Our Despatches from the Front (No. 112).
Page 12
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With An Ambulance Unit in the Vosges.
THE END OF THE LINE,
October, 191C. (Continued.) The period of inactivity has given ' place to a certain restless feeling along _the front, a sure sign of something about to happen. Last night the Boches attempted a raid on rather a large scale, attacking after a fairly heavy artillery preparation with the mitrailleuse. Five times
they debouched from _ their trenches, and their losses must have been considerable.
Driving Ambulances Along Forest Tracks.
1.1. was a perfect evening with the moon just pant the full, and even driving along the forest tracks we had no difficulty in seeing the way. Our destination was a little clearing where the wounded are brought in from the trenches on the fringe of the wood, 600 yards away only. We drew our ambulance up under the shadow of the .trees, for we could hear 'planes cruiing over head at a very low altitude, but whether they were friends or foes no one knew, it was impossible to pick them out against the deepblue of the sky. Here we had to wait for some time, and I descended into the deep dugout of the telephone (labia to get news of the " bless6s.'"
' Phone From the Battlefield to Paris.
It was hardly believable but from here, 600 yards behind the trenches and 20 ft. underground, one could telephone right to Paris and H.Q. At last a message'announced that a batch of wounded was on the way, and, soon after I ascended to the open, the first lightly-wounded cases walked up laughing. Apparently between us we made too much noise, for the attack was now over, and not a shot was to be heard ; anyhow we received a rude reminder by hearing a crack, crack, crack, crack, . . . and, simultaneously, a whig, whig, whig, . . . as the Boches turned a machine gun on.
How on earth nobody was touched I cannot make out, for it was direct fire, and we received a perfect hail of bullets ; of course, everyone, wounded included, had thrown themselves flat immediately, and I suppose the first shot missing, the second had found us more or less under cover. Two belts they gave us, and it was really laughable to see everyone go to earth again immediately they recommenced with the second belt. Those near a dugout just fell into it, of course, but there seemed a great scarcity of these desirable residences in my neighbourhood, and I felt a veritable mountain of flesh in an absolute plain.
Silent Running Daimler Ambulances.
I blessed the silent running of my Daimler, though some ten minutes later, when we had loaded up and were ready to go, and from the way everyone else scattered, as we started up, it was plain that we were not the only ones to expect another .belt. However, we got safely away, and had nothing more terrifying than a couple of 'shells passing overhead from one of our big batteries in the rear ; we were vindictive enough to hope that one at least would be a direct hit on that machine-gun emplacement.
Supplies by "Camion" at Night.
All to-day the " avions " have circled overhead, and even two venturesome Boches got over the lines this morning the while the " Archibalds " peppered them vigorously, and apparently in one case to some purpose. This evening the usual routine strafe developed into a roll of sound, somebody has got it hot, and it is not us. As I write, I can hear the " carnions " taking up supplies, a fact which tells me it is time to turn in and appreciate the luxury of a good bed, for to-night I am in a comfortable billet.