Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 26]
in the long narrow corridors with bunks on the sides like ships' berths. A good number of men could have billeted in it, but it smelt fearfully musty and a strong stench came from one end where there were probably some dead Germans, which we could scarcely investigate as we were very short of candles and my electric torch was damaged. It was dry and warm though, and I managed to get some sleep between the intervals of message running. At about 3 a.m. I had to take a message to the front line. The night was very dark and I could not find the officer in the usual place so I pushed along the communication trench and eventually found him by himself. I gave him the message but he asked me to "have a look at this first". He was holding his left hand, two fingers of which were badly torn and broken with shrapnel. After bandaging it for him I had to go several hundred yards along the trenches to find the next officer, and lead the wounded officer back to the dressing station. We were very sorry to lose him as he was a very game chap, and in fact was at the time wearing only a swathe of sand bags around a very sore foot.
Next days passed without any particular event, but I was a good deal tried by the inconsiderate action of my O/C, who instead of being himself supervising in the trenches sent me back and forward with messages to the front line. The enemy kept up a consistent fire upon the crest of the hill which they kept a sharp observation upon, and knew their line of dug-outs, were occupied. At times he kept up a heavy barrage fire and I had to pass through it a few times choosing my way by observing the sweeping effect of the German fire. After passing through a fairly hot one to Battalion Headquarters our old Colonel kindly gave me a couple of slices of buttered bread between which was sandwiched a piece of very decent boiled beef which he got one of his officers to make for me and a cup of water, to which he added a good tot of rum which squeezed some of the chilly numbness out of me. He had me take a good rest before going back. It was warm and safe in the cellars of the residence of a sugar
(27)