TRANSCRIPT

"Easter Sunday, Vimy Ridge - Soon after midnight orders were passed along. The platoons commenced to file up the sloping galleries to deploy along their front into battle order. Everywhere along the whole front men awaited the fateful zero hour. An hour before the sunrise the storm burst. The roar of the opening barrage came through the galleries to the waiting bearers as a vast echo born into the depths of the Ridge. Weather conditions had been growing steadily worse and light rains and snow-flurries made the journey considerably more trying for wounded and bearer. Fresh reports came through with every batch of wounded and the news was corroborated by the 'tump-liners' who returned to the tunnels after taking a small supply of rations. Incidents carrying to and from during these days were few. Everyone generally agreed that it was simple 'mule work' where endurance and 'guts' were the chief virtues required. The hail of bullets passing overhead makes an awesome but fascinating noise, likened aptly by one soldier to 'sounds of bacon frying in hell'."