214
THE YPRES TIMES
At dusk C set off up the road of death, but, owing to the concentrated
barrage, it was impossible for the ration convoy to get beyond Frezenberg, and it
had to turn back.
A further attempt to reach the front line was to be made at four o'clock the
following morning, but A (myself) making way to the ration store in the
darkness of a bleak October morning, fell into a huge shell-hole full of icy water,
being soaked to the skin.
Meanwhile, in a small dug-out, B was recounting to C a terrible
dream from which he had just awakened. He dreamt that C" set off with the
rations, but had to turn back; "A" fell in a shelbhole, and was unable to take
his turn; and then, when he himself went up, he was wounded by shrapnel and
lay dying on the roadside.
At that moment a runner arrived to tell of "A's sorry plightB would
have to go in his place. Not unnaturally, perhaps, B then completely lost
his nerve, his whole body shaking with fright. Out of compassion for him, C
agreed to make the second attempt, and the rations safely reached our troops in
the front line.
It may be added that all three quartermasters emerged from the war un
scathed. I wonder if my two colleagues will read this totally inadequate record
of a trying ordeal?
J. Brunskill.
Photo
[Imperial War MuseumCrown Copyright.
THE ZONNEBEKE ROAD, SEPTEMBER, 1917.
