Diary Entry - 30th and 31st July

Still inclined to rain. At eleven a.m. Vosper and I set out via 15th Battery for the Vermelles section. They seemed to be patching up the damage done by the shells there and we came home via the 48th. The four eights, I forgot to add, had received about five hours' attention from five nines during the afternoon and evening and the Hun made the -lace untenable, so they evacuated for the night. It was surprising to see what little damage had been done and most of the hate had come on the right half battery. Cruikshanks who was accused of causing the trouble - having spent 25 HE on Auchie Church and thus being sound ranged - had his dug out knocked in and beyond this little or no damage was done. We came back by the Tour Burre loop, inspecting a 6' howitzer on the way. I went to Kings Cleare that evening to do night observing, it being our turn. On Tuesday, I went to Braddle Castle when relieved at seven a.m. by Tucker of D36 Battery. In afternoon, rode over to the Vermelles section to give them their new SOS. The Hun was doing some spectacular shooting on Fosse 9 as the Froggies had actually let the chimney smoke at midday whereas they are usually very careful not to stoke up till dark. He fired many five nines into the mill, eventually knocking the chimney down from halfway up. I dined with the AA section in our rear in the evening, meeting John and Sam McCaughey there, the former now being in charge of two 3' guns at Verquin.