Diary Entry - 29th August, 1916

Tuesday, the servants called us late - in fact, I had to get up and call them, and it was ten before I was dressed. The captain had come into breakfast and his orders were to take the centre section guns on while he was wire cutting - these guns were in pits about 300 yards on the left of the main position. Wire cutting began at eleven thirty but, as there were two Bosche areoplanes flying low up and down the line, there was not much show of shooting, as he said to be very strict and not shoot when any were about. By one we got going again and so did the Bosche. He started with 4.2 howitzers on us, sending one about every five minutes. At two, we stopped for lunch, as Bosche was ranging on us with an aeroplane. However, most of his shells were going very near the Mess, but we got lunch all right. We began again about two forty and carried on until about four thirty p.m. but Bosche was still firing and, although he had about 20 per cent duds, he was getting very close to our Mess. Cruikshank and I set out for the Mess to have tea but, as we walked towards it, Bosche quickened and shortened and the former being near the Mess ducked into the trench and I ducked into the office. Cruikshank thought it wise to leave the Mess and came back to join me and, on his way, a shell landed five yards from him, but by providence it was a dud and he is still with us.Ten minutes sufficed for me in the office when two fell very close and I said, 'Come on, let's get out of this,' and we ran for the guns, with him on my heels. But about halfway over, we saw the gunners pointing to something behind and on looking round saw the Mess cook and captain's servant staggering out of the trench looking very shaken. Anderson, another servant, ran out to meet them, and, as we went back to lend a hand, another shell arrived fairly close, covering us with mud, but we soon got them along to No.1 gun pit, where the medical orderly, Gunner Geoghegan, attended them. Evidently there had been two direct hits on the Mess - although it had not fallen in on them, the blast knocked them about badly. They were covered with whisky, port, sherry and vermouth, as had been standing under a shelf with these bottles on it when the shell arrived. Messing was rather difficult that night and it was ten thirty p.m. before we got anything and then in some mysterious fashion someone had stolen eight bottles of whisky while it was on its way over to our new Mess and had been left in the position for five minutes. The Captain dined at brigade, thank goodness. We eventually finished dinner at eleven p.m.

Diary Entry - 28th August, 1916

There were all sorts of rumours going round in the morning about the previous night's business, and the Colonel was said to be very much on heat about it all. The adjutant came round with wild stories about punishment that was to be meted out, but, beyond putting a guard on the village, I don't think anything was done. It is Monday and it rained again heavily during the night and continued all morning. The winter seems to have turned up again and I think the offensive will be badly hampered. At five thirty p.m., Cruickshank and I left with my section, a GS wagon and two water cart horses, for the guns, and thank goodness the rain had cleared by then. It was eight thirty by the time we got to the RE dump at Courcelles and drew 1,000 sandbags and we were taken on from there by a guide. It was a very dark night and we were ordered to keep 200 yards distance between vehicles from there on but, as there were only three vehicles, and the man with the water cart horses had been up before and was riding in rear, I thought all was well. At nine thirty we reached the guns and I found that the GS wagon and two horses were missing, so had to hunt in the dark for them. They turned up about half an hour afterwards, but I was rather afraid they might have gone on into our trenches, as we were only 2,400 from the German frontline.

Diary Entry - 27th August, 1916

Sunday I had arranged a bivouac the previous night, made out of waterproof sheets, tied to a barbed wire fence, and I slept under it on a stretcher. It rained very heavily through the night, but my bivouac kept it all out, and I awoke quite dry at six a.m. for stables. I was a bit previous though, as stables, instead of being at six thirty a.m., was at seven a.m. Bailey and Hoyland went off looking for a new wagon line in the morning, which we were to take over from a battery in the Guards division, who we were relieving. Cruickshank and I had a gas helmet inspection at two thirty p.m. The rest of the afternoon, the men spent packing the guns and getting ready to go up into action at five thirty, the left section remaining at the wagon line. In the afternoon, on walking through the village, there seemed to be a lot of men the worse for drink, but we never saw any of the 48s. The 71s were very bad, so also D36, the latter mainly caused, I think, through Hortayne's section having to parade and bathe when it was raining. They evidently thought they ought to take something to warm them up. It rained off and on throughout the day. All our men were all right again at eight p.m. parade, and we congratulated ourselves on having no drunken men. At ten p.m. the Colonel ordered a rollcall, having evidently returned at three thirty p.m. and being kept away from the village, but the town Mayor had to report to him at nine p.m. that two men of the fifteenth were causing much trouble in the main street, trying to assault a young girl, so the adjutant was sent out round the batteries at ten. Evidently, the sergeant majors of the 15th, 71st and D36 had got wind he was coming and threw their drunken men in the river so as they could parade and, between this dodge and the adjutants not knowing who had gone to the guns and who hadn't, the sergeant majors won the day, not a man being discovered actually tight.

Diary Entry - 26th August, 1916

Siggers and I breakfasted at six thirty a.m. and then took a look round at things being packed up in preparation for a 20-mile march to Famechon, passing through Beauquesne, Sir Douglas Haig's advanced headquarters. At eight thirty a.m. the brigade was to march, headed by D36, and we followed them at eight thirty-five a.m., and orders were that one man was to be left on the brake of each vehicle and the remainder were to march at the head of the battery. Siggers had to go with the adjutant in advance of us, to get the wagon line and billets squared up, so I was the remaining officer left with the battery. We stopped at eleven thirty for midday feed and watered at a small pond but D36 and us were the only batteries to water as the others never got a chance, and I lost my position by watering, as D36 went straight on as soon as they fed and did not consider us. So the 50th and 56th Batteries pushed in ahead of me. In Beauquesne, the Colonel made us go a different road to the one we were taking and took us a long way out of our course as it happened. When we were halted just out of the village, Quiller came barging up with the 9th Battery on the left of the road, making the road impassable and trying to break our brigade up. When we moved off, he did too, consequently everyone was jostling, so as he couldn't get into our column. Luckily the Colonel came along and cursed his head off. And I hope he gave it to him hot, as a more rotten show than he put up I have never seen, even training in England - he let the men sit on their horses for 20 minutes, not attempting to have them dismounted. It's damned hard on poor horses such as they were on a 20-mile march. We eventually got into our lines at five thirty and were very soon fixed up. I was feeling quite hungry by that time as had had no lunch and had been caught in a shower while watering, getting sopped, but soon drying again. The Captain and Bailley, who arrived soon after we did, seemed distinctly costive, but we took no notice of them as they had livers after doing themselves too well in Amiens. Anyway, we messed alone that night in a tent and called the OC and acting captain names, while they probably did the same to us.

Diary Entry - 25th August, 1916

Friday, we felt quite clean after a nice warm bath and we breakfasted at ten a.m. By the time we had found the bank and had a haircut, it was time to think of wending our way to lunch and meeting Suttie and Bailey. At twelve thirty they rolled up, as did most of the officers of the 3rd Brigade. We sat down eight to lunch, the party including Major Powell and Walrond. In the afternoon, the town was packed with all ranks of the 2nd division, in spite of the fact that the Brigade was marching about eight miles to Rainneville. After having tea with Murdoch in a nice little teashop, Siggers and I rode back to Rainneville, getting there at six thirty p.m., so that Hoyland and Cruickshank could spend the night in Amiens.

Diary Entry - 24th August, 1916

There were no orders about moving until two in the afternoon, when the motorcyclist from RAHQ 2nd Div. delivered a package to the adjutant, which said we would march for Vecquemont at four thirty p.m. As it was known we were not going out to rest but going into the line below Gommecourt, the BCs at once decided to try to give the subalterns – in fact, all officers – a night in Amiens. So Siggers and I did not wait to argue who was going but set off in a car, ordering our horses to follow on as soon as possible. The French car we had stopped dropped us at their flying ground, so we had to walk back a mile onto the main road for a lorry. Kellagher was with us and we got a slow old machine which took us to Corbie. Here the former left us and went to a dentist while Siggers and I had tea, meeting Todd in the tea rooms. About six, we walked about a mile on the road to Vecquemont when a lorry picked us up and took us into that town. From there, we started on the road for Amiens, expecting to get some sort of a lift, but never a car passed us and we had to step out the seven miles on foot, arriving at the Hotel de Rhin about eight fifteen p.m. There we had an excellent dinner and retired to a very comfortable bedroom for the night. Our grooms gave us a shock, as they did not arrive till ten thirty p.m. with our kit, which fitted into haversacks.

Diary Entry - 23rd August, 1916

The remaining two sections relieved us early in the morning, and they took our guns out to their wagon line, which was moving from Bors de Tailles to Meaulte, while we were handing over our wagon line to them and going to the Bors de Tailles. As there was nothing for me to do after six, I breakfasted with the 48th and met the Varsity oar, Garnett, there, he having come in with the new battery. It was rather amusing: I recognised his face but did not know where I had seen him. We had a good chat about different men's doings out here whom we both knew in common. At ten thirty a.m. Siggers, Suttie and I set out for Bors de Tailles on our horses and fairly cantered through the Valley of Death, causing much amusement as, for once, there were no shells dropping in the valley. We reached the wagon line about twelve thirty where we found the lines just being put into shape. The brigade camped where they did on the way up to action, and we remained there quietly for the rest of the day, feeling relieved to be away from Carnoy.

Extract from letter received on 13th September, 1916 at Mailly.

"I should be glad if you would convey to those concerned my appreciation of the great assistance accorded me by your Divisional Artillery during the time they covered the 24th Div. front from 10th to 23rd August. Both my Division and myself wish to express our gratitude for the same.
J C Capper
Maj. Gen.
Comdg. 24th Division."

