Fear in battle

I was sent down to the eastern slope of the ridge, digging trenches that time. That’s my first experience, which wasn’t very pleasant. Shells bursting all around, the picture wasn’t very pleasant. Well, there was all ... poor chaps killed there by the machine gun fire and artillery. I think with the biggest part played was by, in the war, was by the artillery. And the machine gun fire, it was terrible. No chance in the world to escape it. When you were out there, you had no place for cover, right out in the open most the time. The average private, he just followed the crowd. I mean, he was looking forward to everything, for the war to end, you know what I mean? He was scared to death. I mean I was scared too, you know? You couldn’t help it. The shells flying around, machine gun fire, see your friends getting hit, one thing and another. Not only were you just, like … I don’t know how to explain it to you. The infantryman, he had so much to do in the way of working parties. And I think myself, the way I felt, I was really ... as a young fella, I thought, geez, I hope this won’t last this long, you know. I was really scared.