1915/10/15

In which Gordon Munro lets his mother know that he received the packages sent by Aunt Maggie and herself. Included is a description of an incident of heavy bombardment and the damage the bombardment inflicted on the men and the surrounding area.

Belgium Oct 15/15

Dear Mother, -

I suppose you will be surprised to hear from me with the Post Mark England on the Envelope. Some day I'll tell you how I did it. your box & Aunt Maggie's came this morning & they are both certainly fine. Aunt Maggie sent cake, socks, towel soap. etc. & everything is fine.

We got back from the trenches last night, I wasn't sorry either as we had been in 6 days. The first few day nothing worth mentioning took place. Scotty & Joe Spring and I were in one dugout, it was a good one too, luckily as you will see. On Wednesday we caught particular cane. We dug shell trenches on Tuesday night where some of our platoons could take shelter in a bombardment & Wednesday we got warned to prepare for something. I spent the morning in cleaning up & reading David Copperfield, a copy of which had been found in the trench. At 2.30 our front line was drawn into the shell trenches, except the sentries & bomb throwers. our platoon was in supports, a trench about 50 yards behind the firing line. As there was no room anywhere else we had to stay there. At 2.30 we got the "Stand to" order & put on our skeleton equipment & got in our dugouts, then our battenès started, good night! I thought I had seen something all ready but everything seemed like child's play compared to the bombardment. In vain I tried to read David Copperfield. I kept getting the Micawbers mixed up with everyone & read pages without thinking of what I was reading. This kept on for about an hour & then they shut off & the bomb throwers threw smoke bombs & stinck bombs for 15 minutes to sort of get on the Germans nerves & make them bring up reinforcements. when the artillery saw the reinforcements coming up the trench they started again & between them & our machine guns the poor Germans suffered some. The roar & noise & smoke was fierce. I had to shout at Scotty to make him hear & we could hardly see for the smoke from the bursting shells. up till about this time the Germans Artillery had been trying to get our guns & then suddenly switched onto our support trench. I think all the guns from La Basse to Ypres were playing on us for some hours. They came first in dozens then scores & then hundreds all at once. one after the other, any old how, you'd hear one big one coming through the air & brace yourself especially for it & if it failed to burst you'd feel terribly disappointed, I dont think. Shells of all kinds burst just behind us: in front & both sides, but thank goodness none on our dugout. About the middle of the bombardment a fellow came hiking along, his jaw was hanging about a foot. he was as white as a sheet. & had that sort of a "been shot at & missed look" on him. His nerve was gone & he was shaking like a leaf he got so bad they had to take him out of the trench. several other fellows went nutty for a time too. I dont know if they did it to get out or not. It got dark & the "fright went on". It was worse than a very violent thunderstorm, the sound I mean & the flashes from the bursting shells nearly blinded one. They let up finally & we were thankful. I think our artillery did the most work, they were splendid, but I dont wish for another heavy bombardment for a few days anyway. About ten I lay down & went to sleep & got up at dawn. there was a heavy fog so we could get out & see the damage done, there were shells & pieces lying all over. just behind our dugout was a big six inch shell that had failed to explode & perhaps just as well for us. There were Souvenirs by the dozen around but there is plenty to carry with out them & we cant send any home. some of our fellows went out in front & got 2 Germans wandering about. poor fellows seemed quite happy to be taken prisoners. The rest of the day passed without unusual incident & we came out at night. Brock had been in Reserve & luckily they got nothing but stray bullets & lots of shrapnel pieces, etc. it was sure some experience but I guess there will be more of it before long. The old men say it was more furious than Ypres but not so long, if I always come through so well I wont kick though.

I am enclosing a couple of handkerchiefs for Bill & Ibey. I got them at Armentieres where I was on pass last week. We are at present in front of xxxxxxx which the Germans hold, but perhaps one of these days they wont. The outlook in general seems to be rather black except on this front & I think if the word was given you'd see the Germans forced to give way everywhere. Perhaps Kitchener is afraid he has'nt enough men to follow up a general advance but that remains to be seen. I am on a Working party to night to repair some damage done Wednesday, I suppose. Brock & I had a great feed on the parcels to day. We go in again in a few days I think. I am sending a small box of Souvenirs next week, the ones I spoke of sending before, so you can be on the lookout for them.

I guess I have said some things in here that I really shouldnt but you will know who to mention any names of places to. As I hear supper is ready, I must close.

love to all

Gordon.

P.S. What Batt is Merlin Du Val in?

2017.22.67