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 346
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[Page 346]
cause needless loss to post any one there in daylight. This trench was the counterpart of the one that caused such a big mistake at Fleurbaix. The trench itself was only about 12 to 18 Inches deep, with spaces for Machine gun positions about every 15 yards.
Half way out was a proper Machine gun post affording good protection to the Machine Gun Crew on duty & a shelter for those resting, while at the end of our line the position was only 3'.6" to 4' deep, then only about 12" till it joined the Hun trench which looked to be an ordinary proper one. To hold this post six men were told off, three men to hold it two hours on & two hours off all three men to keep awake. A Corporal from the Machine gun position was deputed to visit the covering post every half hour to see that all the men were awake
The Sentry with two young men from his own Company were posted first, one of these men was coming into the line for the first time. Instructions were given that two fronts had to be carefully watched. On the left the Hun trench between 25 & 50 yards away, & also another trench 700 yards immediately in front in a hollow. Not a shot had to be fired, but if any attempt on the part of the Huns to counter attack appeared the covering post men were not to fire but work back to the Machine Gun "posie" (position) which was to be held no matter how severe an attack was made.
The Sentry posted the older soldier on the immediate front & the new man & himself on the close Hun trench on the left. The night a cloudless one was fairly clear but terribly cold so much so that after about an hour the man facing the front became so chilled that he had to keep stamping his feet to try and keep up his blood circulation.
Knowing how wonderfully far sound, the least sound, travels on a cold still night, an effort was made by the Sentry to try and convince the "stamping" man that he was simply inviting the Huns to