Diary Entry - 30th March, 1917

Walford: Marched at eight am, we leading this time, with our Transport, as an agitiaton had been made and the Colonel had gone on leave at Puchevillers so Walrond now acting Colonel sanctioned the matter. Again the weather was brutal, with a south east wind and it snowed like the devil for quarter of an hour during the morning. We watered at Camblain Chatelain, then marched on through Divion and Bruay to Ruity. Things were very bad here on arrival as no billets had been allotted and the water was about a mile away. We had our lines in a wood and by the time they were finished watering had the billets squared as got hold of the interpreter Cadonier as soon as billets had been allotted by the adjutant. Things were very scattered but they might have been worse and do not think there was any grousing.

Bee: Got orders late last night that we were to push on again at eight am to Ruity via Chamblain Abbly (commonly known as Charlie Chaplin), Divion and Bruay, another 18-mile march. We marched third, starting at eight fifteen a.m. To start with we had a mile uphill pull and a pretty stiff gradient but all got up. After we had been on the road a quarter of an hour it snowed like fun and got very cold. The road was up and downhill most of the way. It was a very familiar sight as we came into Pimes [??} to see all the Fosses [??] sticking up. We watered at the latter place and fed. The people turned out to see us go through Divion. How they knew we were coming goodness knows. Our men all have a soft spot for Divion as we have been out there twice to rest. We arrived at Ruity at three p.m., feeling very tired. I walked all the way and was able to keep warm. The horse lines were about a mile the other side of the village in a wood and the billets were in the town. The billets were none too good but better than nothing. All talk about going to bed very early tonight.