Tigs Boys: Letters to Sir from the Trenches

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Tig's boys : letters to sir, from the trenches

About eight o'clock I reached a field ambulance and was brought to a clearing hospital further back. I stopped there for a day and was shifted back further to a general hospital which, after our arrival, was converted into a clearing station so we had to go back further still. We stayed in that hospital for about two days and then were transferred to trains and brought here to Rouen. It was an awful journey and lasted over six hours.

The train was not an ambulance train, just an ordinary French 3rd class 'crawler'. It is a grand place with books and papers and games.

There are concerts occasionally and paper is provided for writing letters. You will have seen in the papers that our attack was a great success. I saw them bringing in the prisoners — hundreds of them. Just opposite to where I was in the trench we captured 17 machine guns on a 22 yard front. It was a regular fort with bomb-proof shelters etc. The Germans thought it was impregnable.

My Dear Mother — Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well. I've received three letters from you since I came out. The post is very bad and sometimes one does not get a letter for two or three days. The weather here at present is rather showery but after rain the ground dries up quickly and in a few hours the dust is flying again.

I hope that you are not working too hard and are taking good care of yourself. The Germans came up in crowds again and pushed us back once more. It was terrible to see their advance. They came in columns four abreast, with the columns at intervals of about 10 yards. Our shells simply ripped through them but still they came on. Their losses must have been appalling.

They were simply driven to their death. Since last I wrote to you we were in a charge and it was awful. We started out the night before and marched 13 miles. We arrived at the place about half past one in the morning so that we were put into an old trench and told to await orders so you can have an idea that our nerves were strung to the highest pitch. So, the Germans started to rain shells into us but then our artillery opened fire on the German trenches.

The row was awful. The whole sky was just in one great blaze with bursting shells. Sharp at three o'clock the order came down our lines to fix bayonets and to load our rifles and 10 minutes later down came the order to charge so we rushed over the trench but a good few of our boys fell on the parapet as the Germans had their machine-guns trained on us but on we went and as one fell, another took his place. We arrived at the German trench and when it came to the steel they could not match us and I am proud to say that I put a few out with the bayonet myself.

Although one does not think of it at the time, one does think of it after the excitement is over. We took over prisoners and a couple of machine-guns. I sent home a German sword. But we were not satisfied with one trench. We went on and took two more lines of them. They shelled us the whole day after we took them and they eventually sent loads of gas but we stuck on for what we had so dearly won. I was to be recommended for the DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal for fetching in wounded under fire but the officer that took my name was killed shortly afterwards and I do not know how it will go now but I was promoted on the field by our own officer to Corporal.

I was buried three times by shells and had to be dug out and I got a slight bullet wound in the thigh but I am out of hospital again and expect to go into action in a couple of days' time. The battle took place on 16th June. It was even worse than the charge we made at Hill The Germans lost a good deal more than we did. The Brigade officer says the Rifles have made a name for themselves out here that will go down in history. All the English Regiments out here are very fond of the Rifles since we came out of the charge. If all the chaps who are at home could get one glimpse of the wasting and pillaging which has been committed by these Huns, K Of K's Kitchener of Khartoum army would be a success right away.

The army we've got here has done well — magnificently. It is only a matter of time, not a very long time either, I believe, when Herr German's 'trespassing' will be heavily punished, when they shall be made to know their masters. In your last letter you asked me to let you know something of what I have come through I had made up my mind to keep it from you until I returned.

Editorial Reviews

I left Ballymoney on 6th August and arrived in France on 15th. At the Battle of Mons, 23 August the Germans appeared to be in overwhelming numbers against us. It was murder but our retreat was a very good move I joined the No.

Well, I was 57 days there when I was hit by a 'coal box' high explosive German artillery shell. The shell hit burst about 30 yards from my detachment, killing the officer, a sergeant and a gunner, while I was wounded in the right leg by a piece of shrapnel, which hit the gun wheel first, afterwards going into my leg. Dear Robbie, Just a few lines to let you know that I am keeping well and I hope that you are keeping well also.

I received your parcel of cigs and I thank you very much for them. Tell Francie Mallon I got his photo and it was very nice. How is all the boys getting on? I suppose you have a notion of listing on the Army. We have good sport here, we have plenty of football, 'A' company beat us and we got knocked out of the 66 Francs. We are up here in the trenches these last few days.