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 553
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[Page 553]
when leaving the firing line, on being relieved, & how the pain so intense at one time, seemed to leave the feet & all feeling stopped short about where the boot top would come. He instantly rose & in an apparently startled manner said What's that!
The Sentry again explained his sensations & experiences since his feet first troubled him. With a very earnest look in his face he said "Let me see your feet? & throwing back the blanket from the foot of the bed after examination said, Why man! You've got "Trench feet"! That black discoloration is mortification setting in! You're not for a Rest Station! You are for a Hospital!
Please allow me to remain for a day! Its so restful here! said the Sentry.
Not a minute! said the Doctor, Why unless you go to a Hospital at once you will lose your feet! I have nothing to help you here!
Then turning to the Orderly (being a Tommy Camp he was standing at "Attention") at the entrance of the hut said, Orderly! This man for Rouen Hospital immediately!! See to it, that he goes by the first motor!
The Orderly formally approached & said to the Sentry Dress at once & come with me!
Thereupon the Sentry had to get out of his warm blanket, dress in his dirty muddy clothes, obtain his overcoat etc from the Store & proceed in an Ambulance motor to the nearest Railway Station to journey at the quickest rate to Rouen Hospital.
While waiting at the Clearing station for the train the Sentry was joined by 80 men belonging to the fourth Division. Men wounded at Bullacourt, which is about 4 or 5 miles to the left of Louverval where the 5th Division was in action the same night as the 4th Div.
During the journey in the train these men related the experiences of their attack & they were all cursing "the Tanks". The Sentry naturally asked, Why "the Tanks"? The following is an outline of their story
During the night instructions were received that they had to go "over the top" about midnight or early in the morning, make their way out without the least noise to the wire guarding the Hun trench & there await the arrival of 10 or 12 Tanks timed to arrive one hour before daybreak