6th, March, 1017.
Entente Line, Delta Sector.
Seventh Central Ponies Offensive.
128th Rifle Regiment, 8th Onhooves Division.
No Pony's Land.
I quietly crawled out from my destroyed position on the crater, I couldn't hear anything but a loud bell noise that bothered my ear. I check my body, still 'intact', thankfully that artillery blast didn't land so close near me. I thought to my self that I'm a lucky stallion that just survived from a near death experience. I turned to see my squad, but I only seen the horrifying sight of my squadmates, as their body part were either disappeared, unattached, or splattered across No Pony's Land. There is one, a yellow Stallion that lost all of his legs and his heads, it was only his body that remained, I even barely recognized him. "Shit!" I cursed as I looked away, only to seen another horrifying sight; a Mare that lost her lower torso, trying desperately reaching for her rifle, her internal organ were seen splattered out of her, and it didn't take long for the mare to succumbed for her death. I felt my Stomach moved and almost spilled my entire stomach due to gory scene I just seen. I gazed over the cloudy sky, afraid to look at the horrifying scene I just have witnessed. "I hoped that i never see that," I muttered. "I just don't want to see and believe of what I just seen."
I heard a weak grumble behind me, I turned over and hoped i did not see more horrifying and distressing scene, I was wrong. It was a blue coated buck that were assigned to my Regiment a few month ago, Private Heat (if I recalled his name correctly, It doesn't matter anyway). He had a chunk of an iron impaled on his stomach, I galloped beside him and check if there was any important organ damaged. Thankfully he didn't (at least from my perspective), then i check his pulse. Slow and weak Heart beat, I panicked. If the Buck didn't get treated quickly, he will surely die due to blood lost on his stomach. In the name of Celestia I just don't know what to do, "Damn it!" I cursed loudly as possible.
Just before i could do anything to do a First aid, a whistle were heard across No Pony's Land. That Whistle aren't anything like Entente Ponies,
I thought to myself. And then i found myself cursing, "That is The Central Ponies! FUCK!" I din't think long enough as i roughly erased the iron chunk that were stuck on the Private stomach. And I know that could hurt the Private survival chance, but i don't have a choice. I bandaged his open wound fast as i could, and start to carried him on my back. Just as i carried him,i heard rifle shot from behind... Then a voice commanding me to stop. I didn't complied and galloped as fast as i could, then i can hear shooting from behind me. I know i could die at that very moment, adrenaline were rising as i galloped for my life. I don't care about myself, I just want this to get over with.
I could feel hundreds of ponies charging just only to get me and the young Buck, I know that whistle represented. Its a Major Offensive, and a Major Offensive means hundreds even thousand's of live are now charging into No Pony's Land just trying to take the Delta line. So I galloped as fast as my hooves could take me and hopefully long enough, no matter how many burning pain I received. Sheer luck is on my side however, Artillery barrage start to bombard the whole area, devastate the Imperial troops as I could hear a distant scream of pain across No Pony's Land. I don't know if i should call it a luck or anything, as the artillery shell could blast me to smithereens, And it almost did.
One Artillery blast, that almost caught my life. The blast are only meters away from me, if only the damn artillery slightly lined up to the left, I could get blasted there. I stumble for a few feet before i start yet again, running for my life. Loud bell noise's, my vision start's to blur out, before i could knew it. Barrage of artillery that once raining hell, is now put to cease, I'm nearing the Delta trench's. I could get shot from a mile's away but it didn't, thankfully my uniform aren't grey, or I could get shot a mile away, I could see the Delta trench's, it wasn't that far, but it felt like i just trotting down forever just to seek safety inside the trench's. I've been through hell and manage to survive. So far, I galloped through No Pony's Land, outrunned the whole God-Damn Army and survived an artillery blast, WITH A PONY STRAPPED TO MY BACK!
I can't stop, the Imperial Army are charging, crossing the treacherous No Pony's Land into the Delta trench. I just can't stop galloping, no matter how many pain that slowed me down. I know the poor buck could died there but i could still felt a weak breath coming behind, so i just keep going. The burning pain, I could feel it from every part of my body, I don't care, I just want to get this over with.
Trotting through No Pony's Land, is just an 'Amazing' feat. I've never felt such sensation of not getting or being shot at. As i approached the Trench, somepony spotted and it seem's alarming the other's, at first they looked like going to shot me as their guns aiming down. Until one pony shouted, "THATS ONE OF OURS!" I couldn't tell what was my feeling there; it's either happy, grateful, or relieved, either way. I MADE IT! I made it to the trench, and maybe saved the young buck as well, but that were up to the medic's to take care off. I just need a nap, a good long nap as my eye's were horribly heavy as i tried to fight over consciousness. By the time i made to the trench, i just fall's down to the ground, resting my eye's, my body, everything. I don't really care where I falls down, either somewhere in the trench or outside the trench's. I am now, at safety at my comrades, and now taking cover from the Horror's of No Pony's Land.
