Diary Entry - 30th November, 1916

Bee: Hard frost last night and kept on freezing all day. Up at the guns. After having orders and cancelling them once or twice, we finally heard that we are to start on our way to rest tomorrow. Let's trust it is true. Our rest officially starts tomorrow, whether we go, or whether we don't.

Diary Entry - 29th November, 1916

Bee: Was relieved on time by Kershaw and got back to Mailley Maillet quite early. Hard frost last night and very cold this morming. The Hun paid a lot of attention to Mailley today. He was shelling it just before I got down and also had straffs later in the day - and put some unhealthily close to our Mess. Two direct hits in the next door house to us. The street was full of infantry and GS wagons, but he did no damage. I spent most of my day tidying up papers and writing. It was horribly foggy all day. It gets dark now at four p.m. Walrond was very excited as he and Thorlburn go on leave tonight. They expected to go by car with Carrington, the Brigade Major, but the Corps are so tired that they have gone out to rest and left our RA staff in sole charge, which stops Carrington from going on leave. The Mess is very small in numbers. Bromley and I were the only two for dinner. Had a letter from Mim. Rumour says we are to now be kept in here until after Christmas, which is rather hard.

Diary Entry - 28th November, 1916

Bee: Another very cold night, hard frost. I must get an eiderdown, I think. Came up to the guns with Bromley, a very thick fog. He went to the OP but came back soon after lunch as could not even see our support line. We are not responsible for any front these days, the 37th Division are holding and we merely fire in barrages. But, out of six guns, only have two in action. We put up a barrage this morning, on Munich Trench, merely a fake, what they call drilling the Hun, making him go to his dug outs. Then, when the time does come, we hope he will do the same thing. Has been a very quiet day on the whole. This evening about five p.m., the Hun has a small organised show on our trenches, but he got just as much back. Wilman went to hospital today.

Diary Entry - 27th November, 1916

Bee: It was a quite decent day, hard frost last night. I spent most of my time tidying up the stationery box and sorting papers. Also discarded a few things out of my kit. After lunch, I rode over to Acheux and visited the Field Cashier and drew money for all officers in the battery. The roads were in a frightful mess. They are just a sea of mud and full of holes. The main street in Acheux was being completely redone. There were 1,000 men and five steamrollers working on half a mile of road. I went across country and round about the ammunition dumps the mud was simply frightful. I came back in time for tea as it was starting to rain. Wilman does not look very well this evening. It is touch and go whether he goes to hospital or not. If he does go he will probably never get back to the division as we are out of area at present. Orders came tonight that all previous orders re going out to rest are cancelled.

Letter Home (Bee) - 26th November, 1916

15th Battery, RFA

Dear Mother and Father,

Well, I am back with my Battery again, after a rather rotten trip but not nearly as bad as going over. MIldred made me up a parcel of food, which came in very handy. The leave is going better now than when I went over. They have made more preparation and are making it more of a business and are giving ten days instead of eight, which is rather unlucky from my point of view. I must say I enjoyed my leave very much and mapped my doings out according to my time. I spent the best part of one day at the Base, at the Officers' Club, and met Ronald Cumming, who had just come out. In fact, the division he is with had not arrived. He is on the staff and had only come over to make preparations. I also met Jack Russell who looks very well but has had a bad time. He has had an abscess in his mouth. The poor boy had been sitting there four days, waiting for his boat to sail.

What great rains you have had. The spring must have been wonderful. We are still having a lot of rain and, in recent shows, men have been taken prisoners through merely getting bogged in the mud. It reminds me very much of a fly-paper. You get bogged at night and the Hun comes out and bags you. Of course, we get prisoners the same way.

I missed the last show. It took place while I was on leave. There is no doubt it gave the Hun a great surprise and caught him unawares. Our people got no end of loot out of his dugouts. He was evidently convinced that nobody could possibly move during such weather. We find the Hun telephones wonderful things and are proud to say we are the possessors of one or two taken at Beaumont Hamel. We have great hopes of going out to rest shortly, which I hope happens. A rest and leave for the men will work wonders.

Walford got away for his 3rd leave the night before last. I heard from Jack last night. He, poor soul, has been sent to another school. He must be getting sick of schools as he has been to so many. He also tells me he has no chance of getting leave for six months. There is a new order out that no-one can go on leave until they have been in the country for six months.

We have been very unlucky in our mails lately. Have only had one in the last month but, when they do come, they ought to come in large numbers.

