No Escape From The Front

Well chums this week has been straight forward. The same as usual. We've been at the front again doing our bit for king and country. It's becoming quite normal for me. I feel as though I've been in this bloody war all my life and its all I know!

We changed over with the Essex Regiment and went straight into our regular routine in the trenches. Two of our blokes got wounded on the first day, the 19th of June. They got their ticket back to blighty. Some of the blokes are half wishing they could get a ticket back but knowing what rotten luck there is out here they may end up with half their head blown away! I'd rather go back in one piece or not at all, I can't bear to think of the lives some of the injured blokes are going to have. Some have had there legs blown off or amputated. I can't bear the thought of not being able to walk or run about. I can tell you chums I keep out of danger as much as I can.

Its getting to the point where some of the men can't face the front anymore and look for all sorts of excuses to get away or stay behind. Some even resort to injuring themselves and then get put in the infirmary. But if the top brass suspect or find anything out then they are put on a charge that could be quite serious, cowardice in the face of the enemy. Such blokes are dicing with death. If found out then they would be put before a firing squad.

We recently heard how one of our chums met such an end. His name was Herbert Chase. He had recently come back to the battalion after serving a sentence for desertion. In August of 1914 when the Regiment first came to France he absconded but he was subsequently found and placed under arrest. He then escaped before being sentenced in October 1914. He was then found again and arrested again. This time he didnt escape.

In a court martial he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Back then deserters weren't treated so harsh but now, with such death and devastation in the trenches, the top brass have decided its a capital offence punished by firing squad. They fear that everyone would desert if the punishment wasn't harsh.

Anyway Herbert served some of his time and on the 6th of May he was returned to the battalion under the suspension of sentence act. This act was passed so that men could be returned to their units so that the numbers at the front was kept up, that they could redeem themselves, and that deliberate acts to get out of the front line did not achieve this.

So Herbert joined us again soon after his release. He served relatively well but during the gas attack of the 24th of May he went missing. Those of us that had gone through the first gas attack dealt with this attack with little problem. We are also some 800 yards or more behind the front line in the reserve trenches and the gas wasn't that effective.

Private Herbert had absconded once again though. He was found near Vlamertinghe and claimed he couldn't remember what had happened. He then said he was suffering from gas. He was taken to a dressing station but the Medical Officer who examined him couldn't find anything wrong with him. Others at the dressing station who knew him also stated he appeared unaffected and normal. He was sent back to a mustering point for the battalion with others that had been gassed but were passed fit for service.

Herbert was duly placed under arrest for desertion and tried. This was his third such dereliction of duty. He was shot at dawn on the 12th of June at San Sixtus.

So chums there's no escape from the front unless it's in a wooden box, but you get interred here, or by being injured in the line of duty. If it's neither of these then here you stay until the Hun is beaten. That seems like my lot!

Well as for the rest of the time in the front line this weekend we lost two men and had 3 injured. On the 23rd We were relieved by the Essex Regiment and moved into the 2nd line trenches at La Belle Alliance. Whilst here Capt A.H. Spooner rejoined the battalion.

That is where I am now, in the 2nd line trenches.

I've written that letter to our Georges commanding officer. I'm hoping to find out more about our Georges death. I hope it wasn't as bad as some of the agonising deaths I've seen befell some blokes here. I hope it was quick. Better still not at all but if your time is up a quick death is the best. We'll see what his officer has to say.

Well chums that's it from the front this week, I hope to be here to write to you again next week,

 Albert x