AFTER A "SCRAP."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 185, 23 June 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

AFTER A "SCRAP."

ARTILLEUY OFFICERS STORY. The following extract from an omcer's diary is given by the "Weekly Scotsman" :—ln my last letter I had not time to tell a little about the strafe. Our strafe this time, which is a very different thing fr>m many other* experienced in forme l ' days, when our job was to hold on. There is a glorious sensation in an attack, and to have had a small place h one 16 jprioeless. Everything w.ent jKe clockwork. On the second, the artillery opened out. The deafening crash and incessant roll of gun- of all calibres were awful, and I -toad fascinated, witching the bursting shrapnel over the German trenches and supports. Up went the Bosch es distress sigvals—in ordinary life very beautiful flower rocket-' really, but in this job their beauty is not thought of: their meaning is a sinister one. We "ere glad to see it, for wv gunners knew we were g."ttin:i home. Try and imagine our gunpits. Gunners with tunics off, shirts open at the neck, and arms bare, srme sunsections with the nun stripped to the waist, serving the guns with every ounce of weight they possessed • Odd men, such a.s servants and clerks, standing by with buckets of water to throw over the guns to keep them cool. Soon every gnnpit was -■> full of steam that vou could hardly roe anything. LIKE THE KERRY ROAD. Tilings cased off a bit, and we could hear distant cheer- our infantry rushing the Boseh.e trenches. You speak of thrills. 1 experienced them, and also when dawn broke and we sawgroups of about fifty men coming through the mist which turned out to be Bosehe prisoners. Then down came the wounded, mostly helping each other silong or limping along by themselves. They came in litt'e batches. Afterwards came the stretcher-bearers with their heavy burdens. It was a strange sight, rather like the Ferry Rend after a big Rugby match—only, everyone was "wounded. Most were kilties, though you would hardly have known them" in their steel helmets and torn kilts. They had all a first hurried dressing, and many came and had what wo could give them, and it was a very s\vol i ea-h,e.idy feeling to hear how they praised us gunners. One ".lock", when passing us limping but happy, said : "They souvenirs will ho coming up the noo. They're having their breakfast and I've had nactliing." Which was true. Then the Bosehe prisoners came along, after being foil and registered. They came in groups of fifty. They were a fine-look-ing lot, particularly the first, for they are a crack regiment. Three officers were in front one, a fine-looking fellow who was aKsolutcly "f.ed to the world." had his hands thrust into his breeches pockets, and as he passed me gave a look of concentrated hate which I shan't forget. They were headed by ore battle-worn "Jock," with a rifle, a cigarette, and a -wagger to suit the occasion. "SorvF.xms, sir." He winked at me as he passed, and pointed to his charges behind him with his thumb, and "Souvenirs, sir—more ■ coming." The next lot we lied to shelter in our battery to protect them from their own shell fire. 1 :.u!d hay' pinched many Bosehe hats, but it seemed like hitting a man wh< :i lie was down. As it was, I had to -t.-p a rush of our men who attempted to tit off buttons, etc. The next lot !nd :.u>;".er Bosehe officer in it, who w.i ■ uaa-ng -with the British officer in charge oi the party. They were nei'i s-monr.g and smoking away, a:.d wvro (ii.no good friends. The Bosehe.- were jolly wed triced After being searched, she/ were -l given bad;'their pipes and baccy and cigarettes; and I know in one of our own batteries the officers were given a whisk} and soda to help them forget their wounds. . The stream of Tommies gnng each lasted several c'tav-. Some wounded, some lost: but most of them stopped to ye.;n with our fellows. There came a great quiet some days after the ttrafc or two strafes, I should say, for there was the usual vigorous counter-attack, caused by ex-lrMi-tion on both -ides, no doubt. For we ourselves had had no sleep for days. Yet the stragglers came wandering down. There was a fighting parson, whom 1 invited in. He hadn't time, for h<> w;;- looking for any conveyance to giv- Ins men a lift. He had been in the. thick of it. Covered wth mud. unwashed and unshaven, one shoulder strap wrenched < ff, clog-tired, but game as anyone, T have a great admiration for thee fellows. I haven't 'aid anything about the p-eparation and all the people who w.-.it up. T may not talk about that. Smne other time, when on leuve, 't w'-ll make ar. interesting yarn. f forgot to say one of the r.;o»t inspiriting sights in these days of battle was to see the ammunition coming up. Wagons with team- of six, niu! drivers fashing their whips arid going hell for leather through everything.