassed +through the place, we never had any troops actually billeted there, as +it was within easy range of the German guns and was still occupied by +the native population. + +About the time of the St. Eloi affair, however, one of our Brigade +Headquarters had been located in a group of buildings at the edge of +the town, perfectly camouflaged and concealed from aircraft +observation. It had long been suspected that there were spies among +the people of this place and that they had effective means of +communicating with the enemy, so when Fritz turned his guns on that +headquarters, no one was very much surprised, but a determined effort +was made to discover the guilty parties. Just what means were used I +do not know, but it was learned that several of the prominent +citizens, including the mayor or burgomaster, were in on it and they +were summarily dealt with. + +Following this, German airmen dropped notices into the town, warning +all the civilians to get out as they were going to raze it to the +ground. Not many would have gone, however, had not our authorities +ordered the evacuation. As soon as the people had moved out, our +troops proceeded to prepare the buildings for use as billets, +reinforcing lower rooms and cellars with iron beams and protecting +them with sand-bags. This was the work with which our battalion, and +others, had been occupied and was just about completed when, true to +their word, the Heinies started in, systematically, to write "finis" +for Dickebusch. The church had already been pretty well shot up, as +well as the surrounding graveyard where many of the tombs and +monuments were smashed and the dead thrown from their graves. This +blowing up of the dead seems to be a favorite pastime with the gentle +Hun. They, the Germans, were now engaged in the demolition of the +buildings along the principal streets and were doing it in a very +thorough manner. We had here many demonstrations of a matter about +which I have been questioned, times without number, by both military +men and civilians, and that is, "What is the effective radius of a +shell of a certain caliber?" It is one of the things which our +theorists in general, and artillerymen in particular, delight in. Many +hours of learned discourse have been devoted to proving, +theoretically, that an area of a given size can be made impassable by +dropping a certain number of shells on it, at stated intervals. This +is all rot. Common sense should teach us better. The plain fact is +that it depends entirely upon what the shell strikes. If it falls on +soft earth, the effect is merely local and a man within a few feet +would be uninjured; while, should it fall on a hard, stone-paved road, +pieces might be effective at a distance of half a mile or more. + +In the bombing schools we are told that the Mills hand grenade has an +effective radius of ten yards, yet one will quite frequently escape +unhurt from a dozen of them bursting within this radius and yet may be +hit by a fragment from a distance of two hundred yards or more. All +these theories are based on the assumption that the ground on a +battle-field is level, free from obstructions and of a uniform degree +of hardness; not one of which conditions ever exists. A small ditch, a +log or stump or a water-filled shell-hole will make so much difference +in the effect of the explosion of a shell or bomb that all efforts to +prove anything by mathematics is a waste of time. If one is unlucky he +will probably get hurt, otherwise not. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +OUT IN FRONT FIGHTING + + +We had been "home" but a few days when we received rush orders to pack +up and march toward Ypres. There had been an intense bombardment going +on up that way and we soon learned the cause from straggling wounded +whom we met coming along the road. It was the second of June, 1916, +and the Germans had launched their great surprise attack against the +Canadians at Hooge. It was the beginning of what has been called the +Third Battle of Ypres, but will probably be recorded in history as the +Battle of Sanctuary Wood. + +The enemy had gradually increased his customary bombardment and then, +assisted by some mines, had swept forward, in broad daylight, +overwhelming the defenders of the first and second lines by sheer +force of numbers and had only been checked after he had driven through +our lines to a depth of at least seven hundred yards over a front of +nearly a mile, including the village of Hooge, and was firmly +established in a large forest called Sanctuary Wood and in other woods +to the south. By the time we had arrived at our reserve lines (called +the G. H. Q. or General Headquarters Line), we were diverted and +directed to a position on the line just south of the center of the +disturbance where we "dug ourselves in" and