Mercer papers, 9 December 1917-19 June 1919 / Harold Mercer - Page 68
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[Page 68]
got bad sores on the arms & face where I had been scorched. The pain was intense; but I could not report sick over it because of S.I.W. – the cordite being prohibited they would have reckoned my injuries self inflicted wounds.
The company has got into the habit of being badly shelled; and we have had to clear out of areas were we were working, at the double. I would rather be in the line myself, where you know what to expect: in this work shells will land amongst you when everything seems peaceful.
On one of these occasions we were working near Damm Damm [indecipherable]. In this vicinity there is a extensive semi-circular embankment, and when Fritz slaps shells on one side of it we have to shelter on the other. In Damm Wood on the side nearest Fritz there is a large German graveyard (it used to be well back of the German line) which, since he lost it Fritz has knocked to pieces in searching for our batteries, which, really are mainly on the other side of the bank. One day while we were sheltering, bones from this graveyard came hurtling over the bank, scattered by the shells.
On another occasion we watched German shells falling apparently, right on one of our artillery positions, at the extreme end, from us, of this bank. Fritz seemed to have the range perfectly, and we saw pieces of iron