I couldn't really tell how long I've been out, I woke up in a bunk, bandage's were around me i could hear weak grumble voice of somepony everywhere. I'm at the medical area I thought to myself, i looked around the huge room. I seen many soldier's in the room weakly grunting, me myself are grunting as i tried to get up, until a voice of somepony was heard behind me. "Don't get up!" said the nurse. I couldn't complain, as it is painful for me to move every inch of my body. The nurse trotted to me, and checked over me. She asked me if there's anything she can do to help, and then i asked how long I've been knocked unconscious. She replied, "You've been out for at least for a week and a half."
"Did you not remember?" She asked me back. Of course I remember, EVERY GOD-DAMN THING. From the artillery blast that kills my squadmates (except for me and Heat), to me falls down somewhere near the Delta trench. It's already too horrible and distressing enough that i don't want to remember any of it. I shook my head and quickly answered, "No, I remembered everything."
Speaking of the ponies that I carry over the No Pony's Land and eventually 'saved' him, there's the blue coated ponies I've been looking for. His eye's rolled to me and then start trotting to me with a happy smile. He seemed to be fine and ready to be tossed to the front line again, although he had a bandage over his stomach. "LT! I'm so glad that you're okay," He said with a concerned look. I only could nodded in response of his question, Heat continue to thank me after hearing what i just did. I could see he is preparing to leave as he was carrying a heavy pack, i don't really know what he's carrying on his backpack. I asked him if he's leaving somewhere to the front line shortly, which he answered while shaking his head, "No Sir, I'm not leaving to the front line," He paused for a moment and continue. "I am, going Home sir."
I was shocked for a moment, before i ask him again if he is seriously going home? which Heat replied with a rapid nod. I really want to hug him, if my body weren't so stiff and painful. I congratulated him and said he's one of the luckiest stallion that can go home, I could see him blushing a little. Heat then said, "Well sir, i wanted to see you before i left, and uh... again, I really-REALLY thankful to you for what you had done to get me out of that hell hole."
I smiled and waved my hooves at him before he leave the huge Medical area, I sighed. Remembering that i will recovering soon, and will return to the front line and living a life in the trench's again. It saddened me that the war weren't nearing the end, or I should say it 'Inside the Storm'. I sank down into my own thoughts, as i put my back to the bunk and see's the ceilings of the Medical center. Heavy sigh were coming out of my breath, i rolled to the sides and prepared to sleep. I deserve to be well rested after what I've been through. But i couldn't, i just can't sleep, the thoughts of war already swarmed me, and it's bringing me down deeper and deeper, "Why is this even necessary? What it had accomplished? Is this ever gonna end? Can I able to go home again?"
To be continued.
20th, March, 1017.
Entente Line, Delta-Bravo Sector.
Eighth Central Ponies Offensive.
142nd Rifle Regiment, 5th OnHooves Division.
4th Support Trench.
It's been a while, since I've been out commission for a week and on. I've been transferred to 142nd Rifle Regiment, 5th Onhooves division. Transferring a soldier wasn't easy, as we must either march or transported to the area were transferred to. I'm no exception, marching through the No Pony's Land are too horrible for anypony to stand for (Not to mention what happen a week ago). Thankfully, Front line weren't close to the location I've been transferred to, which i hoped for a relaxing in the trench. Playing cards, polishing rifle's, and doing some... Duty's to do. I also meet up and introduced with some other ponies, all of them were Earth ponies (while me being the only unicorn and the only Officer) and they... Quite frankly, pretty fun.
I also learned their name, their full name however are hardly to remembers so we used our nicknames instead, There's; Private Juliet (Female, yellow mane, purple coated), Corporal Saddleton (Male, blue mane, red coated), Private Gleavestone (Male, green mane, violet coated), Private Redina (Female, blonde mane, white coated) and last but not least, Private Greenhooves (Male, green lime mane, dark green coated), This are only act of a brothers/sisters-in arm relationship. According to them, they were transferred from a quieter post on the Hotel-Charlie sector (The most quietest place in the whole war). I don't know if i should be jealous or not, but they will be, sooner or later will see the horrors of war and real combat in this gruesome and bloody war. I don't have to inform this kind of things right? They might get traumatized, reluctantly they must fight and kill. I just don't have the courage to tell them. Frankly, their name's however, wouldn't matter much as they either be killed or captured, therefore their name's might lost or forgotten, Forever.
