"'The blighters 'ave pinched our wire,' 'e ses to the Major. 'They've drawed across them chevoo-der-freezes I put out, and stuck them on their own dirty scrap-'eap.'
"'Fetch 'em back,' says the Major, very off-'and like.
"'Right-O,' says Bann. 'Right-O.' For 'e'd spent three solid hours puttin' the wire out.
"'Fetch a pick an' some rope,' 'e ses to Duffy. 'I'm goin' to 'arpoon our wire.' Then he ties the rope to the 'andle of the pick and trots off over the parapet.
"After a bit we 'ears the pick land amongst the barbed wire with a rattle like a bike smash, an' the next minit back comes young Bann, sprintin' like a 'are an' uncoilin' the rope on the way.
"'Now then,' he shouts, jumpin' into the trench, 'man the rope!' an' we lines up ready down the communication trench. ''Aul away,' 'e 'ollers, an' back we goes, pullin' like transport-mules.
"It give a few inches to start with, an' then a foot or two, an' then, just when the wire must 'ave been 'alf-way 'ome it suddenly stuck fast.
"'Must 'ave caught on summat,' ses Bann, an' sets off with 'is wire-cutters to clear it.
"''Eave,' grunts ole Jones at the end of the rope. ''Eave-o, my 'earties,' an' then 'e knocks up against the ration-party comin' 'ome down the communication trench. ''Ang on, mates,' 'e shouts to them, an' down goes the bully bif, an' the next minit a loud rip an' some bad language told us 'is coat couldn't stand it.
"We got some more chaps at it then, but the rope never budged an inch.