ARMISTICE DAY, 1918.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 15 November 1920, Page 3

ARMISTICE DAY, 1918.

WITH ONE OF THE N.Z. FIELD , ARTILLERY BATTERIES. (By "DIAL SIGHT.") As little .seems to be known as to how some of' our troops spent Armistice Day in 1918, the following contributed by one of our Ofaki soldiers who was in France at the time, may be of general interest: — Our brigade arrived at a fairly large town—Haulmout—on the 9th, and all batteries were in billets awaiting orders to go into action again. After rain the previous evening, Monday, the 11th, dawned dull and threatening. ' As usual there was morning parade and stables at 6.30 a.m. At 7 orders came through from Brigade H.Q. that we' were to move, out at 9.45 e,.m.—unknown destination—but, not into action again. Rumours pointed to a small village named Quiery, two days' trek behind our line from Hautmont. One would never have thought that to-day was the most fateful day in the whole war. Everyone just seemed to take things as a matter of course, and only on some of the faces could one sec signs of faint excitement. All knew that Fooh's allocated time expired at 11, but hardly any dared to hope that, hostilities would actually cease. It seemed too good to be true. However, after having had break-' fast and packing stores, fodder, etc., on the ammunition waggons we were ready for the road. Our own personal "baggage" was practically a negligible quantity, for during the recent advance to travel light was imperative, ammunition for the guns and food for men and horses being of paramount importance. Comforts for one's self? Well there was never much time during tKe past few weeks to bewail one's lack of "necessary" luxuries. To continue, we left Hautmout at 10 a.m.. and *et. out by the same road on which we had travelled a few- days previously. On the whole front was tin almost uncanny calm—no planes p.bout, except one or two of our "observers." and no observation balloons. At odd intervals, however, there would come distant "booms" —not the usual crash of gunfire one had been used to previously, but muffled—probably the Huns blowing up ammunition dumps before retiring. Anyhow it didn't emanate from our part of the front. Halted at 12 ou the side of the road—fed up the horses, and had a

"scratch" meal ourselves. ft was here that we received word that the Kaiser had abdicated and that the Huns had agreed to the Allies' terms. I might say that we received the news in rather a novel manner, one of the brigade staff officers galloping past on his way to the head of the column, calling out to our 0.C.. "It's a washout!" In soldier language that, was all we required to know; we filled in the details ourselves. . Most oT the chaps indulged in a bit of handshaking and the usual "Hope it's true," etc., only in slightlymore forcible words! There was no outburst of wild enthusiasm, as no doubt there was in London and Paris, and no cheering. I think everyone thought it, was only another rumour, and therefore another disappointment iu store for us, and no one wanted to be "had " again. We continued on the trek, and ] throughout the afternoon the distant, booming continued at intervals it seemed to be general right up and down the front, and though we surmised that it was Bun ammunition dumps going up. it didn't sound too reassuring on top of the fact that hostilities were supposed to have ceased at 11. After a dreary trek we arrived at our destination for the night— Villereau, a partially wrecked village —shertly after dark. Having watered and fed the horses, fixed up horselines, and found a rough and ready billet, we set out to locate the cookhouse. It was while waiting in the "stew queue" that we received official word that the armistice had been signed. After tea it rained heavily and damped our spirits somewhat, and we were forced to seek shelter in our billets The talk that night—well, it would fill quite a large volume, and had Villereau been anything but a "dry" village—l have no doubt that several volumes would have been required to hold some of the fine elocutionary efforts. Why, I even believe j some of the chaps even thought they j had helped to win the war!