I've got it." Another shell came along. This time it was evidently a
5.9, and was right in the centre of my view, about one hundred and fifty
yards away! Another one. Rotten! Just out of my limits. Phut-bang!
Phut-bang! I grabbed my camera and fell with it on the opposite side of
the mound. I let it lie there, and dashing back into the other section
of trench grabbed my bags and returned. Whizz-bangs followed;
whizz-bangs in front and behind! I crouched as low as possible and
replacing the camera in its case hung it over my back and, still bending
low, hurried away dragging my tripod behind me.

The trench was blocked by a batch of men returning. They were crouching
down for cover. The officer in charge asked me what in the world I was
doing.

"Thunder," he said, "if I knew the 'movie' man had been here I would
have gone the other way. You've evidently drawn fire by that contraption
of yours. Where are you going?"

"To Trones Wood," I said.

The look of blank amazement on his face was amusing.

"My dear chap," he said, "are you serious?"

"Well," I replied, "I had intended going there till a moment ago, but
the strafing seems to get worse."

Shrapnel was now bursting overhead, a piece hitting one of the men close
by.

"Where's he hit?" enquired the officer. The poor fellow was lying down.

"In the shoulder, sir," one of the others shouted back. "Seems rather
bad."

"Two of you bring him through and get ahead to the dressing station as
quickly as possible. Keep your heads down." Then turning to me the
officer said: "Look here, I've just come from the Wood, and, by gad,
it's fair hell there! The place is a charnel-house. It's literally
choked with corpses; heaps of them; and we dare not bring them in. We've
tried even at night, but the shelling prevents us. The place reeks. And
the flies! They're awful. It's more than flesh and blood can stand! To
put your head up means certain death and--well, you see what your camera
did here. You can imagine what it would be like over there, can't you?"

"Yes, I see, but of course if I had known any men were about I wouldn't
have put my machine up. I know there is always the possibility of
drawing fire. It has happened quite a number of times to me!"

"If you respect your life don't go any further. The shell-fire is
impossible, and the sight over there is too ghastly for words."

So I decided to relinquish my visit for the time being.

A call was made to proceed. "Half