held on for four days. +Shell fire was about all we got here, but there was plenty of that. +The rifle and machine-gun bullets that came our way were not numerous +enough to cause any concern although we did lose a few men in that +way. + +Here the news of the fight filtered through to us. It seemed that the +Princess Pat's (unfortunate beggars), had got another cutting-up, +together with some of the Mounted Rifles, and Major-General Mercer and +Brigadier-General Victor Williams, who had been up in the front line +on a tour of inspection, had both been wounded and captured. General +Mercer afterward died, in German hands, but General Williams +recovered and remains a prisoner. It was said that less than one +hundred from each the Pat's and the Fourth C. M. R. came out of the +fight. + +[Illustration: A Shell Exploding in Front of a Dug-in Machine Gun.] + +At this place several of our gun positions were in the grounds of what +had been one of the most beautiful chateaux in Flanders--the Chateau +Segard, hundreds of years old but kept up in the most modern style +until the war came. Now the buildings were but a mass of ruins. Not +only this but the grounds had been wonderfully laid out in groves, +gardens, moats and fish-ponds with carefully planned walks and drives +throughout the whole estate which comprised at least forty acres. +There were trees and plants from all over the world; beautiful borders +and hedges of sweet-smelling, flowering shrubs and cunningly planned +paths through the thickets, ending at some old wondrously carved stone +bench with perhaps an arbor covered with climbing rose bushes. + +All had felt the blighting touch of the vandal shells. The trees were +shattered, the roads and paths torn up, the ponds filled with debris +and the beautiful lawn pitted with craters, but in spite of all this +devastation, the flowers and trees were making a brave fight to live. +I could not but think, as I wandered through this place, how well the +little flowers and the mighty oaks typified the spirit of France and +Belgium. Sorely stricken they were--wounded unto death; but with that +sublime courage and determination which have been the admiration of +the world they were resolved that _they should not die_. + +Along the main road leading up to the chateau was a charming little +chapel, handsomely decorated and appointed. It was the only structure +on the estate that had not been struck by a shell. We used it as +sleeping quarters for two crews whose guns were located in the +immediate vicinity. One night a big shell struck so close as to jar +all the saints and apostles from their niches and send them crashing +to the floor, but did no other damage. + +This same thing happened to us once when we were sleeping in the +convent school at Voormezeele, when all the statues on the walls were +hurled down upon us by a large shell which struck the building. + +The boys used to take these sacred effigies and place them on graves +of their dead friends. We were not a very religious bunch but I +suppose they thought it might help some--at any rate it proved their +good intentions and I never interfered to stop it. + +For several days the fighting continued furiously, the Canadians +recovering some of the lost ground, including most of Sanctuary Wood, +and then things settled down to the old "siege operation." During this +time we had many opportunities to watch the splendid work of the men +of the ammunition columns taking shells up to the batteries in broad +daylight and within plain view of the enemy lines. It was one of the +most inspiring sights I have ever witnessed and brought back memories +of pictures I had seen of artillery going into action in the old days. + +Down the road they would come, on the dead gallop, drivers standing in +their stirrups, waving their whips and shouting at the horses, while +the limbers bounded crazily over the shell-torn road, the men holding +on for dear life and the shells bursting with a continuous roar all +about them. It was the sight of a lifetime, and whenever they came +past our men would spring out of the trenches and cheer as though mad. +Time after time they made the trip and the escapes of some were +miraculous. A few were hit, wagons smashed and horses and men killed +or wounded, but not many, considering the number of chances they took. + +The stories of heroism during that first day's fighting equal anything +in history. Batteries were shot down to a man but continued working +the guns to the last. One artilleryman, the last of his gun squad, +after having one arm shot off at the elbow, continued to load and +fire. Then a shell blew off about a foot of the muzzle of the gun but +he still kept it going. He was found, lying dead across his gun and a +trail of clotted blood showed where he had gone back and forth to the +ammunition recess, bringing up shells. One member of the crew +remained alive long enough to tell the story. + +In another place, in Sanctuary Wood, were two guns known as "sacrifice +guns," as they were intended to cover a certain exposed approach in +case of an attack and to fight to the finish. How well they carried +out their orders may be judged from the fact that every man was killed +at the guns, _by German bayonets_, after having shot down many times +their own number of the enemy. + +Our old friends of the Lahore Battery lost so many men that they were +having difficulty in maintaining an effective fire until two of our +machine-gun squads volunteered to act as ammunition carriers, which +they did for several hours, suffering heavy casualties. + +Here occurred the only case of which I have ever heard where one of +our medical officers was apparently "murdered." Captain Haight, M. O. +of one of our western battalions was reported, on excellent authority, +to have been bayoneted and killed while attending the wounded. + +While we were here, Major-General Turner, V. C., who was in command +of the entire Canadian Corps, paid us a visit. He came up unannounced +and accompanied by a lone Staff Captain. I was instructed to act as +his guide over our sector. During one trip along an exposed road we +found ourselves in the midst of a furious hail of shells. I looked at +the General to see if he wanted to take cover (I'm sure the rest of us +did); he never "batted an eye" but continued at an even pace, talking, +asking questions and stopping here and there to observe some +particular point. I overheard one of our men say: "_General_ Turner? +General _Hell!_ he ain't no general; _he's_ a reg'lar _soldier_." + +On the night of the sixth we were relieved and, next day, took up our +quarters in Dickebusch. The Emma Gees had taken possession of a bank +building, about the best in town, and had strengthened it, inside and +out, with steel and sand-bags until it looked as though it would +withstand any bombardment. Fortunately it was not hit while we were +there, although many large shells fell very near; but when I again +passed that way, just a week later, I noticed that a big shell had +gone through our carefully prepared "bombproof" and completely wrecked +it. We only remained a few days and then received orders to go into +the front line at Hill 60 (south of Hooge), as an attack was to be +made to recover the trenches lost on the second. + + +_HOLLEBEKE TRENCH MAP_ + + _The map on the opposite page is a reproduction of what is known + as "Hollebeke Trench Map--Part of Sheet 28." Famous Hill 60 is + shown encircled by a contour line, just below Zwarteleen. The + road running off at top and left of map leads to Ypres. The black + and white line immediately to the right of this army road is the + railroad from Ypres to Comines. The fine irregular lines + represent the perfect network of main and communication German + trenches. Various signs indicate supply dumps, dug-outs, mine + craters, observation posts, earthworks, mine craters fortified, + hedges, fences or ditches, churches, mills, roads, footpaths, + entanglements, ground cut up by artillery fire, etc., etc. The + British front-line trench is shown very faintly on this + reproduction but can be picked up as it passes through the first + "e" in Zwarteleen and traced up past the figure 30. At the left + of Zwarteleen it can be seen crossing the railroad and army road. + This map, as were the others, was carried by Captain McBride and + the section shown represents about one-sixth of the total size. + It was made from photographs taken by Allied aviators. The + blurred line bisecting the map just below figures 35 and 36 is + one of the well worn folds in the map_. + +[Illustration: Hollebeke Trench Map] + + +As we had never been in the sector it was necessary for the +non-commissioned officers to go in a day ahead to locate the gun +positions and be able to guide the section in. We went in in daylight +(the non-coms.) and found it to be the longest trip we had ever +undertaken on such a mission. From Bedford House, on the reserve line, +it is at least two miles to the front line, all the way exposed to +observation and fire. There had been a little trench tramway but it +had been wrecked by shells. By breaking our party up into twos we +escaped any severe shelling and the rifle fire was at such long range +that we ignored it. Beyond three hundred yards the German's shooting +is a joke. + +We went over the position which extends from what was known as the +Ravine, to a point exactly opposite Hill 60. At some places the lines +were less than forty yards apart and it was possible to throw hand +grenades back and forth. It required the entire day to familiarize +ourselves with the wonderful maze of communication and