We were pact in the trench
We stood faces too ladders
Ready too clamber up
I had been there before
So I know what expect
When the whistal blew I held
Back
For seconds - seconds could mean
Life or death one way or the other
Up the lads climed the ladders
Only to be hit back into the trench - dead!
On them reaching the top - they were swept
Away dropt back into the trench - dead or wounded
The machen guns moved on down or up - as like mowing the grass
Were now for a few seconds not even a minuet not aiming at - ME!
For now at least!

Up I went up & over - bent over as like I were heading into the wind
Avoiding the rain - only it were bullets - shells I were hoping to avoid
Body's lay all around - some were still alive - just
Screaming out for help - others crying for their mum
I kickt somert - I saw freshly klived head bounseing in front of me
It were scull - it's lips were opening and closeing - saw tears in it's eyes
So help me!

Then the world all around me shook - smoke invalipt me
I were in SO MUCH PAIN - no part of me were not in pain
My nose felt like it been hit by a Saturday night punch up
Back of my right knee felt it had been kick by a crazed dray horse!
Me back hurt like hell, the front of of me no less pain - like knitting needles!
I fell down no longer abal to stand - I went in & out of consonances
Me mates shot to hell fell on top of me - dead and dieing lay on top of me

The battle went on now way out in front of me - behind me ether side of me
Me jaw refused to let me make any sound
Bearly a crock kind of sound could I make - I were proper fucked up!
The stretcher bearers were out picking the wounded up
Near to the trench the better for the stretcha bearers - who wonted to get off Feild!
I felt my self being lifted rouglyl - I heard one say: '' He'll do us, Fred '' ;
'' Now lets get the bleeding fuck out of hear '', Fred with his mate, carried at the Run back into the trench - then down the slit trench that had taken me into the Trench in the first place!
Took me place where the woundid had been lade out - a nurce a VAD nource
Check us out heard her saying as she took a look at us - '' He's dead - he's dead - '' So is he '' ; then the nourse came to me ; '' Why did you pick him up? '' ; '' cos He's dead as well! '' ; this I were not takeing that while laying down!
I felt somert put over me, it were an army blanket - they were goner bury me a l
Live!
With my good leg as good as it were going to be ; I kicked of that foocking Blanket!
Croaking as loud as I could manage ; '' '' you bastards - I AINT DEAD! ''

FOUR TIMES ; some one coverd me with fooking blanket!
I wonder how many were buried - ALIVE!
Evenchaly they took me to be operated on - bullets - shrapnel - loads of iron
Removed from my body!
I no longer had a nose! ; '' or an earlobe ''
Back in Blitey, they fixst somert to replase it - it never look proper like a the nose
I left on the battalfeild!
When I hear of Harry Champion - song - Any Old Iron I remember!
For years affter I had had bits of ' Old Iron ' , removed from inside of me!

Me leg never properly healed, my brain also never really recovered - healed from That day I went over the top!

Ken D Williams

The Dyslexic Wordsmith Ov Thanet