Diary Entry - 31st March, 1917

Walford: Battery marched for Goeux Servins [?] at nine thirty, a very small distance but the roads were packed with traffic. Siggers went on to take over allotted lines and Bailely went forward to see the positions (gun) with other Bcs[?] in a motor lorry. Cruikshank and I rode to Bethune, my main reason being to see if I could trace John [oldest Manifold brother]. We met the vet and padre on the way in and arranged to lunch with them at the Hotel de France. As soon as we got there were surprised on walking round to find how little damage had been done as while we were in the south we were told the place was badly smashed. We were surprised to find very little damage done and the Cafe de Globe being the only noteworthy place closed. It was nice to get a good haircut and shampoo but they cut Cruiker's hair in a peculiar way, like a Bosch's. He was so ashamed of it that he would not come into lunch with us but went without any, like a fool. We stayed there until two thirty p.m and rode to Goeux Servins through several rain showers and eventually found the battery on enquiring of the town Mayor. The lines were on a crop and in fact all the lines seemed to be dotted over ploughed ground. The ridge presented a different appearance to when we were here before, there being a large concentration of troops and guns here now.

Bee: I was sent on to reconnoitre the wagon line at Grand Servin. The Sergeant Major, of course, forgot to order my horses and I was an hour late in starting but managed to get through in time. But, of course, the orderly officer changed his place of meeting without letting us know for some time after. The division was given an area of ground under cultivation for the horse lines. A pretty rotten spot and tents and covers for the men were very hard to get. It, of course, was a wet night, which made things more miserable still. The battery, of course, took the wrong turning with the field but got them out all right. Walrond leaves us tomorrow and does colonel at the brigade.