gun, the layer and another
gunner were both badly hit by what appeared to be a "premature" just
outside the bore of the piece. Throughout this period we were firing
nothing but high explosive shells. Great therefore was our surprise
when, three weeks later, letters arrived from both men, who were in
hospital, to say that in each case shrapnel bullets had been extracted
from them! What had actually occurred was this: At the same time that
the trigger was pulled and the shell discharged, a "pip squeak" must
have burst in front of the mouth of the gun pit, driving the bullets
through the entrance.

Day after day passed in much the same way, neither side attempting to
make an attack on any large scale, but on the morning of the 8th
October, it was observed that the hostile shelling was not normal, and
had increased in extent along the whole recently captured area.
Preparations were therefore rapidly made to meet any eventuality, and,
as the day advanced and his bombardment gained in strength, it was
apparent to everyone that the enemy contemplated an attack. At noon
orders were received to be ready, at any time, to lay down a
destructive barrage on a certain zone. The Staff had happily
anticipated the point of attack accurately, and, by the time the enemy
concentrated his final burst of fire on his objectives, every gun in
the neighbourhood which could bear, was trained on the vital spot
ready to open out. When at last the time arrived, the bombardment
ceased abruptly, and the enemy's infantry advanced to the assault wave
upon wave, for the most part in mass formation and with arms linked
together. Emerging from a wood, they had a considerable distance to
cover across open ground before approaching our trenches, so both our
infantry and artillery fire was at first withheld. This gave
encouragement to the enemy, and, as his bombardment had been pretty
severe, he expected more or less of a "walk over," and did not reckon
on what was to follow. When he had advanced to within 200 yards (p. 013)
of our lines, suddenly rapid fire spurted out from our rifles and
machine guns, and guns of every description spat H.E. and shrapnel,
and his ranks were literally mown down. Then a curtain was put down
behind--a solid wall of fire--which made it practically impossible for
the troops to retire, and their plight was beyond all hope. While they
were cogitating whether to come on or go back, they were slaughtered
in heaps--raked by the d