LLES

QUAYSIDE, MARSEILLES

FORTY PASSENGERS IN EACH CATTLE TRUCK

A WASH AND A WAIT

"DOOMSDAY BOOK": A FRENCH LESSON IN A CATTLE TRUCK

LADY ANGELA FORBES'S SOLDIERS' HOME AT ETAPLES

ROAD TO THE TRENCHES

MY SKETCH-BOOK

MAP: LA BASSEE-ST. JULIEN

OUTSKIRTS OF A VILLAGE

MY FIRST SNIPING-PLACE

CAPTURED GERMAN TRENCH

THE WOODCUTTER'S HUT

TYPICAL FIGURES AND FIGURE-HEADS

"HAMMERSMITH BRIDGE"

"DIRTY DICK'S"

"ENTRENCHING" THE PIANO

"SEVENTY-FIVE HOTEL"

CHICKEN FARM

A FRENCH COMRADE-COMEDIAN

A TRENCH SNIPER, RESTING

A TRAVERSE

THE BIRTH-PLACE OF A SONG

TRENCH PERISCOPE IN USE

"THE WHITE FARM"

A GERMAN SNIPER'S NEST

"SUICIDE BRIDGE"

"SUICIDE SIGNAL BOX"

A GHASTLY PROMENADE

THE HOLE IN THE WALL

A VIOLATED CONVENT

WHERE GERMANS RAPED AND MURDERED

"THE BLACK HOLE"

THE BLACK TOWER

WHERE THE TRAP WAS SET

"GOLGOTHA"

PART I.

ON THE WAY TO THE FRONT.

A SOLDIER'S SKETCHES UNDER FIRE.

INTRODUCTORY.

ON THE WAY TO THE FRONT.

CHAPTER I.

FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO MALTA.

[Illustration]

On the outbreak of the war I joined the Royal Fusiliers, uninfluenced by
the appeal of wall-posters or the blandishments of a recruiting
sergeant. My former experience as a trooper in the Hertfordshire
Yeomanry being accounted unto me for military righteousness, I sailed
with my regiment from Southampton on September 3rd, 1914. We thought we
were bound for France direct, and only discovered on the passage that we
were to be landed, first, at Malta.

I think I know the reason why the short trip across Channel was avoided,
but, as it behoves me to be very careful about what I say on certain
points, I don't state it.

I show the fore part of the boat, the bows being visible in the
distance. The doorways on the right are those of the horse boxes,
specially erected on the deck. In fact, the whole liner, with the most
creditable completeness and celerity, had been specially fitted up for
the use of the troops, still retaining its crew of Lascars, who did the
swabbing down and rough work required.

My sketch shows a crane bringing up bales of fodder for the horses from
the hold, with two officers standing by to give orders.

[Illustration: ABOARD THE TRANSPORT.]

We experienced some exciting incidents on the way out; for instance, in
the Bay we ran into a fog, and the order was given for all to stand by.
For the next two or three hours all we