Diary Entry - 22nd August, 1916

The relieving section of 6th Division came in at six. The relieving people spent their time walking about and acquainting themselves with the new surroundings.l It was another remarkably quiet day for Carnoy Valley.

Diary Entry - 21st August, 1916

Monday, the Bosch kept exceedingly quiet all day. In the afternoon at four thirty p.m. we had to support the infantry, who were to bomb down a trench to the south of machine-gun house. It was splendid the way the guns opened up on the tick at zero time. The whole country seemed to roar with shells in a second, all screaming towards Bosch lines, and, before zero time, barely a gun could be heard. That evening, Armytage and self dined with the 48s.

Diary Entry and Extract from Orders, 2nd Battle for Guillemont - 20th August

Diary Entry

I was orderly officer and, beyond fire salvos through the day, there was nothing else doing. Dixon went to the wagon line for lunch and returned very pleased, with tales of moving. Major Carrington, however, was round in the afternoon and said that he saw no hope of being relieved for 10 days at the outside. At nine or later, Thorburn rang up and said we were moving on Tuesday – at least a section was to go out then – and our hopes rose to a great height. Loud cheers and much laughter echoed through the Bosch dugout that evening at bedtime.

Extract from Orders (Routine):

Batteries will be interested to hear that I saw the 17th Infantry Brigade this morning and found them most enthusiastic about the 2nd Divisional Artillery Barrage.

They say "they got into their objective everywhere with hardly a casualty', and, as far as they know, nobody was hit by a short shell, although they followed up very close. In one part they were over the parapet just as the Bosches began to lift their machine guns to it. They also say that any wire there had been was entirely destroyed. I have also heard from CRA 24th div about the excellence of the barrage.

IH Saunders

CRA

2^nd Div.

Diary Entry - 19th August, 1916

Having returned from Waterlot, I forgot to mention that the last of the three runners sent out never reached his destination. He left me about midnight, when things were moderately quiet, and has never been heard of since, but he was probably wounded and taken to the dressing station. The battery was reached at seven and it was inclined to rain. I had breakfast when I got back and slept till two, as had had no sleep all night. There was no room in the infantry dugout to sit down and people kept walking over me all night.

Diary Entry - 18th August

Friday - as I was liaison officer, it meant I had to go to Waterlot Farm and sit in Infantry Battalion HQ. The Brigade had taken a lot of trouble over communications to the infantry, having a station at Bernafay Wood and one at Trones, with more than four wires connecting each station.

I set out at six thirty with four signallers, going straight to Bernafay. Here each signaller followed a wire to Trones and then the different wires to Waterlot Farm. I went round the longest wire with two signallers and mended about 15 breaks, and each of the other signallers mended breaks, so things looked fairly blue about our keeping in communication.

On arriving at HQ, I found the Colonel having a pow-wow with his company commanders as to the plan of attack and Siggers, who I was to relieve, could not get out of the dugout, so I waited on the step. At nine, our artillery put up a bit of a barrage for half an hour and Bosche replied with a fair number of shells, which made life rather unpleasant for a short time. Siggers handed over, and I went down to the Colonel, who was a very nice old man, and awaited events.

About eleven, the Colonel moved his HQ to another dugout, which was further back and much safer, though there was very little room. It was originally two old Bosche mineshafts, which had been connected up by the engineers, who drove in a passage from each end, making a small opening 14-foot by 7-foot.

The attack was to commence at two forty-five, and I waited events with interest, as it was my first experience as liaison officer. Well, we sat there listening to the artillery, who put up a hell of a wall of shrapnel, looking at our watches all the time, waiting for the time when the men would  leap over the parapet. The Colonel and adjutant were very nervous, but the strain was relieved when the first message arrived at two fifty, saying that a certain company had got over all right and, after that, messages rolled.

At three p.m., German prisoners began to come in, and one German officer was brought in to the dugout and questioned, and all he could say was that the artillery was terrible. About 70 Bosch went through to the rear during the afternoon, and the good news simply rolled in - we had taken machine gun house and were consolidating in all our new positions. Three machine guns had been captured and a number of Bosch killed. The infantry even reported on the magnificent barrage the artillery put up, which was nice to hear.

Well, everything went all right until about five, when it was reported that someone was dropping shells short and messages had to be sent through to the artillery. I had to send out runners and Br. Lucking of our 48th battery got through to Burnafray in the thick of the shelling – a feat worthy of the DCM, which I hope he gets.

The night passed quietly without a counter-attack. The 3rd division on our right failed to get Guillemont, and so two phases of the attack in the early morning had to be abandoned. Moolman of D36 relieved me at five a.m., and I and the four signallers started back about five forty-five. There is a nasty 200 yards passing Waterlot Farm - the trench has been levelled; at least it looks as if there has never been one there - and they were shelling it every few minutes with 4.2-inch and 77-millimetre shells, so we did not waste much time, except to duck every time they came over.

Diary Entry - 17th August, 1916

Everything went on as usual and nothing thrilling happened. The weather has taken a change and become cooler, with an odd thunder shower about

Diary Entry - 16th August, 1916 .

Major Powell, Walrond and Armytage started out at five forty-five for Dyson's OP in Trones Wood, to cut the wire reported by the infanteers. The battery was ready at six thirty and Dixon and I were waiting for orders but none got through till nearly nine, as they had trouble in keeping communication. When the 71s were registered, Walrond registered fifteenth, and we had a chance of some breakfast. We fired all morning, right on till two at battery fire, having sometimes intervals of half an hour. Soon after two, we went to battery fire three seconds and, as there was very good light and three Bosch balloons up, I felt rather nervous about being shelled. At about three p.m., two very innocent looking 4.2 landed, well out on our right front, but I knew that it meant trouble. Very soon an 8-inch landed 20 yards in front and two more in quick succession bracketed us, covering the battery with showers of clay and dust, as the armour-piercing 8-inch has a big gain and consequently goes well into ordinary earth before it explodes. Dixon, who was running the show, gave orders to take cover. The right section had just got into the trench when another came over, landing just over my cupola gun pit, and it blew it kite high, so we all went to ground. The usual 15 minutes was allowed for Boschey, after his last shell, then we all came out from the earth and had a look at the damage. I suppose 20 of us, mostly gunners, including Claudel, Dixon and myself, were admiring the right section when there was a whistle out of the blue and we all jumped for cover. I could not get into the trench for the crowd and would have departed this world if the shell had dropped near, but it went about 50 yards over into the valley. It gave us all a nasty shock, and we got back into the dugout. The Colonel came round while we were underground and would sit up in the Mess while these shells kept dropping not 30 yards away: showers of earth fell on the sandbagged corrugated iron covering, but he took not the slightest notice, so Dixon and I had to sit there, pretending not to notice what was going on and feeling very miserable. The Bosch stopped about four thirty, but we kept the men under cover for some time, fearing another surprise.

During the morning Randall, Dixon's servant, blew his hand off with a rifle grenade. Luckily four other servants, being frightened when they saw him playing with it, came out of the dugout, or they would have suffered too. The Major and party returned at five, having cut the wire well, under the circumstances. There was a small attack made by the people on our right at dusk and we fired to support them for two hours, but they failed to get their objective, although the French took the remaining part of Maurepas. It seems we have come to a standstill on this front.

Diary Entry - 15th August, 1916

Tuesday. In the morning Major Powell and Dean (the new subaltern, who has been with the battery about three days now) and also Walrond went up to Trones Wood to see if anything in the shape of wire could be seen from Dyson's OP on the German frontline we cover. They returned about eleven, reporting that they could see no wire and that an infantry patrol would have to go out and examine the no man's land. Dixon, who had gone up to Waterlot Farm on the previous evening, returned about midday, reporting that the infantry had been out the previous night and discovered that there was a little wire. No. 1 gun had been very busy erecting a new cupola, just on the left of their old position, and had got it just about completed by dark and ready for sandbagging in the morning

Diary Entry - 14th August, 1916

At ten a.m., Siggers and I both set out for the guns. We had a little excitement coming through the valley as the Bosche was hurling a lot of 10-centimetre gun and 77-millimetre shells just to the left of the valley. When we arrived at the position, we found that the right section had had a rotten time and had narrowly escaped having the gun wiped out. The rear half of the pit had been blown away and about 60 rounds of HE had been ruined, but the extraordinary thing was that no-one was injured. All the ammunition was burned, the trench running up to the gun pit was washed out completely and there was a hole about 10-foot deep and 14-foot wide where the trench had been. However, the gun was all right - the sandbagged wall at the back of the pit had saved sights from splinters.

Diary Entry - 13th August, 1916

At nine a.m. I go up to Corps dump to draw material for the guns but find the GS wagon has already got what they can and gone up to the guns. I got through from the Brigade and told Suttie that we could not get half the material he wanted and asked where I could find Major Carrington to get it from as he was not at Minden Post. I was informed that Carrington had gone back to the Citadel so back I had to go. Carrington was again very good and gave me three blank forms so that I could put down what I wanted. The padre had a church parade at twelve and Siggers, who had arrived from Amiens late the evening before, took the 48th party. At twelve, when I got back, on my way down to the MM dump, I met Fuller, who told me he had got the 9th battery. I do not envy him or his first week there, as the subalterns, so this Brigade have it, are a pretty rotten lot, especially one ranker, Putman. About five, Suttie arrived at the wagon line, to have a look round. He seemed to think the horses were looking all right and, after a general look round, he returned to the guns.

Note: Quiller Couch made OC of 9th Battery, taking Marsdorp's place.)

