Private L Martin, Grenadier Guards

We have had a rough time of it where we have been. We were in a dug-out made of iron at the side of a canal. I was in one with 19 more men when the Germans shelled us like lightening. One shell, it must have been one of the largest the Germans had, came right in the dug-out. I was in the far corner. The shell killed our Sergeant, Corporal, and four men. They were blown to pieces. A Sergeant and four men were wounded and two have since died making a death roll of eight. All were in my platoon. I got a good shaking up, and was smothered in mud, and got a scratch on the face. This is the narrowest I have had to being killed. I shall never so long as I like forget it. One of my pals had a leg off, and both feet, and was hit in the head. He had some rum and smoked a cigarette as he chatted to me as he lay on a stretcher. He died in hospital. One thing that was very sad was that two of these men were brothers. They worked together, enlisted together, went home on leave together and died together.