Hinderclay Village

WAR MEMORIAL

Bury and Norwich Post

October 27th 1915


HINDERCLAY LAD'S CALL FROM THE TRENCHES


A BIG JOB UNFINISHED


The following has been received form Lance-Corporal H Eavies, of the Entrenching Battalion, now in France.

Writing to a friend at Hinderclay he says:

 

“I daresay you are aware I have been out a second time about three months, and at present I am attached to an entrenching battalion, where one gets plenty of work, pick and shovel playing a prominent part. I wish to let all know that the Tommies out here are all making things as happy as possible. Up to the present we have only had casualties once; that was the first time I went up digging. We were seen by the Germans, and of course they disputed our right to be there in the usual way, sending over four coal-boxes*. Then it was ‘get out and get under’ for a while.

After that, for safety, we worked in the dark. It is a usual thing for us to witness bursting shells round about, but not nearer than 400 yards, so we don’t mind. It is about time any young man who has not joined the Army should do so now, for we shall want more and more men to finish this job right up. I consider any man not yet joined would be ashamed to own it, if he could see what I saw the other day. Some of the Navvy Battalion, who were repairing the road were past their prime and old enough to be fathers to most of us. Surely if men like these can do their little bit smiling, its about time some of the young men who are standing back came forward?”

 

* Coal-boxes refer to a shell burst, generally from a heavy gun, causing a cloud of black smoke.