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 467
You are here
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 467]
a few miles the other side of Bapaume 4 days later
Owing to the Hun trench having about 12 to 18 Inches of water in it the men while waiting for daylight sat on the parapet smoking Hun Cigars knowing that the enemy shell fire would start in earnest as soon as they obtained a view of how matters stood which they could from the top of the ridge in front which really ought to have been our objective & the men would have made it so had they not already been blamed for over running an objective although the responsibility of doing so was not theirs.
While waiting some of the men were having a little practise in amateur AMC work, bandaging some of the Huns. Most of those lying about had been killed outright but four or five wounded were close handy. Seven or eight men were patching up a young Hun about 17 or 18 years of age who looked as scared as death itself which he evidently expected was coming every next minute whereas the men were doing their best in their own way to assure him that he was alright He had a terrible wound in the arm & hand.
Just before daylight "broke" the 55th Battn could be seen charging to attack the village of Doinez [Transcriber's note: Doignies] about a mile away on the far side of the Bapaume-Cambrai road. In the distance the men looking very small, could be seen running up & then they quickly entered the village.
The watching men, – some of them putting on plenty of "side" & style in the manner they were smoking their Hun Cigars – passed remarks
Rippin! Dont yer know! My! That was pretty work! Bai Jove! It didnt take them long! & so on.
When all of a sudden the men of the 55th could be seen running back as fast as their legs could carry them. Back! right out of the village!
The men watching, not in fun now, started to their feet exclaiming,