Ten Years Ago Today, item 17
Transcription
Transcription history
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10
or even exposing a head above a trench was
able to get sniped off. And this was in ground
that had been taken earlier in the morning with
a terrific barrage and a more terrific advance by
our infantry.
Now where I was there was no active
Germans. Dead & dying were there by the score, aye
by the hundred. To walk along that trench it was
necessary to step warily. Here one could realize
the enormity of war. Dead & dying huddled up in
trench and dugout. No succour for the wounded,
no one to offer a drink to those who looked at
us as we passed, with glazed eye & gasping breath.
We couldn’t help. Our job was to get a view of
the battle front and any information possible back to
the Brigade in order that our guns could be ready
to assist an attack by our troops, to resist one by
the Germans. So we left them & continued our weary
way along that horrible trench, until the sound of
those rifles arrested our progress. Now this was an
awkward situation to be in. It was obvious that the part
trench where we were was ours, although no British
troops were it, and it was equally obvious that a
hundred yards along it was not ours, not only
very active troops of the other side. So if we continued
our way along this trench we were very likely to
see a Hun round the next bay who would in
all probability be able to stop any observing on my part.
-
10
or even exposing a head above a trench was
able to get sniped off. And this was in ground
that had been taken earlier in the morning with
a terrific barrage and a more terrific advance by
our infantry.
Now where I was there was no active
Germans. Dead & dying were there by the score, aye
by the hundred. To walk along that trench it was
necessary to step warily. Here one could realize
the enormity of war. Dead & dying huddled up in
trench and dugout. No succour for the wounded,
no one to offer a drink to those who looked at
us as we passed, with glazed eye & gasping breath.
We couldn’t help. Our job was to get a view of
the battle front and any information possible back to
the Brigade in order that our guns could be ready
to assist an attack by our troops, to resist one by
the Germans. So we left them & continued our weary
way along that horrible trench, until the sound of
those rifles arrested our progress. Now this was an
awkward situation to be in. It was obvious that the part
trench where we were was ours, although no British
troops were it, and it was equally obvious that a
hundred yards along it was not ours, not only
very active troops of the other side. So if we continued
our way along this trench we were very likely to
see a Hun round the next bay who would in
all probability be able to stop any observing on my part.
Description
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- ID
- 5199 / 58822
- Contributor
- Michael John Hoy
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