Diary Entry - 12th August, 1916

Saturday rise at 3 am and take ammunition up to the guns. It was a very misty morning and one could hardly tell whether one was on the track or not. A subs gun having returned from the workshops at Corbie is sent up to the position in the evening. At six, Sanger, Mulman and I go over to see the 12-inch gun fire and we saw her fire three shells. On the way back, we looked for some 15-inch howitzers but could only hear that they were somewhere in the vicinity and get no further, so we walked home.

Diary Entry - 11th August, 1916

Friday morning I again tackle the dump but find that 24th Div have taken over and refuse to supply anything. The Corps dump, which is also close by, refuses to supply material, although their yard is full. Having gone up to the Battery and reported, the Captain rings up Carrington, who says he will try to get us some, if I come round and collect chit from him at Minden Post. After some hunting, I found Carrington, who was very good, as he always is, and gave me an open chit to any RE. The Corps Sgt. Major gave in on seeing the chit, and I got what I wanted.

Diary Entry - 10th August, 1916

At three a.m. I rise and start at three forty-five, with ammunition, to the guns (6 wagons). It was quite quiet and I had no trouble. I stayed up there for an hour or so, having breakfast with Siggers and starting back about eight a.m. While at the guns, it commenced to rain and continued steadily for two hours, laying the dust nicely. Soon after lunch Siggers, Sanger, Mulman, Midge and myself set out for Albert, to have a look at the church. We luckily caught a bus each way and had a good look at the statue, which is hanging face downwards in mid-air. Then we returned, as it is the only object of interest there. Albert is a town about the same size as Bethune but has been very badly knocked about by shellfire and there are only odd civilians in the place. After tea, Siggers and I took a stroll along the Ancre and at about seven p.m., when returning, we heard a big gun firing up the valley. On enquiring what it was, we were told it was a 12-inch naval and that it was only about half a mile away, so we set off to find it. After walking for 20 minutes, we eventually discovered it, with a big crowd of Tommies admiring it from outside a barbed wire enclosure. We only saw one round fired, but it was a sight worth seeing. The gun was mounted on a huge truck on the rails and each time it fired, although the gun recoiled on its mounting, the truck also ran back about 10 yards. An engine, which is always there, pushed it up again to the firing position. Siggers and I tried to have a look at the gun, but they would not allow us inside, so we asked the engine driver if he was going our way and he answered in the affirmative, so we jumped up and took a ride almost to the wagon line.

Diary Entry - 9th August, 1916

Just the ordinary work went on – stables etc. It was a very warm day and the banks of the Ancre were crowded with Tommies, who seemed to be having a really good time, poor chaps. I was going to bathe with Sanger, who is nearby, but there was no room for us, so I enjoyed a tub instead.

Diary Entry - 8th August, 1916

I spent the morning at 13th Corps or M M dump, which is a big rail siding about 300 yards from the Mess. I was collecting 7 and 8 by 3 and also cupolas. The last named articles were very difficult to get but, after almost weeping to the 2MS[?] about the lives that were being lost at the gun line, I got him to give me eight pieces, which he had covering up some goods in the yard. The Brigade Padre turned up to lunch and stopped. I think he is going to live here now. Hoyland got back from Amiens about seven, having brought a lot of supplies up with him in the Mess cart for the guns.

Diary Entry - 7th August, 1916

In the morning, Todd gave me something that soon put me right. At twelve, Ginger and Tommy waiting for me at the old wagon line, beyond Bronfay Farm. I walked over there – a matter of about three miles. I got there before the horses and was a bit scared about them turning up but in about 10 minutes they put in an appearance and I proceeded to Meaulte, passing through the Citadel on the way. The wagon lines seemed to be in good position except for the dust that covers everything, but that is the worst thing one has to put up with just now, not forgetting the small fly, which at the wagon line is frightful. I found that the brigades all mess together, i.e. the officer from each battery, in the corner of an oat crop. The 71st and 15th batteries have built their abode of ammunition boxes, and we have an old tent.

Diary Entry - 6th August, 1916

During the night, they shelled heavily again and gave a battery in front of 48th a very bad time, blowing the Major out of the dugout and killing two or three men. I felt rotten all day and, on going up to see Suttie before lunch, newly floated off, but got a glass of water in time and lay down for half an hour. I went to bed early in the evening but still had the old universal complaint, and I decided to see Todd in the morning.

Diary Entry - 5th August, 1916

I was orderly officer. Bosche made it quite unpleasant, as he scattered heavies and shrapnel all over the country and one never knew where the next one was going. In the afternoon, the Major shot the battery from a balloon and registered a new point for our zero lines. At nine thirty SOS came through and we fired like blazes for about half an hour. The artillery got great kudos from the infantry as they replied to their call so quickly and it seems we completely knocked out two attempted Bosch assaults. They got over the parapet but were mown down by rifle, machine gun and artillery fire. Our time for salvoes through the night was from three a.m. to six. At three, in fact, since eleven, they had been shelling heavily all round 15th, 56th and D36, and splinters were falling heavily everywhere. I was not feeling at all well and the only thing to do was to get an ammunition box in the trench. Even that was not comfortable as shell was falling very heavily. About four, three shrapnel came very close and, if we had (LCO on guard and myself) not been undercover, we would have received a knockout. Towards five thirty the shelling stopped and it eased a lot, so the teams could get the ammunition up without trouble.

Diary Entry - 4th August, 1916

An exceptionally quiet day, with the sun still very strong and a good light. In the afternoon, Driver Howard of No. 1 gun had his left thumb and first finger blown off by the detonator of a Mills bomb. He apparently was twisting it about in his fingers when it exploded. The detonator itself is no bigger than the cartridge of a 22 Winchester, but contains a very strong explosive called fulminate of mercury. Of course, there had to be an enquiry later, so I had to collect the evidence, but I think the man was sure to get off as it was not a purposely inflicted wound. I went over to the 48s to report the matter and stayed to tea. After tea, Suttie and Siggers and I walked the 48th wire to Bernafay Wood observing station. It was my first venture so far forward and, as there was a good light, we saw the country well. The OB, where the liegon officer takes post, is in a dugout just outside the wood, and this dugout is connected with a small mound which is, in truth, a concrete machine gun. Of course, this machine gun emplacement was made by the Bosche. It commanded one side of the wood and a large expanse of country to the south. It was luckily discovered by our infantry while advancing - when going over what looked like an ordinary mound in the ground a man fell through some wire netting and discovered the emplacement underneath. It was, of course, intended to be used after the men had advanced, to get them in the backs. The wire netting was stretched across each loop hole and sods of earth placed over the top, so as to hide it completely. On entering the emplacement from the dugout, one found oneself in a beautiful stronghold made of concrete 1-foot thick, with two loop holes commanding a large extent of country. It just brought to one's mind that there was not much Germany had left to chance in this war.

Well, standing outside, Suttie showed us the country, while Oakleigh scowled at us for standing in the open, as he had already been shelled while heliographing to the brigade. To the north was Longueval, while coming southwards one saw Delville Wood, Waterlot Farm (a heap of ruins), Trones Wood about 300 yards to our front and, to the south, Arrow Head Copse and another farm I can't remember. Through Trones, Guillemont could just be seen in the valley. There was very little shelling, but I could see our 8-inch making good detonations in the Bosche lines. We picked up a reel of German wire and carried it back with us to the battery.

Diary Entry - 3rd August, 1916

Nothing of much importance happened. A lot more sand bags were put upon the end of the trench nearest the enemy as he started shrapnel in the morning and a couple of bullets whistled in amongst us. Luckily no-one was hit. Last night, Boschie did the dirty on us. SOS was sent through at nine and we all opened fire at the usual rate - guns fire 30 secs. In the middle of it, two Bosche aeroplanes were observed dropping lights. The whole show was arranged, we think, so as he could get onto a mass of batteries and search and sweep them with 8-inch or other heavy stuff. Capt Titler was killed during the night by a shell. He was sleeping in a trench and a 42 HE hit the parapet above him, killing him instantaneously. Luckily, the two other Subs who slept close to him were at that moment up firing the battery or they would have met with the same fate.

Diary Entry - 1st and 2nd August, 1916

Nothing very thrilling to account. One has got more used to the shells continually sprinkled about and forgets about it very quickly. A signaller was wounded in front of the battery by Bosch shrapnel while we were at tea on Tuesday. He had come down from the signal station. It has at last been heard that the attack was not at all a success and that the number of prisoners reported were not captured. Wellman, the officer who went up yesterday morning for 24 hours duty has not returned yet and it is reported has been slightly gassed by shell and is at Corbie along with a signaller belonging to the 71s. This morning at six they shelled us heartily, but there were not casualties, thanks to the Bosche dugouts.

Casualties

Diary Entry and Letter Home - 31st July, 1916

(On this day in 1914, Labor leader Andrew Fisher declared Australians will defend Britain 'to our last man and our last shilling'.)

Diary Entry

Nothing very striking happened all day, except SOS in the evening, which seems a daily occurrence. As usual, Boschie threw a few scattered shell over and our 8-inch seemed to give him a fair bit in return. One man of the 48s was wounded in the leg with a piece of shrapnel during the afternoon (Fitter Wing).

Letter Home

Dear Mother

I am taking the opportunity of writing when circumstances permit, as we are living rather a strenuous time just now. Before I forget, many thanks for your letters received yesterday, in which Uncle Chester had just arrived, and please thank Aunt Bet for her nice letter. As far as I can gather, our letters seem to be young newspapers and I hope they are not looked upon too seriously as, in the heat of the moment, one may appear to exaggerate things, especially to anyone who has not been out here.

