The Trench

The Battlefield lay in darkness the moon flitted between the clouds lighting up the scene briefly dead soldiers from both sides littered the ground. Both sides to scared to retrieve their fallen comrades.

Henry Chapman hunkered down in the trench and lit a cigarette fear full that a sniper might take a pot shot at him if he stood up.

‘You ok down there Henry?’

‘Yeah course I am sodding well am had enough of this shit I’m freezing cold I’m stood in six inches of slush why wouldn’t I be alright’.

‘Christ I only asked no need to have a go’.

‘Bill just shut up ok’.

A shell whistled overhead and landed about a hundred yards away showering them with clumps of earth and grass.

‘That one nearly had our name on it Henry’.

‘Maybe it would be better if it had this lot is driving me mad’.

‘Yeah I know Henry and old Bullman don’t help I can here him hollering over there’.

‘He thinks it’s ok for us to go charging over the top dodging muck an bullets we lost twenty yesterday and what for nothing just to end up back here what a waste of life’.

‘Your right there Henry two sodding years I’ve been here all the blokes I came here with are all gone now’. ‘What a bloody waste, have you seen the new lot wet behind the ears they are flipping babies won’t last a week’.

‘Oh oh Bullmans coming hope we ain’t got to go over the top’.

‘What in the dark?’ ‘Christ I hope not’.

‘Corporal Chapman’.

‘Yes Captain Bullman, I need you to wet nurse some of the new boys in the morning come and see me at first light’.

‘Oh Captain for…’

‘No ifs no buts someone’s gotta do it and I have enough to do so just do it!’

‘Yes Captain sir be happy to sir!’

‘Just watch it Corporal I’ve had enough of your sarcasm!’