Even the front line were far from our trench's, we still have chores to do such as; repairing or cleaning the trench's, guard duty, carrying crates, or delivering letters to the front line. Stressful work, to be honest... But we must do it anyway, and since the trench were support type trench's. Expect a howitzer or heck a TANK in there, and it did have one. At first i couldn't believe it. Mark V Tank parked in a fixed digged position, its direction were towards the first trench and the Front line. I only shook my head in disbelieve as I rarely seen the huge behemoth, moving fortress (on my original sector at least).
I shared my bunk with Corporal Saddleton, who choose to be up top, while I take the lower bunk. We exchanged and sharedour stories, before we trotted to the front side of the trench. He joined the war in late November, which hardly less than 6 month ago. I told him my 'Incredible' stories about roughly a week go, which he doesn't believe it at first, but he listened anyway. We arrived at the frontal trench and reported to our Commanding Officer. The Major were quite straight-forward, they ordered us of what to do for the next couple of hours. Carrying boxes, sorting out letters, and fortifying the trench.
The sun setting in, and I have the first watch for the night and for two hours, nothing interesting happened, besides small rodent passing by or a series of flash's in the horizon. I'm getting quite bored in the trench's, but unlike the front line trench; we barely had any kind of combat or action going on. But it is quite relaxing especially when the moon shine's brightly, but i can't let my guard down... Anything can happen in the war, artillery barrage or a night raid could happen at any moment. Seeing the quiet night, I'd take a look at the surrounding stars that helps brighten the night, "Lovely stars eh, LT?" A voice was heard behind me, I'd turned to look who it is, it was Greenhooves.
"Taking the second watch, Greenhooves?" I asked.
Greenhooves nodded and simply answered, "Eeeyup."
I chuckled, and wish him good luck, Greenhooves simply nodded and trotted to his watch post. I don't expect anything that could happen that night, its a quiet night and nothing is happening on the front trench. I withdraw to the soldier quarter, I seen exhausted soldiers sleeping soundly as they have nothing to fear. I trotted to my bunk and saw Saddleton hooves are literally everywhere, pointing at every possible direction his hooves can go, I can only smile seeing him that sleeping heavily. Most soldier's that are resting for the night are those who take watch during the day, and didn't have time to sleep in the afternoon. Most trench's should be and always be patrolled, and guarded with many Pony's as possible,
Sitting on the side of the bunk, again I lost in deep thoughts, "When is this war gonna be over?" I asked the same question every God-Damn night, wishing the war will end by the end of the year. Soldiers already suffered enough from the war, why don't we just drop out of the war and give up!? We already exhausted and suffered enough in this war, I'm sick of it. And you know what? GO TO HELL PRIDE! Who care's about a nation pride anyway? We did our very best to win the war, and yet... What we achieved on the war is, nothing compared to the live of ponies that died in this seemingly endless conflict.
"I'm not going to think of this anymore," I muttered, afraid to wake up the others and then i put myself to the bunk and close's my eyes, trying to sleep, but i just can't. I tried to relax a bit but to no avail, i just can't... I opened my eyes again, I rubbed my face and I decided to take a walk around the trench's. Hopefully it will make me tired enough and helped clearing off my mind. I get up from the bunk, float my rifle, sling it to my neck, and then trotted outside. The trench are one of the 'typical' type kind of trench, sandbags everywhere, MG position, Medical area, Canteen, Soldier's Quarter, and the trench size were typical, around 3 feet deep, 2 meters wide, and it could stretch more than a mile. It also have one of room that most soldier called it 'Storage', because it housed all sorts of ammunition for many type of weaponry, rifles, MG, even howitzer shell were housed there (although they might get moved soon near the howitzer for faster reloading).
I trotted around the trench's, looking, wandering, and exploring the whole area of the trench's, I even take a brief visit to the Tank crew, which they appeared having a maintenance to the tank, finding anything that need sort of repairs or malfunction within the tank. Soldiers I bumped into were mostly patrolling the inside of the trench, or on their way somewhere, or just polishing their rifle. Moonlight surely bright tonight, even though it can't pierced through the fog that comes in. The fog are dangerous in the war, this kind of weather can be used by both sides for a Trench Raid or an Assault to the trench itself. Vision might be obstructed for while, and we can't see what's in front of us, we can see at least six kilometers, from we require the whole area to be able to see No Pony's Land clearly, and have the time to alarm the others for any possible assault.
