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[page 74]
145
(5).
The Battalion settles down to get the hang of its new position, to improve the existing cover and to do as much damage to Fritz as possible.
During the winter months it is often impossible to hold continuous lines of trenches owing to the swampy nature of the country, and on these occasions the line is held by posts arranged along the trench line or elsewhere, just where the ground is suit- able. The intervening spaces are covered by machine guns and in addition patrols watch the gaps by night. The enemy holds his line in the same manner and for a time the raiding habit was popular, each side trying to cut off one or more of his opponents posts. At this type of warfare Fritz is no match for our men.
Food has to be carried out to the various posts by night taking advantage of any clouds which may be about in the event of the moon being bright. On the occasion which I have in mind the moon was at its full, and this in conjunction with the snow covered ground made movement very precarious as the enemy was quite close. Of course we took fullx advantage of it to worry the Boche, but that is poor comfort to you when you are crawling along on your stomach through the ice and snow on your visits from Post to Post. The available officers split the time up so that each only has a few hours crawling to do each night. Accompanied by your Patrol Corporal you set off to visit the posts. All is well until you top a bit of a rise just behind the first line of posts: now we are on a sort of plateau which is a salient into the enemies lines. This makes it very awkward as Fritz' snipers and machine gunners on the left are able to "moon" you against his flares (which are being sent up a mile or so to your right and rear. Usually it is only necessary to drop down flat for flares in