We finally located ourselves and climbed up a couple of hills until vve reached the very crest of “Suicide Hill”, a strategic one because it overlooked the country for hundreds of yards around. In form- ation, section after section in proper order, We were told to dig in.

at “With what?” We asked. “Come on, dig in, dig in with your bayonets

or use your helmets.” The order did not have to be repeated many times more because the bullets began to whistle over our heads threat- eningly and we flopped to the ground on our bellies and dug. We were told that there would be artillery bombardment in the morning and

that We better dig in a good place for shelter.

The night was extremely cold. We kept warm by Working all night, keeping in mind constantly the shells that would come over and thatwe must dig in against them. Morning came. Those who had dared to sleep were stiff with cold. About six o’clock the expected artillery barrage began. Most of us had never been under fire before. The burst- ing of shells around us was a terrifying introduction. B-oom! a shell ‘just before us. Boom! another behind us. -

“They are using heavy artillery.” Chelebian had his head blown off. “What are they trying to do: kill us?”

It did not take us long to realize that We were in a War, a life very much different fro-m that at the base. For five days and nightswe held that hill. Every /day We dug deeper, constructing a regular line of trenches. During these days we Were subjected to the most serious of artillery bombardments. The Fascist planes made desperate attempts to strike our position with their deadly bombs. ’

The casualtieson “Suicide Hill” Were, under the circumstances, very low. The first man killed was Charles Edwards who Was making obs- ervations from an outpost trench. Edwards Warned the men around him: -

“ ou got to keep your head down. There is a sniper shooting at us here.” When he too was told to keep under cover, he replied:

“My case is different. I am an observer.” The next moment he was killed by a bullet through the head.

71