Well, here we are in action in the old German support line, having moved into action on Tuesday. I am now attached to the 71s, as there was not room in our position for six guns, so we are (or we were) an 8-gun battery. The sight one looks upon here is, I should think, one of the most remarkable that one could see, but I am afraid I can't explain things to you by letter as censors are extra strict down here. To begin with, we have come in for the music without the entertaining part of the show so to speak, as Bosche has now had time to get his heavy guns together. We have hundreds of guns piled on each other, from 18-pounders to 12-inch howitzers, and the amount of heavy stuff we send over is extraordinary. Boschie also gives us plenty of hits and very seldom do you see anything lighter than a 4.2 howitzer - it is usually 8-inch stuff. Whenever I see the big 'uns bursting, I always think of the last words of old Mr Gray. Well I wish he could see the 17-inch, which fires on a village to the rear of us. When it bursts, a cloud of smoke ascends about 300 feet and it looks like a bush fire you see at the end of the lake in the forest. It got a direct hit on a 9.2 howitzer on Friday, putting it out of action and wounding two of the detachment. We have two splendid German dugouts to go to ground in when the air becomes a bit stuffy with Bosche shells and, although it faces the wrong way, one feels very comfortable inside on occasions. On our second day in we had a few over and went to ground for two and a half hours. When it was finished, we found two of the 71 guns were knocked out and a shell had landed in one of their pits, also in one of mine. We each lost about 35 rounds and mine was smouldering when I was looking round, but none of it blew up. There is a lot to be done here in the way of shooting and a field battery averages about 1,000 a day. A battery of 9.2 howitzers behind must average about 300 a day or even 400 and, as there are simply crowds of others doing the same, one can imagine what things are like here. Well, I don't think there is anything else I can put on paper and I will write whenever the opportunity comes but I am afraid you will have to put up with some service postcards as circumstances do not often permit letter writing at present.

Bee is well and we are both sitting up and taking nourishment. I am glad to hear you are all keeping well.

Ever your loving son,

Walford.

Diary Entry - 30th July, 1916

The night was very uncomfortable as at one we were woken to cries of 'Gas', and, sure enough, it was quite strong too. On went helmets, and we wandered about feeling very miserable until about two thirty, when the wretched stuff lifted and we could take off gas helmets and breathe again. From one thirty to three thirty, we were to fire salvoes on certain lines, getting off 12 an hour, but, when the gas came, I think there was a big gap in the firing. At four forty-five the ball opened and we began a barrage of HE on the enemy's support trenches, firing three rounds per gun per minute. This continued for half an hour, then we lifted the barrage, adding to 4075 and firing at the same rate until six thirty, with shrapnel when the rate gradually slackened. The usual routine of fire continued throughout the day, only slightly heavier than usual. At ten thirty pm Armytage returned from his duties of Liaison Officer, spending the whole 24 hours in Trones Wood (Bois de Troncs), a very hot corner. It seems he scratched his way into the side of a bank, where he remained, with bullets and shells spitting round him the whole time. The news of the battle that has come back is not too good. Our infantry have got their objective all right, but the 35th Division infantry have been held up outside Guillemont and have dug in outside the town. The French, it is reported, are held up by machine-gun fire - it is reported the corps have taken 1,000 prisoners. And so the battle goes on.

Diary Entry - 29th July, 1916

Saturday light firing was carried on through the day. The Bosch was fairly busy with shells, especially on Maricourt, putting over about 15 rounds of 17-inch. I have never seen such bursts – just like the photo of a Whitehead torpedo going up. The net results, I hear, were one 9.2-inch howitzer had a direct hit, two of the detachment being wounded. During the afternoon 8-inch howitzers (6 cannon) were doing gun fire five minutes and were fairly whistling them over our heads. Towards evening, some most peculiar shell were observed bursting in air to the right of Montauban. They burst like an umbrella, a shower of sparks falling to the ground and a tremendous cloud of white smoke left in the shape of a mushroom and making small clouds in the air. At six, we were informed that we were to attack in the morning, which we had already guessed, as the infantry were thick as fleas working their way towards the front trenches.

Diary Entry - 28th July, 1916

My section were short of ammunition and as there was a continual banging through the day, I had to get the men onto a cart and move it from the left end battery (8 guns). At about 11 a.m., Bosche got a very nice line on our battery, dropping one short, one over. Everyone thought it looked like business so went to ground, into the good German dugouts we possess – being in the Bosche old support line, the dugouts are pretty good. Well, we gradually filled the officers' dugout with odd men found outside and awaited our fate. Of course, the mouths of the dugout were facing the wrong way, but that was a minor detail, and we were glad of any cover, as lots of other batteries had none. The show was finished by twelve thirty p.m. and we came out to see the damage. Two of 71s's guns were out of action, splinters having penetrated the buffers from bursts just in front of the muzzle. The damage to my section was a shell in F sub's ammunition, resulting in a fire and 40 rounds going west and also Sergeant Head's field glasses, which were on top of the ammunition. Another of the 71s's ammunition pits had been on fire and lost 40 rounds, but the No.1 had gone out in the middle of the conflict and calmly put out the flames and burning sandbags amongst the ammunition. I'm glad to say that there were no casualties. The rest of the day was spent in clearing away the debris and sandbagging the pits as much as possible.

Diary Entry - 27th July, 1916

We had had no definite news as to our move on the previous evening and were told to be ready to move off at a moment's notice after ten a.m. Well, Suttie sent down for six wagons of ammunition while we were at breakfast and Cruikshank was dispatched in charge, being told that Siggers would meet him at the sappers' dump and direct him to the guns. It seems funny bringing ammunition up in daylight but there is too much firing at night. Going back, one of my best drivers was lifted out of the saddle by the splinter of an 8-inch, poor chap, and I think he has gone. Two of my horses were also grazed. About ten, another orderly arrived, asking for another six wagons, which I was to take up. My guide was a certain Br. Golding. He took me a long way round to begin with, going through Maricourt, on a narrow track, with guns firing over our heads and almost under the horses' bellies. He told us to reverse, and we got round, and then he lost himself again. By this time I was speechless and sent him off to find the battery, while we sat there, expecting to get shelled any moment. He returned in ten minutes and told us to reverse again – that he had found the battery – and I warned him, if he took us wrong again, I would shoot him with my revolver. Well, we found them and proceeded to unload, just finishing in time, as they started throwing over 8-inch, indiscriminately. They were dropping everywhere and it was no good trying to dodge them, so we went along hoping for the best and got through all right. It was three p.m. when I got halfway back to Duray and met the rest of the battery by the roadside waiting for Bailey to reconnoitre the position. I sent my wagons off to our new wagon line, which was quite close, to water and feed also my own mounts. Well it was only a few minutes till Bailey returned and we set out, with my section leading, intervals between wagons 20 yards - and 50 yards between sections. My section was to be attached to the 71s as there was no room for me in our own position, and that made the 71s an eight gun battery. We dropped into our new position without being molested by the Bosch. The sight coming up was wonderful – the road winds through a valley simply crammed with big howitzers (8-inch to 12-inch) and intermingled with these were crowds of infanteers' ammunition wagons and about the valley were a few dead horses. In this place, you had a chance of getting any shell from a 12 inch to a pipsqueak in the neck as they pitch shells over at any time. As soon as we got our guns in, we commenced firing and continued till late in the evening.

I forgot to add that from the place where we were bivouacked right up to within 400 yards of the guns there is a valley called Happy Valley, packed with horses with guns, howitzers and beacons dotted in amongst them. The valley just below the guns has been named by the drivers Valley of Death as there are so many casualties there, bringing up ammunition. The infantry I believe even have their horses in another valley in front of the guns. It is called Caterpillar Valley.

Diary Entry and Letter Home - 26th July, 1916

Diary Entry

The BC took up a section to the guns, starting at eight, and Siggers took his section up. We remained in camp all day, expecting to move up next morning. Nothing thrilling happened except that the DAC lost two mules during the day by shellfire, which will give one an idea of what things are like when wagon lines often have shells dropped into them.

Letter Home

Dear Family

It is very nearly a year since we sailed from Melbourne. It will be on the twenty eighth, and we are just about to enter one of the most interesting parts of the line - and I suppose more lively than most parts at the time of writing. We got short notice to move last week and on Tuesday evening we moved out to the wagon line. I was at the OP the last day, being relieved at seven fifteen, and Hoyland and I dined with the incoming people, then rode to the wagon line, getting there about twelve am. The next day my old staff captain of the billeting episode told me I was to be the OC divisional convoy, which was to move by road, the rest of the division entraining. Well, there was a certain amount of work entailed in getting things like supplies and other little details. It was arranged that we should move off at twelve from the village on Thursday. Well, when I looked over the show that awaited me, I found a wonderful collection both of vehicles and horses, from a big French wagon and draft horses to a light jinker and a mule.

A staff colonel belonging to headquarters came along just before moving off and told me that I had to load three wagon loads of boxes onto my already overloaded wagons and deliver them at a railway about 14 miles distant. So there was nothing for it but to load the stuff on in the village and heave it off when the trouble came. To cut a long story short, with lots of amusing incidents, I got to the railway minus two wagons and half the goods.

If you could only see the German prisoners just returning from work to their wire enclosures below the hill.

Well, I got with the convoy all right, picking up the division on Saturday evening at seven thirty pm. We covered about 60 miles in two and a half days, but it meant early rising, reveille at four each day. The whole trek was quite amusing, and it was an experience well worth having. Of course we used to bivouac in any old field by night. As we were cut fine both in horses' and men's rations, we lifted a fair amount of hay along the road, but I used to always look the other way, as we had to feed the blooming horses.

