Servants of the Guns

asked to do the work of three men in an impossibly short space of time. One of these periods, that in which the orders for the initial stages of the attack had been distributed, had just passed, an

horses clinked their bits and grazed. Occasionally the distant boom of a gun made them prick their ears and stare reflectively in the

e battle had sca

ficers lay around it talking eagerly. Above, on the top of the hill, General Maudeslay leant against a bank and gazed into the

s below him. He was warm, he was dry, and he

nd cub-hunting morni

hounds and hunting were the passion of his life. But now his t

trument began to give out its nervous, jerky, zt-zzz-zt. There was a clatter of hoofs along the road, and the sliding scrape of a horse pulled up sha

glasses to his eyes for some minutes before loweri

ought to be on 548 by now, b

r. It's hidden behind that wood,

d the General, also pointing, but to

ast not accord

glance was enough. On it Point 548 was marked as being

on Tony li

be two different editions of this map. Which one had they in your briga

e have seen, was small, and his visit had not involved him in a dis

ne small circle while he hum

will be wiped out unless we can stop it." He looked round quickly. "Signallers-no-useless: and the telephone not

ady halfway t

holes," he called as he ran to

away belt and haversack, crammed his revolver into a side pocket, and was

l, Tony,

the grass, seemed echoed in the steady beat of Dignity's hoofs as

he hillside which he had chosen as his point. The rush of wind in his ears, the thud of iron-shod hoofs on sound old turf, the thrill that is born of speed, made him forget for a moment the war, the enemy, his mission

-cold and hunger, muddy roads a

y, old

as a fence was flung behind them and t

elf, and then, fifty yards away, he touched him with his heels and let him out. The stream, swollen with the deluge of the previous day, had become a torrent of swirling, muddy water, a

ith about an

eyond. From the top he had hoped to see the battery somewhere on the road, but he found that the wo

, and sat down in his

nity put a foreleg into a blind and n

ight forward on to h

parently the only living thing near him was Dignity, quietly grazing. He noticed, at first without understanding, that the horse moved on three

was, perhaps, the hardest thing he had ever had to do. He drew Dignity's he

hen collapsed forward, lifeless, with a thud:

stretched the wood which he had seen before he started, hiding from his view not only the actual hill but the road which led

er, came, not a cavalry charge as he had half expected, but teams-gun teams and limbers-but no guns. The battery had got into action on the hill, but a lucky hostile shell, wide o

ear. Still dazed with his fall, it was so

those

oud, "it's my own bat

nished from his mind. He forgot the staff and his connection with it. O

h there was a metal piston within beating time upon his brain. The hot sun caused the sweat to stream i

ewn with dead and dying horses: drivers were crushed beneath them; and an up-ended limber pointed its pole to the sky like the mast of a derelict ship. The ground was furrowed with the impress of many

forward for some distance nearly flat. Tony therefore, crawl

stopped agha

trails testified that these four guns, at least, had been well served. But the others! One was still limbered up: evidently a shell had burst immediately in front of it. Its men and hor

hed and thundered in the air. But here it seemed some magic sp

on for one brief moment. Then he made his way towards the only offi

s the mist had cleared away he found that it was exposed to the fire of the hostile artillery at a range of little more than a mile. The battery had been caught by a hail of shrapnel b

a of the general plan of battle he knew that the decisive attack would

ront of them and the high ground a mile away on which the enemy's artillery was posted. The intervening space was hidden. Yet it was impossible to move. Any attempt to go forward to where they could see, or backward to where they would be

to be there at all, but that his place was with the General, did not concern him in the slightest. It had always been his ambition "to fight a battery in the real thing," as he

tually silenced, and did not deign to waste further ammunition upon it. Then, when To

es. Supports behind." Almost at the same moment an orderly whom Tony recognised as

ou come from?

E sent me to find you and

ny of our infan

ming on. They'll be round t

y officer this message," said Tony

e last orderly the General 'as got left, and I was told to fi

at you were told. You g

at the muzzles, and so creating a death-zone of leaden bullets through which the attacking infantry would have to fight their way. Then he took up his post behind an ammunition wagon on the right of

ached them a few isolated soldiers began to appear over the crest in front. As soon as they

ght. The sun gleamed on their bayonets. There was a

whole front was enveloped in thick, white smoke from the bursting shell. In spite of diminished det

their rifles. Bullets, hundreds of them, tore the ground in front and clanged against the shields. Tony stepped back a few yards and lo

e enemy began to come forward by rushes-a

t!" sa

limb the hill behind him. But the enemy was working round the flanks of the battery and preparing for the final rush. It

hole line rise and ch

nowing that by that order the ammuniti

reech with mechanical precision, while the only

d ready to swing it open again. In front they could see nothing: the smoke hung like a thick white blanket. Tony

ng bodies and the sight of wild, frenzied faces. Then the charge, arriving just in time, swept past him, a mad irresist

over the trail

ng heights, Tony, pale, grimy, but exultant, started back with the intent

and walked

e the devil have you been all d

een her

of your own, I understand. We were in urgent need of information as to what had happened up he

