Painting by Willy Stöwer
(I was just about) to leave it when someone shouted from behind; Is that an Englishman? I answered in the affirmative and asked him to help to get this box upon my shoulder again. He said, never mind that, I am going to tell the "Anson" to r
ammu) nition. Just then, the Adjutant came up and told me that as yet, only one man had arrived back with ammunition. He brought back a box containing 500 rounds. I shew him the hole made by the piece of a shell, he exclaimed - good God! Ashley,
momento, and I still have it. Before moving off I picked up a tin of bully-beef, and placed it in my haversack - this came in very handy indeed when we had entrained. Just then the order came along to evacuate the trenches. A Company moved out, a
allow the "Battalion" to advance as far as possible in the direction of the "bridge" over the river Schelt.  The country was lit up by the burning Anglo-American petrol tanks, which had been set on fire by shells, thousands of gallons of petr
not serving his country. The heat caused by the flames was terrific , and I must admit, I thought there was the great possibility of it exploding the large amount of cartridges, that I was carrying in my right pocket of my greatcoat, also whilst p
magnificent piece of engineering as all the bridges crossing the Schelt had been blown up, and had it not been for these "bridges" we none of us would ever have escaped. We proceeded to cross it; and upon gaining the other side, we halted, to get
to a street in which was stationed barrels of biscuit and pails of water, in passing these we would snatch a handful of biscuit , and contrive to fill as best as possible, our water-bottles. After leaving this small town behind, we proceeded along
thing happened at that place, as in the case of every halt, all through this terrible retreat; the men dropped down in the muddy roads, and immediately fell asleep .  I this my haversack came in very handy - as a pillow. After halting here fo
further, we should have undoubtedly walked into an ambush of cavalry and machine guns , which the "huns" had waiting for us.  The results would certainly have been disastrous, for all of us were in a terrible state, having practically no slee
was very welcome indeed. The motor - omnibusses were at every chance flying past to pick up a cargow of exhausted men and I reached the siding where the train was waiting at 9.15am, and was fortunate enough to secure a seat on top of the second t
etc would come flying down upon me, and with a hard apple hitting me on the head one usually gets a rude awakening. About 4.30pm we rode into Bruges, ten or twelve miles from Ostende. We disembarked, and marched through the town, where we dropped
own countrymen, and commenced the kissing and embracing sport, - of course that did it. All this time my arm was paining me , and it was well nigh useless so when we marched off again - to a schoolroom where we were allowed to lay down upon the st
soup. Whilst marching out, we were given a small tin of sardines, for the following morning's breakfast. That night, we slept in a R.C. School, and at 7.30am Reveille sounds, on the morning of the 9th Saturday. After having breakfast, we clean an
men on stretchers through the town at 3.0am Sunday morning.  A "red-cross" nurse carried my rifle for me. Arriving at the Hospital, we were put to bed. I felt rather ashamed to turn into such a clean bed in the state I was in, but then it
afternoon. There was a "special" waiting for us at Dover Pier, and at 7.30 we arrived at Sandwich station, from whence we marched to "Betteshanger Camp", arriving there at 11.30pm. Immediately upon arriving, hot food was served to us, and after
prev / next