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 415
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[Page 415]
fit to go into action! I can manage alright in battle order, but carrying the pack hurts my side!
The Doctors irritation seemed then to exude & he firmly "strapped" five 2 Inch bands of sticking plaster over the injured part, but even then he could not refrain from saying You know the two ribs are not broken they were only slightly fractured & the muscles a bit torn.
What about the pack said the Sentry?
Oh! I don't know anything about that we have no luggage waggons here!
Yes but what about the limbers carrying all the officers packs.
Oh! there full now!
On the Sentry's return to the ranks, the Battalion having fallen in all ready to move as soon as the Doctor had finished, the Sergeant asked the Sentry how he "got on" & on being told, said Go straight away down to the Cookers & tell the Sergt Major who is there, from me that not only your pack but rifle & equipment has to be placed on the "cooker". Then when they take them you follow on behind with the Cooker. However as the "Cookers" went on ahead to prepare the "Stew" for the men on arrival the Sentry had a pleasant walk to Fremicourt in the company of the "halt" the "footsore" & weary, & also the officer "bringing up the rear", who not belonging to the same Company proved very friendly.
The houses in Fremicourt were very much shattered, but what made matters very much worse, just close to these billets, such as they were, was a battery of heavy howitzers in front, and a very large number of both heavy & light field guns on the right. Whenever the large guns fired singly, or otherwise, or when the light guns fired "Salvos" the cracked walls would develope their "Cracks" almost an inch at a time & the first floor looked as if it would fall bodily upon a couple of hundred men below.
The outside Wall moved at least 4 Inches from the floor in about