Over The Top

ading, "Suicide Annex." One of the boys told me that this particular front trench was called "Su

gh. It was about twenty feet below the fire trench; at least there were twenty steps leading down to it. These steps were cut into the earth, but at that time were muddy and slippery. A man had to be very careful or else he would "shoot the chutes." The air was foul, and you could cut the smoke from Tommy's fags with a knife. It was cold. The walls and roof were supported with heavy square-cut timbers, while the entrance was strengthened with sandbags. Nails had been driven

ontempt, and answere

came a thin, piping voice singing one

roubles in your

Smile,

then the singe

Cough

ation of Tommy's cheerful

t him, sliding, and slipping and reached my section of the front-line trench wh

I teamed up with another fellow and went on guard with my head sticking over the top. At ten o'clock I was relieved and resumed my sittin