of the
enemy, which were always pressing us hard, and indeed the promise would
have been fulfilled but for the grit of men who never acknowledged
defeat.

I have always been proud of being a Briton, but seeing what I did, and
knowing what I know, I feel immeasurably prouder now, than ever before,
of belonging to a nation which can produce such men. Even nature
presented its remarkable contrast to the clamour of war, for in the
interlude of the firing of a battery of eighteen pounders I have heard
the birds singing as peacefully and merrily as in quiet English fields.

It is difficult to convey to my readers the prodigies of valour which
daily took place in the course of the great struggle in front of Ypres.
One dark night a young R.A.M.C. officer, who until quite recently had
been pursuing his quiet round of work as a medical practitioner in
England, but who at the call of country had pressed to the front, was
out with his bearer company attending the dying and wounded men, when
suddenly a Battalion, which had lost all its officers, momentarily broke
from the trenches. Quickly gathering the dread import of their act, this
young hero rushed into the ruck of men, who amid that awful hell had
been seized with panic. Calling to a sergeant he directed him to shoot
the first man that came by, then rushing into the disorganized
rabble--for it was little else at that time--he shouted to them, 'Men!
men! have you forgotten that you are Englishmen,' and quickly bringing
them into order headed them back again to their grim work. I have been
pleased to see that this brave lad has received a well merited
distinction from his Sovereign, but at the time the only comment made
upon his behaviour by his O.C. was, 'The young beggar ought to get a rap
over his knuckles for exceeding his duty.' Such feats are constantly
occurring, so often indeed as to hardly excite comment.

Two officers from a Guards Battalion in my Brigade died the death of
heroes in the dark hours of one early morning, endeavouring to fulfil
the hopeless task of capturing a German gun, the while they had only six
men with them. The whole party was blown to pieces in the endeavour.
Some may think it a useless waste of valuable life; in degree it is, but
these daring deeds go far to preserve that glorious spirit of heroic
venture which characterizes the whole fighting line of our men. The
value of systematic training, which at the time it is being undergone is
often re