Very best love from your loving son

Bertie.

Diary Entry - 26th November, 1916

Bee: It rained very hard all last night and everybody was flooded but Walrond came up fairly early and I got away after lunch. Bromley and Kershaw went to the front line to witness a practice of a barrage as the infantry said we had been shooting short, which proved incorrect. They said everybody was walking about on top as the trenches were up to your waist in water. In places there were only about 100 yards between our fellows and the Huns.

Diary Entry - 25th November, 1916

Bee: I went up to the guns this morning. It rained hard most of the day. Had a very quiet time on the whole. Major Suttie was up there most of  the day, but went down in the evening. The Mess was rather uncomfortable as it leaked in a good many places. The gun pits were about two feet in water and most of the dugouts were full of water. We had a great rag with the Brigade as they always ring up the batteries when they have a dinner. So we had an organised straff on our own. Each battery rang up in turn and asked them some absurd question. The fellow asked if they would take the batteries' time and said the enemy were shelling our trucks heavily with varey lights.

Diary Entry - 24th November, 1916

Walford ends his first war diary on 23rd November and does not start a new one until 10th December.

Bee: I was not relieved until seven thirty p.m.owing to some mistake on the Brigade's part, which was rather rotten as it was so cold and had had no breakfast. Came down to the Maillet Mess and went and had tea with the 48th. Walford goes on leave tonight.

Story Behind Bee's Diary Entry

The story of the 100 men Bee refers to in today's diary entry can be found here. Many thanks to dne1 for the link. It contains a fascinating tale.

Diary Entry - 23rd November, 1916

Walford: Siggers and I walked up to the guns together, he going up to remain the day and myself to see Br Beach about a Bosch telephone, for which I paid him 80 francs. It was a good sunny day, and I wandered back to the Mess for lunch.

Bee: Went to the OP this morning. It is rumoured that we are going out to rest for six weeks at Abbeville, which sounds all right. There was quite good light today, for this time of year. We had quite a lot of fun sniping, but the climax came when I hit a man. I felt very sorry but, of course, the same would have been done to me if I had been going overland. I hardly knew the country, it had changed so much from the shelling. There was a very hearty barrage put up by our people this evening. They were trying to relieve 100 men who are isolated and have been fighting for their existence for three days. Two of their party came in the night before and explained the situation.

Diary Entry - 22nd November, 1916

Walford: Siggers and I walked to the wagon line, it being a beautiful morning, after the sun had broken through the fog. We had gone down as the Colonel was having a walk round the wagon lines to look at the horses. He arrived soon after we got there and walked round the horses and seemed fairly satisfied, although he did not like the kind of lumps rising on them, which take a lot of work to get off. Suttie joined us soon after he had gone and told us they were trying to get him off to England to be an instructor at Brigadier Kerwin's school, but I am glad to say he refused to go. We walked back to Maillet together across the fields. In the afternoon, Suttie went to the guns and we stayed at the Mess. Murdoch came round in the afternoon, to arrange about going on leave together. We have to fight our way to Havre. He stopped to tea. It is exactly a year since I joined the battery and, looking back on it, it seems at least three or four years since Bee and I arrived in France.

Bee: A very foggy morning. I came up to the guns and relieved Kershaw. Everything is much the same but still plenty of mud about. One of my Corporals has been badly wounded. Corporal Cundall has gone Sergeant.

Diary Entry - 21st November, 1916

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

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

Diary Entry - 20th November, 1916

Walford: Monday, as Siggers and Hoyland had to go and see Carrington and report to him about things up in frontline while they were F O Os, the former did not reach the guns till midday. So I lunched at the position and came on down to the Mess about two. Suttie who, by the way, has been promoted to Major, was presiding at a court martial. It was a cold, windy day and I found Cruikshank and Hoyland in the Mess having their everyday sparring match.

 Bee: In the train all day. Finally got out at Acheux.

Letter Home (Bee) - 19th November, 1916

British Officers' Club

APO No. 1

BEF

Dear Mother and Father

Leave has now come to an end, and I am on my way back to the battery after having had a very good time.

