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 151
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Transcription
[Page 151]
very young & inexperienced. They looked very tired & sullen & none of them appeared sufficient to cause any fear in the minds of those "going in". Without further incident we reached the communicating "Sap", when we were halted & turned into a different sap & made a move to the firing line. On arrival here we were ordered up on the fire step & to "prepare to charge".
Bayonets were fixed, equipment adjusted, ammunition pouches examined to see that they were in working order and then every man became keenly anxious waiting for the next order, but this not forthcoming the nervous strain began to relax & conversation, which had been reduced to casual remarks & equally casual answers, again became normal. A wait of about quarter of an hour brought an order to "Stand down", "About turn", & to march along the firing line to a different front.
On arriving at our "destination" we were "told off" in small parties of 7 & 8 & "manned the bays" – the projections of each trench traverse, facing the Huns – & an order issued to "Stand to" & our work now was to hold the firing line as a support to the battalions charging, & to be ready to, "Go over the top", at a minute's notice, or to repel a counter attack should out men be forced to come back.
Not a shot was to be fired till the order was given that all our men had returned.
By the time we reached our places the thunderous roar of some many hundreds of guns appeared for about half an hour to be simply deafening. As the roaring seemed to increase each moment & as shells commenced bursting in very close proximity, the strain on the nerves was intensely trying, & tested the calmness & coolness of the best of men. As the shells which burst immediately in front of the
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