I'm back at the frontal position of the trench, could see most pony's were off from their guard due to the thick fog. Personally, I use this opportunity to peak outside the trench walls, until i see something moving within the clouds. I float my rifle and aim at the shadowy figure's, I couldn't tell if it's friendly pony or an enemy, either way, i must be prepared for anything. I warned the other's that something is coming and it's coming for us, the first two ponies peak out and also warned the others, confirming what i said to them earlier. There's one shadow and then multiplied, I shouted for a possible raid, in mere seconds the others already have their heads showing above the trench, aiming towards the shadows. Brief silence as the shadow keep approaching our position. We are ready for an attack.
The shadows are approaching and we are keenly watched their movement, we don't know if this an enemy or a friendly. Until one of the shadows started to fire their rifle at us, we returned fire with a barrage of constant rifle volley. This is it, it's and enemy attack, and the more we shoot them down, more of them appeared, and more rifle shot were exchanged. Machinegun started gunned them these shadowy pony that come's charging in, pony's start to falls on both sides. We weren't actually certain if it's the enemy or not, The Major then start to shout, "SECOND TRENCH HAS BEEN TAKEN! FIRE AT WILL!"
We are now certain this an assault and they are charging right at us, Pony that were right beside me took a direct shot to the head, the bullet pierced through his helmet like a sheet of paper, fresh blood comes pouring down from his head, his head are now rested on the sandbag in front of him. I ducked for cover, and reload my rifle, floating rifle shells into the chamber. Then the tank started to fire their Machine Gun, their cannons everything they got, blasting and utterly devastate the enemy, sending their body's, limb, or body parts, flying across No Pony's Land. I peak out of cover, aim, shoot, pulled-push the bolt, reload, and repeat, no matter how many ponies i shot, they're just keep coming.
A stray bullet scratch my cheek. I quickly duck for cover, i felt the burning pain on my cheek but i ignored it anyway, there's bigger thing i have to worry about. If i just peak out of cover a little early, I should have died from a shrapnel, a grenade just exploded, an inch away from the sandbag I ducked for cover from. I turned my head to the left just to see a face of somepony, shrapnel filled his entire face, barely recognized the buck, then another pony falls down into the trench floor, and then another. I peak a little bit just to see what kind of hell are happening just now.
The enemy are charging mindlessly, trying to get into the trench despite the fact of thousand of bullets are now flying towards them, and they are desperate to do it. Floating my rifle above the sandbag and blindly fired at a random location hoping to hit somepony. They almost reached the trench, until Machinegun fire's are concentrating on a large group of ponies and start to just tearing them apart with bullets. The Mark V tank also fired its cannon, landing its shell somewhere in No Pony's Land. I only could pray to the goddesses, as things are about to get out of hoof on the trench very soon enough, and the goddesses really started to sent us the message.
Artillery Barrage start to tearing down our position, either landing it's shell into the enemy or somewhere in No Pony's Land, craters started to appear and the enemy start to take cover inside the craters. Our Tank took a direct hit from the Artillery, disabling the giant tank. Doubt the crew even survived that direct blast, even if it did, it won't take long before they just realized their tank were caught in fire and then exploded seconds later. Artillery barrage stopped their 'rain of fire' minutes later after their last soldier's retreated to the fog. Brief moment of silence, we relieved ourself from the enemy assault. They have started to stop sending ponies at us.
I peaked out of cover and i see clearly from the enemy are now gone, either dead or disappeared to the thick fog. I looked around the now 'battered' trench, dead ponies are everywhere, i could see Greenhooves lifeless corpse lying on the trench floor. Just as the enemy stopped their mindless advance, Artillery are now raining down upon us, they just didn't stop their Artillery barrage, it's just the beginning of their assault. We ducked for cover, hoping their shells or shrapnel missed their mark. I galloped to the signal station, it may be dangerous but, if there's any hope left for us to 'endure' their next assault. I'm willingly volunteering myself to do that, despite their artillery still firing their barrage of high explosive shells that battering down the landscape.
I arrived to the signal station (Command trench if i may call it), they were placed at the back of the trench, thankfully out of range of those artillery barrage. Inside the signal center, the only signal officer are trotting back and forth waiting for something, i expected he was waiting for orders. I shouted at him, "WHY ARE YOU NOT RELAYING MESSAGES!?" He only cower in fear and replied, "But sir, no orders are given by Major Cleo to relay any-" I quickly interrupted him, "Look, The Major are nowhere to be seen, I order you to relay a message to Headquarters for reinforcement, or else we will lose this trench!"
Didn't take long for the Signal officer to write down a message, and put it on the pigeon small pack that resides on one of his leg. It written as follow:
Fourth Support Trench, Delta-Bravo Sector. Requesting reinforcement, Major Offensive.
To be Continued.
