THE YPRES TIMES
229
We were now over the top and could dimly discern the first wave in front, but
soon lost sight of them in the increasing smoke which hung everywhere. After
advancing some distance up to our knees in mud, we received a temporary check
and had to take refuge in a shell hole. Here we found we had already lost five
of our ammunition carriers and our water-tin was empty, thanks to a Jerry's bullet.
During the wait Lieut. W. handed cigarettes round, and one of the Warwicks, who
was evidently superstitious, refused to light third man from the match, whereupon
one of his comrades laughingly exclaimed, "I'll light third man." Hardly had he
done so when he was shot through the head.
After about ten minutes' delay we advanced again, the rain still coming down
in sheets.
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Photo POLDERHOEK CHATEAU, 1917. [Imperial War Museum, Crown Copyright
Out of our original team of twelve we had already lost six, and were to lose
more good men, for we had scarcely covered another hundred yards when the young
fellow from Manchester was hit in the stomachwhile I was assisting him to the
shelter of a "mudbank" there was a rip and crack at my side—a bullet had smashed
his elbow. I made the unfortunate man as comfortable as I could, with the pitiless
rain beating down on him as he lay in the mud. I promised to send some stretcher-
bearers, but I knew his hours were numbered.
By this time I had lost my gun-team, which had advanced some distance farther,
and of course it was impossible to locate them in that cloud of smoke and bursting
shells, so I had no alternative but to go forward with the second wave and chance
stumbling across my comrades later. This I did, and arrived safely within two
hundred yards of our objective.
Germans were scampering up the ridge in front with a couple of tanks after
them, but tanks were useless in such a sea of mud; they stuck at the foot of the
ridge, where ultimately they had to be abandoned.
