AT THE FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1916, Page 6

AT THE FRONT.

NEWS FROM A TARANAIiI MAN. Lance-Corporal .Jim Charters, wellknown throughout Taranaki as a prominent Rugby and League footballer, forwards a chatty' letter, from which we make the following extracts: —France, July 7.—1 suppose you know I got smacked out. I am writing this from the third hospital I have been in, so am having a look round. ... I had Oiad my clothes on for three weeks, and feeling tired and wet I laid down in the dug-out. A corporal and I and three others 'were close handy when the Germans opened their bombardment. Thinking it was only a few shells I did not get up. Then trench mortars coming over I put on my helmet when bang down conies the dugout. I got it on the head. I found my mate with his arm almost off. Sid Burgess and us New Plymouth boys had to move along. Later on a mortar burst behind me and over I went and the trench on top of me again. Getting buried twice in half an Hi our with shellshock as a side line shook me up, besides sundry bruises. One of the other three mates had his legs off, the -second lost a foot, and the third was buried. Wo dug him out and found him bruised, of cc-urse. One chap who was next to me, we could not iind at all. He must have gone up in the air. I started to work but was too sore. At the dressing station I was fixed up and wanted to go back but was not allowed. I got to the hospital at 11 o'clock and was put to bed. Mud! I was covered with it. My head was like a mud plaster on a pie. I was so pleased at getting my clothes off and into a bed that I forgot all my trobules and slept until the next day. And then the fun started. Hot clotli on head and neck the next few days made me bless the Germans. Removed from that hospital to another rest hospital. I spent 10 days there and was feeling O.K. I had all my bad luck within a few hours. Next day '[ saw the big bombardment start lying in my bed —a good place to see it from. . . . The Canadians are next to us. We are all in the same line, Canadians, South Africans, New Zcalanders and Australians. The Canadians are getting all the brunt of it so far. It is a great experience to be mixed up with all tltf other soldiers. ' The Germans were in this town at one time, but they did no damage at all, but Armcntiercs and Ypres are a mass of ruins. The former place is a devil's hole, being shelled all the time. We seem to lose most of our men •v.'hilst on fatigue duties rather than in trench work. July IT. —If one had seen that display of shells over Taranaki Trench that afternoon the Germans got me, it -vas surprising anyone got clear. You can see the trench mortars coming, and it is great getting out of their way. After a rest I went back to inquire of my two mates and found one had been killed and the other wounded and scut to England. I felt sorry. There is now only another chap and I left to the old mob. The Germans have since "aught it hot from our boys, who have left hardly anything standing. A bombardment at night is a great sight. Guns everywhere and a myriad of colored lights from shells and rockets, with machine guns rattling makes a' sight that will always be remembered. I wish I could Hy ;iome for a feed and sleep. Good old New Zealand will do mo from this onwards!