the map to be an ideal place to
get the mine going up and the advance over 'No Man's Land.'"

"Granted, but--well!--it's your shoot. Will you let us introduce the
doctor? You'll need him."

"Gentlemen," I said, with mock gravity, "I assure you it would be most
difficult for me to receive a more cordial welcome." This remark caused
some laughter. Turning to the Captain, I said: "Will you give me an
orderly? One who knows the trenches, as I wish to go there this
afternoon to film the 'strafe' at 4 o'clock. I shall stay down there for
the next few days, to be on the spot for 'The Day,' and ready for
anything that follows."

"Certainly," he said. "Have you got a trench map? What about blankets
and grub?"

"I have my blanket and some provisions, but if I can draw some bully and
biscuits, I shall manage quite well."

Having secured supplies and filled my knapsack, I strapped it on my
shoulder, fixed the camera-case on my back and, handing the tripod to
another man, started off. I had hardly got more than two hundred yards
when the Captain ran up to me and said that he had just had a 'phone
message from D.H.Q., saying that the General was going to address the
men on the following day, before proceeding to battle. Would I like to
film the scene? It would take place about 10 a.m. Naturally, I was
delighted at the prospect of such a picture, and agreed to be on the
field at the time mentioned. Then with a final adieu we parted.

The weather was still vile. A nasty, drizzly mist hung over everything.
The appearance of the whole country was much like it is on a bad
November day at home. Everything was clammy and cold. The roads were
covered to a depth of several inches with slimy, clayey mud. Loads of
munitions were passing up to the Front. On all sides were guns, large
and small. The place bristled with them, and they were so cunningly
hidden that one might pass within six feet of them without being aware
of their existence. But you could not get away from the sounds. The
horrible dinning continued, from the sharp rat-tat-tat-tat of the French
75mm., of which we had several batteries in close proximity, and from
the bark of the 18-pounders to the crunching roar of the 15-inch
howitzer. The air was literally humming with shells. It seemed like a
race of shrieking devils, each trying to catch up with the one in front
before it reached its objective.

Salvo after salvo; crash after crash; and in the rare moments of
stillnes