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 451
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Transcription
[Page 451]
indicated "care". A few minutes afterward the men were moving very quietly along the firing line, which just here, was a sunken road with shallow shelters dug into the parapet.
Although the night was dark yet clear, the men doing "look out" work in the line, seemed to be just a lot of Shadows, and no doubt felt a certain amount of sorrow or pity, for the men silently marching past, well knowing what the latter would be "up against" in a very short time.
It did not take long to arrive at the appointed place & after waiting for about half an hour during which a consultation was held amongst a number of Officers an order was given, to "prepare to move"!
While waiting the men could see the valley along which they had been marching "out of sight", but not "out of range", & could also see the ridge in front over the top of which the Advance had to be made for a distance of 750 yards. Their "job" being to charge & attack a trench, clear a village, & take & hold a wood the extreme edge of which was "A" Company's objective. The men were then lying hidden from enemy view about 200 yards from the top of the ridge.
It was here that the elaborate scheme which had been rehearsed should have been carried out but instead of each section conforming to the expected complicated movements as practised, when the order came, it was found that the whole battalion was deployed in the old fashioned style "to extend in line at one pace interval", with about half a dozen scouts in the lead of each company at about 50 yards distance.
Thus in ordinary extended order the line advanced towards the top of the ridge when "Coy Halt"! being given, sent every man to the ground, which with a white heavy frost was "as cold as charity".
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