Diary Entry - 24th September, 1916

Walford: I remained at the guns all day, they having come up early in the morning, after Siggers and I had laid out the lines of fire. Suttie and Hoyland went up and registered from the front line. There was rather a thick mist in the morning, which did not clear till about eleven. Siggers went up in the afternoon to observe and had a nasty time, as there was a show at Mouquet Farm and the end guns of the barrage were just laid on the trench where he observed from.

Bee: The weather looks as if it is going to be in our favour; it was a beautiful day. The guns came up this morning. We are having trouble, as I thought, about materiel, but our fellows know how to look after themselves. For instance, I saw one of our gunners coming along at a jog trot and in the distance a man following and shouting. But our fellow was too fast. They also carried all their overhead cover from Posuin [?] half a mile away, noir [?] sails and girdon [?], which are pretty heavy. But I must say they have made a very good job of the pits. This evening I went up to Posier village with Armytage, who is just in front of us. The village is just one mass of shell holes and broken bricks. The only places standing are Bosch OP, which have been built up inside houses. There are several batteries [?], (Hun), lying up there. There are two 5.9 inch guns, which have been thrown out as if they were match boxes. And hundreds of rounds of ammunition - some of the trenches are paved with shells. There is also an old tank in caterpillar lying out in front about three-quarters of a mile. She evidently got on fire. Walrond registered the guns this afternoon. There is a train line about fifteen yards in front of our guns. which runs right across the battle front. I am sure we will bag someone on it when we start in earnest, as the infantry supplies come up that way.

Bee's drawing of the tank: