Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 145
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[Page 145]
be time enough to further advance the front at Fleurbaix (ours).
Although our O/C did not say so it was patent to all thinking men that the work of the fifth Division was to "hold" & if possible attract, & draw every Hun & every Gun in the near neighbourhood to prevent them being sent to reinforce the Huns when the attack was made at Pozieres for that place had to be taken & held.
On the following morning, the men on going out into the yard from their billets were greatly surprised (at that early hour too) to find a representative from all the little shops in town carrying two huge baskets, & each accompanied by at least half a dozen children, "helpers", who at once started selling as fast as possible, chocolates, biscuits cakes sweets etc, & naturally they did a "roaring trade". When the men wonderingly asked the shopkeepers whatever induced them to bring their goods into the yard at such an unearthly hour, they were plainly told, the shopkeepers knew the men were going into action that day in the firing line. Such a wholesale display of what was looked upon by the men as knowledge of very secret information was to say the least "enlightening".
Whatever the reason immediately after the Company had formed into line, the men were dismissed, being told the attack was postponed.
The following days Sunday Monday & Tuesday nothing occurred, but on Wednesday morning, although the men had not been told, the appearance of the shopkeepers as before made it plain that they would be moving off to the line & the issue of "Tin Hats" confirmed it at once.
Fleurbaix attack (or Fromelles being the village in front of us) was to be made on Wednesday & Pozieres on the following Saturday & this was carried out. It surprised the men to think that if the village people had access to this information it would not