The division was right in the valley on a river when we reached them and it was nice to be able to get a good wash in the morning - and bathing was pretty popular with the men too. I have never seen such a sight as the whole division bivoacked close together like that but it is getting quite common now as wherever you go there is transport, motor cars, troops and every engine of war you could think of. In fact I am on a hill now with a road just beneath, on which you see everything pass, from an infantry man to a 15-inch howitzer. The traffic continues all day and night. We moved up here yesterday as a division, and a section has gone into action today. The rest of us go up tomorrow. It will be quite an interesting spot, as we are in the open and lots of heavy stuff falls about. In fact, Siggers, who went up today, had to put his gun into an 8-inch crater where a gun was last night, before the shell arrived. Oh, if I only had a camera with me, what a chance! Well, I think you will guess where we are.

No more time to write. Hope you are all well,

Your affectionate son,

 Walford,

PS: It was rather amusing - one of our men discovered a Bosch amongst the prisoners, who used to be a baker in the same village he lived in. I have just been speaking to a Queenslander by the name of Young - sugar growing people, I think.

Diary Entry - 25th July, 1916

At seven forty, we left camp and marched as a division for Bray, both the 41st and 34th Brigades proceeded ahead of us. We had a very dusty trek as the roads were packed with every kind of traffic, both French and English going each way. At Corbie, I bought some Mess supplies, such as bread, tinned milk etc, putting them in the Mess cart as the battery marched through the square. The brigade eventually got into the field this side of Bray at about one fifteen p.m. and it was two thirty by the time the lines were fixed and the horses watered and fed – the latter operation was very difficult as water was very scarce. The officers' Mess was well situated on the top of a hill and looked down on one of the most impressive sights I have seen. In the valley on the left were masses of horse lines, on right front the road crammed with French and British traffic, from infantry to big guns and wagons, beyond the road, the French had their wagon lines, with horses and vehicles, packed like ours, and, on the left breast of the slope, French motor lorries were parked (up to 200).

Diary Entry - 23rd and 24th July, 1916

This was a delightful spot, and we could just hear the rumble of the battle in the east. It usually grew very loud at night. There were the ordinary duties of the day to be done. First thing, I bathed in the river, which was a matter of a few yards away. Suttie, Siggers and Hoyland went into Amiens before lunch.

In the afternoon, the officers left in brigade had a game of cricket, finishing the evening with a bathe. I must mention that we slept in the open with no cover, as I had done since leaving the battery. On Monday, I went to Amiens with Cruikshank. Bailey also went with Todd, the OCs all having gone up to look at the positions we were to take over. Amiens I found very dull and returned soon after four. The OCs returned about seven thirty, with stirring tales as to our positions and also with the sad news that Mowbray, Major of 16th Bat. and formerly Staff Major, had been killed – a direct hit with an 8 inch. Orders were that we moved off for Bray at seven forty p.m. on Tuesday.

Diary Entry - 22nd July, 1916

Reveille at three forty. I got them going at stables, grooming well, but, while I was at the top of the lines, someone started for water and, before I could get to the stream, they were rushing in and out like a jostling crowd at a railway station, the result being that no horses got any water. I saw that ours of the 48th got some all right, and let the others look after themselves. It was again a very warm summer day and, after getting through Beauval, about five kilometres from bivouac, and halting, we had to march across an undulating plain, with no sign of water on it. The cavalry were in a small village by the wayside and had a good watering place, so I halted and watered there. The horses were so thirsty that they almost knocked over the trough. Before getting to Villers for lunch, we halted after a steep hill, to rest the horses, and an APM came along and moved us, as he said two divisions were to march along that route. So we moved on, getting onto a smaller road through Villers, halting just outside, watering in the town and lunching for more than an hour. We were now only 20 kilometres from Amiens and, after lunch, it was in view to the south, until we reached Longueau. Longueau was reached at five and there I had to get orders from the RTO. Buxton had left orders there and we were to go on to Vecquemont, to join our units (reporting to the town major first). We found the whole division bivouacked in the valley of the Somme, just outside the town, and I was very glad to arrive there at seven thirty. I must add that, before starting, it was reported that Driver Morgan had not reported back. He belonged to our battery too. He had borrowed a bike the night before from Bates for five minutes and had never returned. Well, as we were just moving off, it being six, I made a search of the village, eventually reporting the matter to the RTO.

Diary Entry - 21st July, 1916

Reveille at four am. I meant to have some stables before water and feed, but the men thought they were on a picnic and their NCOs seem to have no control over them, so I had to let them carry on and wait till the evening. It soon became very warm and, as the wind was on our backs, the dust made travelling rather unpleasant. Saint Pol was passed at seven forty-five, we having moved off at six thirty-five and a halt was made just above the town. The next town of note was Frevent, some four kilometres march, but we plugged along, eventually getting there about eleven a.m. On arrival I went in search of water and eventually found a very good place in a wide street, so we gave them a good fill, then moved out of the town for water. A good hour gave the convoy a much needed rest and, after addressing the NCOs on stables in the evening, we moved off with a very warm sun overhead and plenty of dust caused by the heavy transport moving each way on the road. Boquemaison was passed at two p.m. and Doullens reached without incident at three thirty. A wretched French sentry would not let me cross a level crossing so I had to go about four miles out of my way but was recompensed by getting a good watering place on a stream. I sent on Sergeant Munday with a map from here to look for a camp at Gayencourt. In getting to that village, I could see no sign of him and was feeling rather anxious, as I thought he was lost. I did a little reconnaissance and found a good field with a splendid place to water. Soon after finding it, Munday turned up and we proceeded to pack them in the field. Well, I managed to get the horses watered properly, groomed and fed and all finished by seven fifteen p.m., so I gave leave for people to go down the village and to report back by nine thirty p.m. I forgot to add that, as we only had rations for 73 men and 78 horses and these rations would perhaps have to last us three days, although they were only two-day rations, the horses were badly in need of hay, so I murmured to some odd NCO to help themselves by the wayside when I was not looking, and this they did, keeping the horses well hayed up most of the night.

Diary Entry - 20th July, 1916

I gave the IMS the list of supplies I wanted drawn – rations for 92 men and 100 horses. Two ASC wagons were to be at supplies to draw the material and then come on to join the troop at the church. In the morning, I was rather worried about some coffee bar material left in the village, and it was not very long before Colonel Robinson turned up and informed me it had to be loaded on my already loaded transport and put on the train at Bryas, a station some eight miles away. At eleven thirty, I, assisted by Hoyland, started loading up - or overloading the wagons - with this surplus coffee bar material. By twelve thirty, we were all ready and got under way but, before a mile was covered, the float (Vets[?]) had to be abandoned, being hopelessly out of action, with the spokes breaking off at the rim. Having sent a man back to Hannie and left a man there to look after it, we moved off again. One of the numerous old French wagons was giving a lot of trouble on hills, as its brake shoe had snapped and, at lunchtime, two p.m., when we stopped to water, I found an ASC cart with supplies on it, with a dished front wheel, and the above-mentioned wagon with a cracked perch. Well, the only remedy was to heave off all coffee bar material on these vehicles, leave two men with it, send the ASC wagon to the village, and tell it to look after itself. The other wagon, all heavy stuff off it and supplies loaded, looked strong enough for the voyage. Well I did not like the hopes of seeing Bryas by seven, but we covered the five miles left in good style, only having one accident – the wheel coming off a small DAC wagon, so I left the fitter with it and told him to do his best. He proved a handy man and brought it along to Bryas before I had finished unloading. Bryas reached by about five forty, I sent Sergeant Munday, my only reliable NCO, on to bivouac the vehicles, which hadn't any coffee bar boxes on them. The remainder were unloaded onto trains standing by and, on picking up five more wagons, one of our own, I trekked after Sergeant Munday. We got into a field about six forty-five, had horses watered at bad pond and fed them and then looked after the inner man. I must mention that there was no time to arrange any bundubus [?] en route as had not a chance to collect the NCO, such as they were.

Diary Entry - 19th July, 1916

Usual routine of stables in the morning. In afternoon, Buxton informed me that I was to collect all details from the Brigades concerning the convoy, as I was to be OC divisional convoy, which was to march by road. Well, there was a lot of ferreting to be done, and I was very worried by the time I saw Buxton at nine p.m. in the evening, as I knew what to expect at his hands, having done a dirty job for him at Marles-les-Mines. However, I had a list of wagons, which amounted to 36, consisting of 84 men and 93 horses – they were to line up at Gauchin Legal church at eleven thirty a.m. on Thursday.

The Bosch

This link will take the reader to a gallery of studio portraits of German World War One soldiers, just to provide a slightly different perspective to my grandfather's.

Diary Entry - 17th and 18th July, 1916

On Monday, Siggers and I go to Béthune. We start at eight fifteen, but the horses turn up late and we have to sit and wait for them. We get in by lorry and car from Noeux-les-Mines. We had quite an amusing day and got back at four thirty p.m., as I had to go to the OP and also collect more Mess material. Wednesday, having gone up to the OP on Monday night, I remained there, having an uneventful day, till the relieving subaltern came up at seven fifteen p.m. Suttie stayed with battery 123B all night, but, when Hoyland and I had had dinner, we set out for Gauchin Legal, arriving there about twelve.

Diary Entry - 16th July, 1916

Got all the Mess baskets squared off for the move, which is to take place on Tuesday. Siggers is orderly officer.

