Diary Entry - 3rd March, 1918

I was very sorry to hear that Shapland had died during the night, poor chap. HG Shapland was a nice young chap, about 23 years old, very keen and enthusiastic in everything he did and by no means slow witted but, rather, fairly clever. Still cold wind blowing and inclined to sleet so instead of riding I set out on foot for the guns. Meet Todd at Bertincourt Sucrerie and also catch a lorry which takes me to Metz. Find Claudet and Armytage working at their rear position, which is referred to by all other batteries as the Handly Page aerodrome, the gunpits being such a huge blot on the landscape. Also run into Cruikers, who is on his way down to WL. In the afternoon Major and I walk to the battalion and OP, fire on a tank and arrange about a battalion stunt which is to come off at one a.m. The duckboards were very slippery and the ground very heavy walking, making one tired by the time we got back.