support +trenches at this place, as we had never seen anything like it before. +We had become so accustomed to doing without communication trenches +that they were a distinct novelty. They, together with the many +support trenches, made a perfect labyrinth: like a spider's web, only +not quite so regular in form. + +The next night we moved in. As the battalion was crossing the long +open stretch we came under fire from an enemy machine gun and some men +were hit. There's no use talking, no other weapon used in the war is +as deadly as a machine gun. Where you can walk through an artillery +barrage with a few casualties, the well-directed fire of only one +machine gun will pile men up as fast as they come along. When one of +them catches you in the open the only thing to do is to drop into the +nearest hole and stay there until the firing ceases. + +We went in on the night of the twelfth and the attack was scheduled +for the night of the thirteenth, or rather the morning of the +fourteenth, as the preliminary bombardment was to commence at +twelve-forty-five and "zero" was one-thirty A.M. + +This was the greatest place I have ever seen for rifle grenades and +"Minnies." They came over in flocks or shoals and one must be +everlastingly on the lookout to dodge them. But we had as many as they +and also a lot of Stokes guns which seemed to "put the fear of God" +into the boche. They sprung a new "Minnie" here, much larger than any +we had seen. It hurled a whale of a shell; not less than one hundred +and sixty pounds of pure T. N. T., and what it did to our trenches and +dug-outs was a sin. And the worst of it was, they had it in a hole in +a deep railroad cutting at the bottom of Hill 60, where our artillery +could not reach it. + +At this time we had both the regular machine guns and also a lot of +Lewis automatic rifles. Shortly after, the latter were turned over to +the infantry companies, while the former were taken into the +newly-organized machine gun corps, an entirely separate branch of the +service, which was under the direct command of the Brigade Commander. +The guns were distributed along the line in favorable locations for +either defense or offense but, as there were no prepared emplacements, +the men had but little protection. + +Here our work, as at St. Eloi, was to support the advance; in fact, +that is the normal function of machine guns in an attack, although the +lighter automatic rifles of the Lewis type are usually with the +assaulting troops. + +Our "Higher Command" had learned a lesson from the St. Eloi experience +and had brought up many new batteries, including a fair sprinkling of +the "super-heavies" of twelve and fifteen-inch calibers. It has been +said, on good authority, that we had more than one thousand guns +concentrated on about a thousand yards of trench, or a gun to every +yard, and I am perfectly willing to believe it after hearing them all +at work. It was our first experience of that delightful situation +where we had "superiority of fire" and it made everybody happy. +Afterward, on the Somme and Ancre, it had become a permanent +condition; but to us, who had been "carrying on" under the +overwhelming odds of the German guns, it was a welcome change. It did +our hearts good to hear those monster thirteen hundred and fifty pound +"babies" coming over our heads with a "woosh" and landing in the lines +across the way, on Hill 60, where they left marks like mine craters. +We could put up with quite a lot just to see that, and although we +were suffering considerably from the rifle grenades and the "Minnies," +every one appeared to be in a good humor. + +With everything ready we waited for the "zero" hour. Exactly at the +designated time the artillery opened. It was as though all the hounds +of hell were let loose. Such a wailing and screeching and hissing as +filled the air, from the eighteen-pounders ("whizz-bangs"), which +seemed to just shave our own parapet, to the gigantic missiles from +the "How-guns," as the Howitzers are affectionately called, each with +its own peculiar noise. The explosions became merged into a continual +roaring crash, without pause or break. Then our Stokes guns joined in, +and, if there ever was an infernal machine, that is it. Vomiting out +shells as fast as they can be fed into its hungry maw; so fast, +indeed, that it is possible for seven of them to be in the air at one +time, from one gun, at a range of less than four hundred yards, it is +the last word in rapid-fire artillery. + +Of course the Emma Gees started at the head of the procession and kept +up a continuous fire. + +Fritz soon began to do the best he could but, what with the noise of +our own guns and the bursting shells, we were unable to hear his +unless they struck very close. He did give us trouble, though, with +that devilish