Diary Entry and Letter Home - 15th July, 1916

Diary Entry

Suttie, Powell, Kellagher and Waldren, having obtained passes from the APM and got a car from an anti-aircraft CO, proceed to Béthune in the morning. The Naval Div. People have orders to proceed to the 47th Division, which evidently means they will take over from the 47th, the latter taking over from us.

Letter Home

15th July 1916

Dear Father,

Received your mail several days ago with a cutting about the boat race, which was very interesting. We are still in the same place but will be moving in about 10 days, down to the scene of activity, where there ought to be plenty doing. We heard last night that two divisions of cavalry had gone through the gap and, if they have, feel very doubtful about their ever getting back again.

We have had a very peaceful time this week. On Monday evening, we had an artillery subaltern and 12 men belonging to the Naval Division attached to us. And on Wednesday a South African officer was posted to us, so we are well off for subalterns again. Yet another Naval Division subaltern arrived yesterday, but they both leave us today as they are being attached to the division on our right. There is absolutely nothing to write about. I hope you have had more rain and that there are prospects of a good season by the time this reaches you.

Best love to all. Thank Mother for the socks. They have not arrived yet, but will probably arrive during the week.

Walford.

Mess Plan

'If I could only describe the new Mess', he says, on 2nd July, 'which is recognised as the best in France.' Little does he know that, after all their work to make it, they will be leaving it in a few days, making their way to a very different part of the front.

Diary Entry - 12th and 13th July, 1916

An exceedingly quiet day. Absolutely nothing doing. I whiled away the time reading. Bee came up in the evening to relieve me. Thursday, I went to Gauchin Legal with Bailey. We inspected harness in the morning, F sub being a very good show, lunching with the 50th battery, and at two attended stables till four p.m., when I returned to the battery. During lunch we heard great tales about the cavalry breaking through two divisions of them. I don't think any will return, although hope they do some good work while they get the chance. News also comes from the fountain head that we are to move southwards in due course – about 10 days. On returning, we found another Naval Div. officer attached.

Diary Entry and Letter Home - 11th July, 1916

Diary Entry

Tuesday, a quiet morning. Went to OP in the evening and did the usual bit of mining before starting.

Letter home

Dear Mother,

Just a short note, as there is nothing to write about and I think this will miss the mail too. We are still in the same place but think we might move shortly. Of course, we know nothing definite yet. The only excitements worthy of note this week have been two dinners which we have given, one for the Battery Commanders to meet the General and the other for Kellagher, our senior subaltern, who has got the 56th battery. The General did not turn up as he had a bad cold, but he sent the Staff Major along and we sat down 12 and had a very successful evening. Last night was quite good too but only had 10 people to dine. We have an officer attached to us. He is just out from England and, as last night was his first evening at the front, he must have got rather a shock - I would like to read his letter home.

We seem to be doing nicely down in the South, just going along steadily, but I think if we keep it up for two months or so Bosch will become rather worried. Well there is no more news.

Best love to all.

In haste,

Walford.

Diary Entry - 10th July, 1916

Monday, as there was another small dinner, Siggers went to Béthune to collect the necessities while I remained at guns and Hoyland was at OP. Kellagher was in to dinner and it was really a farewell to him. That same afternoon we got our new acting captain, Lieutenant Bailey, a Cambridge don of some standing. An officer of the Royal Naval division also lobbed, with about 12 men, attached to us for a fortnight. The latter is only a small man, but the amount of kit he brought is appalling.

Diary Entry - 9th July 1916

I put in a lot of work during the afternoon. Siggers was also in the shaft but had to have half an hour at church with the men about four p.m.

Diary Entry - 8th July, 1916

Hoyland went very early to Béthune to buy articles for the dinner in the evening. It was a dinner for BCs to meet the General, and no pains were spared for it to be a good one, as you can judge given that 475 francs were spent over it. The General was unable to attend but he sent his staff Major, Carrington, a real good sort, along. The dinner seemed to be going successfully when I had to depart as I did not feel too bright with neuralgia. A great deal of the day was spent in preparing the Mess for the feast. It was three thirty when the party broke – Bee was amongst them and I hear he was yawning his head off. I forgot to add Crozier got his chit to go to England and Kellagher was made OC 58th battery.

Diary Entry - 7th July, 1916

It was a beastly day, showery the whole time, up to your ankles in mud wherever you moved. Siggers and I retired to the mine in the afternoon and put in some good work getting one set up. There was a strafe and combined raid at night at one a.m. but have not heard how it went.

Diary Entry - 6th July, 1916

At ten, Major Jones and Captain Dale came up to look for a sap they had to shoot on from Cabaret Rouge. Soon after they arrived, Captain Dyson OC (trench mortars) and Robinson turned up to shoot on wire in front of a German sap. They continued till twelve thirty, when Major Crozier arrived and told them to go down and get some lunch at his Mess. The latter stayed on until two and he no sooner retired than the mortar people returned to shoot again, so I did not have much peace. They fired 150 rounds and cleared the wire well. Waldren came up in the evening and did some shooting, registering for a strafe. Bee relieved me in the pouring rain.

Diary Entry - 5th July, 1916

Siggers and I painted the skylights in the Mess roof during the morning and worked in the mine most of the afternoon. In the evening, I relieved Claudie at Lorette.

Diary Entry - 4th July, 1916

Tuesday, and I started for Ablain at ten thirty for the pay at the field cashier's. When we got there we met Bee on the same stunt so, as our wagon lines are close to one another, we rode down together. We just got there at the end of stables so Siggers and I paid out straightaway. At one we lunched with Bee at an estaminet and at one thirty Siggers and I set out for Bethune to get new carpets et cetera for the Mess. At Noeux les Mines we stepped into a passing ambulance and were hurled into town in about eight minutes, getting there soon after three. Having had tea - oh I forgot to add that the rain started at one and continued heavily until five pm; one gets so used to it that one does not notice it - and completed all purchases we caught another ambulance reaching Noeux at six forty and so on to the battery, arriving about eight thirty.

Diary Entry - 3rd July, 1916

At ten, I rode down to Gauchin Legal for stables then went on, after lunching at an estaminet on omelette and a glass of beer, to Barlin to get some Mess stores. On the way home after leaving Bouvigny I rode up the side of Lorette to the control post. Halfway up there was a wonderful view of Bully and surrounding district and as they were shelling a battery just near our old position with 4.2s I watched for a few minutes. The horse flies on Lorette are frightful and give the horses a terrible time. The extraordinary part about them is they suck your blood and you don't seem to feel them.

Letter Home - 2nd July, 1916

2nd July, 1916

Dear Father,

Many thanks for your letters and the paper re the boat race. It must have been a splendid race and it was a pity we could not quite get there. We are still having wretched weather, at least yesterday the sun came out but today it looks as if it might rain again at any time. This part of the line has been fairly quiet in spite of the papers' talk of the heavy British shelling. Of course, we are doing a certain amount of shelling and, when we do let them have it, all the batteries of the Division concentrate on the one target. The point fired on must be a perfect inferno as that means about eighteen batteries including several 4.5 howitzer batteries all firing at gun fire for some thirty minutes. These strafes come off once daily and usually at night. Of course, there is usually some other shoot as well during the day. Last night at twelve thirty am a regular tornado of shells hurtled over to Boschie for half an hour and we hit off with eight rounds per gun per minute for the first one hundred and sixty rounds. That gives you some idea of what it is like with the other batteries round doing the same. Down south a lot of heavy firing has been heard and we hear we have done well, the attack being launched yesterday morning at 11.30 am and we were advancing on a ten-mile front. I think I forgot to mention before that we lost our Colonel Kerwin about a fortnight ago as he has been promoted to General. We were all very sorry to lose him as he was a spelndid man. We have had another sick-looking individual for a few days but he went off in an ambulance about four days ago and I don't think he will be much loss. It's a pity you cant get the rain we have been having here. It simply pours. No more news.

Ever your loving son,

Walford

Diary Entry - 2nd July, 1916

Nothing much done except more slaving on the mine in the afternoon, putting up sets to keep the roof from falling in. If could only describe the new Mess, which is recognised as the best in France. To begin with, a tremendous amount of earth was excavated from the side of the bank, this took some considerable time as the men used to get in behind the bank where they were not seen and sit down by the hour. After a lot of agitating the first three sections of cupola were put in and finally about a fortnight later, when the banks had several times slipped in, the eight sections were finally put in - the dimensions are 16 feet x 33, there is a partition in the middle of the compartment and we use one room for messing and the other as a general smoking room. The entrance is by a long passage which also connects up with the cookhouse and there is a mine shaft dug in off the passage. The cupola walls are painted black but each end, which is lined with corrugated iron, is painted white. The floor which consists of 9 x 1 1/2 has canvas over it while in the general room there are two carpets. A beautifully padded liver scorcher reclines in front of the fire, made of 9 x 3, there are four fan lights in the roof to let the light in. The whole Mess is to be covered with a concrete roof to be a foot or so above so as to burst anything that might happen this way. There are a most wonderful set of photos already adorning the walls, which add brightness to the place.

Diary Entry - 1st July, 1916

Saturday at the guns. In the afternoon, Siggers and I worked hard on a mine at the entrance of the new Mess and, although we worked for three solid hours, we did not seem to make much of a hole. At twelve thirty pm the Division did a very heavy strafe on some craters to the right of the 15th and a regular whirlwind of shells went over for half an hour and gradually died away. This night fire is usually connected with raids done by the infantry but we very seldom hear with what results.

