CHAPTERIV

chapteriv

inthosevillages—heuchin,houdain,lillers,andothers—ontheedgeoftheblackcountrythescottishtroopsofthe15thdivisionwereintrainingforthearena,practisingattacksontrenchesandvillages,gettingafineedgeofefficiencyontobayonet-workandbombing,andhavingtheirmoraleheightenedbyaddressesfrombrigadiersanddivisionalcommandersonthegloriousprivilegewhichwasabouttobetheirsofleadingtheassault,andonthejoysaswellasthedutyofkillinggermans.

inonebattalionofscots—the10thgordons,whowereafterwardthe8/10th—therewereconferencesofcompanycommandersandwhisperedconsultationsofsubalterns.theywere“kitchener”men,fromedinburghandaberdeenandothertownsinthenorth.icametoknowthemallafterthisbattle,andgavethemfancynamesinmydespatches:thegeorgiangentleman,ashandsomeasbeaubrummell,andagallantsoldier,whowasseveraltimeswounded,butcamebacktocommandhisoldbattalion,andthenwaswoundedagainnighuntodeath,butcamebackagain;andhonestjohn,slowofspeech,withatwinkleinhiseyes,carelessofshellsplintersflyingaroundhisbullethead,hardandtoughandcunninginwar;andlittleginger,withhiswhimsicalfaceandfreckles,andloveofprettygirlsandallchildren,untilhewaskilledinflanders;andthepermanenttemporarylieutenantwhofellonthesomme;andthegiantwhohadasplinterthroughhisbrainbeyondarras;andmanyotherhighlandgentlemen,andoneenglishpadrewhowentwiththemalwaystothetrenches,untilashelltookhisheadoffatthecrossroads.

itwasthefirstbigattackofthe15thdivision.theyweredeterminedtogofastandgofar.theirprideofracewasstrongerthanthestrainontheirnerves.manyofthem,iamcertain,hadnosenseoffear,noapprehensionofdeathorwounds.excitement,thecomradeshipofcourage,therivalryofbattalions,liftedthemaboveanxietybeforethebattlebegan,thoughhereandtheremenlikeginger,ofmoredelicatefiber,ofimaginationaswellascourage,musthavestaredingreatmomentsatthegrislyspectertowardwhomtheywouldsoonbewalking.

inothervillageswerebattalionsofthe47thlondondivision.they,too,weretobeinthefirstlineofattack,ontherightofthescots.they,too,hadtowinhonorforthenewarmyandoldlondon.theywereadifferentcrowdfromthescots,notsohard,notsosteel—nerved,withmoresensibilitytosuffering,moreimagination,moreinstinctiverevoltagainstthebutcherythatwastocome.butthey,too,hadbeen“doped”formorale,theirnervoustensionhadbeentightenedupbyspeechesaddressedtotheirspiritandtradition.itwastobelondon'sdayout.theyweretofightforthegloryoftheoldtown...theoldtownwheretheyhadlivedinlittlesuburbanhouseswithflower-gardens,wheretheyhadgoneupbytheearlymorningtrainstocityofficesandgovernmentofficesandwarehousesandshops,indaysbeforetheyeverguessedtheywouldgoa-soldiering,andcrouchinshell-holesunderhighexplosives,andthrustsharpsteelintogermanbowels.buttheywoulddotheirbest.theywouldgothroughwithit.theywouldkeeptheirsenseofhumorandmakecockneyjokesatdeath.theywouldshowthestuffoflondonpride.

“domine,dirigenos!”

iknewmanyofthoseyounglondoners.ihadsatintea-shopswiththemwhentheywereplayingdominoes,beforethewar,asthoughthatwerethemostimportantgameinlife.ihadmetoneofthematafancy-dressballinthealberthall,whenhewassirwalterraleighandiwasrichardsheridan.thenwewerebothonlookersoflife—chroniclersofpassinghistory.iremainedtheonlooker,eveninwar,butmyfriendwentintothearena.hewasaroyalfusilier,andtheoldwayoflifebecameadreamtohimwhenhewalkedtowardloos,andafterwardsatinshell-cratersinthesommefields,andknewthatdeathwouldfindhim,asitdid,inflanders.ihadplayedchesswithonemanwhomafterwardimetasagunnerofficeratheninel,neararras,onanafternoonwhenashellhadkilledthreeofhismenbathinginatank,andothershellsmadeamessofbloodandfleshinhiswagon-lines.webothworesteelhats,andhewasthefirsttorecognizeafacefromtheworldofpeace.afterhisgreetinghesworefrightfuloaths,cursingthewarandthestaff.hisnerveswerealljangled.therewasanotherofficerinthe47thlondondivisionwhomihadknownasaboy.hewasonlynineteenwhenheenlisted,nottwentywhenhehadfoughtthroughseveralbattles.heandhundredslikehimhadbeenplayingatredindiansinkensingtongardensafewyearsbeforeanaugustin1914...the47thlondondivision,goingforwardtothebattleofloos,wasmadeupofmenwhosesoulshadbeenshapedbyalltheinfluencesofenvironment,habit,andtraditioninwhichihadbeenbornandbred.theircradlehadbeenrockedtothemurmurousroaroflondontraffic.theirfirstadventureshadbeenonlondoncommons.thelightsalongtheembankment,theexcitementofthestreets,thefacesoflondoncrowds,royalpageantry—marriages,crownings,burials—onthewaytowestminster,thelittledramasoflondonlife,hadbeenwovenintothefiberoftheirthoughts,anditwasthespiritoflondonwhichwentwiththemwherevertheywalkedinfranceorflanders,moresensitivethancountrymentothethingstheysaw.someofthemhadtofightagainsttheirnervesonthewaytoloos.buttheirspiritwasexaltedbyanervousstimulusbeforethatbattle,sothattheydidfreakishandfantasticthingsofcourage.