Minenwerfer which sent over a wheel-barrow load of high +explosive at each shot. He blew the left end of our line "off the map" +for a distance of a hundred yards or more and made it untenable--for +any one but a machine gunner. The infantry was ordered to evacuate +that part and did so, but not the Emma Gees; they stuck until one of +the big "terrors," striking alongside, killed and wounded all the crew +but one and then he still stuck it, loading and firing until I was +able to get a reserve crew up to relieve him. He was a Scot, one of +the kind that doesn't know what it means to quit. Here's to you, +"Wullie" Shepherd, wherever you are! + +The attack was carried off with absolute precision. At one-thirty the +barrage lifted and over the boys went, sweeping everything before +them, back to the original position and then a little farther for good +measure. By daylight they had the new line so well consolidated that +Fritz was never able to make a dent in it and the Canadian prestige +was once more established. + +At the left end of our line, where the Minenwerfer had done so much +damage, was a mine shaft; one of many in that vicinity which our +engineers were driving under Hill 60 (they afterward blew it up), and +it seemed as though the boche knew of it and was endeavoring to cave +it in with the "Minnies." In fact, they did succeed in partly +destroying it, but the sheltering roof at the month of the shaft +remained in fair condition, and as it was the only protective covering +in that neighborhood, Bouchard and I were sitting inside, with our +feet hanging down the shaft, holding down that end of the line. We had +relieved the other crew, or rather I had sent them back about two +hundred yards along the trench as a precautionary measure and then, +feeling that some one _must_ remain to keep lookout, decided to take +care of the job myself. The boy, of course, insisted upon staying with +me. The big fellows were coming over with regularity (I nearly said +monotonous, but those things never get monotonous), and were bursting +too close for comfort. Bou had just made a proposition that we sneak +over after dark and try to locate the devil-machine and blow it up, +when we heard something moving below us in the mine-shaft, and a +moment later a mud-encrusted face came up into the light. With an +unusually fluent flow of "language," which sounded strangely familiar +to me, two men came up the ladder, and as the first one emerged into +the daylight he took a look at me and said: "Hello, Mac; it's a long +way to Ft. George, isn't it?" When he had removed some of the dirt +from his face I recognized a miner, named McLeod, who had once helped +rescue me from the Giscome Rapids and afterward worked for me up in +British Columbia. He and his partner had been caught in the shaft and +had been a day digging themselves out. After a rest of a few minutes +they went their way, down the trench, and I never saw or heard of them +again. + +[Illustration: Lewis Machine Gun Squad Observing with Periscope at +Hill 60] + +During the next hour or two I managed to work around through the +wreckage of this part of our line, searching for wounded and making a +list of the dead. I found none of the former, all having been removed +by their companions when they were ordered to evacuate, but I did find +a number of bodies which I examined for identification disks or other +marks and made a complete record which I afterward turned in to our +Headquarters. This is a custom that is always followed, if possible, +so that, in the event that your own troops do not return to that spot, +a record will be preserved and relatives notified. If this were not +done, many would be reported as "missing" which is, to relatives, far +more terrible than the knowledge that death has been swift and sure. +This is work in which many chaplains have especially distinguished +themselves, often working close behind the advancing lines during a +battle; writing last messages for the dying and compiling lists of the +dead who may or may not be buried at a later date. + +In burying dead on the field, every effort is made so to mark the +grave that it may afterward be identified and a proper record obtained +for the archives of the Graves Registration Commission. The best way +is to write all the data, name, regiment and number together with the +date, on a piece of paper, place it in a bottle and stick the bottle, +neck down, in the top of the grave. If no bottle is available, the +next best way is to write the record on a smooth piece of wood with +an ordinary lead pencil which will withstand the action of water far +better than ink or indelible pencil. + +Here I had my last talk with Bouchard. He was very anxious to go to +college and take an engineering course. I suggested Purdue, but he +thought he would find it