[6] See Appendix IV.

CHAPTER XI

MUSTARD OIL

“On the night of July 12th we were treated to a new form of gas, ‘mustard oil.’  The two Companies billeted in Ypres suffered heavily, the casualties numbering 3 officers and 114 other ranks.”  Thus the Lancashire Fusiliers’ Annual.  The following letter, which I wrote in the Ramparts, on July 13, after alluding to the working party recorded at the end of the last chapter, describes that great bombardment of Ypres: 

“On Wednesday evening (July 11) I had had a working party, with Sergeant Clews, in the front line.  Dickinson had a party on my right.  The work was:  repair of parapet and parados knocked in by recent shelling.  While we were at it the Germans sent over trench-mortars, a kind of shell which rises to a great height, looking like a burning snake, and then descends and pierces right into the earth, exploding underneath and sending the earth above it in all directions.  The men all crouched against the parapet with a certain amount of wind up; but they were well to our left.  Giffin, who had a party some distance to our left, said that they were about ten yards to his right.  He and his party were covered with dirt when one of them exploded.  Dickinson and I ceased work about 1 a.m. and returned.  While returning, a thick mist came on.  Dickinson’s party was in front; my party following behind his.  It was all we could do to keep in touch; and we almost lost the way.  The party in front kept halting while Dickinson tried to find the way; then they would go on at a great speed, so much so that we had to run to catch up, floundering into shell-holes; the men were cursing and swearing, each thinking that he knew the way himself:  on the whole it was a box-up; but, as usual, we got home all right eventually.  No casualties—­two days without any casualties!

“To-day I am Orderly Officer.  My period of duty began at 6 p.m. yesterday and continues until 6 p.m. to-day.  My chief duty is to see that the road is repaired after shelling.  There is a party permanently detailed for the job under Sergeant Baldwin; they do not go out at night because their working hours are from 4 to 9 in the afternoons.

“Captain Blamey, Captain Bodington, Captain Briggs and Gratton were in for dinner yesterday evening.  Gratton is now Assistant Adjutant at Headquarters.  Every day Colonel Best-Dunkley goes to a certain house (Hasler House at St. Jean) which has an upstairs still left, and, through field-glasses, gazes at the front over which we shall have to advance.  On these trips Gratton accompanies him, and has to take bearings and answer silly questions.  He says that he is becoming most horribly bored with it all.  While they were at it yesterday a shell exploded just by them.  Gratton says that he jumped down below as soon as he heard it come; he was hit by one or two bricks and covered with dirt; when he looked round again he expected to find the Colonel done in, but found him safe and sound!