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Friday 18 November 2011

Diary Entry - 18th November, 1916

Walford: At six there was a strafe on Munich Trench and we were trying to take it. I had to sit up at the window and look for green flares, which would mean we had gained our objectives. It was too misty to see anything but showers of red lights and golden rockets from the Bosch, the former calling for artillery support, the latter a signal for their gunners to increase the range, probably owing to their shooting short. The attack was a failure, which was not to be wondered at when we heard Hoyland's report, on his returning from doing F O O with the infantry. The snow gradually turned into rain and a fast thaw set it.

Bee: It was snowing in London today and very cold. The train was reported to leave Waterloo at four p.m. Had lunch with RSG and left the Carlyle Club about three p.m. Arrived at Waterloo to find that the train had not even come into the platform and crowds were waiting to get onto the platform. The train now is not due to start until four thirty p.m., although they say four p.m. I met an Australian officer in the carriage – a South Australian machine gunner. We got straight off the tram onto the boat, which was a paddle steamer. The boat was simply packed, not a spare inch of space. But it was bigger than the one we came over on. And they did give us a meal, which was very acceptable. We sailed about eight p.m. By tipping the steward, I managed to get a shakedown and got a little sleep, but the atmosphere was very thick. There was a tremendous bump about four a.m. but I never discovered what we hit.

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