necessary to spend a year or two at some +preparatory school. He had heard me speak of Culver and was very much +interested in that place, and when I left it was definitely decided +that, should he survive the war, he would spend at least four years at +any educational institution I might recommend. + +As soon as darkness came our infantry returned, and by working hard +all night managed to restore the damaged part of the parapet. I went +back to my dug-out for a little sleep and had just made myself +comfortable when a six-inch shell struck the place and drove me out, +together with a companion, George Paudash, a Chippeway Indian and +corporal of our section. We had several Indians, there being two pairs +of brothers, all from the same reservation and all of them splendid +soldiers. + +We had several men hit that night by rifle grenades. I particularly +remember two: Flanagan and McFarland. The former was hit in numerous +places, some of them really serious, but was most concerned over a +little scratch on his face which he was afraid would injure his +good-looks. McFarland, just a boy, about eighteen, had his left hand +terribly mangled and nearly twenty pieces of metal in other parts of +his body, but he laughed and called out: "I've got my Blighty; I've +got my Blighty." His brother had been shot through both eyes and +totally blinded a short time before. By the merest chance I saw +McFarland a few days later, as he was being taken aboard a hospital +ship at Boulogne and he then gave me his wrist watch, which had been +shattered and driven into the flesh, asking that I send it to his +father in Canada: I sent it by registered post, from London, but never +heard from it. + +The artillery fighting continued for several days and on the night of +the eighteenth we were relieved and moved back to Bedford House, in +reserve. + +Next morning I was summoned to Battalion Headquarters and informed +that I had been commissioned and was ordered back to England to act as +an instructor in one of the training divisions. Our Colonel at this +time also received his promotion to Brigadier-General and he promised, +as soon as he was assigned to a brigade, that he would request I be +transferred to his command as brigade machine gun officer. He did, +afterward, make an effort to have this done, but it was too late. I +had finally got my "long Blighty," and was out. + +It was hard to part from that old crowd. I did not know when I would +get back, but we all knew, without question, that there would be other +faces gone from the ranks before we met again. When I did return, +during the Somme campaign, I was attached to another battalion and did +not often see the Twenty-first and when I did, I recognized but few of +them. They had taken part in the great advance of September +fifteenth, which captured Courcellette and numerous other towns--the +greatest gain ever made in one day on the Western Front until the +recent one at Cambrai--and had helped to add another glorious page to +Canada's brilliant record. But the cost was great. Many, oh, so many +of the bravest and the best fell that day and among them was "my +little boy," Bouchard, killed at the age of eighteen, after two years +of service. + +Yes; a boy in years, but he worked like a man, fought like a man and, +thank God he died like a man--out in front, fighting. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +DOWN AN OUT--FOR A WHILE + + +While the following has no direct connection with the machine guns, +and is, really, a part of "another story," I think it fitting that I +take this opportunity to render my humble tribute of gratitude and +admiration for the splendid work of the British Red Cross Society; and +that the reader may fully understand, it is necessary to relate the +occurrences which led up to my first hospital experience. + +Upon returning to England, I was assigned to a Training Battalion at +our old camp--Sandling--but found the work so tedious and monotonous +that I requested a transfer to other and more active duties, and soon +after was engaged first, in conducting troops to France; then, as a +messenger to and from the various headquarters; later, on +court-martial work at Rouen and Le Havre; and finally reassigned to +the Fourth Canadian Brigade and ordered to the front, during the +latter part of the Somme Battle. I was with a party of officers of the +Gloucestershire and the "Ox and Bucks" (Oxford and Buckinghamshire) +Regiments and through an error on the part of the R. T. O. (railway +transportation officer) my transportation order was made out the same +as theirs, and the first thing I knew I was away over on the right of +our line, opposite Combles, where we joined the French. As there was a +fight on, I went in with the "Glosters," and after the fall of Combles +made my way up the line until I