A Nomad Under Arms

Excerpts

. . . Within a crude retreat of such a kind I used to share the midday meal (brought up from billets by the officers' cook) with Banco, who was commander of the other section, and of whom anon.

The unit's wagon lines eventually became established near the crossing of the two roads, Bailleul-Armentieres and Steenwerck-Neuve-Eglise ; although about that time I had no call to visit them.

Upon the 14th of December an attack was launched by British troops against the line from Hollebeke to Modelstede (a farm) : the third division was employed, assisted by the 18th Army Corps. To give some adequate idea of the expenditure of ammunition in those days of weak and desultory assaults it may be here remarked how on this front, whereon some ninety British guns were pouring steel from seven o'clock a.m. till 4.15 p.m., the total of the shells discharged was slightly under seven " thou," or seventy-five per gun throughout the period of the fray, or (easier yet to contemplate) some eight per gun per hour. Comment is needless, reader, at this stage.

In point of fact the record is that in this month it came about that many guns were silent all day long, and if the firing on our part was kept restricted owing to lack of plenty in supply of shells, then it is also true the Hun was little more aggressive. Also it was a fact of clarion note that German shelling of our trenches and the houses close behind the lines was stopped effectively by due retaliation on our part against his batteries and his infantry. In such a role the " heavies " played a major part.

The town of Neuve-Eglise was unmolested after we arrived, until one day a round or two was put across in casual style upon the exits from the hamlet, coming to be a more or less uncertain ritual round the hour of dusk about the time that we returned to billets. Never were we disturbed by shelling in the night, no doubt through fear of prompt retaliation . . .

 

 

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. . . The vacancies which these events had brought about were quickly filled. First came a ranker officer commissioned in the previous autumn. He was a steady fellow, nearing middle-age, and incidentally a teetotaler. Raised in a regimental atmosphere of tape and regulations, blameless in conduct, spotless in official record, he had attained the excellent, though most depressing ornament of soldierly routine, and was the bearer of a " rooty " medal. Marked by an affable address and willing to oblige on all occasions, our Mr. Wimple proved an acquisition, and was a sound, reliable and useful man, if incidentally, also, rather " stodgy."

Wimple at once assumed the vacant section leadership and with the personnel took over my two rearward guns, while I, attended by my former braves, moved forward to the post of honour at the front position. Here I enjoyed a greater comfort than had been my lot before, in virtue of a little farm-house (free of the dung-yard realm enwrapped in agricultural tradition) lying some fifty yards to eastwards of the guns. I used a room at night with red-tiled flooring, finding retreat within throughout the day whenever the spirit so inclined me. Also a good dry barn gave shelter to the men, as formerly had been the case in rear.

The area round this farm was under cultivation— visions of beet across the road upon our northern flank return to me when I address myself to recollection, plough on the right, and pasture forward. Hops I recall to rearward, through the summer, reaching along the highway's southern border up to a point right opposite the other section. And there were workers in these fertile fields in season, while the particular farm itself was occupied by farmer, wife and daughter . . .

 

 

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. . . As in the case on Kemmel Hill the battery occupied two separate sites, about 300 yards from one another, though they were both located in a valley lying towards the north-west of the village called Suzanne. Originally the guns may all have been in one position, but by the time that I had joined the unit, or soon after, only a section still remained.

This section was in action on the eastern limit of an isolated copse—a small formation known as Upnor Wood upon the large-scale Army maps. To east and rear of this location lay the other section, placed on the foreward edge of yet another sylvan feature having an area greatly more extensive than the former.

Even at the particular period I refer to now a marked artillery activity was evident on either side about this portion of the line, for hereabouts the British sector joined the Frenchmen's, and at this time the unit to a large extent was occupied in firing in support of grey-blue tunics on its right.

Now whether through casual indiscretion, or for a cause or reasons not to be avoided, it was an obvious fact that the discerning Hun had by this time identified at least our left position. But there was nothing in this situation to beget surprise, because the attempts at local camouflage were of a parlous nature—if, as a matter of fact, such efforts could be held to ever have been made at all.

For right in the middle of the copse, and centrally disposed behind the guns, and clearly to be viewed from air despite surrounding firs, there stood a canvas hut wherein the battery's maps and various gadgets used for fire-control were stored. The spot was that from which the section was directed.

Then, at about a hundred and fifty yards in rear, another line of huts, of various shapes and types, had been arranged in blatant fashion down below a natural bank, some fifteen feet in average height . . .

