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 332
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[Page 332]
open & refuge had to be taken in the deep dug outs.
Just about this time it was noticed that the Hun artillery fire became more & more severe & most with high Explosive shells from larger guns, he also appeared to be using a larger size of high explosive shrapnel & at times almost a barrage would be put down for an hour or two although whenever he appeared, at these times, to be in earnest, our own artillery would reply with such intensity that the Hun guns would either have to stop altogether or at least turn their attention to some other front.
This continued heavy shelling evidently caused the Officers in charge of this sector to think that the Huns were preparing for a pretty heavy attack just so soon as the ground would permit of it & preparations were at once made to be ready for it. Miles & miles of barbed wire entanglements were erected across country that had been in our possession for at least twelve months & which was looked upon by privates as never likely to be trodden upon by Huns again except as prisoners, & it was any thing but inspiring to see the preparations being made to withstand a counter attack.
In addition, on each front it was decided to dig huge dug outs, in the line, to hold beds for about 400 men & then about 600 or 700 yards back, a field dressing station for 500 bed cases. These dug out were 40 feet below the surface. To do this work volunteers were called for from the whole battalion, the work was started & continued in three "shifts" night & day.
Just at this time it was also decided that the 56th Battn should make a raid on the Hun trench immediately opposite, distant about 150 yards. One hundred & Twenty Volunteers were called for & were moved back to a suitable ground where training could be undertaken, in order that every man