7.29 a.m.--One minute to go. I have not seen a single German shell burst
yet. They may be firing on our trenches; they are not on our batteries.

7.32 a.m.--Ever so distant, but quite distinctly, under the thunder of
the bombardment I can hear the sound of far-off rifle firing.

So they are into it--and there are Germans still left in those trenches.

7.35 a.m.--Through the bombardment I can hear the chatter of a
machine-gun. And there is a new thunder added, quite distinguishable
from the previous sounds. It is only the last minute or so that one has
noticed it--a low, ceaseless pulsation.

It is the drumming of the German artillery upon our charging infantry.
Behind that blue screen they must be in the thick of it. God be with our
men!




CHAPTER XII

THE BRITISH--FRICOURT AND LA BOISELLE

_France, July 3rd._


Yesterday three of us walked out from near the town of Albert to a
hill-side within a few hundred yards of Fricourt. And there all day,