looked extraordinary would be
putting it very mildly. The ground below seemed to rush up and mix with
the clouds. First the earth seemed to be over one's head, then the
clouds. I am sure the most ardent futurist artist would find it utterly
impossible to do justice to such a scene. Round and round we went. Now
one side, now the other. How I held to my camera-handle goodness only
knows. Half the time, I am sure, I turned it mechanically.

Suddenly we came to an even keel. The earth seemed within jumping
distance. The nose dipped again, the propeller whirled. Within a few
seconds we were bounding along on the grassy space of the aerodrome, and
finally coming to rest we were surrounded by the mechanics, who quickly
brought the machine to a standstill.

"By the way," I said to the pilot, as we went off to tea, "how long were
we up there altogether?"

"Two hours," he replied.

Two hours! Great Scott! It seemed days!

CHAPTER XI

PREPARING FOR THE "BIG PUSH"

The Threshold of Tremendous Happenings--General ----'s
Speech to His Men on the Eve of Battle--Choosing My Position
for Filming the "Big Push"--Under Shell-fire--A Race of
Shrieking Devils--Fritz's Way of "Making Love"--I Visit the
"White City"--And On the Way have Another Experience of Gas
Shells.

The time for which England has been preparing during these past two
awful years is here. We are now on the threshold of tremendous
happenings. The Great Offensive is about to begin. What will be the
result?

We see the wonderful organisation of our vast armies, and we know the
firm and resolute methods of our General Staff--as I have seen and known
them during the war--would leave nothing to be desired. As a machine, it
is the most wonderful that was ever created.

My position as Official Kinematographer has afforded me unique
opportunities to gain knowledge of the whole system required to wage the
most terrible war that has ever been known to mankind. I have not let
these opportunities slip by.

The great day was coming; there was a mysterious something which
affected everyone at G.H.Q. There was no definite news to hand; nobody,
with the exception of those directly concerned, knew when and where the
blow was to be struck. Some thought on the northern part of our line,
others the centre; others, again, the south. In the home, in the
streets, in the cafes and gardens, the one topic of conversation
was--the coming Great Off