216
White Chateau and Menin Gate. Our thanks are due to Mr. C. J. Parminter for
pointing out all the places of interest which made the tour most enjoyable.
On Monday some of the party were off early for a visit to the Somme battlefields,
including the Vimy Ridge, Arras, Serre, Bapaume, Beaucourt, Albert and the Memorial
to the 73,000 Missing at Thiepval. Others visited Poperinghe where we were fortunate
in finding Major Slessor who showed us over Talbot House and its historical chapel.
The writer has been asked to describe his visit to a certain Pill-Box at St. Julien
which he used in September, 1917, when serving with the 58th Division in the attack
on the Ridge on September 20th, of that year. The actual Pill-Box was found in nearly
perfect condition. This large concrete shelter on the bank of the Steenbeek now known as
A.II.62, a former German H.Q., and used as a Battalion H.Q. in September, 1917,
consists of semi-circular compartments, 6-ft. to 7-ft. in height. Each compartment was
entered from a covered way running the full length at the back and this is the only part
damaged to-day as it faced the enemy. When occupied by us and subjected to heavy
shell fire it provided safe shelter for 200 to 300 men at a pinch, and was occupied by a
company as well as a Battalion
H.Q. just prior to the attack.
The writer had been in the
Somme attack of July 1st, 1916,
that was bad enough, but the
conditions here were infinitely
worse with no cover, what with
rain, incessant shell fire pounding
the ground, wiping out water
courses and in consequence the
earth became one large swamp of
slimy slush with deep shell-holes
full of water into which men fell
wounded, and many were drown
ed. Such were the conditions on
September 19th at 11 p.m., when a. ii. 62.
we took up our positions for the
attack, lying in the mire awaiting Zero hour soon after 5 a.m. A miserable night indeed,
in which I lost quite a number of my men, and was blown up myself by a shell, but
strange to relate, unharmed. The attack was directed with the St. Julien-Poelcapelle
Road at our rear, Springfield on the left, and Winnipeg to the right. Zero hour arrived
and down came the barrage from over 2,000 guns, a wall of bursting shells fell in front
of us and crept forward almost as fast as one could walk through the slush an awe-
inspiring sight which will never be forgotten. Machine guns raked us and we lost very
heavily. I was shot through the jaw and left shoulder, consequently knocked out, and
lost touch with the attack. After a two hours struggle I managed to get back to the
first-aid post in St. Julien, and so ended my share in the battle for the ridge.
It is good to hear that the Belgian Government have agreed to the preservation
of some 180 of the most interesting concrete shelters, block-houses and dugouts. There
were several thousand of them in the Salient a wonderful system with one batch
covering another batch to a great depth, and one wonders at the super-human bravery
shown by the Allied Forces in being able to capture them. In a large number of cases
they stand unharmed to-day despite their subjection to bombardments such as the
world has never seen before.
To those who have not been able to visit the war cemeteries, I say that no greater
care could be taken of the graves for they are beautiful gardens, not a weed, not a blade
of grass out of place, flowering shrubs abound, spring bulbs and in the rose season a
magnificent sight. Your dear ones are in the care of a grateful country, and tended
by those who love their work.
