From Mons to Loos, being the diary of a supply officer (1916) (14593706889)

Identifier: frommonstoloosbe00stew (find matches)
Title: From Mons to Loos, being the diary of a supply officer
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: Stewart, Herbert Arthur, 1878-
Subjects: World War, 1914-1918 World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns Western Front
Publisher: Edinburgh and London : W. Blackwood and sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



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the fearfuluproar. We knew what was happening. TheGermans were making a counter-attack,hurling great masses of men against our thindevoted khaki line. There was nothing for us to do but waituntil the attack was over. Leaving theroad we sought the cover of a desertedfactory, and under its friendly walls wesheltered from the flying bullets and scream-ing shells. Every round from a German rifle or gunthat missed the parapet above seemed tocome shrieking with rage into the streets ofVailly or to the bridge-head on the riverbank. What were our thoughts during thesemoments? We knew that in the hell anddarkness above us hundreds of human soulswere swiftly passing into the Great Be-yond, thousands of our fellow-beings werestruggling for mastery on that hill-top.And who would be successful—the densemasses of the Prussians, whose shouts wecould hear amid the tumult, or our ownstaunch - hearted brethren ? The courageof our men we never doubted, but theywere so few, and there were no reserves,
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=:) THE PURSUIT TO THE AISNE. 105 —every rifle was in the firing line. • If thatthin line broke there was nothing in front ofthe Prussians but the ration party waitingquietly amid the sacks of bread and thecases of jam and meat. The same indomitable spirit, however,that clung to the bloody heights of Albuera,that swept the French waves of cavalry fromWaterloo and the hosts of Russian infantryfrom the hill of Inkerman, now shattered thedense masses of the Kaisers choicest troops. The counter-attack was beaten off, therifles ceased their dreadful crackle, the gunspaused in their murderous work, and theattenuated band of British soldiers, theirweapons almost red-hot in their hands, nowobtained a short respite to recover breath. The ration parties picked up their loadsand ascended the hill. Presently we met a stream of meji makingtheir way painfully along. These were thewounded. Some, with bandaged heads orarms, were walking unassisted ; others werebeing carried pick-a-back by their u