(17)
Private C——, York L. I., 2nd Batt.:—
(1) About November 17th or 20th, near Ypres, I was with the machine gun which was put out of action; I then went into my own company’s trenches. As it was getting dark, the advance was made and we were up to the wire entanglements; we were driven back by superior numbers. Having gained our own trench, the roll was called and about seventeen were missing out of our Co., Corpl. R—— being amongst them. Under cover of darkness our reinforcements came up and we advanced again. We could only find seven wounded of the men missing and no German wounded at all. At the back of their trenches was a wood where we lost the Germans. So we dropped back to their trench. About three days afterwards they attacked in large numbers, but were repulsed and were driven back further than they had advanced. In our advance we came to a farm and a barn half full of potatoes where we found three of our wounded and two dead. Some of our men carried them out, and while we carried them one of the others died. Corporal R—— (who was among the five) was the worst wounded—he had been shot through the shoulder, and was insensible with both his eyes gouged out and his right arm hacked off. Our O.C. told us on a parade that it was done with a bayonet. He was sent home I heard to a hospital.
(2) At a village about 3 miles S.E. of Ypres, about three weeks next Monday, forty-five of us advanced to rush a house; only seven of us returned. As we were advancing they opened fire on us with a machine gun. We were only about fifteen strong when we got there. We had to break an entrance through the window. We heard shouts and a disturbance inside; it was the Germans making for the cellars. Captain A—— went upstairs after leaving some men on the cellar steps; I followed him. In the back room upstairs was a maxim gun. In one of the other rooms was a girl about fifteen—she had nothing on except a man’s overcoat. When we broke into the room we thought she was absolutely mad. She cried out something, but we could not understand what it was. She rushed out of the room into the front bedroom which was locked. We smashed it in with our rifle butts and there found a woman, her mother, with her right breast all bleeding, and her clothes torn—her breast had been cut as if with a sword, not a bayonet. We used our field bandages and made her as comfortable as we could and sent a volunteer back for stretcher-bearers.
[This soldier was at times in great pain when he spoke, but his mind was clear. I am convinced he spoke the truth.—J. H. M.]