Infernal night scenes
There is a dreadful scene as the war draws near to places long outside the war zone, where our soldiers lived on familiar terms among the people. At night the scene is infernal. On a clear starlight night the horizon is lit for miles with the flames of burning stores and ammunition dumps, combined with bonfires of farms, houses, and villages, and the flashes of gun. Yesterday the weather changed. There was no sunlight in the sky. It was a strange, terrible thing to stand behind the line, one’s ears tingling with the noise of the greatest battle in history, but unable to see the shell-bursts there. The tumult of gun-fire was greatest south of Bailleul. I saw guns coming up, the gunners dusty and white. The men were saying little, but getting immediately into action. Little bodies of infantry were marching up with heavy packs, slung rifles, grey eyes, and tightened lips. It is courage, not lightheartedness, that keeps these men cheerful, because they know the truth in all its nakedness. The worst tragedy, apart from the ordeal of our fighting, is the plight of the people, who are now compelled to flee from the advancing flame of war.
Day of prayer
At a largely attended war prayer meeting in the Hanover Street Baptist Church last night, the Rev G. Heighway (secretary of the United Christian Council) announced the arrangements that were being made for a whole day of prayer on Thursday. It is proposed that the meeting or meetings shall last continuously from 10 a.m. till 9 p.m., the day being divided into hour spaces. A number of prominent business men and others will have charge for an hour each, and appropriate hymns will be sung and prayer offered for our Empire and its Allies. Opportunity will be given for anyone to enter or to leave during the singing of hymns, but not during the periods of intercession. The gathering will probably take place in the Burns Hall.
Weather affects fishing
The Southland Times states that the boisterous and wild weather experienced lately has not been enjoyed by the fishermen.
Heavy seas are running out by the oyster beds, and fishermen are having all they can do to get enough oysters to supply the town wants. — ODT, 16.4.1918.