Diary Entry - 28th May, 1917

Walford: Monday, being orderly officer, rise at four a.m. and see horses watered and fed. Battery move off soon after six a.m. I and Sergeant Higgins go on ahead to Hermin, just beyond Gauchin le Gal, to arrange billets. It was another warm day and it took us two hours fifteen to get there. There was no town mayor in the town, but was informed the one at Gauchin le Gal did the two villages, so went back to see if he could give me any help, but found that he did not control Hernin. As there was some doubt as to who did, we billeted on our own hook and got all we required within 50 yards of the lines. As it was such good weather, we did not expect any of the men to sleep undercover and, as it happened, they preferred to sleep in the open. The battery marched in at eleven fifteen a.m. and we were all comfortably settled down in very short time. We had our Mess in the field by a small stream, a very pleasant spot. Major Sandford and Bellew slept in the open, while Nicholson and I slept in the tent. I forgot to mention that, as we came by Chamblain l'Abbe, we saw dozens of Bosche minnen wurfers by the side of the road, evidently captured by the Canadians. They ranged from huge ones on wheels to small bomb throwers, standing about 6' off the ground.