WITH THE "HEAVIES"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 261, 23 July 1918, Page 6

WITH THE "HEAVIES"

"An officer wanted on the 'phone, sir. Thus vou begin work as officer on duty by taking the orders from the brigade ns to the firinjj to bo done throughout tho nii;ht-. Tt is comparatively quiet—notliiiiET more exciting than thirty rounds per hour on the cross-roads at X, beginning nt 10 p.m., and to be continued until the morning mist rises. In less than fifteen minutes you havo worked out the angles, corrected tho range and deflection for charge temperature, temperature of the air, barometer pressure, and wind. A final walk round the guns to confirm the fact that they are, laid correctly, and then to the B.C.'s Post to read such magazines as mav be about.

At 10 p.m. the gnn detailed for tho night begins its thirty rounds per hour, working with lmlf detachment, and no Boche transport will pass the cross-roads at X fliat night. The BocV is getting lively. Ton hear his field suns, and prepare Ojjain to check your calculations. The telepho"." buzzes, your telephonist repeats the as he writes it ''own, "Oivn on V'>es rapid."

Th» oi'oV-T !« ''i-n, and immediately lh" yon see ghostly figures round Mr live guns, hear the ' ; c'f as bi"""'' ' ''' '".'" aid on a n a I'd •-'owly the muszlos ■Icvuta to the desired artTli*.

Within two nvmiles from the telephone message the Numbers One on the gens are reporting. "Kcndy, sir." Then the order, "Gun fire Ihiviv scro'Mls." and five heavy shells begin I heir flight to the enemy lines. The roar is deafening. Other guns begin their work, and one wonders if it is an attack or only a "aid. \'ou remain by the telephone for orders. Tn five minutes the Iclophcmist writes under your cyi-s, "Deduce rate of lire fur five minutes and stop." Almosl immediately the roar boeomis loss until it gradually dies away. Vou guns cease firing, the men turn into their pits to get what sleep I hey can. A quiet night, but still tho one gun continues to pump shells into the crossroads at X. -"J. H. 5.," in tho "Daily Mail."