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 453
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Transcription
[Page 453]
Imagine the feelings of the men when word was passed along the line to say that they were too early, & the charge would not take place for an hour.
Each man at once commenced to hold up the work of the officers for examination.
"What sort of condition would we have been in if the O/C had had his own way & brought us here at his pace? Why we would have all been "busted up", tired to death, & out of temper before "the start", when even at the slow pace that we actually came along brought us here only an hour too soon!!! What about all their anxious preparation for a special formation in the Attack! When they fell back on the old method after all? The men were practised in an advance with each section in artillery formation & from that to an extended line but all this was discarded on the night of the real attack.
The officers reconnaissance had called for a silent attack for the trench to be carried was not protected by wire, otherwise it would have been essential to have had the wire cut by means of a heavy artillery bombardment or broken down by "Tanks", therefore every order had to be given very quietly & passed along from man to man.
While lying in extended order waiting the men were subjected to shell fire but the Huns could not have suspected an attack as likely to be made for the nearest shell burst fully 100 yards away.
As the cold was so intense and the men had had very little sleep as soon as it was known that the attack would not take place for an hour, at least two of them, throwing their oilsheets "out", on the ground asked the men on each side to give them a kick when "Prepare to advance" was given, & lying down went to sleep immediately.
To the two sleepers it seemed
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