Mercer papers, 9 December 1917-19 June 1919 / Harold Mercer - Page 92
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 92]
preferred anything to inactivity: to sit listening to those planes, & the bursting of the bombs, & feel the occasional rattle of the trucks when a bomb dropped near, was murder – it was even worse to hear the engine of a 'plane stop suddenly, and then wait for the fall of the bomb, wondering where it was coming. However, when Fritz had finished we moved off, although we had a couple more stoppages while Fritz performed. This morning we were able to notice, in several places, the German failure to hit the line on which we were travelling, although he got very close sometimes, & the holes his bombs had made looked unpleasant. As we travelled, nearly every road appeared to have its fugitives – old bent people & young children carrying bundles & accompanied by carts of every description, carrying their household goods. It was a heartbreaking sight. Detrained at Hondeghem & tried to get information about the position of matters; but nobody seemed to know. All we could extract was that the line that Fritz had reached was not definitely known; and it was not known yet what was to be done with us. We had a hot meal, & rifle inspection, being lined up beside our packs; & then there