Hi Everyone. This again, is one of those odd things that happen in war. To this day, I have no explanation for the mystery of what follows, for it was very odd and a bit disturbing.

The Bridge.
The Deserted Town.

Being by now, a trusted and reliable Veteran, (aged 19) I had been roped in to carry out the duties of a dispatch rider in addition to my normal active service duties while we were at our Winter quarters. Spud Murphy, yes! the same fellow, the company dispatch rider, both of us had been sent to collect dispatches, and on our way back to our company this happened.

I can recall that it was a beautiful calm and sunny day, warm with no wind, just a very pleasant autumn day. Somewhere, we had taken the wrong turning and arrived in this little town. Stopped our bikes and took off our helmets to look at our maps. Standing there in the middle of the street, with the warm late sunshine on the back of our necks. I remember the November golden autumn sunshine lighting up the buildings of the main street, a neat and tidy little town, with no war damage at all, unusual in this war area.

One of those days that stays in your memory, Standing there in the main street, all the World seemed at peace. At the end of the main street, about three hundred yards away, was a bridge, a large grey steel bridge, a bridge with a single arching span and shining in the sunlight, I do not know what river it crossed, we could only see the top half of it and never went to look. Our instincts told us there was something very wrong, it was all far too quiet.

Slowly we began to realize that the place was deserted, everything was silent, nothing moved, no people, no dogs, just a cat watching us furtively from a corner. Just utter silence in this little town. A town completely undamaged by warfare, something very rare and unusual on the Maas river line. On this beautiful day, just a small and peaceful country town, but a place of this size ought to have some sign of life? some people around? after all there was no damage and no sign of warfare? Stood there in the middle of the street, the hair on the back of our necks stood up!

It’s an odd feeling being in a deserted town, no damage, no people, nothing, just utter silence. Spud and I looked at each other, we both had the feeling we were being watched, had we gone through the Enemy lines? We had done so before, on several occasions. Slowly and without appearing to look scared, we got on our bikes started them up and shot off down the road as though the devil himself was after us. After leaving, we took precise notes of where we were, and later reported the existence of this town and bridge to our officers, nothing came of it, they even seemed disinterested. One thing is for sure, I will not forget standing in that warm and sunny street with the hair on my neck standing up. I can still see that street in that little town with the shops and buildings lit up with golden autumn sunlight. Even today it’s like a photo, sharp and clear, something, I will never forget or erase from my mind.
The next episode; “Good night nurse. Oh no! not again”
Followed by “The Gates of Hell”.