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Monday 21 November 2011

Diary Entry - 21st November, 1916

Walford: a damp, foggy day. In the morning, I rode over to Acheux, to draw 500 francs for the men going on leave. Called in at the wagon line on the way back and found the sergeant major in bed with a bad neck, his blood being out of order. In the afternoon, Walrond brought Bee round to the Mess and they stopped for tea. Bee had just returned from leave and related to us what a rough journey he had received in trying to get home. There seemed to be no proper leave train running.

Bee: We were in the train all yesterday and finally got out at Acheux at eleven a.m. I made my way up into the town and found a place where I got a cup of coffee and an omelette. Then I waited about until I got a lorry, which was going towards Maillet. The roads were simply blocked with traffic and very cut up. The second man in the lorry had to walk in front of his lorry going through the town. We passed the RHA coming out of action. I saw Palmer walking in front of his battery, which only went a few yards and then stopped. I got back to the Mess about one p.m. and found them in the same place, Claudet having started on leave the night before, Kershaw at the guns, Willman in bed with boils, Bromley and Walrond at lunch. The latter has a crown up and all captains in command of six-gun batteries have become majors. They all wanted to know why I came back so soon and seemed to be in great spirits. I had to tell them all about my doings and I in turn heard all about the show. The Hun must have got a great surprise at losing Beaumont-Hamel, as they seem to have found it as if he intended to be there for the winter. Kershaw got three Bosch telephones and a mortar dial sight. The telephones are wonderful things and are in use. I went round and saw Walford.

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