Private L Shaw

I had an awful time on Sunday night. We were seven miles back at rest camp, having come out of the trenches only two days before, and being due a rest. At 5 o’clock they called out and told us we were badly needed at once, and in twelve minutes we had packed our kit and on the move. It was awful when we got up. The shelling caused a never-ending cloud in each direction. The Bosches had tried to break our front, and had taken five lines of trenches from the …… Reserves were hurried up to drive back. I received my first experience in weeping shells, which was terrible. Chaps say Loos and Hill 60 were not as bad nearly. The shelling was awful too. We were not more than five minutes when our Captain came along, fixes his monocle and says “Boys, our chance has come, let us take advantage of it, and show the Bosches that’s the …. Company know how to use the bayonette, pass the word to charge, magazines and fix.” We go over in just under five minutes. I don’t know why but I didn’t seem to funk it at all, once I was over the top and tearing across the open in the face of hell. Men dropped all round, still I wasn’t hit. I felt a tingle in my chest, and find afterwards that the bullet had gone through my top left pocket, right through the papers and books there, but deflected and only scratched me. At last they nobbled me, and I went down hit with a bit of shell. The Prussian Guard in front of us ran like kittens, so as to leave room for their artillery to play on us. I crept into a shell hole, and until Wednesday I existed there on no food, and half a bottle full of water. I had a terrible dread of my water running out, so in the darkness I managed to crawl 250 yards back to our lines, as we have been forced to retire again. It took me four hours. They got me back here, and I’ve had two operations. The piece of shell had gone through my side pockets first, and taking part of the corkscrew and a box of matches through my leg, entering at the fly I’m coming out neither groin. I have two rubber tubes through my leg now. In three weeks also, when I get stronger and a bit better, I shall be back in Blighty, and they say I shan’t come out again. This is a grand hospital, the doctors are splendid, and the nurses are angels. I was operated on yesterday, but feel it easier today. Don’t worry about me, as I shall be all right soon, and back in Blighty, and then you can come and see me. I hear only one officer and eight men in our Company (180 men) got through unhurt. The Captain is still over the top dead, along with the company Sergeant Major.