Private Peat

e who questioned the discipline of the First Canadians, see

frequently. But we-we were not real soldiers; we were super-soldiers. We were not brave; we were super-brave. We went into those trenches; we returned the greeting of the English boys; we lined up to

hind us, and then we would duck, exclaim "Good lord! that was a close one," then resume the old position. But w

hey grew into hundreds as the minutes passed and the darkness deepened. We felt like the prophet Ezekiel as he viewed the valley of dry bones. The

o is to keep the eyes on one spot. Then one begins to see things. It is not necessary to be a soldier, and it is not necessar

fficer strolled by, and addressed a fellow near me. "Wh

..." And he went on pumping bullets f

t better. The longer I stayed, the more certain I became that I would be killed that night. I did not want to be killed. I thought it would be a dreadful thing to be killed the first night

at guard duty is the easiest job there is. I was eager for a change, and when I heard an English sergeant call out: "I want

which I was wanted. I knew there was a ration back in the town. I had a vague

were very early days in the war. The Imperial soldiers had recently estab

d, if he comes from overseas; he may be additionally trained in England; he may have a couple of weeks at the base in France, but it is all the same-when he reaches the front l

ng. He must have initiative; he must have resource; he must have individuality; he must be

soldier was detailed to go on listening-post with me. Again, the raw soldier is never left to his own devices on

rivate to me, "wher

ye ball

'Ave yer b'ynet fixed?" h

net f

e, "'urry up!

" I re

yer know as 'ow we are goin' hout? Goin'

ation. Scene from the Photo-

ful b

Going to ma

his native strand. I followed. I followed cautiously. I don't know how I got out. I don't remember. I can't say that I was frightened ... no

the German trenc

E

didn't know who might hear me: "How

gain. He stepped on a stick. I jumped. I jumped

? Are there any German

. plenty of

like us; or have the

, brace, couples...."

ver meet any o

Many

do w

t, 'aven't yer? Well, stick 'em ... kill 'em! Don't use yer rifl

at if there was any killing to be done t

ot tread on sticks. I whispered to him for the

ousey ground hall the while. We are the heyes of the harmy. The Germans raid us on occasions. Were these posts not hout, the raids would be more frequent. They'd come hover and inflict severe casualties on hour men. They can't see the Boche. We can. Sho

s afterward to the man

hes ... sometimes," T

e matter. Tommy w

e, 'ere the Boches are ... there the boys are"-he flicked an expressive thumb backward. "Those Boches thinks as 'ow the

I did the hundred yards in eleven seconds flat ... those Boches m

y that first time. Nothing happened of course. There was no killing, but it was nervy work. Later, in common with other fellows, I was able to go on listening-post with the same nonc

We had "Maconochie." "He" is by way of a stew. Stew with a tin jacket. It bears the nomenclature of its inventor and maker

very cold. After dinner the first day in the trenches, I suddenly noticed an excitement a

to, bent on tormenting the Huns. Their bullets spurted round him. He spiraled and sank, sank and spiraled. Nothing ever hit him. The Boches got wildly hysterical in their shooting. Every rifle pointed upward. They forgot where they were; they forgot us;

" We boys gasped out th

ajor. Look, look-he's looping! Gawd in 'eaven, they've got

but got no answer. Every eye wa

the ones and twos. They ducked, then-swoop-again the major was over them, and again th

boys, all's well." There, overhead, was the Mad Major in his plane. Elusive

round the English Tomm

nuck," they answer

s,

was a sergeant who spoke, and we cl

arries them, 'e does, 'arries them proper. Down 'e'll go, up 'e'll go, and ne'er a bullet within singing distance of 'im. 'E's steeped in elusi

appeared immune from a

perial forces since August, 1914. He had fought through

ibly, French and British and Belgians fought a backward fight, day after day and hour after hour, losing now a yard, now a mile, but always going back-then

ig guns; sometimes diving to avoid a shell; sometimes staggering as though wounded, but always righting himself. There would be the Mad Major each day, over the rearguard troops, see

f the line he visited, and was known the

r had disappeared from our view, w