Contemptible""

tly it was being "searched," and so the Battalion was hastily moved into the open fields, assuming what is known as "Artillery Formation," i.e.

rnip fields and stubble, the road was again reached, an

at digging trenches. Imagine the state of the men! Dirty from digging, with a four days' growth of beard, bathed in sweat, eyes half closed with want of sleep, "packs" missing, lurching with the drunken torpor of fatigue, their own mothers

ed from his belt, and when the halt was over he lurched to his feet and on, without noticing its loss. Ca

eft. But if one waits long enough, the hottest sun must go to rest, and drag its horrible day with it. About six o'clock the Battalion at last came up with its

ry aching limb of their bodies cried out for rest, and here they were going to be put on outpost duty for yet another night. Imagine their state of mind! Is there a word to cope with the situation? Assuredly not, though great efforts were made! Darkness fell so swiftly that the Officers had scarcely time to "site" the position of

, not complete oblivion to body and mind, for the fear of surprise was upon him even in his sleep, and he knew that if his precautions should prove insufficient, he would have to answ

entrenching continued. A "fatigue party" went to draw rations, which were distributed at about seven o'clock. This

put letters and rations in his haversack, but went straight to his Senior. "A party of Uhlans, about 100 strong, have broken through the line further up. We have got to prevent them from taking us by surprise on this flank. So you had better

enemy, hours before he actually came; now, when the great game was being played in real earnest, he found that he had to guess. The Uhlans might have come unsuspecting along the road, in which case t

y were actually attacking from the direction they were expected! But this was only

until the rest had "got away." With characteristic forethought and presence of min

r rolled-seemed to spread itself into space-but not so with bursting shells. The clap of sound caused by one is more confined, more localised, more intense. The earth seems to quiver under it. It suggests splitting, a terrible splitting. Only the nerves of the young and

disposal, ordered the Company to take up the r?le of flank-guard to the retreating column. The Company, extended over a long front, had to move across rough country, intersected with all sorts

British Army, one would have thought that they were a dispirited, defeated rabble. Yet, in their own minds, the Officers and men had no doub

an hour in the town, for the men t

s feet to the ground was an agony, and they swelled with the pain and heat. The bones of them ached with bearing his weight. They longed for air, to be dangling in some cool, babbling stream. The mental strain of the morning's action was as nothing compared to the physical pain of the afternoon. The Colonel, seeing his plight, offered to lend him his horse, but he thanked him and declined, as there is a sort

that night. High hopes filled weary hearts. It got about that they were to be