CHAPTERXIX

chapterxix

thewinterof1915-16passedwithitsmisery,andspringcameagaintofranceandflanderswithitspromiseoflife,fulfilledinthebeautyofwildflowersandthegreenofleaveswheretheearthwasnotmadebarrenbythefireofwarandalltreeskilled.

formentherewasnopromiseoflife,butonlynewpreparationsfordeath,andcontinuedkilling.

thebattleofverdunwasstillgoingon,andfrancehadsavedherselffromamortalblowattheheartbyadesperate,heroicresistancewhichcostherfivehundredandfiftythousandindeadandwounded.onthebritishfronttherewerestillnogreatbattles,butthosetrenchraids,artilleryduels,minefighting,andsmallmassacreswhichfilledthecasualtyclearingstationswiththeaverageamountofhumanwreckage.thebritisharmieswerebeingheldinleashforagreatoffensiveinthesummer.newdivisionswerelearningthelessonsoftheolddivisions,andhereandtheregeneralsweredoingalittlefancyworktokeepthingsmerryandbright.

soitwaswhensomemineswereexplodedunderthegermanearthworksonthelowerslopesofthevimyridge,wheretheenemyhadalreadyblownseveralminesandtakenpossessionoftheircraters.itwastogainthosecraters,andnewonestobemadebyourminecharges,thatthe74thbrigadeofthe25thdivision,abodyoflancashiremen,the9thloyalnorthlancashiresandthe11throyalfusiliers,withacompanyofroyalengineersandsomewelshpioneers,weredetailedfortheperilousadventureofdrivinginthemineshafts,puttingtremendouschargesofhighexplosivesinthesapheads,andrushingthegermanpositions.

itwasontheeveningofmay15th,aftertwodaysofwetandcloudyweatherpreventingtheenemy'sobservation,thatourheavyartilleryfiredashortnumberofroundstosendthegermansintotheirdugouts.afewminuteslatertherightgroupofminesexplodedwithaterrificroarandblewintwoofthefiveoldgermancraters.afterthelongrumbleofheavingearthhadbeenstilledtherewasjusttimeenoughtoheartheatoofagermanmachine-gun.thentherewasasecondroarandawildupheavalofsoilwhentheleftgroupofminesdestroyedtwomoreofthegermancratersandknockedoutthemachine-gun.

themomentfortheinfantryattackhadcome,andthemenwereready.thefirsttogetawayweretwolieutenantsofthe9thloyalnorthlancashires,whorushedforwardwiththeirassaulting-partiestotheremainingcraterontheextremeleft,whichhadnotbeenblownup.

withlittleoppositionfromdazedandterror-strickengermans,bayonetedastheyscrambledoutofthechaoticearth,ourmenflungthemselvesintothosesmokingpitsandwerefollowedimmediatelybyworking-parties,whobuiltupbombingpostswithearthandsand-bagsonthecraterlipandbegantodigoutcommunicationtrenchesleadingtothem.theassaulting-partiesofthelancashirefusilierswereawayatthefirstsignal,andwereattackingtheothergroupsofcratersunderheavyfire.

thegermanswereshakenwithterrorbecausetheexplosionofthemineshadkilledandwoundedalargenumberofthem,andthroughthedarknessthererangoutthecheersofmassesofmenwhowereoutforblood.throughthedarknesstherenowglowedascarletlight,floodingallthatturmoilofearthandmenwithavivid,redillumination,asflareafterflarerosehighintotheskyfromseveralpointsofthegermanline.latertheredlightsdieddown,andthenotherrocketswerefired,givingagreenlighttothissceneofwar.

thegermangunnerswerenowatworkinanswertothosebeaconsofdistress,andwitheverycaliberofgunfromhowitzerstominenwerferstheyshelledourfront-linesfortwohoursandkilledforvengeance.theyweretoolatetostoptheadvanceoftheassaultingtroops,whowerefightinginthecratersagainstgroupsofgermanbomberswhotriedtoforcetheirwayuptotherescueofapositionalreadylost.oneofourofficersleadingtheassaultononeofthecratersontherightwaskilledveryquickly,buthismenwerenotchecked,andwithindividualresolutionandinitiative,andthegritofthelancashiremaninatightplace,foughtongrimly,andwontheirpurpose.

