1914-11-28fs

“Mrs. Duckworth , 207 Glendale avenue, is in receipt of a letter from her son, a reservist, who was wounded in the fighting at Ypres. It throws an interesting sidelight on the hardships suffered by the men in front.”

Hamilton Spectator.   November 28, 1914.

Written from a hospital at Whitehath, Hollingbourne, Kent, the letter from Mrs. Duckworth’s son was a firsthand account of the difficulties and dangers that soldiers were facing in Western Europe:

“We arrived at Zeebrugge on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 a.m. From there we entrained to Bruges and billeted there for the day.  We left Bruges at 5:30 a.m., and took up a position about six miles away.

“We were digging trenches all day, and at night, our platoon was on outpost duty. We had to stand at arms for an hour before dinner, which was at 4:45 a.m.. We then got orders to move, and we marched to Ostend. We there entrained for Ghent, and received a great reception on our arrival.

“We stayed in the city about five hours, and then marched about two miles and took up a position. We were digging trenches and barricading the main roads for two full days, and on the third day, our platoon was sent out to guard a canal bridge and not let any person cross without giving the countersign. You would have laughed to see the people who lived on the other side and couldn’t get across to their homes. But it made no difference, not even military officers could pass. We were there until about 7 p.m., and then got relieved by a troop of cavalry.

“We had only just got back to our headquarters when orders came that we had to move with fixed bayonets, and that no smoking or talking was allowed. That was at 10:30 p.m., and we were marching until 7 a.m., when we arrived at a village called Semmeville, where we billeted for seven hours.

“We marched off again in pouring rain until we reached a place called Rouales, at 11:30 p.m., billeted again for the night, and marched off again at 7 a.m. to Beares, had a rest for a few hours, and then marched to Ypres, where we billeted again.

“On the morning after our arrival at Ypres, we marched about four kilometers and took up a position, digging trenches all day. Early the following morning, we marched off again about seven kilometers and took up another position, digging trenches all day.

“I may tell you that when our division arrived in this vicinity, the Germans were only in small numbers, mostly Uhians, which is their cavalry. The next day we moved again and took up another position. We had just finished digging when the enemy began to shell us. They shelled us right up until dusk, and we hadn’t one casualty.

“The following morning we moved again and got into another position, which we were told to hold at all costs. We got there before daylight, but at dawn, the enemy’s artillery started and kept up a heavy fire all day, and at night, the blighters tried to rush our position, but we drove them back as fast as they came up. We were firing rapidly for over two and a half hours. We had three wounded in our platoon, but couldn’t tell how the Germans fared, for we all collect our wounded and bury our dead during the night, that is, providing we get the opportunity.

“Anyway, we managed to get one or two hours’ sleep, and the following morning we were praised by the general. This day was Oct. 21, and the artillery quieted down a little for a few hours, but the following morning they commenced again and gave us h--.

“But we kept at them, until about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, when our platoon got word to take up another position 150 yards in front of our supports. During this advance, we had three killed and four wounded. It is a wonder we weren’t all knocked over, for we had to cross a turnip field about 70 yards across, which the Germans were playing on with two machine guns. I don’t think I ever ran as hard in my life before as I did crossing that field. When we got to the position, we had to start digging, under fire all the time, until it grew dark. Then we got a chance to straighten our backs, for during fire in the daytime, we have to dig on our stomachs until we get deep enough, then on our knees, then with a trench deep enough to allow us to stand in and just see over the top. We were in the above position from Friday until Monday night, Oct. 23 to Oct. 26. On Saturday morning, Oct. 24, the enemy started just at dawn and kept it up until Monday afternoon, when we got relieved. It ws hellish! We couldn’t get up and look over the top of the trench but bullets were spitting around us.

“We had a terrible experience on the Monday afternoon. The Bradfords, who were just over a crest on our left, retired without letting us know, allowing the Germans to flank us. Then we had it – well, hellish isn’t the word – until we retired. We left seven dead and four wounded men in the trenches, hadn’t time to either bury the dead or get the wounded away. I don’t know how the poor fellows went on. The next day we had a rest. I had a wash and a shave, the first for nine days. After that we were eating and sleeping until late at night, when orders came to move again, and that every man must have rations to last him 48 hours and carry 200 rounds of ammunition.

“We got about three kilometers down the road when bullets began to sing over our heads. We all dropped flat and lay there for about a quarter of an hour, when the firing ceased. The next move, our company had to go out on outpost. No. 3 platoon had to find the troops and picket to Nos. 1 and 2 platoons, No. 4 platoon, the one I belong to, acted as support. We got to our position and had been digging for about five minutes when the Germans commenced to fire on us. We lay flat for half an hour until they stopped, started digging again, and had got about a foot down in the ground when they opened fire again. They kept it up for about ten minutes, then they left us alone. We were digging until 3 o’clock in the morning before we got a rest. We had been down to it for just an hour and a half when we heard such a shout. We thought some of our fellows were making a charge. The next few minutes we saw the Grenadier Guards coming towards our trenches, all scattered seemingly demoralized. When they saw us, they stopped, but the Germans kept up a heavy fire as they attacked. We fought back for about half an hour when we had to retire, and it was during this retirement that I got hit. It was terrible. There were hundreds dropping everywhere. I managed to get to the first dressing station. From there I was sent to the base hospital at Ypres, and from there to Boulogne and then home. We heard at night in Ypres, that our troops had driven the Germans back again, and had gained ground, so we were all pleased.”¹

¹ Hamilton Boy Hit at Ypres : Tells of the Hardships Suffered by the Troops.”

Hamilton Spectator.   November 28, 1914