located my own command, near +Courcellette. + +Here I heard of the great advance of September fifteenth and also of +the death of many of my old friends. Among them, it seemed, Bouchard +and his crew had been wiped out by a big shell, but no one had been +able to get back to look for them or bury them. I was very busy, but +getting all available information as to the spot where they were seen +to fall, I managed, at night, to make several trips over the ground, +but without result. The spot was near the famous "Sugar Refinery," +just outside the village, and as this had been one of the hottest +places in the fight, there were many bodies lying around but none that +I could recognize. + +I had a cross made, bearing the names of all the crew and decided +that, at the first opportunity, I would plant it at that spot; and +when our whole division was ordered out, on October tenth, I took the +cross and made my way up the Bapaume road and across the shell-torn +field to the place. The enemy was shelling the road, dropping several +heavies near me, so I hastily gathered into a shell-hole the remains +of all the dead in the immediate vicinity and covered them up as best +I could, then placed the cross firmly in the ground and turned to +leave. I had not gone far when a "crump" struck so close as to stun +and partly bury me. When I regained my senses I found that I could not +see. My eyes, especially the left, had been giving me a great deal of +trouble ever since I had been hit on the side of the face by a piece +of shell at the time of the Bluff fight, but now they appeared to be +entirely out of commission, and were very painful. + +I lay there for some time, trying to figure some way out of it, all +the time hearing the shells coming over. This gave me an idea. Knowing +the direction from which the shells came with relation to the location +of the road, I started out to make my way there. Troops were +continually passing at night and I would be sure to find assistance. + +From that time on my remembrance of things is not clear. I have hazy +recollections of falling into a trench, crawling out and getting +tangled up in some wire and then, I think I fell into another hole. I +do remember, distinctly, talking aloud to myself, as though to another +person, and telling him to "get down on your knees and crawl, you damn +fool: first thing you know you'll fall into one of those deep holes +and break your neck." + +Whatever I did after that must have been done instinctively. (Was +afterward told that I was found, lying stretched out across the +Bapaume road.) + +[Illustration: Removing the German Wounded from Mont St. Eloi] + +The next thing I knew I suddenly discovered that I was trying to +_think_ of something. I believe I was conscious. I felt as though I +_could_ move if I wanted to, but didn't want to. I could see nothing, +but that also was of no importance. It was something else that was +wrong and it worried me in a vague, half-interested sort of way. One +thing was sure--I was dead, all right, and it wasn't half bad. Even if +I couldn't see or move or think, I was not suffering any pain or +inconvenience, which was a great relief from "soldiering." Nothing +seemed to matter, anyway, and I guess I went to sleep. + +I felt, or rather sensed, the presence of others moving about from +time to time, but took no interest in the matter until, suddenly, back +came the old feeling that something was not right--that there had been +a big change in all the affairs of the world--and then, after what +seemed hours of struggling with the problem, it came to me like a +flash--it was the "quiet" that was bothering me. That was it; there +was no noise; and then, my brain becoming clearer all the time, I +began to wonder whether I was deaf or whether the war was over. It +occurred to me that I might clap my hands or make some movement to +find out whether or not I could hear, but the idea was dismissed as +involving too much exertion; just as it was too much work to open my +eyes to try to see. + +Then I _heard_ some one come close to me, heard voices, faint and far +away they seemed, so I shouted to them (I thought I shouted but it was +only a mumbling whisper), and then a voice, low and close at hand, +asked me: "Are you awake?" + +"Course; what's matter?" + +"Nothing is the matter; you're all right now. Don't you think you +could eat something?" + +I pondered that for some time, but as I was quite comfortable and +could not see the sense of dead folks eating, anyhow, I declined and +fell asleep again. It was too much trouble to talk, especially to +answer questions. + +When next I awoke it was different. I actually opened my eyes, or at +least one of them, the other being bandaged, and I could see a face +looking down at me--a face and a white expanse of something with +a brilliant