Letters from the First World War, 1916- 18 Trenches
6
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/
We left the trenches at Vimy Ridge on July 5
th
, and marching back about
14 miles we eventually reached a village named Ostreville for the purpose
of having a divisional rest. The signallers thought an orchard would be
very convenient to erect bivouacs in, so when we were busy carrying out
this idea an old Frenchman appeared at the scene, and raised objections.
However he agreed at last to allow us in at one end of the orchard,
thinking, I suppose, that we would wander about his place! We had an
enjoyable time here for six days, and then had to return to our old billets
near Mount St. Eloi until the whole of the division had retired. We guessed
by this move that our ‘rest’ was over, and the following days were spent
in marching, and travelling by motor lorries and train until we arrived at
Mericourt Station on July 21
st
near Albert.
After a delightful swim in the river near the billet we marched off the
following night, to take part in the ‘big push.’ We slept in an open field
that night near Fricourt farm, and were rather rudely awakened by a few
German shells landing near us.
For five days we were lying in reserve in this district, and occupied our
time in watching an army of men at work in the valley, making roads,
railways, boring for water and laying down water pipes, also practicing
attacks in the old trenches. It was very interesting to see the great
amount of artillery, busy practically all day and night, and to read their
messages sent by visual signalling [often using lights] from a ridge across
the valley.
Our period in reserve being up, we moved to Mametz Wood to lie there in
support for five days, before going into the trenches at High Wood. On
arrival at the edge of the wood at night, we were welcomed by a big dose
of gas shells and shrapnel, which was applied steadily throughout the
night by the German artillery. Having to assist in putting our signalling
gear into a hole for safety, I was prevented from using my respirator for
the first quarter of an hour, as we could not see on account of the
darkness and dust made by the ammunition columns rushing along the
road, and it was during this time that I must have breathed in enough gas