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[Page 38]
English canteen at Fricourt "Circus" . The trenches about this region, about ½ mile from Mametz Wood, in the region where the great push started on 1st July 1916 are a revelation in trench warfare. Both the British and German trenches are nearly perfect, but for comfort of troops, the hun has first place. Mining operations in this region were on a very large scale. Three craters, destroying several hundred yards of the German front line, are each about 75 yds across, and fully 45 feet deep. The loss of life resulting from these terrific demolitions remains forever marked by some large graves, like huge flower beds. At the head of each is a large cross on which is written the names of all the bodies which were identifiable.
This particular locality, near Becordel, will be a great "souvenir" hunting ground for tourists. The relics of this great offensive lie in thousands & thousands, all kinds of missiles and devilish contrivances of modern warfare. There are the Mills grenades, rifle grenades, R.L. grenades, cricket-ball bombs, Mexican grenades, plum-puddings, aerial torpedoes or "flying pigs" , every description of shell, helmets equipment, and in fact, all the portable adjuncts of an Army on the offensive.
What a time the tourists will have! I can see enthusiasts carrying 9.2's away with them, and getting their family crest put on them and standing one each end of the mantle-piece.
This very locality saw the heaviest fighting of the war to-date, and with the exception of perhaps the Battle of the Marne, Loos, and some phases of the Crown Princes death drives at Verdun, will never be surpassed. We Australians always cite Pozieres, and rightly too, but Pozieres was just a terrific bombardment followed by a grand assault and several days sustained resistance against the German counter attacks. The fortnights fighting