which I was, and about 1,500 yards away, the German shells were
bursting incessantly. We could distinctly hear the sharp sound of the
explosions. In the clear blue of the sky they made little white puffs
which vanished gradually and were replaced by others. Their gunners
could not have been firing with the same coolness as ours, for the
white puffs increased in number. The noise they were making on the
spot must have been deafening. From where I was we heard the
explosions following one upon another without intermission.

But what was most thrilling was to watch one of our own batteries in
action under this avalanche of projectiles. The slope on which it was
placed was in shadow still. Against this blue-grey background short
flames could be seen flashing for a second at the muzzles of the guns.
And the four reports reached us almost at the same moment. The gunners
could be seen just as calm under fire as the others here. The German
shells, that tried to scatter death among them, burst too high. They
were trying to annihilate this battery, which was no doubt causing
terrible ravages among their men. But the broken fragments fell wide,
and our gunners worked their pieces gallantly. This was something that
more than made up for my touch of disappointment at first. My hope
revived, and I started off at a trot straight in front of me, getting
past the ridge, under cover of which the pair of batteries were plying
their guns.

No sooner had I gained the further slope than I understood that what I
had seen hitherto was only the background of the battle. From this
spot a violent rifle fire was heard in every direction. In the meadows
were a large number of infantry sections crouching behind every
available bit of cover. On the opposite slope long lines of
skirmishers were deployed. And dotted about everywhere, above their