Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-11-30
to go to Boulogne. ana i got started

the civilians commenced to move. 1t
was the same old ~story-panic every
where among the women and children.
and the road was choked with them.
The second shell landed about ten min
utes later, so l judged they were only
using one III and it al a small one
at that. There was nothing, therefore.
to get excited about.
I picked up a priest and two old
women and gave them a lift as far
as Cassel, where they could get a
train later in the day for Calais or
Boulogne. l reached BouIogne short
ly after 10 o'clock, and at 1 o'clock I
was on my way back. When | arriv-
ed in Poperinghe everything seemed
as quiet as usual, and l was very much
surprised, as | had expected to find
shells pouring into the place from all
directions.
It seems that the Germans had run
an armored train through and had be-
gun Smelling the town from the train.
Our artillery went into action right
away, and instead of hitting the train
first they shelled the tracks behind the
train and tore the road all up so that
the train could not get back. Then
they took their time and blew the train
off the map.
Sunday morning the shells began to
fall in the town again, and they were
big ones this time-twelve inch, |
heard later. We knew that it was no
armored train this time. and we knew
that MO urapo On fnr n hot ffpna
I was detailed with my car for the
field cashier, which meant that If the
order came to move l would have an
officer, armed escort and all the money
belonging to the headquarters, amount
ing to $4,000. All | had to do at the
time was to stand by and wait for Or
ders.
They kept up the shell fire all day,
but at night they quit. There were
quite a few of our chaps killed and
many civilians too.
The chaplain of No. 3 casualty clear
ing station had taken oyer a building
and started a soldiers home. 1t was
a place where a fellow could go when
he was off duty, and there were books,
magazines, cake, tea, etc., to be had
for the asking. 1t vas a fine thing,
and it was always crowded, for the
fellows enjoyed it immensely.
This was the first building to be hit,
and it was full of fellows at the time.
A twelve inch shell crashed through the
roof and exploded on the second floor.
The building caved in like a house built
of cards. The marvellous part of it was
that, although there must have been
fully 100 men in there at the time, not
a single one was killed. A few had
some scratches and other minor In
juries, and one had his arm broken,
blu. these were the only casualties from
this shell.
I lost all my belongings during the
bombardment. I had been keeping my
kit bag In the loft of a stable. and a
hell came through and laid tue bulid-
ing to the ground.
All day Monday the sheiiing eofi-
tinued, and still no orders came for
us to mOv Things were beginning to
look serious now, and we wondered
how much longer we would have to
stick 1t out. 1t was the most unsat-
isfactory duty one could imagine.
There we were doing absolutely moth
ing and the Germans throwing shell
after shell into us. We had nc chance
to hit back, and there was nothing ex-
cept to stand by and take our chances.
When the order did come to move the
field cashier was the last one to be noti-
aed, but even though We were the last
to get the order we were the first ones
out, and l was happy to say goodby to
that place. We went about six kilo-
meters down the road and took oyer
temporary headquarters in a little vii
lage.
1t was just after we moved down to
this village that | got the only scratch
I had during the whole campaign. I
was IN the Dickebusch road with a
staff colonel, and we had been visiting
some regiments that were out of action
at the time. While we were there the
Germans started Smelling, and we de-
cided it would be better for US If We
moved to a healthier locality. The
colonel was sitting in the tonneau of
the car, while l, of course, was in the
driving seat.
AS we swung out into the main road
we heard a shell coming, and automat-
lcally / put on more speed. The shell
burst right on the side Of the road.
One piece of it few through the bottom
of the car and tore the footboard right
from under the colonel's feet. 1t didn't
bother him the least bit. He simply
swung his feet right up on to the seat
and advised me to crowd on a little
more speed.
Another little piece Of the shell graz
ed my right leg just above the knee.
1t was a mere scratch, but 1t scared
me as nothing ever has since, and I
guess l thought my whole leg was
gone.
Tho on r, shall chat a mo CC olnOn 70