He glanced up at him as he sat there bolt upri

after a pause, he added recklessly, "Would

the dead and wounded strewn around them, safe. He was a gunn

said, "I

RT

NEMY

NCES OF A PR

night-nurse, an R.A.M.C. orderly, a German sentry at the main gate and two others in the courtyard outside the ward, is a complete mystery. The situation for the French hospital authorities is serious. So far, although the Germans are in occupation of the town, have garrisoned it with a com

ese days. The doctor, five or six nurses, and the lady by whose charity the hospital is maintained hold a conference, animated by many dramatic gestures and an astonishing flow of eloquence. They are torn between fear of t

courage!" answered another. "Si les Allemand

They even enter the apartments of the nuns, to the horror of our kind old priest. Of course they find nothing. It is by now eight o'clock. At nine the edict is given. In two hours every patient i

le pauvre. Ah! comme il a souffert." I have realised to the full the compassion of Woman for suffering humanity, irrespective of creed or nationality; and I have known the blessing of morphia. Once, very early in the morning, just as the dawn was beginning to creep in and light with a ghostly dimness the rows of white beds and their restless, groaning occupants, I heard the tinkle of the bell announcing the approach of the priest bearing the Host; and drowsily (for I was under morphia) I watched Extreme Unction being ad

street where two transport wagons are drawn up opposite the gate. There are nineteen French soldiers, two English privates, and myself. Our names are called by a German officer. Those who cannot walk are helped (by their comrades) into the wagons. We three English are carefully searched, but our money is not taken. It is decreed that the Englishmen must be separated by at least two Frenchmen. Does our escort (twenty armed men under a sergeant) fear a combined revolt, I wonder, or is this

, when I was really at my worst, never left my bedside for more than five minutes during two long nights and a day. To her, I think, I owe my life. For a moment the face of the cobbler d

way we stop at an estaminet for beer. The prisoners, even the English, are allowed to purchase some. The German sergeant chucks under the chin the att

ow chocolates and cigarettes to us. German officers, wrapped in their long grey cloaks, swagger about, brushing everyone aside in haughty insolence. From the windows of two or three hospitals French soldiers peer out and wave to us in obvious sympathy. Approaching the railway station we go past the id

inting us out to each other they use it without stint. One man has a more extended vocabulary of abuse. Having exhausted it he proceeds to recount for our benefit the damnable story that English soldiers use the marlinspike in their clasp-knives to gouge out the eyes of German wounded. We have already heard this allegation made before. The English-speaking secretary of the Governor at Bavai was very fond of it. But he, who was educated and who had lived in Lo

erence is sometimes a dignified defensive weapon. Finding that we are not to be drawn, the crowd gradually disperses, and for an hour and a half we are kept standing in the gutter. Then another long procession of dejected prisoners winds its way into the yard and we are taken with them into the station. The wait inside is enlivened for me by a conversation with a German N.C.O. who speaks English perfectly. He has lived, he tells me, eighteen years in South Africa and fought for us against the Matabel

andy, and is discovered to be far too bad to travel. Why not have left the poor

me in with the men. Fortunately, however, this captain has gentlemanly instincts; he ignores the sergeant, leads me down to the other end of the platform and deposits me in a second-class carriage with three French officers. We begin to exchange experiences. Two are doctors, the other a captain of Colonial Infantry wounded during the siege of Maubeuge. They tell me that there is another English officer on the train. I now begin to realise that I am hungry and half dead with fatigue. To march eight miles and then to stand upright for nearly three hours, after having walked no more than the length of

hed Aix, where we were given lukewarm cocoa and sandwiches made of black bread and sausage-particularly nasty. But by this time we were so hungry that anything was welcome. The guard in our carriage, finding that we were not really likely to strangle him if he took his eyes off us f

d "Paris" in chalk. Many of the men looked very young-hardly more than boys. Several trains, crammed with wounded, overtook us. The sight of English uniform was always enough to attract a crowd at any s

arge of us and persisted in counting us every ten minutes. Got into another train about 1 p.m. and eventually arrived at our destination, Crefeld, at 1.30. We were taken out of the station almost immediately,

