Diary Entry - 10th December, 1915

On duty at the guns today and a lot of rounds were fired, as the light was better. It rained again all morning – not heavily, but just enough to keep things wet. Nothing worthy of note happened in the morning, except that K's made a devil of a noise, firing salvos and gunfire for more than an hour and wasting ammunition. In the afternoon, about 3.30, Suttie appears from the O.B. and reports that No. 6 gun is dangerous and that the fitter is to overhaul it. The fitter is produced, and we set to work. I may mention that I make it appear that I know all about testing the line sights, et cetera, but really I am learning everything from other gentlemen. After testing the bubble and a few other things, I happen to grab the range drum, to see if there is any play in it, and it revolves on the shaft, hence the mystery of the bad shooting is solved. Evidently, when Siggers was showing me how to test the ranging gear earlier in the week, he had forgotten to tighten the lock nut. Kellagher on returning from the O.B. reports that he saw a number of Germans walking out in the open early this morning in the vicinity of Lone Farm and he promptly popped gunfire into them and they dispersed into the trenches. Again, this evening, he caught a lot more near Dook Alley and Les Trois Cabarets, with more gunfire, but was unable to observe the results of his fire. This authenticates the news received from Bosch prisoners that their trenches are in a bad condition. The O.C. tells us at dinner that a 60-pounder put three or four rounds of lyddite into the Infantry's headquarters, a large chateau on the La Bassée road, and killed four men and a horse. On enquiries being made, it is found they are using a new sight. It is reported though that the officer observing says - or telephoned back to the gun - that he observed each of the four rounds fired.