The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-02

HospjtaI Next for Some Of Cana
dian Soldiers.
Could Neither Sit Nor Stand In MUG
Filled bitches Under Heavy Fire
for Three Weary Nights
and Days.

London.-The discomfort and even
actual suffering caused by doing oniy
one turn in the trenches is described
by a Canadian soldier in Princess fa-
tricia's Light. infantry in letter VIII
ten at the front. Such was the condl-
ton of the troops that some OF the
men hardly were able to crawl from
the trenches when the. relief hour ar
rived. With too much mud TO SIT
down and the trench too shallow TO
stand up straight, the troop was IN
difficult position. The letter, which
was printed in the London Times,
says:
1--WE left the place from which last
wrote, marched Is miles and billeteo
in a barn. The following day we
marched II miles to within about three
miles of the trenches. which we en-
tered late at night, relieving some
French troops. We stayed As hours In
the trenches, or rather bitches, as
I they're little better. and such time
1 never experienced in my life.
cit was raining most of the time,
sniping was going on all night, and In
the daytime we were subjected to
most awful bombardment, especially
on the first day, shells exploding near
my trench sometimes in punches OF
six Mud and pieces of shrapnel fell
quite close several times. The shells
from the German big guns burst with
terrible din and fairly made the
no., <11xy inc N
many places from the severe concus-
sions.
1--WE of my platoon consider our
selves very lucky indeed, as we suf-
fered the hottest shell fire along the
line occupied by the battalion, but for
tunately the German gunners had too
much elevation, which resulted in the
shells, with two or three exceptions,
falling over and clear of the trenches.
The German trenches opposite our po-
sition were only 100 yards away, but
very little rife fire was INDUCED in,
everyone on both sides keeping well
under cover.
The bottom of the trenches in most
places is just ankle deep in mud. We
sat on our equipment, which was soon
smothered in wet, cold mud, and in a
deplorable state. But it saved us from
, actually sitting in the mud, and one
r could not stand upright, as the trench
was not deep enough. OF course sleeI
was practically impossible, though
/ most Of US negotiated 40 winks at in
/ tervals when not on watch.
"Our feet were wet through the
/ whole time, also our neither garments
During the long nights we just longet
D for daylight, although we knew i
t would bring a renewal of the lombard
J ment. Some Of our men were hardly
able to crawl out of the trenches
b when our turn came to be relieved.
Q Il hardly think human flesh coult
u possibly stand the conditions prevail
c ing more than three days at the most
J The night we came out and into bill
let's | put on dry socks had the mos
u peculiar sensations in my feet all tina
night-a kind of pins and needles
. This, L suppose, was the returning o
I circulation.
"My hands were also much swollen
u but two days rest soon put me al
! right again. | feel absolutely none tn
$ worse for my experience, but some Q
y the men had to go to hospital, an
others were unfit to march and had t
ride in transports. l myself have bee
le able to stay with the best of them, a
ID though | am the oldest man in the SCI
Z ton.
y We occupied the trenches on tn
night of the fifth and were relieved O
81 the night of the eighth. Twenty of u
are billeted in what you would call
" country public house ond sleep in tn
H. kitchen on the floor, by far the mo.
= comfortable digs we have had SO ia
Il was much struck by the behavic
of the boys who had never been undo
fire before; in fact, l was surprise
Of course we all realize that we carr
our lives in our hands and think tt
most of US don't worry. We foun
time to laugh and joke while the shell
were bursting overhead and quite
few uncomplimentary remarks wei
addressed at the German gunners {
an their Indifferent craftsmanship"