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[Page 38]
first or front line of the Hindenberg trench system, and in this trench we had, very little opposition as we only had to contend with wounded Germans who were left behind by their comrades. During all this time there was as unceasing bombardment from both sides, and the noise was beyond the power of description. After going down into the dug- outs and clearing out what was in them we were ordered over the top again to reach the second trench line. I was very exhausted at this stage as I was carrying a spare coil of signalling wire all the time, which was of no use whatever now, as in the meantime the two men who were carrying the phone were killed, and the rest of our company signalling party had got lost in the confusion when we were going through the barbed wire. On discarding the wire I went into the second trench with the others who must have felt equally exhausted as I was, as they had special burdens of ammunition to carry into battle as far as possible so that we might drop back on it if it were needed.
When in this second trench we had to fight for our very lives at close quarters with the Germans, and without the least exaggeration, the bodies of the dead were so numerous as to block up the trench which was a very wide one. When the Germans were reduced to a few, they surrendered and we brought the bodies into heaps in bays in the trench so that we could pass in the trench freely.
It was just breaking dawn now, and we went further on until we got held up at a sunken road where the Germans had concentrated to offer resistance to us. While fighting hard at this position, our flanks dropped back with the result that we were nearly surrounded. At this time we were beyond Bullecourt, but had to retire back to the 2nd Hindenberg Line on account of our almost isolated position. I had to run the gauntlet in open ground against machine gun fire, with messages as I was a signaller, and of course our phone was not in use. Several of our machine gunners were lying out in shell -holes wounded, and two other men and myself went out with white bands on our arms to carry them in. The Germans observed our white armbands and we managed to get the men into comparative safety except one who was shot in the back which proved fatal. Later on, about midday, I was sent back to Brigade Headquarters