The History of the 33rd Divisional Artillery, in the War, 1914-1918. — Text and Context

Diction of Movement and Material

Filgate's vocabulary consistently emphasizes ordered movement and material condition. Phrases such as 'glistening in the new paint and added burnish' and 'eight horses in each van, guns and wagons lashed to long trucks' convey a sense of meticulous preparation. The author describes the journey to the coast with a catalog of place names—Authieule, Amplier, Doullens, Adinkerke—that roots the narrative in geographic specificity. This attention to the physical state of equipment and the sequence of transport reflects a staff officer's perspective, prioritizing clarity over drama.

Descriptive Precision in Unfamiliar Terrain

When the batteries reach the dunes near Coxyde Bains, Filgate's description shifts to note the absence of shell holes, explaining that 'the sand, continually kept shifting by the wind, silted up and filled in any hole within a few hours.' He observes that shell splinters lay 'on the surface like pebbles on a sandy beach.' This simile is one of the few figurative touches in an otherwise factual account. The author also records the practical consequence: gunners could not gauge enemy activity from ground disturbance, a detail that underscores the sensory disorientation of coastal warfare.

Dialogue and Reported Speech as Evidence

Filgate rarely uses direct dialogue, but reported speech appears in key moments. The destination 'had been obtained by the batteries some time back,' and when orders arrived, 'an immediate rush had been made for maps to discover its locality.' The name 'Coxyde Bains' prompted the inference that 'the Coast' was their goal. This indirect reporting conveys the flow of information within the unit without dramatizing it. Similarly, the phrase 'with the knowledge of great events impending' attributes a collective awareness to the men, but the author does not invent private conversations or emotional reactions.

Structure of Chronological Layering

The excerpted passage demonstrates a layered chronological structure: the narrative moves from early July conferences to the march on July 23rd, then to entrainment on the 24th, arrival on the 25th, reconnaissance on the 26th, calibration on the 27th–28th, and finally moving into action on the night of the 28th/29th. This dense temporal sequencing is characteristic of the whole work. Filgate interweaves dates with times of day ('from 6.0 P.M. and throughout the night'), creating a log-like precision. The effect is to immerse the reader in the step-by-step reality of military movement, where each hour had a designated task.

Readers approaching this history should expect a narrative driven by operational detail rather than personal anecdote. Filgate's authorial choices—his reliance on dates, place names, and material description—reflect the priorities of a unit history written by a participant. The work rewards those who attend to its precise language and structural rhythms, which together convey the texture of artillery warfare as experienced by the 33rd Division.

I found myself lingering over The History of the 33rd Divisional Artillery, caught in the careful, almost tender way Macartney-Filgate chooses his words for men who mostly just wanted to get home. It made me think of another shelf of wartime voices, gathered quiet and unpolished in True Stories of the Great War, Volume 4 (of 6) Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses — Reading Companion. Same mud, same brevity of hope. I just sat with that for a while.