A Lucky Escape

Monday 21st December 1914: The 1st Battalion remains in front line trenches near Wulvergem. The adjutant informs us that they have had a few lucky escapes today. Firstly Battalion Headquarters, a partially damaged farm, was hit by two German shells. One inflicted no casualties and the other, an 8 inch armour piercing round, failed to explode. Several German shells struck the trenches but, owing to levels of water, they were sections which were unmanned.

The adjutant tells us that local people advise that the water table here on the flat Flemish plain is usually very high in winter or at times of high rainfall. It does not take much, apparently, for ditches to fill with water and what else is a trench but a glorified ditch?

Source: X550/2/5