red cross in the center, and when the face asked me how I +felt now and did I think I could eat a little, I grunted something +which was intended to assure her that I was feeling all right and was +hungry. At any rate, she understood, and disappearing, soon returned +with a tray, loaded with things. She first helped me hold up my head +while she gave me a tumblerful of hot milk with brandy in it, but that +was no good--it would not stay down; so, after a little trouble on +that account, she vanished again and came back with a pint bottle of +champagne which she opened and fed to me; first a spoonful at a time +and then a full glass. That paved the way all right and I was able to +eat something, I don't remember just what, but it was good. + +By this time I had discovered that I still had all my hands and feet +and could move them about. Satisfied on that point, I asked where I +was. + +"Hospital; but you mustn't talk." + +"What hospital; why can't I talk?" + +"Number Twelve; but I think you should keep quiet and rest." + +"Had plenty rest; where's Number Twelve?" + +"St. Pol; but, really, you must go to sleep now." + +I went to sleep, wondering how the dickens I happened to be in St. +Paul, which was what I understood her to say. (The French spell it +differently but pronounce it about the same.) + +From that time on, scarcely an hour passed that one of the kindly +nurses or sisters did not come in and look to see if I was awake, and +if so, could they get me something to eat or drink. It was heaven, all +right; or at least, my idea of what heaven should be. + +I learned that, although I was disabled on the night of the tenth, I +was not picked up until the twelfth and then had been relayed through +several dressing stations and hospitals until I landed in Number +Twelve General Hospital, at the town of St. Pol. It was a B. R. C. +(British Red Cross) institution and was altogether different from my +preconceived ideas of hospitals. The day when I first "woke up" was +the fifteenth of October, my birthday. + +After several days I was put aboard a hospital train and taken to +LeTreport, where I was assigned to Lady Murray's Hospital, another +B. R. C. place. It had been, before the war, The Golf Hotel, one of the +many splendid seaside hotels that have been converted into hospitals. +Here, again, I was royally treated. Every wish appeared to be +anticipated by the indefatigable and ever-cheerful women and girls, +many of them volunteers, members of prominent and even titled +families. Lady Murray personally visited every patient at least once a +day. + +All these ambulances at LeTreport are driven by girls belonging to the +V. A. D. I'm not sure whether it means Volunteer Ambulance Department or +Volunteer Aid Department, but that is immaterial; they are wonders, +whatever name they sail under. + +They work all hours, day or night, transferring patients to and from +trains and hospitals. They furnished their own uniforms and paid all +their own expenses, and for a long time served without any +compensation, but I have heard that a small allowance has been made +them recently. + +The girl who took us down to the train told me that she had been over +there two years. I asked her if it was not pretty hard work and she +replied: "Oh, sometimes it is hard, when the weather is bad, but we +know it is nothing to what the men are doing up in front, so we are +glad to be able to do our little bit, wherever we can." + +Going down the hill, we passed a big ambulance, filled with wounded, +standing alongside the road. A little slip of a girl, who looked as +though she weighed about ninety pounds, was changing a tire and I +honestly believe that that tire and rim weighed as much as she did. +Our driver stopped and proffered assistance but the little one +declined, remarking that we'd better hurry or she would beat us to the +train. As a matter of fact, she was not five minutes after us. + +I was in pretty bad shape; could see very little and had an attack of +trench fever. As soon as I was able to travel I was sent, with +several others, by hospital train to Le Havre, where we went aboard +the hospital ship _Carisbrook Castle_, landing at Southampton, and so +on to London, where I was lucky enough to draw an assignment to +another B. R. C. hospital--Mrs. Pollock's, at 50 Weymouth Street. And +here I remained until, passed on by numerous "boards" and subjected to +many examinations, I found myself again on the way to France, where I +reported the fifth of December--still able to "carry on." + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMMA GEES*** + + +******* This file should be named 20655.txt or 20655.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/5/20655 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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