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One young man : $b The simple and true story of a clerk who enlisted in 1914, who fought on the western front for nearly two years, was severely wounded at the battle of the Somme, and is now on his way back to his desk.

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One young man : $b The simple and true story of a clerk who enlisted in 1914, who fought on the western front for nearly two years, was severely wounded at the battle of the Somme, and is now on his way back to his desk.

World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, British

"Your loving friend,
                                        G---- B----.

     "P.S.--We have not, up to the time of writing this, received
     an official notification of our poor laddie's death. I felt
     I must write you, however. You will perhaps be able to read
     into my letter what I have been unable to say, but all my
     thoughts for you are summed up in 'God bless you.' Thank all
     the dear lads for their kind sympathy with us."




One Young Man in the Salient




CHAPTER VII

ONE YOUNG MAN IN THE SALIENT


The city of Ypres, which Sydney Baxter had entered some few months
previously, was now a heap of ruins. The whole country was desolate:
the once picturesque roads lined by trees were now but a line of shell
holes, with here and there leafless, branchless stumps, seared
guardians of the thousand graves. On June 7th, 1915, Sydney Baxter
writes:

     "We have been having a very lively time, a second touch of
     real life-destroying warfare. Many of the boys have been
     bowled over. We have had a series of heavy
     bombardments--shells everywhere, so that it was a matter of
     holding tight where we were. However, I was again fortunate,
     and have proved to myself and to the Captain that I can hold
     my head whilst under heavy shell and rifle fire, although
     it's impossible to keep one's heart beating normal under
     such conditions.

     "We are now entrenched for a day or two, but it is not
     over-lively. A corporal who was a fellow bedman of George's
     and mine at Crowborough has just been killed. The poor chap
     died in agony.

     "It is indeed comforting to know that so many are
     petitioning 'Our Father' to spare me, if it be His will,
     through all the dangers and hardships of this uproar, and
     the confidence that the friends have in my return is very
     helpful. I have had the feeling that God will give me
     another chance of doing more work, but the thought of being
     killed has not the terror it had. The idea of joining George
     perhaps gives this comfort, but of course I know that it
     does not rest with me--unless of course by negligence.

     "Will you include, please, two fat candles as you sent
     before."


                                        _June 16th, 1915._

     "MY DEAREST MOTHER,

     "Just a short note in reply to yours received this morning.
     I am still as per usual. Depends on how much sleep I get as
     to how I feel. As I was able last night to get to bed before
     3 o'clock, and slept on to 10 o'clock this morning, I am A1.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

One young man : $b The simple and true story of a clerk who enlisted in 1914, who fought on the western front for nearly two years, was severely wounded at the battle of the Somme, and is now on his way back to his desk.

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