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18573471
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My Experiences at the Front by Private Taylor
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18573471
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My Experiences at the Front by Private Taylor
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Elizabeth Margaret Phillips Papers
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18573471
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1917-01-01
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1917
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MY EXPERIENCES AT THE FRONT.
by
Private Taylor.
At 3 A.M. pn the morning of the 17th. of June, we made an attack to take the Boche's
support line. About 3.30 A.M. we advanced and somehow we were taken beyond our objective,
unfortunately running into our own barrage, which caused us a lot of casualties. Afterwards
found we came to a sunken road, where we started to consolidate and whilst doing so
we were surprised by a large force of the enemy going along the bottom of the sunken road.
They started to fire on us which caused more casualties, myself being wounded in the The thigh.
I fell helpless, luckily falling into a shell hole, where I lay all day and night.
following morning I saw a little shelter which somebody had made over a little trench with
a afterwards the Boche came along searching for prisoners, and when he came to me he promised
couple of rifles and shovels and sand bags. To this I managed to drag myself and shortly
to go back and fetch a stretcher with him, but he never returned.
Sometime after this one of our chaps crawled out of a shell hole and stayed with to me.
For three or four days we suffered terribly from thirst; luckily for us, it started
and we immediately laid down our wker waterproof sheets into which we managed to get
rain water. My pal went out that night in search of water bottles, of which he managed to
some nine or ten and we filled them with water. My chum used to go out at night looking he
get in dead mens'haversacks for food; this he continued for about five weeks. been One taken night
went out as for the night after the Boche came along and searched the place where I laid (so on I
usual and never came back any more. I presume he must have
take prisoner it for granted he must have told them where I was). They then shone a torch dead light and
and also shook my leg but I did not move, so I think they believed me to be of food but
me walked away. The following night I managed to drag myself out in search It
they I found was four tins of bully beef and this had to last me a fortnight. was
marvelous all how I managed to escape from our own shells as they were dropping all around me ng
night and day.
I was suffering great pain and my food had given out so I in had great to pain do something. I had to Then give
I
back
to
our
own
lines,
but
being
made three last attempts I made to another get attempt and with a bit of luck I managed to get to the and
I
German don't know how they missed seeing me. When they had passed me I managed barbed wire, great which I
it up. At front line. Just as I reached it there was about twelve Boches passed with me effort
to spring over the trench and through. I kept At on last going I until succeeded I in reaching our own wire and whilst
reached
their
had a great through struggle a very to bright get light was sent up and I caught sight of machine one of our trained own men. on
getting I luckily for me, as they told me afterwards they had a never enjoyed gun better
shouted, that I was a Jerry; they then gave me a smoke, which I me a good feed.
me, thinking life. Afterwards they took me down to the First Aid Post and gave where I managed ti
in all my sent to the dressing station and from there to the Base, well
After get to that the Plage I was and put under the care of Dr. Cunningham, where I am being very
treated.
Pte. Taylor.
Copied No.23, 1917.