Letters from Hector Aldridge Robinson to Mabel Broom, 1915-1917, Part 7

Oct 2^nd 17
Dear Mat,
Just a few particulars of
preparation for a stunt, and the
engagement seep as we saw it
[We recently had a very nice
spell out of the line, not idling, of course,
but undergoing a preparation for our
next job_ As is always the case;
rumours were floating round re
probable scene of our next operation_
One proved correct, "wood fighting
"somewhere near X"- For some days
prior to our move up, wes were specially
practised in latest methods of wood
attack.
At last our orders came thro'_
"Move off 6 AM /./17. transport waggons 
"will report at 5.30 AM"_ No certainty
yet as to our destination_ of course
we had ideas.

2
Next morning we enbussed,

& in course of a few hours we arrived
close to scene of operations _ 

Barrage work_ I had charge
of ^a battery of 8 guns_ The work to be done
having been briefly outlined, & the
positions of the different batteries
approximately chosen, we sally forth,

four of us (our second in command,

& 3 battery commanders) to make a

reconnaisance_ 1 a.m._ It is quite

dark & we have to go thro' a much

shelled city_ This is about the

busiest time of the 24 hours for

getting stuff up to the line_

Motor transport waggons galore,

Limbers_ G.S. Waggons_ Pack horses

& Mules, & occasionally a great slug

of a thing goes crawling crumbling 

along, which proves to be a large

catapiller tractor, drawing a huge
[*RG*]

3

howitzer up a little nearer to Fritz

All the time the booming of guns

goes on_There is no rest for

Fritz, and as he cannot sleep, he

spitefully sends back shell upon

shell, some land where Fritz doesn't

want them to land, & some land where

we least desire them_

Four or five in quick succession

landing close, dud- that is they either

don't explode, or else make such

a little noise that we are at once

suspicious_ Of course they may be

burying themselves, as the ground

hereabouts is being turned over & over

again, vis consequently very soft, &

offers very little resistance to the

shell. u But they may contain gas.

We are very alert, sniff cautiously

Yes! that mustard - onion smell_  gas!!

on go our masks, & we have to

[*RG*]

4

almost feel our way thro' the busy

traffic_ All is dark no lights

being carried by the vehicles of course_

All the time the shelling goes on,

not heavy, but continuous_ Fritz

always endeavours to smother the

duel explosion of gas shells by

accompanying them with high explosive

Our guns have been firing

intermittently, but now our 18pdrs

commence firing a little more rapidly_

this seems to be a sequal, & suddenly

right along, & everywhere, guns

open, light guns in the front, medium

guns a little further back, and well 

back, our heavies all speak_

Surely the gunners have gone

mad? but no! if you could only

see them, working smartly, but not

in the least excited_ No single

explosion can now be heard,
[*RG*]

5

just a roar_ Surely the lid had 

slipped off Hell.

All this is just harrassing fire -

This pandemonium is brought about 

at any hour of the day or night, so

that the chap living opposite, will

expect us to call on him_ we don't

go however & bye & bye the din gradually

lessens & finally becomes once more

the same intermittent shelling which

prevailed before the bombardment_

in a few hours this will happen

again, at irregular intervals of course_

Fritz again expects us, once more

we stay at home_ The same thing

will happen over & over again_ But

bye & bye will we will go & probably

as he has expected us so often

& been disappointed, we may bring

about some measure of surprise_

This we aim at, but even if we

[*RG*]

6

do not surprise him at least he

has been forced to "Stand to" "Stand to"

How to" goodness knows how many

times and for how long_ What this

means to him, prisoners have told us.

We arrive at the place marked

roughly on our maps where our

guns are to be emplaced, & proceed

to mark much more accurately

the exact positions, for from these

positions the bearings to our targets

will be taken, & absolute accuracy

is essential_ Having decided definitely,

we put in pegs etc, & start for home_

It is now just peeping day & as we

are under observation here, we must

get away before it gets too light &

not run the risk of disclosing our

gun positions to Fritz_ It's unhealthy!

Tonight we will bring the men

up & dig gun positions_
[*RG*]

7

Perhaps we will do harrassing

fire, in conjunction with the artillery,

for a few days before the stunt_

The night before the stunt we

are in position_ every preparation

has been made & we are ready for

anything Fritz can do_ Zero hour

is just before dawn (say 5.40AM.)_

All watches have been synchronized_

We watch the time closely_ how

slowly_ at last_ Zero!!_

Our 18 pdrs open_ we open_

medium guns opens, heavies too_

immediately that roar_ the barrage

has fallen_ Our infantry are 

now advancing, not blindly rushing

but at a pace calculated so that 

as our barrage creeps forwards, the

men advance almost under it_

Our M. Gun barrage is falling

50 yds in front of artillery barrage
[*RG*]

8

& creeps forward with it_ All is

accurately timed & the boys know that

we are pouring the stuff in just in

front of them & keeping Fritz as

quite as possible_

It is now time for our boys to

have taken their 1^st objective_ I

have a field telephone close at hand,

a ring & headquarters answer "O.K."

Thank goodness there has been

no hitch_ 1^st objective secured, & on,

on further goes the barrage, until

time for the 2^nd objective to be

in our hands_ Fortunately one 

of the telephone lines is still intact_

a shell has cut one, but we expected

this & provided a double line_ If the

2^nd line should be cut also, I have a

runner_ close by who will take

my message_ However I know perfectly 

well that our signallers, ever watchful,

[*RG*]

(9)

know that one of our lines is cut,

& one of the b or p is out put to repair

the break.

I ring hqr's again & "O.K." is sent

back_ 2^nd objective is taken.

Some time will be spent here

for consolidation_ this has

been provided for on our time

table, & during this period we search

ahead_ After expiration of time

allowed the barrage moves forward

once more, the boys follow closely_

Our M. guns cannot support

them with much further, but guns

further forward have prepared to

take up the work where we leave

off. We stand by ready for

any emergency, for S.O.S., & to

assist in repelling the counter

attacks which we  know will quickly

follow.

[*RG*]

(10)

Wars come along "All objectives

taken"_ For hours we stand by_

the boys in the new front shell holes,

dig for their lives, make strong posts

& consolidate generally_

Presently they call for our

assistance, the "S.O.S." signal goes

up, immediately we open, the artillery

open, hell seems to have opened_

We fire rapidly for some time

then gradually slacken, they have

not called for 10 minutes & must

therefore be safe_ but no! again

the S.O.S. call, again that inferno,

once more it gradually slackens,

& we look for "O.K."_ but a third

call again brings that artillery

roar, & for the third time we pour 

in such a hail of bullets that

scarcely a mouse could live under

it.

[*RG*]

and so you read the papers:-

"An advance of ? depth_ on

"a front of ? miles_ at X front,

"counter attacks repulsed_ all

"positions held" or

"Enemy were observed massing

"for a counter attack, but were

"dispersed by artillery, before

"attack could develop"

Good old airmen!!

During all this Fritz's artillery

has been doing things, but why

dwell on the gruesome side.

Remember me to all

Lots of Love

Yours ever

Hector.