The weather was very cold, and it snowed yesterday. I saw a lot of Australians at the Carlisle Club. It is a regular meeting place. I saw Alan Bell and Adrian Ritchie. They are looking splendid and I expect will be going out again shortly. Bill Hunter is in hospital. He had a small operation but looks well. I spent a little time every day with the dentist and was fixed up by a man called Morris in Park Street, a New Zealander whose patients seemed to be mostly Australians. I needed a lot of things and thought I would get them all under the same roof and save time, so I went to Harrods. It took me three hours. I told one man it was harder to find your way about than in the trenches. His reply was, “I hope we treat you better than they do there”. My goodness, they are slow. I had lunch with Mr Brett one day in the city – he, poor man, has just had his house robbed. The burglars took everything that was silver and most things had been given him before he left Australia. I saw Claudia Brown, whoever she might be now I don't know, and she told me about Reggie who as usual has fallen on his feet again and has a staff job in Salonika I think. Alec Mackintosh has at last got over on leave, after 18 months. He looks well but did not have much time as Ella had a few days off and I hear the fat is in the fire as they are not allowed to get married. Poor Mim Knox, I saw her the day Bill had departed for the front, and she was rather sad. Had lunch with Barbara, who came up from the Streeters. She looks splendid. She was quite excited when I told her where Jack was. I did not see John Streeter but hear he is a great boy. Oh, I have had my photo taken and have asked Mim to fix them up for me. I saw a lot of her and she's working hard in a canteen. I went down and saw it – a splendid place, most wonderfully comfortable, and the colonial troops are awfully lucky to have such a place.

Well mum and dad I intended to send you something but could not think of anything that might be of use, but nevertheless I thought of you. I sent Aplin a pipe, Mr Gray some cigars, addressed to dad, which I hope he will clear through the Customs.

Love and a Merry Christmas to you all,

Bee.

Diary Entry - 19th November, 1916

Walford: Sunday. Relieved Cruikshank at the guns, receiving a lift up to the Sucrerie in an ambulance. We fired on a brigade barrage line during the day. Otherwise everything was quiet. Major Carrington looked us up towards evening and told us all sorts of rumours about going out to rest. From about six thirty p.m. at three intervals of a half hour Bosch searched the tra way on the left of the Mess with his 5.9-inch gun, simply showering our dugout with mud and, although he had several within 10 yards of us, he did not drive us into the cellar. Later on, towards evening, he put about 12 over in front of the battery, three of them being only a few yards short, beautiful big holes they make too, almost as big as an 8-inch.

Bee: We went alongside the pier about eight a.m. and fought our way to the R T O's office where I found our train did not sail until ten p.m. So I then set off for the Officers' Club, which is a long walk from the wharf but a very homely comfortable little place. Had breakfast and a clean up and hung about inside all day. The place was crowded with officers as no leave boat had gone out for five days. I met Ronald Cumming, who had just come over with the staff of the Australian 3rd division. He looks very flourishing. I also saw Jack Russell who has been waiting five days to get across. We had a good dinner and got down to the railway station in good time, to find the RTO did not want to see us until eleven thirty p.m. It was frightfully cold hanging about there and we finally stayed there until two a.m. And some others were then taken back to the middle of the town by motor lorry as our train was starting from there. We got back there, to find there were only a few third class carriages and the rest trucks. I and another man managed to find a third carriage, with some cushions which we shook the worst of the dust off and made fairly respectable. I had a blanket with me, which I found very useful, as it was so cold. We paddled along at about 12 miles an hour, stopping for hours at a time in some places. Finally finished up at Acheux at eleven a.m. I was very glad of Mildred's parcel of food, which she supplied me with before starting, but I could not get a drink for love or money, which was rather depressing.

Diary Entry - 18th November, 1916

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

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

Diary Entry - 17th November, 1916

Walford: Friday. It is a cold frosty morning and I start out for the O.P. with Siggers and Suttie who were both going to the guns. There was a bitter east wind blowing straight in the loop hole and observing was one of the worst games to be at. However, about lunch time, a few Bosche strolled about in the open and I sniped at them with HE, the result proving successful as there were no more seen after we gad fired 30 rounds. At night the signallers and I got a good fire going in the dug out and managed to keep ourselves from freezing. There was a little snow during the night, beginning at about midnight.

Diary Entry - 16th November, 1916

Walford: A glorious sunny morning as a result of the frosty night, so Siggers and I walked to the wagon line. When we crossed the railway at Beausart we found a Nieuport Scout in the field. It had evidently had to land through engine trouble and crashed on the rough ground through landing. It was a neat little thing, just like a miniature plane, with a very powerful engine in it and only room for one. We lunched with the 34th Brigade WL officers, then rode back on my horses across country' we stretched the horses' legs a little. The Bosche lost an aeroplane over Couin, he being brought down by ten of our,s who surrounded him. In the evening our spirits were well in the air owing to the fact that leave had opened and Bailey had his name sent in.

