The result of this was that many of the enemy's shells dropped right in
front of us. I remember noticing that while the smoke of our shells had
a lilac color that of the enemy's was white.
"So far we had not been disquieted by the shells at all. On the edge of
the brushwood had been planted a yellow-black flag, showing that
somewhere in that vicinity was to be found our General Staff. Our
Colonel left us and walked toward it, possibly to get orders, but just
as he got there a shrapnel exploded a little ahead of him in the air and
we saw our commanding officer, in whom we placed all our confidence, go
down. After that it was a terrible feeling to lie still. From that
moment on, too, a veritable hail of shells began to come. Some sappers,
who had been busy digging a trench for the protection of the General
Staff, started to run. I feared that my soldiers would follow the
example, and began to make fun of the poor sappers, scolding them at the
same time. Thank God, my battalion found that funny and began to laugh.
They lived through a terrific shrapnel fire with not a care and even
found occasion for laughter.
"A Major took command of the regiment and we received orders to retake a
hill which the enemy had captured under heavy fire. But of the enemy
nothing at all was to be seen as we neared the position, though the hail
of shell and shrapnel increased in fury.
Pages:
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255