In the Firing Line.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXII, Issue 3822, 2 August 1916, Page 4

In the Firing Line.

—-* LETTER FROM A SOUTHBRIDGE BOY.

Private Frank Twiss writes to his brother, in Southbridge, from the trenches in France, dated 19th May, as follows :—"At last we have found what we have been looking for for a long time. Our company moved up into the firing Hoe on Saturday last, May 13th. Since then, things have been, to say the least of it, very exciting. The Germans bombarded our trenches with their artillery on Sunday and Monday. We had a really hot time of it; I can tell you it is a queer sensation to have the big shells bursting all around you. However, we were very lucky, suffering only comparatively few casualties. We were relieved in the firing line, after four days, on Thursday night, and are now in the reserve trenches. Of coarse, we are, if anything, in a more dangerous place for shells, but there is not much to fear, back here, from rifle and machine gun fire As I write now, the shells are flying around, some over our heads, and some falling near hand, but mostly in search of our artillery guns.

"Just now tbe Huns are making a desperate attempt to shoot down one of our aeroplanes, but this is a common occurrence on both sides. All day long they are banging away at aeroplanes, until the sky is painted white with smoke. We have bad four or five alarms of gas attacks the last two days, but so far none has been sent over this part, and I hope to heavens it never will. It is nothing but work here, night and day. Advantage has to be taken of the darkness to mend trenches, and to carry all food and trench supplies from the reserves here up to the firing line." Private Twiss has lately been wounded,