124
The Ypres Times.
whether the Government at home are keeping aeroplanes there instead of sending them
here. The Londoners howl over 250 casualties we have three or four thousand a day.
There is a very nasty feeling here that we are not supported in the air as we should be."
But if we-were annoyed with those at home, our real rage was reserved for Fritz.
July 17th The Bosche have invented another abomination. Hitherto, when gas
shells came over and exploded one could smell the gas and put masks on the animals
and also the men. Now Fritz has some dodge by which it is rendered odourless and a lot
of our fellows have been caught."
At this period the tank was getting past the experimental stage, but still infused
considerable interest.
July 20th "A long train drew up very mysteriously at a rail head last night. It
consisted of six bogey trucks on which were huge tanks wrapped up in tarpaulins, about a
dozen trucks all filled with petrol, three coaches for officers, and a couple of vans. Then,
almost like human beings, the tanks threw off their tarpaulins, waddled down the inclined
plank at the end of the train, one after another like gigantic crocodiles or tortoises, and
crawled along, each into his canvas stable, which is carefully hidden under some trees and
hedges, and stained earth colour." At times one could not but marvel at the whole
business. On July 25th I wrote This is a most extraordinary war, there has never
been anything like it, nor will there ever be again. All the training and rehearsals are
done miles away from here with the same class of ground, trenches, wire and everything
to make it as realistic as possible. When the order is given, each humble pawn in this
gigantic game of chess knows exactly where he is to move and has an understudy following
him up.
We are all very much disappointed about Russia, and the state of their army is
certain to prolong the War, and preparations are already being made for another winter
campaign."
July 27th Censoring letters is rather monotonous work, and owing to free postage
Tommy writes, literally, millions, and it is a sight to see the mail come in, even for a Division.
Some of the letters are most beautifully written and expressed, full of pathos and deep
religious sentiment, particularly from the Scotsman to his lassie and his bairns. The
love-letters are very sweet sometimes, but as a contrast others are the merest waffle and
one wonders how any educated human being could write such twaddle. There is, how
ever, much evidence of both education and tone."
Sometimes one could not help but reflect on the terrible cost. August 8thWe
have spent in shells at Wytschaete and Messines no less than ten million pounds sterling,
and in the last operations eighteen millions. How long can we stand the strain?
One got used to air battles which took place almost daily, but one is worth recounting.
August 16th In a raging thunderstorm and tropical rain a battle in the air is going on.
We brought down six of their planes and lost three. Fritz was chucking his H.E. shells
about not far away from the office, and the combination of an awful thunderstorm and
H.E. shells must be seen to be believed."
The lighter side of life at the front has been often emphasised, but there was also the
serious side.
August 18th The recent operations entailed very heavy losses. It is pathetic.
Over and over again one meets a man in our mess who is just moving up to the trenches.
He is jolly, pleasant, and full of spirits, and you wish him good-bye, good luck, and god
speed, and a few hours afterwards the news comes that he has gone west or has been
mortally wounded. This forces one to think of the great lesson of life and death, and of
the necessity for trying to frame one's life and conduct as if each day were the last.
With all the cheery optimism there is a deep underlying current of seriousness in
most of the men. One cannot but be very proud to call oneself an Englishman, because
all ranks out here are simply magnificent."
