20
THE YPRES TIMES
A distant view of Lille pointed out by a friend in the trenches. A night of alarms at
Polygon Wood. Here, as one moved towards this small area of stumps the Germans
seemed to display their whole armoury continuous bursts of rapid at seemingly
no object in particular, shell fire, Very lights, the rise and fall of sprays of liquid fire, and
general uneasiness. The archway at Poperinghe brings to mind more than one supper
of eggs and chips the ruins of Neuve-Eglise are associated with raw potatoes dug up
near by, also for supper. The little town of Meteren, whence one looked out at the
Véries going up in the line, suggests of all things Chess. Chess problems were the
hobby of a friend (an S.B.) later wounded at Passchendaele. And Meteren was the only
place where the writer heard a striking clock from billets, this being built in a little square
turret situate the other side of the street. The nearest close-up to enemy aircraft
was an occasion when the platoon was out in shell holes in the Salient, and two German
planes scouted low spitting machine gun bullets at likely objects. But a pleasant set-off
to this was a little confectioner's shop near Mont Noir where, foraging round, the writer
saw a real Madeira cake for sale and bought it. Est ce pour vendre ce gateau,
m'm'selle? Oui, m'sieur certainment."). Firewood usually was plentiful. A ruined
farm shed, resting on one support, lost this one very cold night, and the whole box of
tricks fell down with a terrible clatter. Still, it was only a minor detail, and there was
certainly no need for the old farmer to verge almost on the border of apoplexy. And so
we go on and all the strings lead to one place, and that's Victoria Station. And how
lacking now is Victoria compared with those times when it throbbed with the life and
movement of the troops en route, and the busy scenes at the leave trains.
As one looks about it is clear science is still making big strides, and it is probable
that future efforts to spread culture among unwilling peoples may be attended not
only by abundant supplies of sausage and smash, but also with other inventions. How
ever, readers may have noticed scientists are always up against a quid pro quo." High
explosive is countered by tin-hats," tanks and trenches, and soon our enlightened
civilisation may drag from oblivion the hidden shelters of the cave-men. The latest
thing in aerial attack closely resembles a little masterpiece in the National Gallery;
this depicts in a graphic manner the destruction of two ancient cities by fire from above.
And even the synthetic niceties of the bun-shop are only a short cut to the multi-coloured
nastities at the chemist's shop in the next street, not to mention the undertaker's at the
corner.
If one may venture an opinion it is to say that an immutable law of Nature's is that
of Contrast, and this leads to the statement that after a storm there comes a calm, and
this in turn brings to mind an episode in the Salient when the troops were marking
time on the relief. Things had been very active, including an attack in which some
ground was gained and held, and it was only a matter of routine to expect a counter
attack. The evening was very quiet until, just before dusk, a single enemy shell whined
over and burst. Another shell followed and then the sentries sighted the leading wave
coming on to the attack. Up went the S.Q.S.'s the while the Germans opened up with a
heavy supporting fire. All ranks leapt out of the shallow trench on to the front of the
parapet and directed their rifle fire towards the flanks, to avoid the men in shell holes
in front. The Divisional and Anzac artillery, quick to respond to the enemy's attack,
put up an intense fire at the same time dropping a barrage a little in front of the defenders,
and as these shells burst in a line the smoke rose from them like a long curtain. Machine
guns, posted at the rear, enfiladed the enemy's approaches with an incessant stream
of bullets and added to the general pandemonium. Meanwhile rain fell heavily, dripping
off the helmets and making the mud still more liquid. Mud, like oil, gets everywhere
without let or hindrance, and it mucked up the hands and even worked into the rifle
bolts. A few Germans broke through on the left flank, but were quickly bombed back
the attack was met and the struggle subsided into the quietude that preceded it, save
for the rain which pelted down harder than ever.
