from a letter, October 1914:

Then I got leave to make a dash across a field for another farm, where they were sniping at us. I could only get halfway, my sergeant was killed, and my corporal hit. We lay down; luckily it was high roots and we were out of sight. But they had fairly got our range and the bullets kept knocking the dirt into one's face and all around. We just lay doggo for about 1/2 hour, and then the firing slackened, and we crawled back to the houses and the rest of the squadron.

I was pleased with my troops under bad fire. They used the most filthy language, talking quite quietly and laughing all the time, even after men were knocked over within a yard of them. I longed to be able to say that I liked it, after all one has heard of being under fire for the first time. But it's bloody. I pretended to myself for a bit that I liked it; but it was no good; it only made one careless and unwatchful and self-absorbed. But when one acknowledged to oneself that it was bloody, one became all right again, and cool.

After the firing had slackened we advanced again a bit into the next group of houses which were the edge of the village proper. I can't tell you how muddling it is. We did not know what was our front: we did not know whether our own troops had come round on us on the flanks or whether they had stopped behind and were firing into us. And besides, a lot of German snipers were left in the houses we had come through, and every now and then bullets came singing by from God knows where. Four of us were talking and laughing in the road when about a dozen bullets came with a whistle. We all dived for the nearest door, which happened to be a lav, and fell over each other, yelling with laughter....

I adore war. It is like a big picnic without the objectlessness of a picnic. I've never been so well or so happy.

From his diary, October 1914:

I went out to the right o our lines, where the 10th were and where the Germans were nearest. I took about 30 minutes to do 30 yards. Then I saw the Hun trench, and I waited for a long time, but could see or hear nothing. It was about 10 yards from me. Then I heard some Germans talking, and saw one put his head up over some bushes about 10 yards behind the trench. I could not get a shot at him; I was too low down; and of course couldn't get up. So I crawled on again very slowly to the parapet of their trench. It was very exciting. I was not sure that there might not have been someone there - or a little further along the trench. I peered through their loophole, and saw nobody in the trench. Then the German behind put his head up again. He was laughing and talking. I saw his teeth glisten against my foresight, and I pulled the trigger very steady. He just gave a grunt and crumpled up....The next day just before dawn I crawled out there again and found the trench empty. Then a single German came through the wood towards the trench. I saw him 50 yards off. He was coming along upright carelessly, making a great noise. I let him get within 25 yards and then shot him through the heart. He never made a sound.

Julian Grenfell

Into Battle
extract from 'The Soldier's Tale: Hynes