Skindles Hotel
HOTEL
YPRES
Splendid Britannique
YPRES
Branch at Poperinghe
24
THE YPRES TIMES
As we skirted the Grande Piace a shell whizzed through the air. I had not the least idea
whence it had come or where it was going, but within the next few days I soon acquired
the shell sense," a most valuable attainment for anyone in the forward area. The
16th Rifle Brigade lay in the Potijze sector, and the company we were to relieve was in
reserve. When we arrived at company headquarters we found their officers, a cheerful
lot and all youthful, discussing the short tour they were to commence in the front line
the following day. One fellow had been detailed to take over Mill Cott., and the others
were telling him he had clicked," because on no account was anyone occupying that
spot to show himself in the daytime. I imagined that Mill Cottage must be a rather
terrible place, so exposed to the enemy that to be seen was to fall a certain victim to a
sniper, but it soon appeared that the reason of the prohibition was not quite so exciting.
The ruins of the cottage constituted a strong point, about 400 yards behing the front
line, and our Higher Command did not wish the Bosche to know that it was occupied.
As we had been ordered to do some wiring behind the front line that evening,
Haynes and I went up the communication trench to have a look at the ground. Had
I known that the Commanding Officer was going to select me to take the company
up to do the job, I should have studied the lie of the land a great deal more carefully.
After the wiring expedition I had the experience of one or two other working parties,
and then our company did its spell in the Potijze sector, where I was introduced to
trench life and intitiated into the mysteries of stand-to," the issuing of the rum ration,
the examination of rifles, the care of the men's feet, and all the other details that went
a long way towards preventing trench warfare becoming monotonous.
J.D.
GRANDE PLACE. Opposite Cloth Hall.
(Opposite the Station)
Leading Hotel for Comfort
and Quality, and Patronized
by The Ypres League.
ProprietorLife Member, Ypres
League
Completely Renovated
Running Water. Bathrooms.
Moderate Terms. Garage.
ProprietorLife Member, Ypres League.
(close to Talbot House)