give the alarm because a
deluge of deadly gas just came
over. When the fumes reached
us we donned our masks &
were safe. Later - Fritz put
over a heavy bombardment
with his big guns & my
barn was blown up. I got
a nice shower of bricks but
wasn't hurt. Four fellows in
my company who were in the
next shack were killed, blown
to pieces. More of us will
go from time to time, & I wonder
if I will be aomng the
unlucky. Still - death is
a mighty big relief from all
this hell. A mans nerves
are taunt every minute &
with gas, shells, bullets etc.
life is damned unpleasant.

Oct. 15 - 18.

This a.m. I went "over the top"
with the first wave. Germans
surrendered by the crowd, &
I robbed one big bloke at

the point of my gun. Another
who refused to stop running
away from me when I
commanded him to halt, I
shot thru the buttocks. Eight
Germans who manned a
machine gun were killed by
3 shots from our 1 pounder,
fired by myself. Martin was
shot thru the head & as he
lay on the ground, the Huns
riddled his body with bullets.
Dick Smith was also killed
right next me. A German
sniper ahead of us got him
but Patsy outflanked the Boche
& killed him with the bayonet.
We forded some river & everyone
of us got wet. The enemy
was on the opposite bank.
Callens cried because we got
mixed in some gas & his
mask was wet & useless.
It was hell alright to be
in gas without protection
but Callens lived somehow.