LIFE IN THE TRENCHES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1671, 6 February 1917, Page 3

LIFE IN THE TRENCHES.

INTERESTING LETTER FROM DR. ADAMS.

Dr. G, •). Adams, late of Fox ton, writing of ins experiences in the

trendies in Trance, says; — “Whoever could forget one moment of the existence one had to put up with in those trendies; one used to live through years of one's life in a few minutes of thought, particularly when being shelled. 1 have often thought about it since, and indeed it was a glorious experience, as awful as it was —a delightful thing to look back to, but not so glorious to look forward to having to pass throng!) again. Then 1 we were passing through our regular routine in and out of the trenches, stealthily creeping in, down a dirty road cut up by slid! fire, with an occasional shell screaming overhead and a bullet now and again, which had .-(rayed prclty far hack, pinging past, reaching (he reserve line of trendies; entering the narrow, dirty communication trendies, sometimes on boards and at other limes in mud half up to the knees; passing across (he support trenches, and so on, zig-zagging in this dirty trench perhaps for half a mile to the front line, then taking over duties from those bidding t lk* trendies — medical officer from medical officer, colonel t roni colonel, right down to man from man. This used to take about three hours from I he time we left the brigade reserve, billets just, behind the firing line, which billets were si! mil ml m amongst the artillery positions, and thus in an exciting position and under shell lire. Having arrived and taken over one’s duties in the trendies, (he battalion which had been relieved would trek out just as we had conic in. The next thing was to look out our little dug-out. 1 often think of those day walls( or sand hags), with similar roof, of such height as to allow one to move about, but not iny by any means, all eases of sufficient height to allow one to slam! up , with a sack-stretcher arrangement. All that we had in the trenches were shaving and washing material, great-coal, and very rarely a vug, a change of stockings, and this had to satisfy for four days. Of course, beyond tailing off our trench boots to rub one’s feet with anti-frostbite grease or to remove wot socks, clothing was never touched day or night during the time in I lie trenches —one slept in bools and stockings. Well, arter pn(ling one’:- little kit in the (Ingont. and seeing Unit Hie Aid post and dressings and instruments were in readiness for the wounded, it would probably be about JO pan. —the process of going into the trendies having started at 3,30 or !i pan., according to dusk, The next thing was to look for something to eat, the last meal having been tea qj:_ about 3.30 pan., thus a trip to another somewhat larger dug-out lo accommodate headquarters mess —live in all. colonel, major, medical officer, adjutant, and advanced artillery officer. By (hat time the cooks would probably have prepared a meal, and not a had one very often —-.stow (?), bread or biscuits, butter, jam, tea, or some such course. After that a chat over a very nice coke or coal tire left by the outgoing battalion, and then a smoke. Then comes tint word that the rations, coal, etc., are being brought in, all carried in sand bag.- along the same old eommnniealion trendies from the transport which lias driven up about midnight lo a small shell-wrecked village just about half a mile behind. Then we are alright, it is very miserable if there is much shelling about this lime, because the transport is held up and rations, etc., cannot he got along, and, as does happen on a few occasions, everybody lias to exist until the following night with no healing, no braziers and a tin of bully beef and biscuits from rations; bur this is no! very often, as our men have adapted themselves wonderfully, and it is a. very exceptional attempt of the Bmd.es that prevents rationing. During the whole of them 1 proceedings. of course, there has been the incessant ping! ping! of ride bullets overhead, and into the earthworks, and the rat-a-tal-a-tal of the machine-guns skimming our parapets, and the call “medical «>fticer wanted!’’ here and there, or a case being brought to the aid post, for it was not very often (hat the entrance to trendies and rationing was carried out without a few casualties. Then we would again retire to the mess dug-out and have a warm, batten everything up tightly. and Jlop down on our sack mattress and sleep the sleep of the just. I often think, and others state the same, that those nights in the most uncomfortable of all makeshift beds, with all clothes on, have been some of the most restful ever put in. Of course, because we have gone lo bed physically tired. Perhaps nothing has happened all night but the usual everlasting ping and rattle of the machine-gun. .But as regular as' dock-work the morning ‘hymn of hate,’ which consisted of the Bodies shelling our trenches or artillery positions from (j to 7, and retaliation in a similar manner by our guns; nobody took much notice of this, it would cause one to wake up, shiver with cold for a while, and then Jlop off to sleep again, only to be pulled out u few minutes later by an orderly calling out, 'Stand to, sir!’ Then up and out to post of duty—medical officer to his aid post. This lasted to 7 a.m. Then wash and brush up, and cup of coffee, and a walk around the trenches to get warm. 1 must hero mention that

