按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Many 〃replies〃 have been made。 The best I have seen was written
in the ‘New York Evening Post'。 None but those who were prepared to die
before Vimy Ridge that early April day of 1916 will ever feel fully
the great truth of Mr。 Lillard's opening lines； as they speak
for all Americans：
〃Rest ye in peace； ye Flanders dead。
The fight that ye so bravely led
We've taken up。〃
They did and bravely。 They heard the cry 〃If ye break faith；
we shall not sleep。〃
II
With the Guns
If there was nothing remarkable about the publication of 〃In Flanders Fields〃；
there was something momentous in the moment of writing it。 And yet
it was a sure instinct which prompted the writer to send it to ‘Punch'。
A rational man wishes to know the news of the world in which he lives；
and if he is interested in life； he is eager to know how men feel
and comport themselves amongst the events which are passing。
For this purpose ‘Punch' is the great newspaper of the world；
and these lines describe better than any other how men felt
in that great moment。
It was in April； 1915。 The enemy was in the full cry of victory。
All that remained for him was to occupy Paris； as once he did before；
and to seize the Channel ports。 Then France； England； and the world
were doomed。 All winter the German had spent in repairing his plans；
which had gone somewhat awry on the Marne。 He had devised his final stroke；
and it fell upon the Canadians at Ypres。 This battle；
known as the second battle of Ypres； culminated on April 22nd；
but it really extended over the whole month。
The inner history of war is written from the recorded impressions of men
who have endured it。 John McCrae in a series of letters to his mother；
cast in the form of a diary； has set down in words the impressions
which this event of the war made upon a peculiarly sensitive mind。
The account is here transcribed without any attempt at 〃amplification〃；
or 〃clarifying〃 by notes upon incidents or references to places。
These are only too well known。
Friday； April 23rd； 1915。
As we moved up last evening； there was heavy firing about 4。30 on our left；
the hour at which the general attack with gas was made
when the French line broke。 We could see the shells bursting over Ypres；
and in a small village to our left； meeting General ； C。R。A。；
of one of the divisions； he ordered us to halt for orders。
We sent forward notifications to our Headquarters； and sent out orderlies
to get in touch with the batteries of the farther forward brigades
already in action。 The story of these guns will be read elsewhere。
They had a tough time； but got away safely； and did wonderful service。
One battery fired in two opposite directions at once；
and both batteries fired at point blank； open sights； at Germans in the open。
They were at times quite without infantry on their front；
for their position was behind the French to the left of the British line。
As we sat on the road we began to see the French stragglers
men without arms； wounded men； teams； wagons； civilians； refugees
some by the roads； some across country； all talking； shouting
the very picture of debacle。 I must say they were the 〃tag enders〃
of a fighting line rather than the line itself。 They streamed on；
and shouted to us scraps of not too inspiriting information
while we stood and took our medicine； and picked out gun positions
in the fields in case we had to go in there and then。 The men were splendid；
not a word； not a shake； and it was a terrific test。 Traffic whizzed by
ambulances； transport； ammunition； supplies； despatch riders
and the shells thundered into the town； or burst high in the air nearer us；
and the refugees streamed。 Women； old men； little children；
hopeless； tearful； quiet or excited； tired； dodging the traffic；
and the wounded in singles or in groups。 Here and there I could give
a momentary help； and the ambulances picked up as they could。
So the cold moonlight night wore on no change save that
the towers of Ypres showed up against the glare of the city burning；
and the shells still sailed in。
At 9。30 our ammunition column （the part that had been 〃in〃） appeared。
Major had waited； like Casabianca； for orders until the Germans were
500 yards away； then he started； getting safely away save for one wagon lost；
and some casualties in men and horses。 He found our column；
and we prepared to send forward ammunition as soon as we could learn
where the batteries had taken up position in retiring； for retire they had to。
Eleven； twelve； and finally grey day broke； and we still waited。
At 3。45 word came to go in and support a French counterattack at 4。30 A。M。
Hastily we got the order spread； it was 4 A。M。 and three miles to go。
Of one's feelings all this night of the asphyxiated French soldiers
of the women and children of the cheery； steady British reinforcements
that moved up quietly past us； going up； not back I could write；
but you can imagine。
We took the road at once； and went up at the gallop。 The Colonel rode ahead
to scout a position （we had only four guns； part of the ammunition column；
and the brigade staff； the 1st and 4th batteries were back in reserve
at our last billet）。 Along the roads we went； and made our place on time；
pulled up for ten minutes just short of the position； where I put Bonfire
＇his horse＇ with my groom in a farmyard； and went forward on foot
only a quarter of a mile or so then we advanced。 Bonfire had soon to move；
a shell killed a horse about four yards away from him； and he wisely took
other ground。 Meantime we went on into the position we were to occupy
for seventeen days； though we could not guess that。 I can hardly say more
than that it was near the Yser Canal。
We got into action at once； under heavy gunfire。 We were
to the left entirely of the British line； and behind French troops；
and so we remained for eight days。 A Colonel of the R。A。； known to fame；
joined us and camped with us； he was our link with the French Headquarters；
and was in local command of the guns in this locality。 When he left us
eight days later he said； 〃I am glad to get out of this hell…hole。〃
He was a great comfort to us； for he is very capable； and the entire battle
was largely fought 〃on our own〃； following the requests of the Infantry
on our front； and scarcely guided by our own staff at all。
We at once set out to register our targets； and almost at once
had to get into steady firing on quite a large sector of front。
We dug in the guns as quickly as we could； and took as Headquarters
some infantry trenches already sunk on a ridge near the canal。
We were subject from the first to a steady and accurate shelling；
for we were all but in sight； as were the German trenches
about 2000 yards to our front。 At times the fire would come in salvos
quickly repeated。 Bursts of fire would be made for ten or fifteen minutes
at a time。 We got all varieties of projectile； from 3 inch to 8 inch；
or perhaps 10 inch； the small ones usually as air bursts；
the larger percussion and air； and the heaviest percussion only。
My work be