rested as a spy on no evidence whatever. Spent the remainder of the day settling down and writing home. It is a comfort, at any rate, to think that I can at last let people know what has become of me. Comparing notes with the other English here, we discover that they were all wounded early in the War, on the Aisne. We learn for the first time details of the stationary trench warfare into which the campaign is developing and hear all about the German preponderance in heavy artillery. We feed here in the big dining-hall attached to the canteen (in which by the way a great variety of things can be

they had been submitted to every conceivable insult. The cattle truck contained fifty-two persons-officers, privates, and civilians. Such treatment is beyond comment. From Major V-- I heard for the first time of the tragic fate of the battery on September 1. He could give no details beyond that it was surprised in bivouac at dawn by eight "dug-in" German guns at 7

ptain E. K. Brad

be worse and at present there is plenty of it. Took some exercise round the square-a deadly business. In the afternoon shaved

ng many letters, including one to Bavai, tho

a chatty little discourse at the roll-call parade he informed us that in future we are to be counted at 7.45 a.m. and 10 p.m.; further that alcoholic liquors will no longer be obtainable. Thus we are robbed of two of our luxuries-drink and sleep! Two new arrivals at midday, whose only news is that British troops are now in N.W. Belgiu

is irreparable. In everything he did he set up a standard which all of us envied but none of us could attain. He lived as straight as he rode to hounds-and no man rode straighter. To his brilliant mental gifts he added a conscientiousness, a thoroughness, and a quick grasp of detail which seemed to augur a great future. His was a personality which stamped itself indelibly upon all with whom he came in contact

appears by all accounts to have had an awful doing. The battle W. and N.W. of Lille still rages. A French officer retails a rumour that he had heard before bei

same regiment. We have bought cups and saucers and have tea in our room e

far from clean, he asked him through an interpreter how long he had had his breeches. The officer, who imagined that he was being asked how long the British army had been clad in khaki, answered politely, "Nearly four

f 200 Russians not yet fulfilled. Have bought some books, Tauchnitz edition, and tried to sett

party of Russians." Well, now we've got them-200 arrived this evening. Such a scene in the canteen before roll-call! The roar of v

ndow before the arrival of our "stable companions." These when they did turn up seemed pleasant enough, but as they could talk no English and only a few words of French, conversation was limited. They could give us no news, having all been prisoners in some other place for two months. One, however, produced a map

gust 16. Infinitely cheering; no news, though, owing to fear of t

8 p.m. One does a week of each alternately, with the idea presumably that constant change is good for the digestion. But the day consists of fifteen long waking hours all the same. There are moments when I hate all my fellow humans here. A youthful Russian who inhabits this room irritates me almost beyond endurance by singing and whistling the same tune all d

st the censor, I can't think how. As they were the first En

ial Infantry with whom I travelled from Maubeuge. He talks interestingly on a variety of subjects and I am learning a certain amount of French from him. Curious how much more wel

a list of names is put up and mine is not amongst them, to grind my teeth in rage and regard it as a personal spite on the part of the German Government. The arrival of letters and parcels is the only event of any importance in this monotonous life. An officer who receiv

ry borne out by the arrival of some very badly wounded prisoners from the hospital at that place. No confirmation, however. Learnt of the Prime Minister's speech on War loans, in which he stated that th

s, passports, and a motor, but were given away by the man whom they had bribed to help them. They now languish in

ncing the capture of 40,000 Russians. Won't believe it. That's always the tendency-to believe any

of disapproval and make less noise. Have bought some more books and read all day except for an hour's walk

sent to him-amongst them (horror of horrors!) "Pit." I do draw the line at the room being made into more of a bear-garden than usual by the addition of various strangers who wish to gamble on "Minoru"-and I foresee trouble and un

suing for peace with Russia

way out of the town. He speaks German like a native and was wearing a civilian greatcoat. A very sporting effort, as he'll have a bad time if he's caught, I'm afraid. If he can get home and lay o

