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 159
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[Page 159]
could be easily discerned by those who duty it was to stand still & calmly watch its death dealing effects.
The unfortunate members of the Companies "coming in", through the Saps, could every now & then be seen to be blown up by the burst of high explosive shells, parapets every where could be seen being smashed in, in all three saps, exposing the men still more to the "intensive" burst of spreading shrapnel.
The Battery on the left, after first efforts being about 5 Yards wide, the second try, getting the duck boards, the third succeeded in registering on the "bays" of the front line and once there, continued with terrible monotony, starting from our right to left bursting shells in every "bay" along the whole of the line, starting again on the right, coming down with unbroken regularity every shell bursting accurately causing men to fall with wounds or in death in every "bay". This continued unceasingly from two am till 8 am. when our batteries again opened fire.
With the cessation of our artillery fire the Huns attacked our men in their third trench, with trench mortars Machine Guns & rifle fire as well as shells. Our unsupported men had no alternative but to fall back to the second & then instantly to the first, Hun, trench. Here they made a stand to recover breath, but the Huns endeavoured to cut them off & advanced bombers close enough to make our mens' passage to their (our) trench a frightful torture.
The "Sap" built out to the Hun trench proved a death trap now, for being covered by Machine guns, those seeking cover there, went only to their certain death. Till at last emboldened by their apparent success, the Huns cut in between our men & our front line trench & increased their showers of bombs. Up & down this Hun trench our men ran seeking the easiest way, till at last the