admit that he knows how to make a sea-pie!"




IX

MID-CHANNEL


The Great War has been terribly hard on the text-books.

When we began to dig trenches, many weeks ago, we always selected a
site with a good field of fire.

"No good putting your trenches," said the text-book, "where you can't
see the enemy."

This seemed only common-sense; so we dug our trenches in open plains,
or on the forward slope of a hill, where we could command the enemy's
movements up to two thousand yards.

Another maxim which we were urged to take to heart was--When not
entrenched, always take advantage of _natural_ cover of any kind; such
as farm buildings, plantations, and railway embankments.

We were also given practice in describing and recognising
inconspicuous targets at long range, in order to be able to harass the
enemy the moment he showed himself.