" is apparently the popular clamour in the town. Fierce scrimmage round the bar to purchase what was left. However, the patriotism of the canteen contractor (who, need I say

rontier into Holland. Later, that he had

t was not so much that they were thin, white-faced, ragged and dirty, though that was bad enough; but they had a cowed, bullied look such as I have never seen on the faces of British soldiers before and hope never to see again. Apart from what they told

of an enormous plum-pudding which T-- had had sent him. Then suddenly we rose as one man, toasted the King (in water and lemonade) and sang the National Anthem. The French officers followed with the Marseillaise a

faces at the sentry. However, as we all went on reading and took not the slightest notice of him, I think we had the best of it. I imagine that, it being Christmas Day, he had "drink taken," as one says in Ireland. We complained to the senior British officer, who saw the commandant about it. This sort of thi

ious songs, including "Rule, Britannia" (which the Germans hate more than anything) until roll-call. I think "Auld Lang Syne" produced a choky

l smoking will be prohibited from January 2 to 15; all tobacco is to be handed in at 10

so parcels containing food,

the preceding sentence that it was something about the Indian troops. Wonder what the Boches are after. Anyway I was hauled up before the permanent orderly officer, who is an aged subaltern of at least sixty, known to the French as "l'asperge" because he is long and thin and looks exactly like an asparagus stalk when he's got his hel

nd emptier. But there are signs of shortage in the cou

but resisted the temptation to open it. If any one was caught smoking during this fortnight it would mean

ng one he found several Russians smoking-whereupon he left without comment. This was the act of a gentleman. This evening, therefore, we broached my tin of cigarettes. C

r. All three of them, he says, have been kept handcuffed, in solitary confinement, ever since, and fed only on black bread and weak coffee-and this whilst awaiting trial! Eventually his case was dismissed, as it

n the dining-hall. Perhaps it is a sign that things are going badly for them. From

rge proportion of potato flour in it. The meat is generally uneatable. Fortunately supplies are

y impressed by the solemnity of it; also by their beautiful singing. Toasted the Ru

that the German papers claim this fight as a great victory-a Trafalgar, they called it. Prefer to believe the state

h. The altered manner of our "kindly captors" towards us is remarka

of officers were brought forward by the doctors of each nationality for examination by the German medico! Particulars of our cases

ome time ago, but have heard no details as to how he did it. Women conductors on the trams in Crefeld now; and Carl, a German waiter, late of the Grosvenor Hotel and at present underling here to the c

who heats the furnace for the bathroom (doubtless an authority!) confesses quite openly that German

play them in, we enjoyed quite a pleasant concert this evening. But the crowd and the atmosphere were awful. The o

La Bassée." But what an admission! Am convinced that at last the German people are beginning to realise what their Government must

e weeks. He must have lost his head on finding me with

unded to be exchanged (two English and nine French) are to go on Monday. I continue to hope that I may get

we would realise the clemency of the Imperial Government. We were made to give our word of honour not to take any letters, etc., from prisoners with us. Finally, after an interview with the paymaster, who squared up our accounts, we went through a ceremonious leave-taking with the commandant and "the chemist." Felt quite

ssembled at the gate to see us off. In spite of the depression they all must have felt at watching us go, not one of them showed a sign of it. They were just splendid-French, Russians, and English-and wished us "G

d out of the

hat a question! When we changed trains and had about an hour to wait he ordered our lunch for us and saw that we had everything that we wanted. Travelling via Münster we reached Osnabrück at about 4 p.m. and were conveyed in a motor to the hospital. Had thought, ever since last night, that I could never be depressed again, but the sight of the ward with nearly fifty empty beds in it, the smell of iodoform and the whole atmosphere of the place had that effect on all of us for a bit

ve noticed that the hate and malice engendered by the authorities against the English manifests itself more amongst those Germans who have not been to the front. Men who have actually been there and have come back w

evening an aged Teuton in shabby waiter's evening dress came and informed us that we could order anything we liked to eat or drink if we chose to pay for it. Evidently he was acting under instructions to m

nce them that I could neither eat, drink, nor speak properly, and they passed me without demur. Am sure that I went pale with fright at the prospect of being dragged back to prison again, and perhaps this fact was of assistance to me. There was a long c

ulance train. The "sitting-up" cases had distinctly the best of it here; we were in comfortable second-class carriages, whereas the others were put in slung-stretchers in cattle trucks. As this same train is to fetch back the exchanged German wounded from Flushing, there was evidently no ma

stopped all through the journey to Flushing. They crowded into the carriages; they showered food, tobacco, cigarettes, sweets, fruit, even English books and papers on us; they forgot nothing. If they'd been our own personal friends they could have done no more for us. Dutch doctors and guards board

lief work. Their hospitality was unbounded. Had a merry lunch with them in the hotel, and then strolled out to see the town-followed by a l

hed and careworn, in threadbare khaki (some even in tattered French or Belgian uniform) with no buttons, most of them with no hats or badges. At first our men were indignant-they had suffered much, and it was evident to them that the treatment of prisoners in the two countries was very different. But soon the inhere

