rt Bridge, which they were showering with shells to prevent our
engineers repairing it; it was badly smashed and we had to go a long way
around by Ypres Rampart.

Here we left the road and took a chance of getting across the open
country, picking our way in the fields among the shell holes, eventually
getting in back of the Garden, where we strung our wagons in the rear
until the order "Ammunition up!" was given, and out from the dugouts
rushed the men to unload the precious cargo. Here the captain and
lieutenant were wounded, but they refused to go to hospital, saying
their wounds were too slight; and, indeed, I can honestly say that
every man that night who was wounded and could manage to hold out, did
so; each one seemed to be imbued with the idea that his presence was
absolutely necessary for the success of the plan in hand.

"You did not need to come back, Grant," said the Major, upon my return.
"I intended you should stay at the wagon lines tonight."

"Thank you, sir, but I'd rather be back."

"That's right, that's how we all feel."

That I was more than pleased at this mark of approval from my O.C. goes
without saying.

Chains of men formed from the ammunition wagons into the gun pit, shells
were passed from hand to hand to the guns where the men were waiting
them, and I thought I saw tears of joy in the eyes of the Tommy as he
caressed the first shell handed him. "That's for luck," he cried, as he
spat on it. The gunners exploded them as fast as they were given them.
The work was proceeding nicely when an airplane, flying low over the
Garden, spotted our ammunition wagons; he signaled the place back to his
batteries and shells from the guns behind hill 60 opened up on us; it
became exceedingly violent; many of the horses and wagons were smashed.

This was the order all night long,--wagons arriving with shells, shells
passing from hand to hand to the guns, discharged by the gunners as fast
as they were received, and enemy shells rained at us without let-up. We
were at our posts all night long. Before daybreak the storm slackened
and we got a breathing spell for a few hours.

Immediately after breakfast, at daybreak, the concert opened up afresh,
and for full seven days, June 2, to June 9, no man got a full hour's
sleep at a time. When not being shelled by the German batteries, the
machine gun bullets were raining around; if neither of these agencies of
hell were busy, airplanes were flying, many times so