You begin to notice other things.  Possibly the first thing that dawns upon your mind is that others are taking part in the business—­that you are not alone.  Then you notice the effect of our shell-fire; this inspires greater confidence, and involuntarily you thank heaven for such splendid artillery.  Then you notice little heaps clad in familiar khaki—­they are what remain of comrades who have sealed their love of country with their blood.  You observe others wandering aimlessly about, suffering from shell-shock; or the gallant stretcher-bearers, regardless of all danger, attending to the wounded and carrying them back for treatment.  The sight does not grieve or shock you—­only surprise is evinced by a change in facial expression.  You just carry on—­the shock and grief will come later.  You just grit your teeth and take a fresh grip of your rifle and go forward with greater determination to strike a blow in the cause of freedom and honour.  Maybe you reach your objective, your clothes sodden with sticky, clammy mud and possibly the red of your own blood showing through.

The whole thing has been like some dream of adventure with wild beasts; but there is firmly embedded in your consciousness the knowledge that you have done the job.  Other waves of men pass through the line which you have wrested from the Hun; you cheer them as they pass, and then dig in for all you are worth.

A few days later there appears in the daily papers, under the heading of ‘British Official,’ that the troops penetrated the enemy’s lines to such and such a depth, and have bravely withstood several terrific counter-attacks; and war correspondents will cable the news to our waiting people of the Homeland that the ‘boys’ magnificently stormed and won additional fame; but if you want it in the every-day language of the man from ‘down under,’ he merely went ‘over the top.’

After the rush there is no time for rest.  The recovered ground must be retained.  New positions have to be consolidated, fresh gun positions have to be constructed.  The lines must be made habitable.  The dead have to be buried.  The efficient and expeditious manner in which this work was accomplished established the Third Division’s right to full participation in the honour and glory of the taking and holding of Messines by the Second Anzacs.

SHELLS:  A FEW SMILES AND A CONTRAST

When the guns begin to speak, and shells are hurtling through the air, places of shelter are resorted to.  These places are not always shell-proof, but they serve as a protection against splinters.  There are few places that would withstand the effects of a direct hit by a heavy shell, but one feels perfectly safe with even a sheet of iron overhead.  The effects of an explosion are very local, and the chances of a direct hit are very remote.  The first law of nature takes precedence during a bombardment.  Precaution is esteemed to be much better than a blanket and burial.