they had all
been wounded and they were trying to get as fast as they could to the
dressing station. Then I looked behind me and there was one of my team
with his leg right off; three of his fingers were also off but as he
was bleeding so much from his leg there was not a bit of blood left in
his hand. I bandaged him up the best way I could and then we got a
stretcher and carried him out. The wound that I had was only a little
scratch and I found out later the shell that burst overhead was what
we call a "wooly bear," instead of the shrapnel bursting forward it
shot downwards. My gun was disabled so I thought I should have
another. I went back to Howard Johnson who was Acting O.C. of
operations in the front line. He was always optimistic (a good way to
be) so told me about all the artillery that we had behind us and that
we should not worry. Well, I did, and finally I got that gun fixed so
that it worked alright. Everybody was telling me how lucky I was to
escape when everybody else got hit, but I had a more miraculous one
that afternoon.

About three Fritz started to shell us badly again. The shells were
coming quite thick and as we could see that he did not intend coming
over it was decided to evacuate the outposts and go back to the Sunken
Road. The most of the Company had gone back and as I was all ready to
leave with my team a big fellow burst. It got one of the men who was
just behind me, tore off his leg and a big chunk went into his back,
missed me, and the concussion took the chap that was in front of me
and landed him about 5 yards away dead. I cannot explain it but there
are several of the boys back here who saw it. We got back to the
sunken road, stayed there about an hour and then we manned our
trenches again. About nine o'clock that night rations were brought up
to us as usual, and they also sent the few men that they had left at
the horse-line, for we were beginning to get them out a little. The
advance is all right for the morale but it causes quite a few
casualties. This night went past as the others--nothing happened.

The morning was fine and we received word that we were to make an
attack and take the Regina trench that afternoon at all costs. We got
everything prepared for it that morning and that afternoon at three
o'clock we went over again, but it was a futile attempt for they had
all sorts of machine guns and barbed wire there waiting for us. But we
kept on as far as the Regina, but could