A letter written by Gunner Richard Evans from the Front.
Friday September Th 1917
Well Arthur, old man!! I have seen the cheery and the sad side of this terrible
business during the short time I have been here. Yesterday morning one of our
detachments was digging a new gun position about 30 to 50 yds in front of our
gun. Fritz was sending a good number of shells over at the time and we had been
dodging a few of them by getting down on our stomachs when suddenly two
burst near our new position four were killed and the other three wounded, we
went up with the stretchers and the first man I helped to put on our stretcher was
my own dug-out chum, he was just alive then but he died before we reached the
dressing station. I will not describe the scene on that field to you. I want to try
and forget it if possible, it was the first such scene I have witnessed and if it
please God may it be the last! Needless to say it unnerved us all for the time
being, but I am now quite alright again. My dug-out chum was a boy of 25 or so,
he came from Lewisham and was a librarian in civil life. I missed him very much
when I got back last night. One gets v sentimental out here when such scenes
occur, thoughts of all descriptions flash before the mind, but poor Spencer will
remain in my thoughts for some time, naturally.
Things out on this front are very lively at times we were in action for a time early
yesterday morning and Fritz was given a sample of Hades, when we were
returning last evening, there was a terrific bombardment going over, it is
indescribable, but we send at least twenty shell to one of Fritz, this is a mild
companson.
HE DIED 11 DAYS LATER IN A SIMILAR ENGAGMENT:
Janet Evans, Richard Evans's sister was a Nursing Sister at Kings
College Hospital Denmark Hill during the Great War and an autograph
book contains the following entries from her patients:-
Kings College Hospital
One day a German Officer came scouting up so brave.
And little did he think, he was scouting for his grave.
For I had my rifle trained straight for his head.
After I pulled the trigger, that officer fell dead.
Two other German lads came out to pull him in
I did not fire upon them, as I thought it was a sin.
It's a game we would not do, no matter what's at loss
As the British would not fire upon the enemy's Red Cross.
J Findlay
1st Seaforth Highlanders
Blown up in the air by Jack Johnson and not dead at La Bassee
20th December 1914?
My experience at the Front
I left Southampton for the Front on the SS Rossette which was a rockey Old Boat
none the worse for that we arrived all right at L.H .. We stopped there for about 4
hours for a little refreshment and get a bit straight from there we were taken straight
to the firing line it made me a bit nervous when I heard the shots and shells flying
about but I got allright a couple of days after. Well I was a bit seedy one night and the
Orders came down our trench that our section was to go and fetch rations we were to
go along a road which lead to where the rations were and it was in an awful state
where shells and Jack Johnsons had dropped. We gets along all right till we came to
an open space, all of a sudden ping went a snipers rifle which was followed by a
shower of shots there were eight of us altogether 4 was killed and one was wounded. I
dropped down a Jack Johnson hole which was full of water and mud I was in such a
pickle my other two churns had run for their life somewhere or other anyhow I
managed to crawl back to the trenches and explained what had happened. Well about
a fortnight after that I got frost bite in both feet and now here I am in Kings Co \lege
Hospital
Private J Emberson
6th Battallion Royal Fusiliers
Daddys Old Corp
Dec 1914?
Richard Whitburn