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WITH THE FOURTH ARMY 177
positions there is never any relaxation of tension. A moment
of quiet can never be relied upon. Of course the occupants
of a trench need not all be on the alert at the same time. If
this were so, exhaustion would soon set in. But in every unit
a certain number of men are always told off to watch the enemy
whilst the others are " resting." Glasses are always in use as
long as dayhght lasts. When it is dark, patrols are pushed
forward to signal immediately in some way or other if there
is any sign of approach on the part of the enemy. It is a dog’s
life. If one pokes one’s nose over the edge, one becomes im-
mediately the target of unwelcome attentions, and bullets
start whizzing round one’s ears. The previous morning at
ten o’clock it had been discovered that the French were pro-
ceeding to an attack on a part of the German position in front
of us (north of Souain). One could see how, from a little wood
at , they tried to creep forward under cover of the folds
and creases of the ground. Two volleys of shrapnel were at
once poured over them, 150 men fell and the others retired.
But the French pay back in the same coin whenever they have
an opportunity, and they fire with great skill from their
excellent field artillery. Their ammunition, on the other hand,
is said to be less good. Yesterday, for instance, only seven
shells had burst out of thirty-six.
The German soldiers retain their good humour in the face
of great danger. Sometimes, for the fun of the thing, they
place a helmet which has lost its owner on a stick and move
it with a nodding motion along the edge of the trench. In a
trice the French bullets begin to rain around it and the soldiers
bet as to the number of hits.
I am told there is no exaggerated cleanhness in these trenches,
although one does what one can to remove anything that
does not belong there. In these parts, I am told, the opposing
troops have come to a mutual understanding, according to
which, on certain solemn occasions, they are allowed to climb
out of their trenches and walk one at a time and unarmed
in the direction of the enemy. A soldier leaving some project
of that kind need only raise his spade over the parapet and
swing it three times backwards and forwards. After the signal
he may confidently proceed on his errand and when completed
return to his trench.
On one occasion two grazing cows happened to find their
way to the space between two infantry positions facing one
N
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