They seemed to be things supernatural.

The holes made by the seventeen inch shells with which Ypres was assailed were monstrous in size.

The engineers had measured one in a field; it was no less than thirty-nine feet across and fifteen feet deep.

The stretcher-bearer who was with me said as he looked at this one, "You could put three ambulances into it." We had not contemplated the scene very long before once again there was the ripping sound and a huge explosion, and we found ourselves lying on the ground.

Whether we had thrown ourselves down or had been blown down I could not make out.