CHAPTERV

chapterv

onthe1stofjuly,1916,beganthoseprodigiousbattleswhichonlylulleddownattimesduringtwoandahalfyearsmore,whenourbritisharmiesfoughtwithdesperatesacrificialvalorbeyondallpreviousreckoning;whentheflowerofouryouthwascastintothatfurnacemonthaftermonth,recklessly,withprodigal,spendthrifthaste;whenthoseboysweremowndowninswathsbymachine-guns,blowntobitsbyshell-fire,gassedinthousands,untilallthatcountrybecameagraveyard;whentheywentforwardtonewassaultsorfellbackinrearguardactionswithacertainknowledgethattheyhadintheirfirstattacknomorethanonechanceinfiveofescape,nexttimeonechanceinfour,thenonechanceinthree,onechanceintwo,andafterthatnochanceatall,onthelineofaverages,asworkedoutbytheirexperienceofluck.moreboyscameouttotaketheirplaces,andmore,andmore,conscriptsfollowingvolunteers,youngerbrothersfollowingelderbrothers.neverdidtheyrevoltfromtheordersthatcametothem.neverabattalionbrokeintomutinyagainstinevitablemartyrdom.theywereobedienttothecommandabovethem.theirdisciplinedidnotbreak.howeverprofoundwasthedespairoftheindividual,anditwas,iknow,deepasthewellsofhumantragedyinmanyhearts,themassmovedasitwasdirected,backwardorforward,thiswayandthat,fromoneshamblestoanother,inmudandinblood,withthesamemassedvalorasthatwhichupliftedthembeforethatfirstdayofjulywithanintensifiedprideinthefameoftheirdivisions,withamoreeagerdesireforpublicknowledgeoftheirdeeds,withaloathingofwar'smisery,withasenseofitssupremefolly,yetwitharefusalintheirsoulstoacknowledgedefeatortostopthissideofvictory.ineachbattletherewereofficersandmenwhoriskeddeathdeliberately,andinakindofecstasydidactsofsuperhumancourage;andbecauseofthenumberofthesefeatstherecordofthemismonotonous,dull,familiar.themassfollowedtheirlead,andevenpoorcoward-hearts,ofwhomthereweremany,asinallarmies,hadcourageenough,asarule,togetasfarasthecenterofthefurybeforetheirkneesgavewayortheydroppeddead.

eachwaveofboyhoodthatcameoutfromenglandbroughtanewmassofphysicalandspiritualvalorasgreatasthatwhichwasspent,andintheenditwasanirresistibletidewhichbrokedownthelastbarriersandsweptthroughinarushtovictory,whichwegainedatthecostofnearlyamilliondead,andahighsumoflivingagony,andallourwealth,andaspiritualbankruptcyworsethanmaterialloss,sothatnowenglandisforatimesicktodeathanddrainedofheroldprideandpower.