Iwasn’twouilllatein1916.

    We’djusteoutofthetrenchesandweremargoverabitofroadamileorsobackwhichposedtobesafe,butwhichtheGermansmusthavegottherangeofsometimeearlier.Suddenlytheystartedputtingafewshellsover—itwasheavyH.E.stuff,andtheywereonlyfiringaboutoneamiherewastheusualzwee-e-e-e!andthenBOOM!inafieldsomewhereovertht.Ithinkitwasthethirdshellthatgotme.IknewassoonasIhearditingthatithadmytenonit.Theysayyoualwaysknow.Itdidn’tsaywhatanordinaryshellsays.Itsaid‘I’mafteryou,youb—,YOU,youb—,YOU!’—allthisinthespaceofaboutthreeseds.Ayouwastheexplosion.

    Ifeltasifanenormoushandmadeofairweresweepingmealong.AlyIcamedownwithasortofburst,shatteredfeelingamongalotofoldtins,splintersofwood,rustybarbedwire,turds,emptycartridgecases,andothermutheditchatthesideoftheroad.Whenthey’dhauledmeoutandedsomeofthedirtoffmetheyfoundthatIwasn’tverybadlyhurt.Itwasonlyalotofsmallshell-splihathadlodgedinonesideofmybottomanddownthebaylegs.ButluckilyI’dbrokenaribinfalling,whichmadeitjustbadenoughtogetmebacktoEngland.Ispentthatwinterinahospitalcamponthedownsbourne.

    Doyourememberthosewar-timehospitalcamps?Thelongrowsofwoodenhutslikechi-housesstuckrightontopofthosebeastlyicydowns—the‘southcoast’,peopleusedtocallit,whichmademewonderwhatthenorthcoastcouldbelike—wherethewioblowatyoufromalldiresatondthedrovesofblokesintheirpale-blueflannelsuitsaies,wanderingupanddownlookingforaplaceoutofthewindandneverfindingone.Sometimesthekidsfromtheslap-upboys’schoolsibourobeledroundincrocodilestohandoutfagsan