for six weeks on end everything was white with snow, and where there was much walking, slush; and the weather was raw, and everybody looked prehistoric in his goatskin coat, trench boots, muffler, balaclava knitted headgear —we all looked anything but the trim British soldier. Breakfast was due at <S a.m.. and after that a shave, sometimes with hot, and at times with water from which the ice had just been removed. By the time each had to go about his duties. I, of course, had my sick to attend to at the ad post, had to get them sent or carried back to the held ambulances to be conveyed to hospital. This lasted until about U a.m. Then I had to walk around the whole section of trenches to see that the sanitary squads were using plenty of chloride of lime and emptying the latrines, etc., in fact to see that everything was in a satisfactory sanitary stale, and (o’inspect the Vermovel sprayers daily to see that they were working well, for we never knew when a gas attack was taking place. This kept as busy until 1 p.m., then lunch off cold myal, a pudding, and biscuits and cheese. After lunch 1 had to examine the water supplies and all streams winch might have been contaminated hy the Bodies through a branch streamlet jades along the line, and you would he surprised to hear that prussic' acid and arsenic were not infrequently found. After this, beyond attending to wounded, my day's work was over, except that (he medical officer nearly always acted as moss president or ('(included visitors around the trenches when things -were not ‘busy.’ We, furthermore, bad our old friend the gramaphone, which used to keep us company many hours —a godsend to the misery and monotony of the trendies. This glorious instrument, for which I shall myself for ever have the greatest respect, used to tide over many an exciting hour of shelling, ■hist picture us in small groups assembled in dug-outs, with Hie screaming of shells well up in (he air, the awful explosion of shells a little nearer, and the merciless deafening’ crash of one fairly dose, just like rats sitting listening to a gramophone playing the latest ditties, trying to overlook what, is going on around us, trying to be bright and happy when the only thought, I am sure 1 , in everybody’s mind is; ‘.ls our number up to-day However, we used to feed that it was worthless hiding ourselves, because if one of the present-day high explosives hits it is certainly (be 'number up’ of somebody, for they make great craters where there was previously a built-up sand-bag parapet: or clug-oiit. Well, such was (be daily routine, only varied by a night attack by one or Ihe other side. A gas attack of which I experienced only one. An artillery bombardment was worst of ail, because you could not get away from Die high explosive, no matter what you did. After four days the battalion is relieved as .1 have previously stated, and then back to brigade reserve billets, the eolone!, adjutant and medical oCticev being last to leave (he trenches. Back we trek to our billets, which are about: one to two or three miles behind the front line trenches, according to the part of the Jim* held; you can generally see what is going on in the trenches however, through glasses, On ar-

rival back, of course, being last, we always found a good hot meal to sit down to, for now we were in an old Lmn house, iff which only übont half is left standing, but there are one or (wo rooms secure, and a good fireplace, and utensils to cook with. Generally' our arrival back is about midnight, and awfully' tired we are after four days; that trek hack was always an awful trudge. We would find (hat our kits had been brought to these billets ready for ns by the transports, and we would lake off our Hollies, after feeding, and roll open our valises and turn in on the door in our sleeping hags, and there remain until 10 or 11 the next mornng —never lie fore, unless Ihe Boche had started shelling us, or the halt a lion in the trenches was being threatened and we had to stand by ready to march in to relieve them —a somewhat rare occurrence fortunately. Then my usual routine of sick and sanitary work a ter breakfast. At about 11. or 12 orders came through and men were detailed to return into the trenches as working parties, some during ihe day and others at night, to repair parapets, etc. So you see they are kept at it. Of course, here we are out of range of rille and machine-gun lire, hut are in the midst of tin* artillery, and then often have to take to shelter trenches when (lie Boehe is shelling hack, and (lie daily routine includes wounded; furthermore, we now have the aeroplanes hovering overhead observing our guns, and dropping bombs occasionally. We get good water now, our water carts bringing it up daily, and the men have their field cookers, and get belter meals. The greatest drawback is that everybody is up to the knees in mud (of course, 1 am only

giving you my experiences or winter campaigning). I believe I would rather be in the trenches than in brigade reserve, because, although more comfortable (such as. the comfort is—practically an old barn, with no furniture, only four walls and a roof, and a box table), you are all the tme being shelled somewhat, and as 1 have said before, the shell lire is the worst of all. You hear the shells screaming, and feel secure, but occasionally you hear one whistling, and it is awfully uncanny, gradually getting nearer and nearer, and yon knowing all the time it: is coming straight for you, and very grateful is the relief when it passes over and lands in a Held perhaps a hundred yards, mure or less, beyond you. After four days of this you arrive at the day you go in again, and you pack up your valise again and make ready to have four more days of trenches. Such is the life in Prance in winter. After three trips in and three trips out (24 days), the battalion goes back to divisional reserve, about three to seven miles back, its only menace now being shells of heavy guns, which are not worringly frequent, and aeroplanes; this is (he first true rest one gels, and lasts for eight days. The medical officers of units now get their first days off, and usually have every other afternoon free up to 8 p.m. or thereabouts. The first thing now is a bath and a change of clothing. We are now in billets, perhaps with a bootmaker or such —of course, in a poor way, regular country folk, or a farm shed and perhaps a bed lo lie upon,'all hough it be a straw one, but it is glorious, and feels bettor than the very best mattress procurable in times of peace. There is now a good deal of spare time. The men are kept Jit with physical exercises, etc., and all losses are made good in the way of clothing, boots, etc. It is a relief to be back for eight days. At the end of this lime another move info another lot of trenches, and through the same routine there.”