"IN THE TRENCHES."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 4, 15 January 1915, Page 1

"IN THE TRENCHES."

Lieut. Ledger's Experiences

Mr J. K. Ledger, of Fbkekche, has received an interesting letter from bis brother, Lieutenant R. K. Lidger, who is eervirg with the Ist Battalion Koya! Wehh fusiliers at the front.

Lieutenant Ledger writes under date of November 30th:

"Last night the Germans tried a trick, which failed. They all started chesring, as if they were charging, with evident intention of ge;ting us out of our trenches in order to meet the charge; for just after the cheering started we had a perfect hail of 'bullets all round us. But no one was hit, for the order was ta keep down and not tire until the Germans got within thirty yards. It says a gocd deal for our. men (hat no one statted firing, though, as you can imagine, it is very annoying to lie down under fire and not fire bsck. We were only shelled one nrorrjing, I am glad to say, fur it is raiher nasty to have that coming at you. On the whol? we had a quiet time, and ro one in our company was hit at all, though the other companies of the battalion suffered a few casualties. Two of our companies are entrenched only 200 to 230 yards awty from the enemv, so you have to be pretty nippy there.

"As regards life in the trenches, it cannot by any stretch of imagination be called fun. In fact, it is pretty beastly. Shots are coming over you all day and all night. On an average about four or five a minute come our way. Their rifles are supported on restß trained on to our trenches, so all their bullets come the same height. Fortunately, they have under-estimated the range and all their' shots strike about two feet too low. Our trencheß are about eight feet deep and two feet broad, with fire positions cut into the side facing the enemy. Along the bottom of both sides holes are dug out, the entrance being big enough lor a man to crawl in, while inside is a sort of cave, big enough for three men. These caves are called 'dug-outs.' At mxht one mac in three Is on gentry, while by day one man out of ten looks out. Therefore, not much sleep for the men, but much less for the officers. Out of 72 hours in the trench I got a sleep for about six, and that' is more than a good many get. All day long and all night their big " Jack Johnsons " are booming, but luckily they don't turn their attention to our trench or they would blow it to bits. " I got my baptism of fire beforo I got to this regiment, for on my way to join it I walked through a viliage the Germans were trying to shell. My baptism of rifle fire came when we went down to the trenches. But before we reached them we had to go through a faim, and though it was dark the Germans had either seen or heard us, for the walls of the farm were resounding with the smack of bullets.

" Any man who comes out here must needs be hard and strong, or he will be sick very soon. I was in a trench one day all day long with slimy, muddy water up to just below njy knees. But the life suits me, ror I have at last got rid of a cold which I had for six weeks previously, in fact I have never felt fitter."