LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR.
128
The Ypres Times.
Highcroft Cottage, Chipperfield,
King's Langley, Herts.
November 13th, 1924.
To the Editor of The Ypres Times.
Dear Sir,-I was very interested in the speech
which was broadcast from 2 L.O. on the evening
of October 30th, ten years after the events
spoken about. It awakened old memories of
those places which are familiar to me, Menin Gate,
Hell Fire Corner, the Brick Stack at the foot of
Hill 60, Essex Farm on the other side, the village
of St. Jean, and at Potijze. What places to be sure 1
I would love to see them again. It was nice to
hear the speech broadcast and I hope we shall
hear some more some time. It also gave me a
desire to know this Ypres League and to become
a member if my credentials were good enough, and
so that I may qualify I will tell you how we, the
1st Battn. Herts Regt. (T.F.) arrived there. We
crossed from Southampton to Le Havre on
November 5 th, 1914, and stayed a night and day in
camp. In the early hours of the day following,
before daylight, we entrained to St. Omer and
went into billets. About the 9th we were inspected
at field work by the C.-in-C., and the next day
saw us packed off by London General omnibuses
to Vlamertinghe, and then, in the dead of night,
started to march up to Ypres. After passing the
beautiful Cloth Hall, which we could see in the
moonlight, we heard our first shell whizzing over
head and wondered what it was. We were soon
told by one or two of the fellows among us who
had seen service in South Africa. Then out at the
other side of Ypres we marched past Hell Fire
Corner. A mile up this road and we came to a
halt at a farmhouse and a spinney out on our left.
This was our home for the time being. The
morning was icy cold and fires were out of the
question, as here we saw our first Taubes. After
the Taubes came J ack J ohnsons and Coal Boxes,
and pretty close too. I think during the day we
went down a track on to the Ypres-Frezenberg
railway track towards Frezenburg on a stand-to
as it was called, but nothing happened to us any
way, and we came back at night. The next day
we again went up and dug some trenches and
improved others which had been started. We
relieved the 2nd Oxford and Bucks, who were, I
should think, about a company strong, taking up
a line on the outskirts of a wood and outwards
across some fields at right angles through a lonely
farmyard. What desolationbut a commanding
position with a field of fire of some hundreds of
yards. There was plenty of evidence of what
had been going on here both in front of our line
and behind it too. The County Regiments of
England, men of 5 ft. 6 in. or so, had taken their
toll of these Prussian Guards, great giants all over
6 ft. We English had lost some men, but I do
not hesitate to say the enemy losses were greater
by far. Nothing exciting happened while in this
position and we were taken out and marched back
to Hell Fire Corner. I remember quite well one
good old Guardsman saying, What! Have we got
to Terriers already Little did he know or think
what else we should get to before the end.
After passing through Zillebeke we went into
a position in a wood which had a number of roads
or rides cut through it which the German snipers
made use of with some good results to themselves.
We had to be very careful in crossing these roads,
so decided to trench across them in places. After
being here a while, in which nothing happened
beyond some fellows being buried, I believe the
Division was relieved by the French and then
began a march back to rest and refit. We did
not need it like the men who had been out since
the start, except that a lot of fellows were suffering
from frost bitten feet. We picked up the 4th
Brigade of Guards and marched back via Dicke-
busch and Ouderdom, where we stopped for hot
tea. The next morning was one I shall always
remember. It had been a cold frosty night and
the sun burst out on the pines hanging with hoar
frost on Mount Noir which looked very beautiful,
and on the road beneath. What a sight I Grena
diers, Coldstreamers, and Irish Guards with long
beards, for they had not had a chance to shave.
Tired, weary, footsore, and covered in mud (and
glory). Wonderful fellows, and we Territorials
were proud to be with them. We were all mixed
up and wondering how many more miles we had
to go. (I have been over the ground many times
since but it seems not half as far as it did that
time.) I shall never forget that march back to
Meteren with this Brigade. To see them then
and to see them the other day when I was at the
Tower of London. What a contrast! Meteren at
last. Forty-eight hours after we were clean and
fit again for anything.
We as a Regiment did not see much of the First
Battle of Ypres, but we saw those who did, and
the conditions under which they did it. The rifle
fire in the Salient at night is one thing I shall not
forget. It seems to me that knowing we had no
shells we made up in bullets. I should think a
mouse could not have lived in such withering fire
as was kept up from sunset till dawn almost.
I hope to see some letters from some one else
in The Ypres Times, as I like reading of the War,
especially the earliest part.
Yours truly,
Geo. A. Tyeer.
(late L.-Cpl., 1st Batt., Herts Regt. T.F..)
4, Culvers Way,
Carshaltoh, Surrey.
To the Editor of The Ypres Times.
Dear Sir,My son was killed in Ypres Sector
on about the 26th October, 1917, with the 14th
Warwickshire Regt., at a place called Poldenhoek
Chateau, Gheluvelt, No. 29893, Pte. John Billett.
I should be glad to hear from any of your readers
if they know anything about him.
I remain, Yours sincerely,
H. BnxETT (late Sgt. of the S.L.I.)
