www.studiobabette.ca
www.ruthvenpark.ca
Saturday, November 8, 2014
"No Road To Glory" by A. R. Thompson
"Four hundred yards..."
"Shells droned overhead, searching out dumps and batteries in the back areas; scout machines flew back and forth over the front. The day wore on uneventfully, almost monotonously. A machine gun spat intermittently; a sniper's bullet sang. The air was filled with a medley of those humming, buzzing sounds like a chorus of insects in July. The men in 'D' Company amused themselves in various ways. Cards and Crown and Anchor boards had been pulled from pockets and packs, and several games were always in progress. Others smoked and chatted about the things they missed and yearned for; some slept, stretched full length in the sun.
"With the coming of night, the Company bestirred itself, for under cover of darkness the bulk of the work was done. The Deb., as Jones had been nick-named, was detailed with his platoon to act as a ration party and take supplies from the transport wagons, which came up to this reserve trench, to the front line company. They moved over land as far as the support line where they dropped into a communication trench. Here the going was slow, as it was still sticky from a recent rain. Presently they reached the front line where all was as quiet as the grave. Conversation with a 'A' Company officer disclosed the Hun as very quiet so far, and rather suspected of being up to something.
' How far from the German Lines?' asked Jones, staring into the darkness across that stretch of waste called No-Man's Land.
' About four hundred yards. It's quite a respectable distance, and gives a chap a chance to breathe out loud. If you've delivered your goods though, you'd better get away; we're sending out a wiring party, and if Heinie gets wise he may send greetings."
' It was certain he had already got his nightly windup as flares were now popping all along the line. The ration party was impatient to be off."
Tomorrow: "Footslogger/ wiring-officer Jones and his "intimate association with barb wire."
[To the new Reader: In order to follow Jones' story chronologically, you may want to begin with Tuesday, November 4th blog post.]
"Shells droned overhead, searching out dumps and batteries in the back areas; scout machines flew back and forth over the front. The day wore on uneventfully, almost monotonously. A machine gun spat intermittently; a sniper's bullet sang. The air was filled with a medley of those humming, buzzing sounds like a chorus of insects in July. The men in 'D' Company amused themselves in various ways. Cards and Crown and Anchor boards had been pulled from pockets and packs, and several games were always in progress. Others smoked and chatted about the things they missed and yearned for; some slept, stretched full length in the sun.
"With the coming of night, the Company bestirred itself, for under cover of darkness the bulk of the work was done. The Deb., as Jones had been nick-named, was detailed with his platoon to act as a ration party and take supplies from the transport wagons, which came up to this reserve trench, to the front line company. They moved over land as far as the support line where they dropped into a communication trench. Here the going was slow, as it was still sticky from a recent rain. Presently they reached the front line where all was as quiet as the grave. Conversation with a 'A' Company officer disclosed the Hun as very quiet so far, and rather suspected of being up to something.
' How far from the German Lines?' asked Jones, staring into the darkness across that stretch of waste called No-Man's Land.
' About four hundred yards. It's quite a respectable distance, and gives a chap a chance to breathe out loud. If you've delivered your goods though, you'd better get away; we're sending out a wiring party, and if Heinie gets wise he may send greetings."
' It was certain he had already got his nightly windup as flares were now popping all along the line. The ration party was impatient to be off."
Tomorrow: "Footslogger/ wiring-officer Jones and his "intimate association with barb wire."
[To the new Reader: In order to follow Jones' story chronologically, you may want to begin with Tuesday, November 4th blog post.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)