“All right, Davies?” And we pushed on. At last here was 78 Street, and we turned up to find another complete block in the trench. We again scrambled over, and met “A” Company wiring-party, returning for more wire.
“The trench is blocked,” said I, “but you can get over all right.”
We passed in the darkness.
Again “Look out!” from Davies, and we cowered. Again the shells screamed down on us, and burst just behind.
“Good God!” I exclaimed, “those wirers!”
Davies ran back.
There was another block in the trench, but no sign of any men. They were well away by now! But the shell had fallen between us and them before they reached the block in 78 Street!
Out of breath we arrived at the top of 78 Street, to find “A” Company just getting going again after a hot quarter of an hour. Luckily they had had no casualties. All was quiet now, and the moon looked down upon the workers as before. A quarter past eleven.
I worked my way along to the Fort and found there a sentry rather excited because, he said, he had seen exactly the spot from which they had fired rifle-grenades in the strafing just now. I got him to point out the place. It was half-left, and as I looked, sure enough I saw a flash, and a rifle-grenade whined through the air, and fell with a snarl behind our trench.
“Davies,” I said, “get Lance-Corporal Allan to come here with the Lewis gun.”