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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

"We had stayed in, and passed through, many villages, had
     even had a fire at one, burning down one or two barns, and
     yet life was uneventful. Marching most days, or, when
     billeted, doing platoon drill, playing cards, reading or
     writing in the cafes or our barns. Company concerts were no
     good. We had heard all of our soloists' repertoire, which
     was _not_ very extensive. There came the day when we marched
     into Doullens. Strange were the sights of large shops and
     smartly dressed townsfolk--we were more used to the
     occupants of obscure villages. The Sergeant-Major came along
     with the message, 'Smarten up and keep step through the
     town.' We needed no bidding. A soldier doesn't want it, you
     know, when he becomes the object of admiration and the
     recipient of smiles from the brunettes of France. On past
     the Hotel de Ville we swung--this was a G.H.Q., and 'Eyes
     left!' was given as platoons passed the guard. Staff
     officers, resplendent in red-tabbed coats and well-creased
     slacks, seemed to be showing the populace what fine soldiers
     they were, while the M.M. Police stood at the corners
     directing traffic as only the members of that unit can. Into
     the Rue d'Arras we turned, and outside an Ecole de Filles we
     halted. There was our billet, the best we ever had. In the
     playground stood our cooker. Upstairs we were packed into
     the classrooms, with just enough room allowed to stretch
     one's legs and to turn over should one wish. We had our
     stew, and quickly rushed off to see all the town. In the
     square a military band was playing 'Nights of Gladness,' and
     we found a crowd gathered round the bandstand, many of them
     civilians. We stayed and enjoyed the performance, and at the
     Marseillaise and our own National Anthem every khaki-clad
     man from private to general stood at attention, and the
     latter at the salute. It was a grand spectacle, and one felt
     proud to be a soldier. We went and had a look at the shops
     and into the church, until nearly 5 o'clock, when we debated
     amongst ourselves as to whether we should go back for tea or
     wait till 6 o'clock when the cafes open.

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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