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Full Title
With the Ulster division in France : a story of the 11th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (South Antrim Volunteers), From Bordon to Thiepval, in four parts, including photographs and maps / by A.P.I.S. and D.G.S.
Author
Samuels, Arthur Purefoy Irwin, d.1916.
Contributor
Samuels, D.G.
Date Added
11 January 2014
Format
Book
Language
English
Publish Date
1918
Publisher
Belfast : William Mullan & Son, 4 Donegall Place
Source
Joseph McGarrity Books
Topic
Great Britain. Army. Royal Ulster Rifles. World War, 1914-1918 > Regimental histories > Great Britain > Infantry > Irish Guards. World War, 1914-1918 > Campaigns > France . Somme, 1st Battle of the, France, 1916.
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OCR
.23
falling, and the weight on my shoulders and tl1e small
of my back be-came oppressive. One thing was pleasing,
there was dead silence under ground. I began to
heave with my shoulders, and took a deep breath. There
was no difficulty i11 breathing as tl1e earth seemed full
of air. On the second heave I felt I was able to move,
and after what seemed ages I got my head and shoulders
clear. I was firmly fixed from my waist down, but in
less than a minute l1ad dragged myself out. I looked
round, a11d saw that the entire tre11cl1 had been filled in.
There was no sign of any of the others, but a small bit
of British warm coat was sticking out of the hole where
I had been which represented Brown. I got hold of it
and pulled hard. Gradually Brown emerged, cursing
like a trooper, and spitting clay out of his mouth. XVith
little difiiculty we got IVoodgate out, and Vance ap-
peared behind him. XVe then ran on, and when we
came to the fire trench ‘Voodgate called out: “ Get the
men out of the living trench into the front line.” The
living trench was one running just behind and parallel
to the fire trench. I11 it were a. large number of what
were called “funk holes,” scooped o11t of the front of
the trench, in which the men slept when off duty.
Leading from each company in the fire trench there was
a passage to the living trench-. It should be. explained
that by day the minimum number of men possible are
on duty in the fire trench. Sentry duty is most exhaust-
ing work, and it is possible for one man by day to sufiice
where it would take ten or even twenty men by night.
In a company frontage of perhaps 500 to 600 yards
three sentries, one to each platoon would be ample in
the firing line provided there was a clear field of view to
the front : but of co11rse it is entirely a matter of sit-
uation and the nature of the ground. IVoodgate
called to me “You take the two centre platoons and get
everyone i11to the trencl1 as quickly as possible.“ I
ran along the living trench rousing the men, who des- -
pite the terrific din of bursting shells were mostly sound
asleep, and telling them to get o11t. Shells were falling
mostly in the living trench and just behind it, and I had
to go round by way of the fire trench as the passage