First World War Diary of Rifleman Frederick Joseph Stanbridge

Somewhere in Palestine March 10th, 1918 My Very Dear Brother Ern, ....since receiving your last letter, I have been ""over the top."" I was expecting to have to go, but I assure you Ern, I never dreamed it would be so terrible!... I want to try to forget those certain 16 hours, but I cannot, and I am afraid I never shall. I really think the night of February 19-20th was (for me anyhow) a night in hell. We had to attack Johnny with the bayonet in the dark about 1:30 (and it was dark too). He was stronger than expected. If our machine guns had not come up just in time, I think we would all have been wiped out.