TCD MS 10823 folio 5 recto
[March 21st 1918] that was attacking on what was practically our battalion front, the first division had already gone on and the duty of the next division was to mop up any strong points. These fighting troops behaved very decently and I was allowed to keep my burberry and field glasses.
We <then> collected all our wounded and carried them to a dug-out near by, where the Germans had established a dressing station and there we had to leave them. Three of us were taken on to their Brigade Headquarters, which had been established right behind us, between our old Headquarters and Brigade Headquarters. There we asked a few questions and were then sent on back under an escort. Their signalling arrangements and means of communication seemed to be excellent and very rapid, and I was much surprised at the number of staff officers to be so near the front.
The fact of being able to speak German proved most useful, though on occasions I found it wiser to pretend complete ignorance of the language.
After going several miles we came to a collection station, where we were searched and all letters and papers taken off us. There was a very rude and insulting Prussian N.C.O. in charge who took away our Burberry’s< and Field glasses> from us and on my trying to talk to one of my men who was working there filling in a trench, he rushed at me screaming and very nearly hit me. From here-on we had another guard who accompanied us for about three