On the Fringe of the Great Fight   By: George G. (George Gallie) Nasmith (1877-1965)

Transcriber's Note: Inconsistent hyphenation, and unusual and inconsistent spelling in the original document has been preserved. There are many punctuation confusions and errors in this book. There are many obvious typographical errors in this book, these have been corrected in this text. For a complete list, please see the end of this document.

ON THE FRINGE OF THE GREAT FIGHT

[Illustration: COLONEL GEORGE G. NASMITH, C.M.G.]

ON THE FRINGE OF THE GREAT FIGHT

By

COLONEL GEORGE G. NASMITH, C.M.G.

McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD & STEWART PUBLISHERS :: :: :: TORONTO

COPYRIGHT, CANADA, 1917 McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD & STEWART, LIMITED TORONTO

PRINTED IN CANADA

TO MY WAR BRIDE

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders fields the poppies grow, Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place, and in the sky The larks still bravely singing fly, Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead, short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunsets glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe. To you from failing hands we throw The torch: be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies blow In Flanders fields.

JOHN MACCRAE, (Lt. Col.)

By permission of the author.

CONTENTS

PAGE PREFACE xi

CHAPTER I. ON THE ROAD TO A GREAT ADVENTURE 1

CHAPTER II. ON SALISBURY PLAINS 11

CHAPTER III. EARLY WAR DAYS IN LONDON 32

CHAPTER IV. DAYS WHEN THINGS WENT WRONG 46

CHAPTER V. THE LOST CANADIAN LABORATORY 62

CHAPTER VI. THE DAYS BEFORE YPRES 70

CHAPTER VII. THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES 83

CHAPTER VIII. THE AFTERMATH OF THE GAS 107

CHAPTER IX. THE MEDICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE BRITISH ARMY 125

CHAPTER X. KEEPING THE BRITISH SOLDIER FIT 134

CHAPTER XI. LABORATORY WORK IN THE FIELD 152

CHAPTER XII. SKETCHES FROM A LABORATORY WINDOW 169

CHAPTER XIII. PARIS IN WAR TIME 189

CHAPTER XIV. TABLE TALK AT A FLANDERS MESS 211

CHAPTER XV. ON THE BELGIAN BORDER 230

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Colonel George G. Nasmith, C.M.G. Frontispiece

Mechanical Transports in Salisbury Floods 16

Major General M.S. Mercer, C.B. 64

German Barrage Fire at Night 104

French Soldiers Advancing under Cover of Liquid Fire 176

The Camouflage 208

"Home, Sweet Home" Mud Terrace 232

British Tanks as Used in the Flanders Offensive 248

PREFACE