FROM THE TRENCHES.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15919, 5 June 1917, Page 5

FROM THE TRENCHES.

EXPERIENCES OF A NEW OFFICER.

[The following is problished by the Press Bureau, and forwarded on by the Secretary of the Royal Colonial Institute.] "Noo orficer coming to-day, Bill." 'Yus, I 'eard the sergeant say so." "Just from Blighty.'' "Yvb." "Lumme, 'e's got a fine day for It." It was pouring •vvitli rain, therefore everybody giggled. It's so liard, too, to raise a smile at the "Stand to," an hour, before dawn, especially when for an hour on and off you've been straining your eyes over a wet sand-bagged parapet; strainiiig go lard that even the entanglement posts appeared like an army corps of 'flat caps' rushing towards you.

The new officer mado his appearance. He was very new. Ho Lad all the latest trench clothing on. But ho looked keen, and favourably impressed the men. Trench -warfare was no mystery to him. Plenty of courses he had done and passed out with distinction; while older officers had assured him that the secret of long life in the trenches was, "Keep your heart up, me lad, and your nappcr down!" His napper was well down, as ho trudged through tho filth. Exemplary conduct before the men, was the older officers' advico, so he set them a good example, and kept his head down. No valuable advico from senior officers was going to he wasted on him; So his head was down, but his heart was high. Then he gasped with amazement, for ho saw all the occupants of the trench standing on the firing-step chatting quietly away, with their heads high above" tho parapet, and none looked as though ho was-expecting danger. lu fact, there was relief on their faces, for the long night's vigil was over; moreover, the rum issue was at hand. Breakfast, too, was in the offing. It only wanted two words from the O.C. Coiftpany, "Stand down!'' and all those little figures,, except one in eight would fade awav into some snug little dugout and sleep. The young officer noticed this. Up went his head with so smart a jerk that you could almost hear his neck click. Hi 6 bearing then -was such that it would have brought joy to the heart of a Guards' drill sergeant—well, almost.

[ Tho following morning the new officer had breakfast with the rest of tho company officers. Although ho had had a restless sort of night, two tours of duty, and two naps, in damp clothes, on a damp wire-netting bunk, and with damp boots on-—he felt quito fit and ready for breakfast. There -was no sorrow in his heart, therefore, when his faithful batman of one day only informed him that breakfast was ready. So-he gai up and dressed —that means, he got up ajjd put on his hat. Optimism was always a - good point with the new officer, but a shado of pessimism darkened his outlook on life as ho ambled along the wet trench towards tho Company Headquarters' dugout, -where breakfast was served. Bully beef and biscuits, he thought. But afterwards he really bad little about which to complain. The bacon was nicely cooked, and the little chunk of bread which had been fried -with it was all that could bo. desired; while the sausages, ho confessed, -were above reproach. True, ho had to use the same knife for both bacon and tho' subsequent marmalade. However, ho overcame that difficulty bjr following the excellent example of his company commander. He removed all trace of bacon from his knife by deliberately wiping both sides on a -oiece of bread; the latter was placed in the mouth and swallowed with vervo.

Then the ■bombardment began—at least that is -what the now officer called

it. Tlicy \vcro busy reading their morning mail at the time. Hell's own inferno was let- loose abovo them. Crash! Bang!! Whizz! Bang!! Zump! Zumpt Bumi)!! and lots moro noises like tliat. It lasted for ten minutes, but the young officer thought it was ten hours.

He did not know what to do. Should he rush out to his gallant platoon? The platoon which had stood faithfully by him for tho space of ono whole night. Hlo dare not look at his captain in easo his fac© might betray tho tempestuous omotions which were agonising his soul. Then the bombardment stopped. So ho looked at his captain, who yawned and looked at his watch, worn on tho wrist. "Good Lord," he exclaimed. "Brother Bocho is ten minutes late with his littlo bit of hate this morning. Don't bo alarmod about that, my lad (this to the young officer), that's intended to kill our ration party who used to draw water from a pump in tho farmhouse. But wo stopped -using it a week ago. 1 So the young officer went out for a walk to steady his nerves and reflect a littlo.

He walked along tho front firing lino. Familiarising himself with tho trench he had to hold, seeing if nis barbed wire ontanglements could be improved, satisfying himself—wo aro now quoting his notes from a locturo on trench warfare delivered by a staff officcr —that his men were doing plenty of damage to tho onemy opposed to them. . . . As a matter of fact 75 per cent, of them were asleep at that precise moment. But no matter, it was a beautiful day and tho exercise wa s doing him good. The birds, too, were singing sweetly above, and innumerable flowers were growing out from between thc_ sandbags on tho parados. Everything was beautiful. Then there was a buzzing sound which increased in volunio every second. Crash! Our new officer's mouth wag filled with dirt; ho was half blinded; and he detected a smoky sort of scent.

This one was near liim. This waq no disused dump being shelled. Ho shuddered, as he remembered the littlei whizzings passing his ear.' His throat was parchcd, his tongue dry, and there was a queor undefinablo pain just under the buckle of his belt, and thoro was— But why go further with, description; ho had what your soldier brother or aon would call "th e wind up." Again ho did not know what to "do. Should ho go back? It seemed madness to go forward. So ho went back. But that smelt to him of cowardice, and with a defiant face and a straight bacfc: he retraced his steps, and boldly entered the traverse where the bomb had exploded. Ton of his gallant men woro there _ already busily engaged shovelling portions of Franco.into sandbags to repair—then almost completed-—the breach in the ramparts of his fort. So ho picked up a huge piece of sholl as a souvenir and afterwards showed it to a follow subaltern.

"Good Lord," said the latter. "I slipuld liavo told you. Look here, old thing! you must not go mucking about until you know th© ropes. That's a bit from 'Minnie.' She generally presents her morning's * compliments in Piccadilly at a quarter past; nine. Brother Boche is late again with 'Aliniiio.' We'll really have to complain to 'em about it." "I say," said the now officer after a thoughtful pause, "will thev b 0 shelling Buckingham Palace (his dug-out) this morning?" why?" "Because I purpose having a 'shufccy© there as quickly as possible." And 'the new officer yawned.