True Stories of the Great War, Volume 4 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
History
True Stories of the Great War, Volume 4 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
We arrived at length at the farmhouse where Divisional Headquarters
were. The General was busy, but greeted us warmly. He sent for
liqueurs, at the appearance of which Chris edged diplomatically nearer
the coal-scuttle. The General produced his mascot, a woolly dog sent
by a lady from England. He showed us also his grand chain and Order of
Leopold Premier given him for his gallantry at Dixmude. Then we had
lunch--and such a luncheon as any London restaurant would have been
proud to serve. Suddenly the telephone rang. Taubes were bombarding a
village near at hand. Even as the adjutant rang off and reported to the
General we heard the engine throbbing overhead. We all ran out to the
yard to watch the graceful death-dealing machine circling in the clear
sky. Then it flew on and glided out of sight. The General showed me his
two horses lying down in a little shed near.
I forgot to mention that before lunch he took us up to his bedroom
to wash, and displayed with simple pride the bed he shared with his
major and the other bed which two captains occupied. Accommodation was
limited! He also produced a bottle of scent for our use!
Then he sent for his car, and with Major ---- we set off for the
nearest battery. The chauffeur cared not for speed limits, and a wild
rush landed us in a very short time at the corner of a field. We walked
across this to inspect a battery of small guns. Then we went on,
carefully avoiding the wire of a field telephone to an advanced gun
position. As we neared what looked like a ridge of trees we saw that
these also were cunningly contrived to conceal the guns. This was a
new battery of which the officer in charge was very proud. He told us
what good work they had done within the last ten days. They had only
been sent up then. In another hour he suggested we might judge for
ourselves; but General J---- did not deem it prudent, so we thanked
the officer and the cheery gunners for all the trouble they had taken.
Here, too, the dug-outs were beautifully finished off--even little
panes of glass were let in as windows.
III--STORY OF THE MOTHER--WITH FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN
The General then took us to a bridge on the canal where fishing was
occasionally indulged in. The doctor who had lunched with us appeared,
and with great glee produced a hand grenade which he flung in the
water. The explosion was followed by a geyser-like rising of the water,
and then hundreds of dead fishes floated to the surface and were caught
in a net and safely landed!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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