Diary Entry - 15th November, 1916

Walford: Wednesday, Hoyland relieved me about ten and was very envious when I got down to the Mess and saw all Siggers' loot - 4 good Bosch telephones, complete, 1 Minnen Werfer dial sight, 1 Mauser pistol, about .33 calibre. Siggers related his experiences which were all very thrilling and as for Gr. Beach, a signaller, who had a bullet glance off his eyelid and go through his tin helmet, it seems miracles will never cease to happen. Bosche pitched his nasty 6-inch gun shells about the town during the day and one fell about 15 yards in front of the brigade, which rather put the wind up them. Siggers had an exciting time coming back as some Bosche had come up out of their dug outs, which had been missed in the advance, and held part of their old front line and were sniping our people who had gone forward. He naturally had to make a detour to get back home.

Diary Entry - 14th November, 1916

Walford: There was another attack, just to clear up the line, at six a.m., but how it came off I never heard. Bosche took a dislike to the O.P for about 20 minutes and put a few 4.2 hows very close. Captain Bromley was with me at the time and we took refuge in the dug out. About ten, the battery told me I could come in, so I went straight down to the battery and found that Cruikshank had gone, so I had to stay at the guns. We fired a lot of different barrages and continued through the night. Bromley, Walrond, Suttie and self had quite an amusing evening, all crowded round the fire. I was pulled out by the orderly sergeant before midnight to tell the No. 2 gun what I had already told them once, and my blood was a little bit heated. A Bosche aeroplane flew very low over the position about midday - you could see the pilots quite plainly, and a lot of people in other positions were loosing off rifles at it, but it looked about for nearly half an hour.

Diary Entry - 13th November, 1916

Walford:  Monday, at six fifteen a.m. we attacked in a dense mist. It was rather a pity that the tanks were recalled, but they could not possibly have got through no-man's land as believe it was as much as the infantry could do to get across it, it was so boggy. Cruikshank and I were at the Mess, Siggers had gone over the top as liaison officer fith Flinn of the 50th, Hoyland and Suttie and Bailey were at the guns, the captain being in the trenches trying to observe. At ten, prisoners came rolling in, all looking very pleased with themselves, some smoking cigars and looking quite at home. About 1,500 to 2,000 must have come through during the day. Of course, there was very little information but things seemed to be going fairly successfully, except for the 3rd Division on our left who had failed to get into the Bosche frontline, owing, they said, to the mud. At midday we were shelled by 4.2 experimental shells and, as they were aiming at the crossroads near our Mess, we retreated to the Brigade chateau cellar and were nicely bracked but they eventually swept back to the crossroads again. Late in the afternoon, I was told that I had to be at the OP not later than six p.m. so went up to find Cannover of the brigade awaiting me. I had three signallers there, one to look out for SOS rockets, and we were to be there till morning.

Flinn wounded seriously and it is thought that he will not recover.

Major Goschen took over the brigade from Major Bridges, who went to the 33rd Division.

Bee: Spent the morning at Harrods. Bought most things I wanted there. Had my photograph taken and then went to lunch with Coo and had a great old talk. Afternoon tea with Aunt Lill and then to the dentist. Expected to go to the theatre with Gilliard but he evidently had to go away for the day so went on my own to Theadore and [illegible], a splendid thing. I fairly cried with laughter. Frank Finney is wonderful and I liked Madge Saunders. There was a frightful fog and it took a lot of finding your way about as very few taxis were running. People were walking in front of taxis with hand lamps and then they kept bumping into the curbstone. I met Moorman coming out of the show and we came back together.

Diary Entry - 12th November, 1916

Walford: Y day. I relived Cruikshank at the guns and on going up saw tank tracks all over the place and three tanks behind the Sucrerie, eight in front of the battery behind a hedge. Suttie and Bailey went up and registered the battery for the barrages of the attack and we shot well into the afternoon. Hoyland relieved me at five and on going back I heard the tanks were all retiring home as the ground was too heavy for them. I saw one down near Maillet just moving off. It had two 6-pounder guns, one each side, and was lit by electricity, even having headlights.

Bertie: Spent the day with Mim, Aunt Lil and Coo.  Mrs Norman Armytage heard I was over and so got me to go to dinner in the evening and answer all questions. I was fairly stormed, Mrs and Edna talking at the top of their voices. There was a colonel there who seemed very amused I excused myself directly after the meal.

