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 471
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[Page 471]
Well knowing that it would soon be their turn to feel the effects of this terrible shell fire, the watching men were thus warned to take up "posies" (positions) in the Hun trench wet & all as it was. Thus was afforded a close examination of the trench and its surroundings.
The trench itself was a new one just recently dug and it looked "pretty good". At regular intervals dug outs or Shelters were placed in the parapet, where those not on duty were very comfortably protected from the weather & although the attack had been made in fine weather, rain & sleet starting to fall made these shelters very welcome.
From the left flank the first three shelters had been left by the Huns "just as they were" Clothes were hanging up, all round the dug out on hooks, their evening meal had been laid on the table & a huge "dixie" of what they evidently called Coffee, was standing near the Chair at the head of the table. In the 4th 5 & 6th shelters the Clothes etc had been hastily tied into bundles, but left on the table, in the 7th & 8th the bundles had been removed, but in one of these were two dead Huns. Killed by means of bombs for having shot one of B Coy's men (M[dash]s) on the parapet.
The Huns had got an awful "doing". While looking at the Hun inside the dug out his position was such that it looked as if he was feigning death. While the Sentry & another man were calling on the Hun to "get up" his lower jaw moved. As the Sentry had his bayonet "in position" the other man called out, "Drive it through him if he wont get up he is only shamming"
Poking with the bayonet the Sentry could tell the man was dead
Put it through him to make sure