Jack's War
The Germans were shelling the trenches more heavily than usual. At 4.30am, the straff started in earnest. Shells fell near us, an unusual occurance. We made our way to the guns. We fired as quick as we could get them into the breech. Daybreak: a misty mo
The Germans were shelling the trenches more heavily than usual. At 4.30am, the straff started in earnest. Shells fell near us, an unusual occurance.
We made our way to the guns. We fired as quick as we could get them into the breech.
Daybreak: a misty morning, sun breaking through at 8am. Terrible was the straff. We could even seen our guns vibrating. Ordered to carry on with 30-second fire.
The barrage came within 100 yards of guns on four occasions.
A curtain of fire - the village of Vaux behind us was gradually disappearing.
And then the curtain of fire came on and the ground was absolutely ploughed up. Wilson and Goode were killed; Ashcroft, Tremlett and three others wounded.
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- March 21, 1918.
