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[Page 69]
50 yards away round a bit of a bend there was an observation Post where two men were stationed to keep an eye on the front & they must have been seen as they opened up on them & one was killed & one wounded (end of the observation Post).
The next move we had was by train towards Messines. we had only been out of the trenches two days when we were packed off to Messines where we went into the support trench for 4 nights & while there put up Barb wire entanglements each of the 4 nights & carried up rations to the others.
Then we went forward & I had 20 men on no 8 outpost which we occupied for 4 days & nights & as this was a secret post we had to keep down out of sight, bent almost in two when one moved about.
one day he started to shell us & as we were all bent down hugging the wall of the shallow trench he put a bomb within a few feet of where we were & sent two sand-bags onto my back & some over the other side of the Trench & blew off my steel Helmet right off my head I though its come at last & clapped my Hands to my head but there was no blood
I though I had been hit but it was the terrific concussion. it blew in the trench & we set to work & got it cleared also another part got blown in which we also cleared & at 9 oclock at night a party of the Worcester Regiment came & relieved us
I warned the Sgt to keep his eyes & ears open, but the Huns got it a few days after we left there, he only had new recruits it was their first time in the line