CHAPTERII

chapterii

thebritisharmiesasawholewerenotgloomyattheapproachofthatnewphaseofwarwhichtheycalled“thegreatpush,”asthoughitweretobeaglorifiedfootball-match.itisdifficult,perhapsimpossible,toknowthethoughtsofvastmassesofmenmovedbysomesensationaladventure.butamanwouldbealiarifhepretendedthatbritishtroopswentforwardtothegreatattackwithhangdoglooksoranyvisiblesignoffearintheirsouls.ithinkmostofthemwereupliftedbythebeliefthattheolddaysoftrenchwarfarewereoverforeverandthattheywouldbreaktheenemy'slinesbymeansofthatenormousgun-powerbehindthem,andgethim“ontherun.”therewouldbemovement,excitement,triumphantvictories—andthentheendofthewar.inspiteofallrisksitwouldbeenormouslybetterthantheroutineofthetrenches.theywouldbegettingonwiththejobinsteadofstandingstillandbeingshotatbyinvisibleearth-men.

“ifweoncegetthegermansintheopenweshallgostraightthroughthem.”

thatwastheopinionofmanyyoungofficersatthattime,andforoncetheyagreedwiththeirgenerals.

itseemedtobeaquestionofgettingthemintheopen,andiconfessthatwhenistudiedthetrenchmapsandsawtheenemy'sdefensiveearthworksthirtymilesdeepinonevastmazeoftrenchesandredoubtsandbarbedwireandtunnelsiwasappalledatthetaskwhichlaybeforeourmen.theydidnotknowwhattheywerebeingaskedtodo.

theyhadnotseen,then,thoseawfulmaps.

wewereattheheightandgloryofourstrength.outofenglandhadcometheflowerofouryouth,andoutofscotlandandwalesandcanadaandaustraliaandnewzealand.evenoutofireland,withthe16thdivisionofthesouthandwest,andthe36thofulster.thenewarmiesweremadeupofallthevolunteerswhohadansweredthecalltothecolors,notwaitingfortheconscriptionbyclass,whichfollowedlater.theyweretheardentones,theyoungmenfromoffice,factory,shop,andfield,universityandpublicschool.thebestofourintelligencewerethere,thenoblestofourmanhood,thestrengthofourheart,thebeautyofoursoul,inthosebattalionswhichsoonweretobeflungintoexplosivefires.