ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14740, 20 October 1915, Page 5

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

UNDER SHELL FIRE IN THE TRENCHES, SUPERHUMAN EFFORTS REQUIRED Mr Fred Clarke, of Wanganui East, ha.i received another interesting letter from his brother Arthur, who is Serving on thj Western front. Tho following are sorau extracts from the letter, which is dated, “France, August 20th’’: “We have not been in any big fighting since our Festubert affair. So far our section has not experienced any gas. We are much further down the line, and the Germans so far have left us alone in the matter of gas, neither has our part of the line been subjected to liquid fire, and I sincerely trust the Germans will let us alone so far as these two weapons Of destruction are concerned. Any way, we are well prepared against any attacks of gas. UNDER SHELF FIRE. “So far, I am verv well, and have not received a scratch. When I consider what I have been through, and what I have seen, I can’t quite explain why I have come through without a scratch. I have literally had men falling all around me. “One crouches and waits whilst earth, and pieces of iron fall around him. And then one has a feeling that is a feeling-turned-into-one-anotber sort of feeling when you discover that a couple of traverses away a couple of men have been rent into pieces. They say this is tho 'dull' side. But there is nothing so awful as to be in a support trench and be shelled.' Yon simply crouch and wait, not oven being able to give vent to your feelings by' blazing away. Of the offensive movement, you- know the moment after tho command, that is all, and that is ail you .want to know. “J'dst now, bur division is having a spell'.'from the. trenches. We have been in, them for four months without a rest,: so have fully earned it. I am now attached to a school of bombing, and so may not see any trenches for a while. “UP AGAINST It.” “I feel that I did right in coming out here. We are up-against it. I assure you. I don’t quite see how it will end. , Mere ordinary fighting won’t do it. Tliere won’t be any marching into Berlin, or Germans marching into Calais, or any of that bosh. Leave that to the music hall! Somethin" extraordinary must happen. It is a superhuman job to get 500 yards. Not because of tbe Germans as soldiers, but because of their trenches. A few men with a few machine-guns will hold their against tremendous numbers. As we now stand, neither we nor the Germans can advance to any extent. Something has got to happen. There is a lot of newspaper' talk about that something. Wha* it is to be I'don’t know. Whatever i‘ is, you can bet I will do my bit. AS' Kitiling sings, ‘Once in a while wo can finish in style.’ . “WIN WE SHALL—THAT’S SETTLED. ’’ “Work, ,ahd the ordinary affairs'of life seem such a long way off now. 1 shall not like going back to the old life, Wha 1 will happen when it’s all over, I don’t know. All I know is that we are out to win.' and win we shall—that’s settled. “Your boys from New Zealand are do-’ ing great things against the Turks. Th f - Colonials I have seen have been Canadians, and they are fighters to be proud of. They were with as at Festubert, and they are a grand set.” 1 *• 1 1