For a moment he didn't answer but merely stared at her with great dark wondering eyes. Then he said slowly: "Are you English?" That was all, just those three words, but they expressed everything-the misery of all the months he had be

rd. There were paralysed cases on stretchers, blind men, deaf men, men with an arm or a leg gone, dozens hopelessly lame man?uvring their crutches with difficulty, helping each other, laughing at each other-happy enough for the moment. But oh! the pity of it. What of the future of these maimed and broken men? They are happy now because they're thin

ited to sleep. Feel at last tha

als. They had been underfed, under-clothed, singled out for all the disagreeable work and all the abuse-because they were English. Watched them playing cards, helping anxious Belgian mothers with their sea-sick children. Listened to their talk and laughter and choruses, of which t

bun) served by English ladies. The rain streamed down out of the inky sky as the long ambulance train puffed its way out of the station at 8 p.m. Even the weather was typically English, as if to welcome us! Everythi

E

g strangers, to omit the word Territorial and by merely pointing to the "1" on his képi lead them to suppose that he belonged to the First Regiment of the Line-a rather more distinguished unit than his own. Like ourselves, he was a prisoner of war,

things. It is a fact that my hair brushes and razor made the journey in one of his

ge hands on his baggy and discoloured red trousers with the air of a man who has done a hard job of work conscientiously and well. From a pocket, the bottom of which was apparently somewhere in the region of his knee, he would produce a half-smoked and much worn cigar, readjust any

complacent but always industrious old age. He came from Commines, which is north of Lille on the Belgian frontier, and he had worked all his life in a braces factory, for ten hours a day, six days a week, earning thirty to forty francs, which he considered good wages. On the outbreak of war his regiment had formed part of the garrison of Maubeuge, which place, in his opinion, was undoubtedly sold to the enemy. He had

nked the stove up so high over-night that it was still burning on the following morning; in consequence Henry had been saved the trouble of laying and lighting the fire afresh. Just as a terrier who has once seen a c

ld mutter, "Sept heures vingt, mon capitaine" (or "mon lieutenant," as the case might be-he was most punctilious about rank), and pass on to the next bed. The actual time by the clock made no difference. He always said, "Sept he

nds and put into the coal-box or pushed under a cupboard if he thought no one was looking. He spent the rest of his time till his dinner hour at eleven in cleaning the boots, making the beds, and pretending to dust things-all the whil

were displayed in all their vast unshapeliness. In walking he trailed his short legs along, giving one the impression that he had just completed a twenty-mile march and was about to go away and rest for some hours. When we first knew him he had had a scraggy beard of no particular colour, but he startled us one morning by appearing without it, grinning sheepishly, and exposing to view a weak chin which already had a tendency

d up in his simple phrase, "C'étaient eux" (the Germans) "qui ont voulu la guerre," and on this count alone they stood condemned eternally before God and man. Of history, diplomatic situations, international crises he took no heed. In his eyes the Germans were a race of impoverished brigands for ever casting greedy eyes upon the riches of peaceful France. He told me once in all sincerity that before the wa

fine type of the fat bully rejoicing in a position of p

dull hours. But in course of time we discovered other and more pleasing traits in him. He was a devout Catholic and, in h

capitaine," he replied wi

o march off to a war not of his making with but twelve francs in

im. By their regulations he was only allowed to have ten marks in his possession at once-the surplus he was supposed to deposit with the paymaster. But I really think he would rather have thrown the money away than done so. He kep

which I kept for him, knowing not only the

lish magazine. The Russian, mistaking him for a French officer, saluted, bowed, and held out his hand. An English private would have been embarrassed-not so Henry. With that tr

touched and overwhelmingly grateful. Tears sprang to his eyes as he

i content pour un an," and he insisted with charming

that the concertina was too small-a toy, in fact. The truth was, I rather think, that his enormous fingers found difficulty in pressing less than two stops at once. He admitted that he had a passion for music, that he had learnt the harmonium from a blind man in Commines, and that he had had an accordion specially made for h

ink he had resigned himself to remaining where he was for life. It was his habit to believe implicitly every rumour that he heard; and since there were seldom less than fi

ne to be "at them" again nor did he chafe under the restrictions of a life of confinement. He confessed frankly that he was not anxious to fight again, but that when his day's wo

e. "Every day," he said, "there are letters, but none for me." I could proffer sympathy but not, alas! advice, and I hadn't the heart to tell him that Commines was in the thick of the fighting, and had probably been blown to pieces long ago. His

sers more discoloured than ever, his enormous right hand at the salute, and his lips twisted into that wistful smil

OR'S

ct of excusing myself for various technical errors therein: Henry appeared in The New Statesman. My thanks are due to the editors of both these journals for kindly allowing

nde

ber,

ES AND SONS, LTD., LOND