Diary Entry - 30th June, 1916

Guns all day and went to the OP in the evening. Friday very quiet. Suttie came up in the afternoon and did a little shooting on some wire, but as the whole artillery was stopped in 2nd Division about three pm did not get much done. Suttie was rather annoyed as the message said that they were trying to find someone who was shooting short.

Diary Entry - 29th June, 1916

Siggers returned from leave, arriving when we were in the middle of lunch, looking very fit and pleased with life. At two thirty pm, we three subalterns started out across Lorette Heights for Bully to see if we could collect any furniture we left in our old Mess. The walk - about four miles - took us an hour and on arrival found a General in possession of the place. We tackled a staff captain without success. He said four brigades had been in since we left and the frniture had been handed over to them intact with the house. Coming back as we walked over Lorette a man (sub) talked of putting us under arrest for walking across in front of his OP but, as we were miles back and inconspicuous to the Bosche, I don't know how he could see the line at all. However, he belonged to that wonderful division, the 47th, who have had so many medals thrown at them.

Diary Entry - 28th June, 1916

Wednesday it was raining when I got in for breakfast and it continued steadily until twelve thirty am. After lunch, I rode over to Noeux les Mines, where I caught a bus or lorry and went into Bethune. Siggers was returning from leave and, when I enquired at the station what time the train arrived, found the timetable had been altered and the train did not get in until one thirty am. I thought there was a mistake and so waited until six pm, filling in time with a cup of tea and visiting my old billet at Rue de Poterne. At six pm I went back to the station and enquired of the RTO when the train got in and he confirmed the other report I had received, So there was nothing for it but to leave horses for Siggers in Bethune and send the Mess cart in as well, while I returned to Lorette.

Diary Entry - 27th June, 1916

Tuesday, I stayed with the guns all day. Hoyland made an early start for Bethune with Claudie and purchased a lot of stuff for the Mess. As I write this, No. 4 gun of the 56th Battery (a howitzer) keeps banging off and brings down showers of dirt and filth, as well as nearly deafening you - it is only 15 yards away.

Diary Entry - 26th June, 1916

At Lorette all day. It was very quiet except for a certain amount of activity shown on both sides by trench mortars. Left batallion HQ got two very large rum jars, which must have nearly blotted them out.

Letter Home - 25th June, 1916

Dear Mother,
Many thanks for the photographs. They are splendid - and the books will be nice to have out here, to look up home now and again. We have had it very quiet as far as Boschie's shelling is concerned since we came in here and there is nothing much to write about. We had about five good warm days since I last wrote but there was a heavy thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon and the rain simply rattled down for about twelve or fourteen hours. The soil is clay here and you can imagine what it is like with even one point of rain. The 15th Battery suddenly had Palmer taken away from them and the captain of the 71st Battery made OC. That is the other battery. They gave him a send-off dinner on Thursday night and he went to take over K Battery RHA on Friday morning. I was not at the dinner but think it must have been a merry show as our OC and Kellagher were suffering from the effects in the morning.

Yesterday and today (Sunday) during each afternoon, we boosted off 800 rounds, cutting Bosch wire. It seems rather a waste as we are not going to do anything here.

The last two days and nights there has been heavy firing down south, but I don't know whether it has been the real thing. It looks as if we shall be here another winter - that is, unless something unforeseen happens and Bosche gives in, which is, in my opinion, highly improbable. There can't be many able-bodied men left in Australia now, the number of recruiting meetings they have - I see in today's paper (really two days old) that four conscientious objectors were sentenced to death for refusing to obey orders but that the sentence was remitted to 10 months' hard labour - that ought to knock all objections out of them.

Siggers, one of our subalterns, is on leave at present. I don't know when Bee will get his.

Your affectionate son

Walford,

PS I hope you have had plenty of rain by this.

Diary Entry - 25th June, 1916

There was the same programme in the morning. The front of No. 2 gunpit had to be strengthened as the blast of the gun on the previous day had pushed the front forward, some of the girders supporting the roof had also broken away from their supports. Suttie and Kellagher did the shooting, observing ech day from the 71's OP, as the wire we cut was on the left of our sector. I went up to the OP in the evening and just saw the last of the rounds. There was a lot of shooting the second day. Everyone seemed to be loosing off, especially in the evening. Just as it was getting dusk, I took a signaler out and we looted a water pump on wheels from beside an old observing station, which did not seem to be inhabited by anyone. We eventually hauled it to our trench and then two signallers hauled it down to the battery in the evening. All day long and in fact for the last four days a continual rumble has been coming from the south and today has grown into a roar but could not get any news as to what it was all about. I think it must be our offensive on the Somme.

Diary Entry - 24th June, 1916

The men went on with their pits in the morning, just finishing off and making everything secure. At 5 pm, Hoyland and I were on the control top (the cupola containing telephone, tubes and bells to all the gun pits) and the ball opened soon after that hour. As soon as Suttie had the guns warm and the corrector, there were not many alterations, and we got off the first 400 rounds by four forty-five. We had a half an hour interval to enable the men to have tea, then began on the second 400, finishing off about six forty-five. Bosche was quite tame and hardly put a shell over and never even tried to find us.

Diary Entry - 23rd June, 1916

At the guns, getting gun pits finished off, especially Nos 2 and 3, in case the German should retaliate for our shooting on the Saturday and Sunday to come. The guns were also tested. That is, all their sights were examined by the fitter.

Diary Entry - 22nd June, 1916

In the morning, I went down to the East Anglian dump to get some paint and staples, the latter were obtained all right, but not the paint. It was extremely hot and muggy when I got back and was not surprised in the afternoon when at four thirty we had a very heavy thunderstorm with sheets of rain. Titler of D36 battery was in for tea, he and Suttie going on to the infantry after the storm was over. Suttie was looking very green all morning and was disturbed at ten thirty by the Colonel when he was trying to sleep the night's effects off.

Diary Entry - 21st June, 1916

At Lorrette all day and was relieved by Houland, as Palmer had been called away hurriedly to take over K Battery RHA and the Mess were giving him a farewell dinner. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day and Bosche about midday sent over 15 aeroplanes on a raiding exhibition and it was quite good fun to see them coming back with our old buses following them up with machine guns, but they seemed to all reach home. In the evening, it was so warm that we dined outside on the slope just above the Mess. The 15th had their piano out as were giving the men a concert and when our supplies came up they had a barrel of beer from our canteen, which made them sing lustily far into the night. Suttie and Kellagher went down after dinner and I believe they got home much the worse for wear, about two am

Diary Entry - 19th to 20th June, 1916

Tuesday with the battery all day. A very quiet sunny day. Wednesday I went to Chamblain Abbe to get the pay, then rode on to the wagon line, calling at the engineers on the way down. Paud out at the wagon line after stables, then changed my horses and came back to the battery. Ginger was out of action as had galled his near hind with a rope just above the hoof. In the evening, I went to the OP.

Letter Home - 19th June, 1916

Dear Mother
I got two nice long mails from you all this week, with lots of news. Thank Estelle for the scarf and letter she sent about the boat race. It was jolly hard lines being beaten, but I am glad MGS won and not Wesley. Beyond work going on at our position, there has been little or nothing doing in the way of shells lately. As Mess secretary, I am very interested in a new steel cupola Mess we are building but it is taking ages to put up as there was such an amount of earth to move out of the side of the hill. If one could only use a camera out here, I would be able to show you photographs of the position at different periods, showing you how different it looks from when we first took it over. I was at the OP yesterday and Bee relieved me. We take it turn about with the 15th, as our fronts are next to each othere and there is so little to be seen that there is only one man needed. Bee showed me those cuttings. Mr Allan Currie's was rather far fetched, I thought. Machine gun positions are what we are often called on to knock out by infantry and, although we fire on them and please the infantry, we never claim to knock them out.

Mr Currie may have struck one in construction, but any we have tackled you could fire on all day and would have no effect. It takes a 6-inch or  9.2 howitzer to silence them properly. I don't want to crab his letter but he seemed to make out a gunner leads a dog's life but can assure you that though we get a doing now and again we have a comfortable time compared with the poor infanteers who are bombed, mortared, rifle-grenaded and shelled throughout nearly ever day and night of their lives. Of course, we will have our share when we get on the move. No mum, we are nowhere near Verdun - a long way north - but we originally took over from the French to let them go down and assist their comrades to hold the line.

The Russians are doing good work, but I believe their real offensive only begins today against the Germans and that their other attack was just what they call a holiday attack.

No more now.

Your loving son

Walford.

Diary Entry - 17th and 18th June, 1916

At guns during the day and went to the OP in the evening, relieving Claudie. All was quiet as usual. In the afternoon, Hoyland, after getting correct map reference from the Brigade, set out for the pipes at Chamblain Abbe and this time found them, but there were people joining them up and they would have been awkward things to rip up without being seen. We only wanted a few for the gun position as speaking tubes. In the evening we went to Lorrette and relieved the usual man at 15th. Sunday was a quiet day at Lorette and we never fired a round. It was a summer day, but a wind from the west was very sharp for anyone standing about.

Diary Entry - 14th, 15th and 16th June

A quiet day at the OP. We fired a fair number of rounds as sent over three for Boschie's every pipsqueak. I think Boschie was rather amazed as had been doing what he liked before. On Thursday, Siggers went off in the morning as was to go on leave that evening. It was a quiet day and I spent it at the battery. On Friday, there was nothing doing, but, thank goodness, the rain had stopped and it was finer. At six pm, I started out for Chablain Abbe, to look for some piping which was reported to be lying along the side of the road there. As the place mentioned in the chit was not on my map, I asked the Signals about it and they said that the place I was after was in front of Souchey, so was pretty sure there was a mistake in the map reference and, after searching about, returned home, getting back about eight.

