Note 22 — Chapter XII · THROUGH THE HINDENBURG LINE (September 7-30, 1918)

The following description of the barrage is taken from an officer’s letter, dated 30-9-18—

“Dawn had not quite broken, and a half moon was shining in a cloudless sky. All was as quiet as the grave when suddenly a big gun fired, and instantaneously, from one end of the horizon to the other, the barrage started.... Looking back it seemed that the sky was on fire for miles and miles, and the ground shook. In front there was one long flickering crashing line of bursting shells—a wall of fire 70 yards in front of us. What a barrage it was! I believe we could have followed it to Berlin.... A barrage is a terrifying thing to be under, as always a few men are knocked out by splinters or ‘shorts,’ but it is necessary to keep right under it and prevent the Boche putting his head up before you are on top of him. We would advance, then kneel down to wait for the barrage to creep forward, and by the light of the bursting shells I could see right down the line, and it was a wonderful sight. The men were in as straight a line as though dressed on parade, every man motionless on one knee, the moon glinting on bayonet and steel helmet. As we went forward again, the line would break up as men darted in and out of trenches and shell-holes to clear out the Boche, and then ‘back again to the line of the barrage!’ That is the secret of success.”