SOMME PILGRIMAGE.
The Ypres Times.
October 2ndThe battle which commenced on September 20th is still going on.
There are, of course, set-backs from time to time, but we are almost on the Passchendaele
Becelaere Ridge, which, if we succeed in takingand we are certain to do so in time
will dominate the Belgian plain and make it extremely uncomfortable for the Hun, who
must retire. If he does, it will render his position at Ostend and Lille very precarious, and
the advent of the American troops during the winter will settle the Hun in the spring of
next year."
One could not help having a tremendous admiration for the Colonials. November
12th The Australians are leaving us, and I am really sorry to lose them: they are so
unique."
The winter had now set in properly, and one realised to the full the terrible hardships
of the men in the front line and support trenches. November 18th All one can think
of is the climate here and the mud, mud, mud!It never seems to dry up and, in walking
across the road, one is splashed from head to foot. Where there is no pavé in the centre
of the roads they are like a regular slough of despond."
Every cloud, however, has a silver lining, and the good news one received more than
compensated for the terrible conditions. November 23rd We are all much bucked
about the victory of the French at Cambrai. Our cavalry are there and have gone through
along a wide extent of country, so that we are in hopes that it may lead to the evacuation
of Lille, and that it will really be the beginning of the end."
It would be difficult to forget Christmas Day, 1917, which was blighted for me by
the death of my cook-valet, and one of my clerks. They and two others had taken a
brazier into their quarters which was strictly forbidden, and both were asphyxiated. The
other two were overcome but recovered. It fell to my lot to discover the tragedy. It
was a great shock, as I was much attached to both of them. A couple of days later the
hut in which my staff slept in was burnt to the ground, the occupants only escaping with
their lives.
Despite all our difficulties, however, we could-not but look on the bright side, january
7th Everyone here tries to help everyone else. You do not realise how kind people
are until you are seedy or have had bad luck, wounded or what not. There is a brotherly
feeling, because all feelespecially those in the fighting linethat they must live each
day as if it were their last."
About this time things were very quietthe calm before the storm, which was about
to break in a few short months. March 3rd The tide of war seems to have rolled away
from this place and is now centred in and around Dickebush and north of Ypres."
At the end of March I received an intimation from the War Office that they had
agreed to relieve me and I departed from the Salient after ten months' strenuous work.
Last Spring we extended our travel facilities to the Somme area, and we are glad to
report that our three- and four-day trips have been exceedingly popular during the
summer, when we take into consideration the difficulties arising out of the coal strike.
On October Qth we had the pleasure of conducting our first pilgrimage to the Somme.
which we organised for the unveiling ceremony of the South African War Memorial at
Delville Wood on October 10th.
After a comfortable train journey from London to Folkestone we boarded the S.S.
Biarritz en route for Boulogne, and experienced a very rough Channel crossing, the
climax being reached when the boat grounded at the entrance to Boulogne Harbour.
The sudden stoppage of the boat gave us no small relief after the severe tossing at. sea
nevertheless we were glad to land and to continue the journey to Amiens, which we made
our headquarters.