Return to Synopsis

Extract: - The Western Front

Sergeant WE. Walker of 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade was there. He was from Yarmouth and his sister ran the Feathers Hotel in North Walsham. Walker was wounded soon after crossing the river Aisne near Soissons:

cut my leg off with a penknife

"No sooner had the Germans seen our guns come into position than they let us have it, and it was here that I got hit. I was just getting up and turning round to take my platoon to the left when smack went my leg, and didn't I jump! It did not blow my leg clean off, it was hanging on with a thick piece of flesh, sinews and skin, so I hopped a few yards down the hill under cover, and sat behind some straw sheath and cut my leg off with a penknife.

It was like coming out of hell into heaven

"The shells were still flying round, and one came pretty close to me. I thought my time was come. I lay there for over an hour until I was carried to safety by a sergeant of artillery, and I came across some of my men, who carried me to a cave and put me on a shelter: I might mention I had a piece of string round my leg to stop it from bleeding, which saved my life. In the evening I was taken to a village near by, where they put me in a bed and I lay there all the next morning. I had my leg dressed. I was placed under chloroform and on Tuesday all the wounded were sent down the line. Those who were unfit to travel and the worst cases were taken to the hospital, and I was not sorry when I arrived and saw the nice white sheets. It was like coming out of hell into heaven.

Five days without food

"One of the nurses gave me a nice hot bath and then I was put in bed and given a sleeping draught, and slept till next morning. Then I had my leg dressed, and well I know it. I might mention that I had been without food since Saturday (five days without food!)."

This was to be the end of the war of movement. Both sides dug themselves in, and trench warfare began. It was to last for well over three years.