Bertie, diary entries

Wednesday, 14th June, 1916

 Still showery. Oaklet and I went out this morning to have a look at our alternativr position. We walked miles - about 10, I should think - through Boveney Wood, mud up to our ankles.  Our other two guns came in last night. They and the 48th battery section form a unit detached. We heard today our Colonel has been made a Lieutenant General. I'm afraid we shall miss him very much in this brigade. Thorburn  is going with him as adjutant to the 25th division, which are expected to take part in a show very shortly. There are a great rumours of peace being declared, which are growing stronger every day, but somehow cannot believe them.

 Thursday, 15th June, 1916

 Nothing much doing. In fact it has been very quiet. The work on the  gun pits is going on steadily. They have painted the cupolas white inside, which makes a wonderful difference to the light. At last it looks as if it would fine up. I went up to the 48th and had a look around the positions. They have also done wonders.  Their position reminds me of being on the bridge of a ship.  The guns are all dug into the side of the hill. The trench connecting them is on a higher level, with trap doors to each gun it. Then there is one splinter-proof room at one end with a speaking tube and electric bell to each pit, besides having electric light at each gun. Then the Captain's dugout  is a specialty. It is a complete cupola, painted white, with a wooden floor and a trap door in the floor, which you can get into – an absolutely safe dugout.

Friday, 16th June, 1916

The first time we have seen the sun four weeks. There was guns, but still very below normal in the way of noise. We worked on the pits, played cricket and hit a golf ball about.

Letter Home - 13th June, 1916

Dear Family,
I am sorry that this letter has missed the mail, but really, beyond letting you know I am still kicking, there will be no news. The weather has been very unseasonable these last seven days or so. It has rained every day - not much, you know, but just enough to keep this clay soil like pea soup.

Since I last wrote it has been extraordinarily quiet on the front and we have barely fired any rounds at all. Our position is beginning to look as if the 2nd Division were here now and we have planted all the top of the gunpits with gooseberry and currant bushes which we got from the remains of a village near by. The pits are all painted white, with different coloured linings and with bells, electrc light and speaking tubes - we might be in a private house. Besides all this, a steel cupola has been put up for the Captain and one is now being erected for the Mess.

We were also hard at work building two pits, for my section is going into another position with a section of the 15th. We have stopped work on them. A wretched howitzer battery 4.5 inch has planted itself just outside our Mess and, as No. 4 pit is barely 10 yards to a flank and to the rear of the Mess, they nearly shake the place down every time they fire. I was in the old town yesterday collecting Mess material and had a long day of it, as it is about a 14-mile ride from here. The wagon line is a beastly long way from here too - six miles - and, as we can't keep our horses up here, it is rather a long way for them to do four trips instead of two. It is time for the Australian mail to come and I hope it arrives today.

Bee has been up with what is called the suicide brigade, but I saw him yesterday. He spends three days in the trenches with the trench mortars and three days out.

The fleet did well. I think the Ruskies are doing better, if they can keep it up, but it was very sad losing Kitchener of Khartoum.

Ever your loving son

Walford.

Diary Entry - 13th June, 1916

At the guns all day and relieved Claudie in the evening. Nothing exciting happened.

Diary Entry - 12th June, 1916

At ten, I rode to the wagon line and gave a few messages to BSM, then set out for Bethune at twelve pm. The ground was very heavy as it was still raining and it took me two hours and thirty minutes to reach town. On landing there, I went straight to the barber's and had a clip and met several 33rd division men there - Wadman. The shopping kept me at it until three forty five and I had to get several interpreters to help me through. After tea at a nice shop near the Hotel de France, I walked towards Noeux les Mines as had sent my horses on there. It was not long befor a lorry/bus hove in sight and I found a RAMC man up beside the driver but managed to squeeze in beside him. The lorry stopped half way so we walked it as no other lorries or ambulances came our way. Found the horses waiting for me and rode on through Hersin and Bouvigny. On going along a disused road on Lorette, I noticed two dead Frenchmen, evidently left there since the great battle. They seem to be fairly casual about burying their dead.

Diary Entry - 11th June, 1916

I went to the wagon line and paid out Siggers, having collected the money the day before. There was one of two subs horses very bad with colic. He had got at a bag of oats during the night and was found very bad at four. He was a good as dead when I saw him and they had done all possible for him, but the poor wretch was suffering terrible agony. All the other horses seemed to have fallen away a little on account of the cold wet weather, it having rained for four days.

Diary Entry - 10th June, 1916

Having gone up to the OP the previous night, I remained up there until seven fifteen. Sergeant Hedge came up with the signallers in the morning and was shown all the front. He did the observing all day but, as there were numerous thunder showers with occasional lightning and thunder, there was not much to be seen. Hoyland had returned from leave on Friday night, reaching the battery at eleven thirty. Siggers was also away all Friday in Bethune getting material for the gun pits.

Diary Entry - 8th June 1916

At nine, I set out for my horses, which were to be waiting for me in the wood near the brigade at nine fifteen. There was no sign of them when I got there at nine thirty am and, on searching the surroundings, I could not find them. On calling up on Murdoch, he gave me a chit to th Brigade Sergeant Major - commonly known as the 'pork butcher'. He was very obliging and gave me his own horse, which, he informed me, was a good mount. It was then ten fifteen and I had to be at the wagon line some six miles away by ten thirty, as the DVS was to be there to see the horses. Luckily I picked up my horse before going far and got down there in under the half hour, finding that the old boy had not arrived. He rolled up in his car at eleven and, after having all the horses filed past, evacuated nine for suspected skin disease, five of which were perfectly all right. Beyond promulgating a court martial, there was nothing else to do down there, so I returned, getting back by twelve pm.

Diary Entry - 7th June

I was at the guns all day - nothing doing.

Diary Entry - 5th to 6th June, 1916

At the guns throughout the day and, as Siggers was liaison officer to the infantry, I had to go to the OP again. I relieved Bee from the 15th and saw a nice new hole (10-cm gun) about ten yards short, which Bee told me nearly blinded him soon after I left on the previous night. All was quiet throughout the day, but Bosche seemed to be moving a lot of stuff per rail. His rail head seemed to be Bois St Bernard, right across the big plain. On coming back, I was pleased to see Kellagher, with a Military Cross - it had just been awarded him.

Letter Home - 4th June 1916

Dear Mother,
It was nice to get your letters this week, giving us all the news, and I am glad that there has been some rain. We are rather cut off from the world in this position as never get a paper. Bosche has his trenches nicely placed on the top of a high crest and he looks down on all our country from a very high knoll called 'The Pimple', which commands a splendid view of our valley. This, of course, makes movement difficult and all supplies have to come at night. Great excitement! News of the North Sea battle has just been telephoned through to us at the OP. Personally, I think when the Bosche fleet comes out it is the beginning of the end - anyway, I hope it is. There seem to have been big losses on both sides, but, although it is called a draw, I think we had the best of it as we only lost one modern boat and no dreadnoughts but Boche lost two of the latter.

Well, so much for that. I don't suppose we shall get another chance like that for some time. We have had a small shoot since last I wrote. On Thursday at four the bombardment started and evey gun in our sector started to loose off. We kept it up until  one am, firing about 120 rounds an hour in bursts of fire about every four minutes. Bosche seemed to be ready for us and put over just as heavy fire and for some reason or other our infantry did not go over the parapet and the whole show gradually fizzled out to peace and quietness again. I am up at the OB now and, although it must have been tons of explosives that were hurled at the hill, its appearance does not seem to be altered in the slightest. Well, Ma, this is the only news I have this week. Many thanks for the stockings. I shall write a joint letter of thanks.

Ever your loving son

Walford

PS I forgot to add, Mum, that there are two younger subalterns in the battery who are my seniors, so they ought to have more responsibilities than I have. It has turned beastly cold and wet today - heavy thunder showers pouring down every few hours

Diary Entry - 2nd to 4th June, 1916

On Friday, I was on duty at the guns and spent a quiet day. On Saturday, Siggers and I went to Gauchin-Legal to see the old skins. We were down there until two and lunched at a small estaminet on fried eggs. The only excitement there was that one man had helped himself to about 27 litres of wine out of a barrel where he kept his harness and we had to settle it up. The engineers had put up some new troughs with a small engine to fill two 400-gallon tanks as a supply. The whole thing has been put in very neatly. That night, on returning, I went to the OP and remained there all Sunday, being relieved by Bee in the evening. The Bosche twice put over some six 10-cm shells but they were on the crest below us some 30 yards. Some infantry men surprised me in the afternoon by walking straight up the hill in front of the OP. They were new people and had lost their way.

Diary Entry - 1st June, 1916

The morning was very quiet. It was a beautiful day and quite warm as French summer days go. At two thirty, the Captain told us there was to be a strafe on the German front line which was to begin at four five pm and the order was that we were to fire 120 rounds per hour. Everyone started at zero time and we all carried on until about one am. We fired bursts of gun fire about every four minutes. A few pip squeaks came over into our valley during the first hour but nowhere near the battery and they had enough to do with their own trenches. The whole show was a wash out and the infantry never left the trenches. All they seemed to do was grouse at their own guns for dropping short on our front. But, as our Captain observed all the shooting and also Captain Palmer (that of the 15th), it was absoulute rot. They declare there was German 77-mm battery enfilading our front line from Lievin or in that direction. I got to bed at one thirty am and most of the guns had stopped by then.