Letter Home (Bee) - 12 November, 1916

Batts Hotel,
Dover Street,
London

Dear Mother and Father,

Well, I am on leave, which is the chief thing, and I am very lucky to have it as it has been stopped for some time. Only specials given. My O.C. and Brigade have been trying to get me leave for months, but the heads would not give it. I think they must have got tired of having my name sent in every few days and let me go for their own peace. I am in great form and very fit. The weather has taken up a bit too, which is good.

Had an Australian mail yesterday. From all accounts the rain must have done a lot of damage, but the after effects will be good. I last wrote two days before I left France. We have been waiting for fine weather the last five or six weeks to pull off the biggest show yet known, but the weather has been so bad they have been putting it off from day to day, which was rather trying as you never knew when the heads would start. There was great excitement just before I left. The show was off. One battery will go out for a week's rest, per brigade. We won the toss in our brigade and duly got under way, all feeling very happy. Of course, we knew we could not get away from the mud, but the noise and duty would not worry us. We got nearly to our appointed rest camp (merely an open field) about 10 miles from the battery position when a motor-bike orderly caught us and gave us a chit saying, 'You will be in action tonight about six p.m. Poor men, when they heard the news their faces did drop. It was very hard luck as it meant no rations, wet clothes and we would not get the guns in till late. But there it was. By this same orderly my leave warrant arrived. I was never so surprised in all my life. The O.C. made me buzz off right away, in case they tried to stop me, which was rather decent.

I had a rotten trip over, but you can put up with a lot with leave in front of you. It took three days travelling. Of course, you have to take your chance with trains as therer is no special leave train. Meals were the hardest things to get. All my meals consisted of omelettes comprised of six eggs, but I will know better going back and take a supply of food with me. These old goods trains go a bit faster than you can run and are continually held up. The channel did for me. It was rather rough and the boat we came on was rather small. No sleeping accommodation. We came by Havre and Southampton. We used our life-belts as mattresses, which took a little of the hardness out of the deck. We were put onboard at six p.m., expecting to sail at any minute, but did not get away until six a.m. next morning. I was very so-so next morning, a rough sea and an empty stomach did not help very much and I lay on the deck not caring much whether submarines or mines hit us. I made up for lost meals on arrival here. I have seen Mim, Aunt Lu and Coo and I am going to them for the day, then on to Mrs Norman Armytage to tell her how Charlie is. Mim is looking better than when I last saw her but seems to be working hard. There is great excitement about Walford and his Military Cross out here.

I saw Mrs Philip Russell and she told me she is going out to Australia so she will be able to tell you how we are.

I am going to try to give you a scheme so as to be able to tell you in which part of the line we are, without getting into trouble from the censor, We are now in what is known as the Serrie front. In my letter, I will put a capital on the first page and a dot over letters in other words which make it up. For example, if I write, 'S, Tell Estelle I got a letter from her this week and was very pleased' and put a dot over E, r, r, i and e, you will be able to read, 'Serrie'. I hope you will be able to follow the scheme. It will always be the name of some town or village.

I shall stop now and try to write again.

With love from your loving son

Bertie

Diary Entry - 11th November, 1916

Walford: I forgot to mention that yesterday was W day, the day before XY and Z, the two days of bombarment and eventual Z, the day of attack. So, Saturday, X day, a thick misty morning, looking as if it had not made up its mind whether to rain or not. Hoyland and I took it easy and in the evening I had a bath at baths for infantry, just over the road from our Mess.

Bee: Started out early, tried all sorts of ways to find oalnley [?] but failed but in the afternoon Gilliard traced him through the hospital to his house. Went to the dentist. In the afternoon, went to Hampstead and saw Bill Hunter who is in hospital. He was [illegible] at St John's Wood and has had rather a nasty time. In the evening, Mim, Nan, Gyp and I went to Drury Lane. It was a wonderfully staged show but absolute rot. And, to cap things, we could not get a taxi after the show.

