- i r\ O Allies \Chemm aes CepnyQ 7a Bovelle Fm. A O Bpaye Moussy O o Chivy O O Vendpesse OPaissy Beaulne q q Mouline Vassogne Vepneuil O Soupip THE YPRES TIMES 79 to escape being killed. However, fresh troops from the reserves were available to counter attack and the German advance was brought to a standstill before they could penetrate too deeply into our position. The danger of being surrounded was for the moment averted, but the fact remained that we were now too far forward and must go back. I received orders from my Company Commander to withdraw, and, waiting for a lull in the firing, dashed back to a new alignment. Our move was the signal for a fresh outbreak of firing on the part of the Germans, and we doubled back under a perfect tornado of shell and bullets. By a miracle I was not hit, but only ten men in the platoon survived to find shelter in a nullah which we fortunately happened to stumble into. As it appeared impossible to move either backwards or forwards under the hail of bullets, I decided to remain where I was for the present, and did my best to assist in the retirement of the other troops who were all coming back. Extract from Military Operations France and Belgium, 1914." Volume 1 The Germans made no attempt to follow the retiring troops and were quite content with their gains. After a time a further withdrawal was carried out to a sunken track just in front of the main Vendresse-Cerny road and here we dug ourselves into the bank and prepared to hold on to the last man. However, the Huns had suffered untold losses and were far too exhausted to make any further efforts except artillery fire, and this became gradually more spasmodic until the rapidly approaching darkness put an end to the struggle. It had been a nightmare of a day, and our losses had been awful. In my platoon six men answered the roll call out of a fifty-six who had started the day. The other units in the 1st and 2nd Brigades had suffered equally heavily, but the 3rd Brigade, who were in reserve most of the day, had come off comparatively lightly.

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1934 | | pagina 17