Day One Hundred and Seventeen on the Somme

Wednesday 25th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Proof of the dreadful conditions facing our soldiers here on the Somme was demonstrated today by 4th Canadian Division. The Canadians are second to none in dash and determination and today they tried to push their position in Regina Trench a little further. 

The trenches are knee and sometimes thigh high or higher with dirty water. Going “over the top” is no better as the ground is slimy and glutinous with deep mud. This saps a man’s strength before he can go very far. Add heavy machine gun fire and shrapnel from bursting shells to the ingredients and one can easily understand that such attacks are often doomed to failure before they even begin.

Conditions such as these were known even to the English longbowmen, hardy as they were. Today is the 501st anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt.