WAR AS SEEN BY THE SOLDIER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 72, 25 March 1915, Page 6

WAR AS SEEN BY THE SOLDIER.

■ VIVID PICTURE OF THE WORK OF A SAPPER. DEADLY SNIPERS. The following letter from a sapper of the Royal Engineers who has been at the front 6ince August gives a wonderful vivid picture of war as it really is:— "In the other day's account of the affair at Guinchy I see it says that it was the best day we've had for a long time. It was a jolly hot time, I can I assure you. "I've never heard such a hades of a row since I've been here, and I've been out since the beginning. "English, French, and German cannon thundered out, and as I escorted the medical officer to the place where any 1 wounded would bo brought, shot after shot whizzed over our heads. "As we were going down the communication trench, which was up to our knees in mud, the doctor as he entered tlie trench had a bullet go just over his head, and for the remainder of the journey he went along with hie head nearly 6craping the mud. The Germans had one of their sausagelooking things up directing the fire, and over us an aeroplane hovered doing the same. Just before the attack was made we sappers had to get sandbags filled, ready to place in front of the infantry for shelter. I ORDER TO ATTACK "The order was given to attack the position, which, J>y the way, was a good observation post of the Germans on the railway, and a good place for sniping. Up our brave lads rushed, catching most of the Germans on the hop in their dugouts. "Two dropped out as they went up the embankment, shot by the Germans in their trenches down below. After we had captured about twenty prisoners, and the sappers had built a shelter with 6andbags, our section retired and a fresh section arrived, who made things as comfortable as possible for the infantry, but I'm sorry to say that our lade were shelled out soon after, and now no one holds the .positions. "A few snipers creep >up there sometimes, but as soon as > they start acting the goat our artillery gives them a shell or two, and they 6oon stop sniping. "\I had rather a long conversation once with a Belgian about sniping. I condemned it, and said it was an underhand kind of warfare. "We sappers get precious little chance at ail of firing. Abont the only chance I've had of firing was in the woods hear Ypres; I was among the five sappercooks who helped clear it. "Just a line or two about Christmas. I would like to know -where it was that football was played on Christmas Day. I asked some of the 'Jocks' if they knew, and all they said was 'the Allemandes gave us some Jack Johnsons; that was the sort of football we had.'"