Cocks letter diary, 1916-1919 / Verner Cocks - Page 562

[Page 562]

No. 53
Paschendaele Ridge
In the mud
 €‹20/10/17

Dear Sister,

Thanks for your letter of August recd. some time ago, also for the short essay on Mary's face, but sorry I am not in such a frame of mind at present as to further discuss the matter.   The same with regard to England's green fields and beautiful France.   In any case it is absurd of you to offer Sydney's local scenery and that of one other small island in the whole sphere in comparison with practically half the world.   When you have travelled and are experienced a little more I will listen to you.

I was rather surprised to find that Jean's book of Symphonies excited such interest and envy.   It was just a toss up with me as to whether it was worth sending at all.   However I am glad it is appreciated so much and will send a few more of the like along should I come across them.

I have not yet delivered Dick Gates his leteter.   He has been slightly wounded and away from the Unit for a short time will hold it till he comes back.

Yes that is the forty ninth time I have read about France's day and the strike.   I will offer no further remarks thereon than to say that the strikers would be treated as super-huns over here and not allowed to pollute the face of the earth longer than five minutes if our boys had access to them especially after what they have gone through during the last week.   If I could convey any idea of the conditions during the stunt you would put it beyond human endurance.   Thank goodness no one can ever know except those who have been through it.   It was the most miserable experience ever I have know.   I wouldn't go through it again for all the money in the world but I wouldn't have missed that one for anything.   The enclosed clipping refers to the particular stunt.   I have given Jean a full detailed account of it all and I would like you to read it and have a copy made to keep with my others if that is what Dad is doing.   I think Jean wouldn't mind reading out the part about the battle.   You will probably see Jack's and my name in the casualty list as wounded and remained on duty.   Don't get worried we only got a few little superficial blisters which kept us from going up the line any more during the stunt.   We are quite all right now and are going to Paris in four day's time.   Will probably be sending a few things home from there.   Last letter home was describing a stunt we had just been through.   We had two days rest and then went into this one which lasted ten days.   We are now back in the country away from everything at the same place as we were before and are hoping to spend the winter here.

An extract from my diary re the stunt:-

Look over M.D.S. here at 10 a.m. to-day bearers proceeded to R.A.P's - Reinforced by infantry - one of us in charge of a squad of 3 infantry.   Jack and I with our party of 16 joined - Battn. marched into the trenches with them.   Set out at 8 p.m. and after marching for 4 hours towards the line cross country and completing 3 miles left them to look for R.A.P. - a pretty hopeless task in the dark and mud.   We were then under a thick bombardment of gas shells and others and were wearing masks.   Enemy throwing over mustard gas shells and lobbing amongst us and of which we got the full force raising a blister on my neck and catching Jack on the hand.   I held my breath and bolted out of the gas cloud putting on my mask at the time - this saved me from any internal effects.   Wandered round the country in amongst shell holes in darkness rain & mud looking for R.A.P. - party got separated some of us finding our way to a pillbox.   Everyone seemed to be there enquiring the way to the trenches, but no one knew anything so we sat down in a shell hole outside and decided to wait till dawn.   Soon we heard the others of our party shouting to us out of the darkness.   We made our way to them and found he had 5 wounded men in a shell hole - he had bandaged them up as best he could in the darkness - one had a broken leg and there were other serious wounds.   We got two of them on to stretchers and got them over to the pill box somehow and as luck would have it found an M.D. inside - he had lost his way & was sheltering.   He fixed the wounded up & asked us to shift them.   We tried to find a relief post but it was impossible in the rain darkness and mud and shells - we only