Extracts from the Diary of a Soldier.
184
The Vpres Times.
By A. D. STRANGE-BOSTON, C.E.
In July '15 my regiment, the 8th Rifle Brigade, was billeted at St. Jan-ter-Biezen.
At 3 p.m. on the 29th we received marching orders for the Hooge Sector. We marched
along the dirt road into Poperinghe, then hitthe pavé through Vlamertinghe until
we reached the French dugouts about half-a-mile the Vlamertinghe side of the Asylum
at Wipers. That evening at dusk we left for the line via Bridge 14 and Artillery Farm.
We relieved, if I remember right, the 6th D.C.L.I. The night was warm and finenothing
in the air to suppose devilry was afoot. Everything over that undulating country was
quiet. Not a sound was heard, nor a bugle note seemed to be appropriate that
evening. As we neared the trenches one or two waspv bullets passed on their lonesome
way. We filed into the trenches very quietly, and were assured by the outgoing unit that
the Boche had been rather noisy, but that he seemed all right now. That certainly appeared
comforting. I was detailed to take over the patrol of the H.Q. line to the front trench
(the Crater). Cpl. (afterwards Lt.) Wooding had charge of the Crater Station, while
Cpl. Osbaldston seemed to be a sort of free-lance. At daybreak Colonel MacLochlan,
Capt. Parker (Adjt.) and Lt. Gorrel Barnes, of the Signals, were standing in front
of the H.Q. dugout chatting easily. Suddenly a bright reddish blackish flame was
seen to advance on our left front. Lt. Barnes asked no one in particular what it was.
I suggested that perhaps the Chateau trees were on fire." The Colonel thought the
Boche had something up his sleeve," and gave orders to get all Company Commanders
on the 'phone. The Adjutant went with some men towards the front line, which was located
down the hill across a wheat field and through the woods near the Chateau out-buildings,
He had hardly left, when a 15 inch landed near usbetween us and the ammunition dug
out. A crackling of rifle-fire was heard, then hell itself broke loose with a vengeance. Lt.
Barnes seemed to sense the significance of the situation, and told me to get some men and
carry sand-bags to the front line. I gathered five men and we each took a bundle of fifty
sandbags and made our way to the front line. As we neared the fringe of the woods we saw
our own men and some K.R.R.C's. retreating. Rifle and shell fire was hitting the ground
all around us. We saw that we were being fired at mostly from the left flank by men in
Khaki. These men, it turned out, were Germans in Belgian and British uniform. The shells
commenced to take up a rhythm. Salvo heresalvo there and no waiting for the follow-
ups. Our men were then slowly retreating towards the second fine of defence. We filled
the sandbags and filled in a gap of old trench, and kneeling behind this defence we commen
ced firing. In a few minutes the retreating front line joined us, and here was now the new
established front line. The Taubes flying overhead looked uglysinister. The black cross
mark on the under wings seemed to threaten destruction. The liquid fire appeared to be
about half-mile wide by a hundred feet high. It may have been two hundred feet, maybe
it was only fifty. The height is open to correction. I only know it was mam- feet above
the tree tops. Sgt. Buck, who was now beside me in the new front line ordered me to
get a line through from the new position to the H.Q. Station. Osbaldeston and I
ran a line from a captured drum of German field line along the open ground to the H. Q.
dugout, and then we wired up two Company Commanders. The lines did not hold
they were obliterated by the shelling. We resorted to runners. Six men, one after the
other, were sent to Don F Beer (46th Brigade R.F.A.) for retaliation fire. They did
not get through. Osbaldeston and I ran a fine toward the R.F.A. gun emplacements
near the Ramparts, and finding a red (Artillery) wire we tapped in with a safety pin
tapped EssesOEsses Esses Pip Kay." We were sending the S.O.S. to save the
British line at Hooge. Finally a gunner answered. We told him the Battalion lines
were down, and that we would use flags and the Deaks Disc that the Germans had
