Diary Entry - 14th September, 1916

Thursday, I was orderly officer, Siggers having relieved me at the OP on the previous night. Soon after I had taken the parade, Bosche started shelling, and he continued till five thirty p.m., averaging about one round every five minutes, but of course at times his fire was heavier. His line was on the Mess most of the day, but he swept over to the right battery every now and again. Hostile aeroplanes were very cheeky all day and once came very low right over the battery. Our aeroplanes for the greater part of the morning were conspicious by their absence and our anti-aircraft fire was simply useless. They seem to be absolute duds, asleep half the time, and they go nowhere near the machines when they fire. Most of the enemy's shells were 4.2 howitzers, but he did pipsqueak the battery too. There was one man slightly wounded in the arm, the Sergeants' Mess cook, Gunner Hore. In the evening we were told that Hoyland had been awarded the Military Cross for his good work in digging out two gunners when Br Clements was killed. Siggers also brought down the news that we had sunk a sausage and it had come down in flames late in the afternoon. The most interesting bit of news was about our latest war engine called 'tanks'. They are really big caterpillars, heavily armoured and they carry about four machine guns and two light field weapons. They are reported to be ready for the next attack and will walk through woods, through houses and hop over trenches. I should think they will put the fear of God into the Bosche. They will all set out at dusk, straddle a trench and simply pour shell down it in enfilade, to say nothing of machine gun bullets.