posted outside will see that no
machines go by. We get up as far as we can, because after we part from our
machines, everything must be carried up through the trenches by hand.

[Illustration]

Bringing Up A Motor Machine Gun

I arrived at the town early and reported to the major who is in charge of
the town and of the troops quartered there. He was living in the prison, a
substantial brick and stone building, which has been smashed about a bit,
but which is still a fairly good structure. The major is a fine, gruff old
gentleman who was a master of fox hounds in the North of England. He came
over with a detachment of cavalry. He is past the age limit, and it was
decided that although he was a fine soldier, perhaps his age would be a
deterrent and his job ought to be something lighter, so they gave him one
of the fiercest jobs in the world--O. C. Ypres!

I was sent in, and when he heard my errand he said, "You want to park your
machines in Ypres? Why don't you take them up in the German front lines?
You'll be safer there than here. Listen to the shelling now." I knew this,
but I was doing just exactly what I was told. He continued: "I have now
thousands of troops here and my daily casualties are enormous, so
naturally I don't want any more men. The best plan for you will be to go
down the Lille road and pick a house below 'Shrapnel Corner.' "

I went on through the town, under the Lille gate, across the tram lines,
past the famous cross-roads known as "Shrapnel Corner" and chummed up with
some artillery officers. They told me that I could have any of the houses
I wanted. I picked a couple which looked to me to be more complete than
the rest and chalked them up. This whole place was alive with batteries.
While I was there I heard a shout and suddenly a hidden battery of guns,
sunk behind the road with the muzzles almost resting on it, started firing
across in the direction of the part of Belgium occupied by Fritz. I had
passed within two feet of these guns and yet had not seen them, they were
so well "camouflaged." On my way back I saw the "Big Berthas" bursting in
the town, and I was surprised that so little damage had been actually done
to the Lille gate itself. Shells had visited everywhere in the
neighborhood, but had not smashed this old structure.

I went home, collected my men together, and told them the importance of
the work we were to undertake. I have fou