Читать книгу In The Trenches 1914-1918 - Glenn Ph.D. Iriam - Страница 13

We eventually arrived at Hazebrouck, France, and this was an important railway point from which troops were distributed to all parts of the Ypres Salient and points south.

Here I got my first taste of scout work. I was notified before our arrival here to report to the O. C. in full marching order. On reporting to him I was given a map and told to go to Strazeele, find the balance of the battalion, then report to the O. C. of transport, and have wagons sent to Hazebrouck to fetch the company’s baggage. During the absence of the wagons I was to hunt out our billets in the countryside by their numbers and map locations, and having located them come back on the road and guide the different platoons to their respective quarters. Another scout named Closett of Belgian Nationality was sent with me to act as an interpreter in case of need. We found our way there alright fulfilling the rest of the contract and the platoons were quartered in their billets ok. These billets were barns or stables with straw on the floors to sleep on. I was tired and hungry when that day’s work was done for it represented quite a number of miles of travel with many inquiries, and hustling to and fro to complete it.

When I hit the straw I found a large cotton sack of coffee beans under my pillow that some soldier had pinched. On arrival at Hazebrouck we noticed the tracks torn up in a couple of places by shells. Fritz had been shelling the railway junction at long range with naval guns.