ayounglieutenantfelldeadfromabulletwoundafterhehaddirectedhismentotheirpostsfromthelipofanewmine-crater,ascoollyasthoughhewereamasterofceremoniesinalancashireballroom.another,achampionbomb-thrower,witharangeoffortyyards,flunghishand-grenadesattheenemywithuntiringskillandwithafiercecontemptofdeath,untilhewaskilledbyanansweringshot.then.c.o.'stookupthecommandandthemen“carriedon”untiltheyheldallthechainofcraters,crouchingandpantingabovemangledmen.

theywerehoursofanguishformanygermans,wholaywoundedandhalfburied,orquiteburied,inthechaos,ofearthmadebythosemine-cratersnowdoublyupheaved.theirscreamsandmoanssoundingabovetheguns,thefranticcriesofmenmaddenedundertonsofearth,whichkeptthemprisonersindeeppitsbelowthecraterlips,andawfulinarticulatenoisesofhumanpaincomingoutofthatlowerdarknessbeyondthelightoftherockets,madeupachorusofagonymorethanourmencouldendure,evenintheheatofbattle.theyshoutedacrosstothegermangrenadiers:

“wewillceasefireifyouwill,andletyougetinyourwounded...ceasefireforthewounded!”

theshoutwasrepeated,andourbombersheldtheirhands,stillwaitingforananswer.buttheanswerwasanewstormofbombs,andthefightingwenton,andthemoaningofthemenwhowerehelplessandunhelped.

working-partiesfolloweduptheassaultto“consolidate”theposition.theydidamazingthings,toilinginthedarknessunderabominableshell-fire,andbydaylighthadbuiltcommunicationtrencheswithhead-coverfromthecraterlipstoourfront-linetrenches.

butnowitwastheenemy'sturn—theturnofhisguns,whichpouredexplosivefireintothosepits,churninguptheearthagain,mixingitwithnewfleshandblood,andcarvinguphisowndead;anditwastheturnofhisbombers,whofollowedthisfireinstrongassaultsuponthelancashirelads,who,lyingamongtheirkilledandwounded,hadtorepelthosefierceattacks.

onmay17thiwenttoseegeneraldoranofthe25thdivision,anoptimisticoldgentlemanwhotookabrightviewofthings,andcolonelcrosby,whowasacting—brigadierofthe74thbrigade,whichhadmadetheattack.he,too,wasenthusiasticaboutthesituation,thoughhisbrigadehadsufferedeighthundredcasualtiesinamonthofroutinewarfare.

inmysimplewayiaskedhimadirectquestion:

“doyouthinkyourmencanholdontothecraters,sir?”

colonelcrosbystaredatmesternly.

“certainly.thepositioncannotberetakenoverground.weholditstrongly.”

ashespokeanorderlycameintohisbillet(asmallfarmhouse),saluted,andhandedhimapinkslip,whichwasatelephonemessage.iwatchedhimreadit,andsawthesuddenpallorofhisface,andnoticedhowtheroomshookwiththeconstantreverberationofdistantgun-fire.abigbombardmentwasinprogressovervimyway.

“excuseme,”saidthecolonel;“thingsseemtobehappening.imustgoatonce.”

hewentthroughthewindow,leapingthesill,andalookofbadtidingswentwithhim.

hismenhadbeenblownoutofthecraters.

astaffofficersatinthebrigadeoffice,andwhentheacting-brigadierhadgoneraisedhisheadandlookedacrosstome.

“iamacriticoftheseaffairs,”hesaid.“theyseemtometooexpensive.buti'mheretodowhatiamtold.”

wedidnotregainthevimycratersuntilayearafterward,whenthecanadiansandscottishcapturedallthevimyridgeinagreatassault.