Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 20]
to land right on you & end the anxiety. It was just at this very juncture that my "religion" came in & gave me a feeling of perfect peace & confidence. With it came a most vivid consciousness that you were all praying for me : it was as if I actually felt the intercession being made. Without this "religion" I could never have carried on, & it would have been quite impossible to be cheery before the men.
Throughout the day the bombardment continued, shells landing all round but scarcely ever toughing us or our trench. Nevertheless the strain was tremendous, & in the early afternoon (was it 3.30p.m.?) Capt. Herrod asked me to run the gauntlet back to Bn. H.Q. & report that we could not hold out much longer. The Colonel at once decided to withdraw us to his H.Q. in the stronghold, - cheering news for Capt. Herrod & all of us. Taking our wounded & ammunition &c. we moved away in small parties back to the stronghold, & as we threaded our way round the shell holes & craters, - ducking from time to time, - we