The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-02-25
Bv Major T. w. Anderson.

Third Battalion. Toronto Regiment
From : o'clock furious BON
bardment had been going on-thC
second battle of Ypres beginning
We were in our billcts awaiting our
turn to 90 into the trenches. We
heard the roar of wagons and
horses outside and when we looked
out it seemed as if the whole world
were on the move, all in the wrong
direction. TRANSPORTS. artillery
lmbers, infantry, refugees, all in
confusion-but no British among
thcm-and the report was being
shouted through the streets that the
Germans had broken through.
Then the order came to stand
to- and within an hour we we're on
our way to the trenches. At II
o'clock we were there. in the midst
of the most terrible shell fire, that
simply bcggars description. The bat
talon lay for a long time in the
ditch on either side of the road. and
then half of us were moved over
behind some carthworks; the re-
mainder were pushed forward. The
morning light came. and reinforce
mcnts came up, and to see them
cross the open was a terrible sight.
They lust dropped in their tracks
like rabbits, and when the battalion
moved on, the ground was thick
with dead and wounded. Some of
our boys did good work under fire
taking in wounded.
Shortly after this we moved out
under heavy rife fire to advanced
trenches. During this rush | lost
one man from my platoon. We es-
tabIiShcd ourselves in the trench as
best we could and waited, every
minute expecting to charge or rein
force. Us it happened, only por-
tion Of our men were used for this
purpose and few Of those came
back. The rest of the battalion were
attacking and counter-attacking
In the trench we were continually
under the most hellish shell fire. At
one time the Germans put ninety
one lack Johnsons' in and near
our trench IN about twenty min
utes. They were trying to get us
and the barn in our rear where our
dressing station, wounded, staff and
ammunition stores were. They
tnally succeeded. Half a million
rounds went up IN the fire. We
were IN these trenches four days and
Jour nights. During that time l did
not close my eyes.
While in the trenches we suffered
somewhat from the German gases
but had no casualties. ! had my men
cover their mouths and noses with
wet handkerchiets for two hours.
The effect OF the gas on the eyes
was bad, causing smartlng and tears.
Ii, at that time, we had been re
CURED to shoot, we would have been
OF llttIe or no use.
! mad many narrow escapes. I
was buried up to my waist in earth
alter a Jack Johnson had burst
about lour ieet from me. On an
other occasion was lying in the
bottom OF the trench when, for
some reason, l moved a few feet,
and IN the exact spot where lay
a chunk OF shell whizzed in, half
the SIZE OF ones fist. 1t would have
gone through my stomach.
On another occasion | was sitting
bacI, to back with another man and
ne was shot through the shoulder
not one inch from me.
When we got back from the
trenches ! had another narrow es-
cape. The Germans began to shell
the village. | was standing in the
door OF a house when Jack John !
son. tell in the road in front Of me,
so l went down the street to pack |
my things, as it looked like moving
day tor me. When my man and !
were putting my things together in .
the house where was billcted an
other shell hit the house and hurled |
a few cobble stones through the
so We promptly left. re-
my stuff later.
Atter our division was 50 cut up
and mixed up that it was no longer
a lighting unit ] saw the British
charge, and when they got near the
enemys trench the Germans threw
down their arms, came out of their