With Haig on the Somme   By: D. H. Parry

WITH HAIG ON THE SOMME

BY

D. H. PARRY

Author of "Gilbert the Outlaw"; "The Scarlet Scouts"; "The V.C.: Its Heroes and their Valour," etc. etc.

WITH FOUR COLOUR PLATES BY

ARCHIBALD WEBB

CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD

London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne

First Published 1917 [Illustration: "The Commandant threw up his arms and pitched backward; Dennis dropped his weapon and caught him as he fell"]

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

1. AN UNCENSORED LETTER READ ALOUD 1

2. OFF TO THE FRONT 14

3. "AT TEN O'CLOCK SHARP!" 22

4. HIS FIRST TIME UNDER FIRE 33

5. HOW DENNIS CAME IN FOR A TASTE OF DISPATCH RIDING 42

6. A TERRIBLE ADVENTURE AT DAWN 50

7. A FRIEND IN NEED 60

8. IN THE ENEMY TRENCHES 70

9. IN THE SNIPER'S LAIR 78

10. IN WHICH DENNIS MEETS CLAUDE LAVAL, PILOTE AVIATEUR 87

11. A DARING DASH 97

12. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY 107

13. A MAD GAMBLE FOR LIBERTY 116

14. THE SING SONG IN THE DUG OUT 128

15. "REEDSHIRES! GET OVER!" 136

16. THE SILENCING OF THE GUNS 146

17. THE EXPLOITS OF A COMPANY 155

18. WITH THE LEWIS GUN AND AFTER 163

19. WHAT THEY LEARNED ON THE GERMAN TELEPHONE 173

20. THE LAST RUNG OF A BROKEN LADDER 183

21. VON DUSSEL'S REVENGE 191

22. THE ROW IN THE RESTAURANT 200

23. "GAS!" 210

24. THE CHÂTEAU AT THE TRENCH END 219

25. FROM KITE BALLOON TO SADDLE 229

26. UNDER THE GERMAN EAGLE 240

27. ON THE PART DENNIS PLAYED IN THE RECAPTURE OF BIACHES 247

28. THE EXCITING ADVENTURES OF "CARL HEFT" 255

29. AN OLD FRIEND AND A BITTER ENEMY! 265

30. UNDER THE ENEMY WALL 275

31. WITH DASHWOOD'S BRIGADE 284

32. THE REWARDS OF VALOUR 295

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"THE COMMANDANT THREW UP HIS ARMS AND PITCHED Frontispiece BACKWARD; DENNIS DROPPED HIS WEAPON, CAUGHT HIM AS HE FELL"

PAGE

"DENNIS FLUNG HIS BOMBS INTO THE SPACE AND TREMENDOUS EXPLOSIONS ENSUED" 96

"BEFORE THE GERMANS REALISED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THERE WAS AN UGLY BIT OF BAYONET WORK" 150

"NOTHING COULD CHECK THE VICTORIOUS RUSH" 286

WITH HAIG ON THE SOMME

CHAPTER I

An Uncensored Letter Read Aloud

Private Harry Hawke, of the 2/12th Battalion Royal Reedshire Regiment (T.F.), sat on the step of the fire trench, his back against the parapet, busy with the bolt of his rifle.

There were two things he loved more than anything else in life, and that rifle was one of them. The other was his platoon commander, Captain Bob Dashwood, who chanced to be coming along the communication at the moment, and the Cockney private's eyes lit up as he saw him.