 

 

 

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. . . And in the days that followed after, what was plenitude beside the wealth of pit-props, concrete slabs, and corrugated-iron sheeting, and the like, tha t battery wagons used to bring at varied hours for gunners to unload at the position ? What was material without stint if this were not ? All splendid stuff—and British.

So in the course of time the men had dug-outs ten feet deep, first excavated, lined with pit-props as supports, and roofed with timber and the aforesaid sheeting, with an effective height of earth on top, and concrete slabs to act as " bursters," followed by still more earth, and scattered turf-sods. Also a B.C . post of like construction, though less spacious ; and a commodious officers' mess about a hundred and fifty yards behind the battery on the flank, and roughly twenty paces from the road.

The yawning cavern that this latter dug-out formed throughout the earlier course of its creation, when there were sweating mortals delving in the loam some dozen feet below the surface of the ground, and mounds of earth lay strewn about the edges, came to be looked on as the local wonder, encouraging visits from the neighbouring clans to witness work in progress.

But as the mess was last of all the tasks I set in hand some time elapsed before the enterprise was even started, and in the meantime we were housed for meals within an unimportant excavation two 01 three feet deep, and covered by a gun tarpaulin, like a tent. I can remember dining (euphemistic phrase) in this retreat one moonless evening when the air was quiet and all seemed presage of a peaceful night, when hark ! across the stillness of the April atmosphere (or was it May ?) that surging whine, too ominous of the heavier hows, to be mistaken by those warriors tried of war, broke suddenly in upon the local hearing. The whine developed to a roar, the roar to thunder-crash ! and a pair of 8-inch hows, dropped close together near us on the sward, and lights went out, and in a space of seconds earth and sods came tumbling down upon the paulin set above our heads. The party soon decamped, and little time had lapsed before two other thunderbolts arrived ; but then came peace, and a resumption of the meal.

About three hundred yards behind the guns, the shelters of the men off duty lay dispersed across a scattered area that contained the officers' " cubbyholes " also. Only on one occasion were these actual shelters shelled, and that at night, when gas disturbed the general slumber and the noise was deafening, for the aggressive Hun used high explosive simultaneously.

The battery suffered intermittently at first, more usually from " pip-squeaks" and the German 4 point 2, but with the front becoming stabilised some short while after my arrival on the scene (I claim no credit for it, Britons) there was a marked improvement in the situation, and the Germanic batteries drew back somewhat on our sector. As a result of this the enemy found the range to the position that we occupied beyond the capabilities of many of their guns, for in regard to where the line was finally established after the retreat had ended, we ourselves were far from being in a forward site.

However that may be, the German used to shell Souastre at night quite frequently, and also the reserve positions in our rear, where working parties laboured under cover of the dark until the entire trench system was complete ; while projectiles of small calibre used to sing in passage overhead, and fill the air through intermittent periods of the time dividing dusk and dawn with a harmonious music of the skies, and curious whistles.

Now in the meantime two more subalterns had joined, both youngsters lately from the " Shop," and useful acquisitions, if at the first they lacked experience in the role they would be called upon to play. One, Brightly, happened to be a well-known V.C's brother, and in the course of time became the battery observation officer. During the Hundred Days' advance he proved a tireless worker in his country's cause.

The other, Parkissly, had been commissioned for a year or so, but owing to the edict none should fight until they reached the age of nineteen years, the lad had been employed at home whilst waiting restlessly for the appointed day. This came, and he was happy.

One of the features of the period subsequent to the Retreat, whilst marked uncertainty regarding German plans still formed the keynote of our dispositions, lay in the enemy's frequent practice on this front of flying low across the lines at dusk, and reconnoitring gun positions. But on the 25th of April it befell a hostile aeroplane to meet the fate of such as challenge Providence once too often, and the two batteries of my own brigade in action some way forward of the other pair attacked an enemy airman, as he circled over them, with Lewis gun and rifle fire, and brought him low, and " crashed " him.

Various feeble efforts, too, the Germans made to spread subversive propaganda from the air, but little can have come of these attempts, and they were not continued long. I picked a leaflet up myself one day, not far from the position, forwarding on the printed word to higher quarters for transmission rearward. Though as a document conceived to undermine the troops' morale it might be held as typically Hunnish, scarcely could it be rated efficacious. As to the sermon that it preached, or tale it told, or futile exhortation it displayed, my memory fails me here, but small as was the wonder it inspired in me ten years ago, so little matter now. . . .

A reference I have made in previous lines to one named Jolliboy requires that I should amplify the same before proceeding further. Here was a prewar corporal of the Gunners who had served in France and Flanders since the earliest days, had been commissioned, and now found himself with major's rank, commanding. He was a splendid officer, and beloved, though only twenty-seven years of age and of plebeian trend in matters that pertained to speech, from both delivery's point of view and choice of phrase—and certain phrases that he chose were passing choice, and cannot be repeated on the printed page. Expressive, none the less, were certain others not so lurid in effect, as, for instance, when he spoke of family matters, mentioned with obvious and paternal pride he had " a pair of kids," and that another, he had lately heard, was " on the stocks."

" I own yer—body and soul," he once affirmed in ringing tones to one of his officers who had sought to argue with him on some point; and there the matter ended.

Burly in build, and with a rolling gait, this proletariat's son was of a yeoman type and made good company at any time, and would have shone in any sphere where men of character elected to foregather. Manly and kindly, and a jovial soul, with common sense not less conspicuous than the fount of courage springing from his heart, he was a fine example of the British fighting man, and I am glad that I have served beside him.

Still there remains another B.C. I have yet to note —a soul to whom I give the name of Bucking. Bit of a "dasher" in his way, a territorial swain with horsey bent and airy manner; though he possessed but little innate " pep " to give support to an exterior that was smart ; nor did he lack the attributes of one accustomed to impress with bearing, words and phrases. Pleasant withal, and gifted with the "masher's" complex, Bucking improved the social atmosphere in which he moved in war, and in the days of peace had been a member of the Baltic. . . . Somewhat in front of what remained of Hebuterne my battery had established a convenient observation post within a trench that formed a part of the original defences on " The Somme." Uninterrupted views across a wide expanse of country were obtained from here, and the existing front line system lay not far away, if I recall aright, and on a slightly lower level. Chance and occasion came at times to fire on working parties in the German lines, or else at various points behind them : firing on single men, or pairs, or trios was a waste of ammunition generally, but the desire to do so often a temptation.

I was myself once moved in this direction when I saw a pair of Huns proceeding casually along a road towards a certain point of which the map location was apparent. Turning a section on this point I waited until some seconds only would elapse before the aforesaid Germans reached it, when there was word from me to open fire—bang! and we " strafed " 'em proper.

Run, did you say ? You betcher (Yankee jargon) ! And we chased 'em. Chased 'em along the road they followed till they reached the crest, or else we hit 'em. Very uncertain, but I hope the former. Even in those days I discerned no joy in killing : rather the glory was to see that Teuton pair skedaddle.

Then at another time, after journeying to the same O.P. and meeting Foxer there, the Hun bethought him he would " strafe " our neighbourhood, and shelled the area close around us, so that we sat in gloom enduring his attention, though we were most intent on finding out from which direction he was firing. Over that open country sounds moved freely, and, in the course of opportunities succeeding one another with unpleasant frequency, it was no arduous task to take a careful bearing on the point whence emanated the offensive boom of guns in action at a distance. Later, the information so obtained was passed through intermediate channels to the official " counterblaster " ; and in the course of time my country answered the aggressive Hun with guns intended then and there to " larn 'em."

Once as we rested peacefully at ease the wireless operator heard a German aeroplane communicating with a battery, and informed us so. A hostile 'plane was circling in the middle distance, and in a minor while there came the ranging rounds of five-nine-howitzers. It was a curious fact to note that, of the fifty shells or so the Hun expended, all of them were aligned upon our right-hand gun-pit in the main position, and there was no attempt at any broad dispersion of the zone of fire. The Fates were kind to us, for damage was confined to France's countryside, which in the neighbourhood assailed presented an uneven scene and pock-marked surface to the human eye.

To meet attacks on other fronts artillery had been gradually withdrawn from our corps sector to support the infantry hard-pressed elsewhere, and as a consequence extremely heavy work had fallen to the lot of those brigades remaining. During the months that followed the Retreat we used to shell the Huns continuously, it almost might be said, and more especially at night, when we engaged in harassing fire upon communications—tracks and roads—and all the known positions of the enemy batteries seriatim. Never have I experienced such intensive bouts, so strenuously maintained, so systematically aggressive in their tireless application and intention. As a rejoinder to the German pressure it could scarcely have been more effective, and the unhappy prisoners that we took in various raids, and later on (about the outset of " The Hundred Days "), confessed to never having faced the like at any period of the war . . .