Diary Entry - 10th November, 1916

Walford: Friday, I went to the WL with Bailey who was on his way to Doullens. We took a cut across the fields and had quite a good gallop in the warm sun, which had dried the surface up wonderfully in two days. The horses were not at their best after the work and bad weather they have been through and one horse in my section had pneumonia so the vet destroyed it as it was suffering so. After lunching with the 34th Brigade officers, I returned about four, having taken a circuit towards Acheux, with Murdoch. When I got back, I found that someone had to go up with the ammunition on the train and, as Siggers had gone out for some exercise, I strolled over to Collincam's siding to report to the station master, who I found in a dug out. The train was before time, and the engine unhooked as soon as she arrived and the petrol engine, which was in the middle of the train, started up. I climbed up inside the armoured cab and away we went, making what seemed to me inside a deuce of a row. After leaving the points from the siding, there is a small grade downhill and we fairly accelerated down there. I was beginning to wonder whether anyone had inspected the line to see if any shells had fallen on it. As soon as we stopped, I got out as imagined that by this time all the Bosche guns were concentrated on us. It was a lovely moon light night and very pleasant to be out in. We got all ammunition unloaded without a mishap.

Bee: Went out early, rushing round to Moss's and then to the Carlyle. Met Sam and Gilliard and yarned away. Found Uncle and Ritchie were doing light duty out of town. Ritchie came up in the evening and looks much better than I expected him to be. Heard Unc was taking a draught to Havre tomorrow. Went to the dentist and saw Mrs Philip Russell. Alec and Joan were out. The Russell family are going out to Australia. In the evening we went to the Hippodrome - With Flying Colours!' - and had a good laugh. Little Titch was most amusing and there was one of Bayn's father's sketches, which was very amusing. The characters were true to life.

Diary Entry - 9th November, 1916

Walford: Thursday, I came down from the guns with Hoyland who had been up at the OP as liaison officer. It was a beautiful summer day and Siggers came up to the guns. In the afternoon I found my revolver was rather rusty so had a few rounds at bottles against the garden wall of the chateau with some success but did not get the pit mark out of the barrel.

Diary Entry - 8th November, 1916

Walford: Wednesday. Went to the guns relieved Cruikshank. As I passed behind the Sucrerie they were dropping 8-inch into it. The weather was showery with a cold wind blowing. Most of the morning I spent bailing out the Mess, lacking corrugated iron on the roof to catch the water. As a result of the deluge, the deep trench we had dug at the back of the guns had fallen in.

Diary Entry - 7th November, 1916

Walford: Tuesday. Went to the RE dump at Beausart and also saw the Staff Captain of the 99th Brigade about baths for our men. It rained continually through the day, increasing to a deluge towards the evening and going on all through the night.

Bee: I borrowed Armytage's horse, as mine was knocked out, and started off at seven p.m., after having had a meal. It was a glorious night, bright moonlight. On my way, I met a fellow called Cane, Australian who was at Ipswich and is in the 11th Division, Tank Mortar, attached to us. Got to Louvincourt about nine p.m and found the railway station after a great hunt and found that it was only a narrow guage line train, not sailing until five forty-five a.m. After inquiries, we found an RE shanty who sheltered us for the night. Thank goodness I brought a blanket. We managed to get a little sleep and got out of the wind. We were the only two there up until eleven p.m., but men kept coming in all night and, by the time the train started, there were 20 there. The train duly arrived and it was horribly cold, not a seat to be had, so stood on the footboard for an hour and a half. Stopped at some place and got into another bigger guage. Went in this to some other place, arriving at eleven thirty a.m. Pushed out of this and were told would not go on until one thirty. Found an estaminet and had an omelette and coffee and then came back to the station and were pushed in trucks on a goods train and arrived at Abbefield at five p.m. It has rained hard all day. Here the RTO said that we could not get another train until eight p.m. Went up the town - quite a decent sized place. Had an omelette and coffee and shave, then got back to the RTO, who was not quite certain what time the train would start. He stopped us going by Boulogne. The train started at nine thirty p.m. We had a carriage to ourselves and got some sleep. Went along at a crawl and arrived at Le Havre at five p.m. without getting a thing to eat, which made us feel rather miserable. On reporting at Havre were told the boat would leave at six p.m. and were put into a motor lorry and were taken to the wharf. Here we found a lot more officers and men. The RTO did not condescend to see our passes until six p.m. but kept us standing in the wind and rain. After an awful pushing and shoving, we finally got onboard, where we learnt that the boat would not sail until six a.m. There were no bunks or food; you camped wherever you could find a space on the deck. Very hard. We did manage to scramble a little food - cold ham and dishwater. It was blowing a hurricane. She started to move at daylight and fairly bumped about. No breakfast, which, of course, did me in. People were sick all over the place, and I was as close as I could get to being sick, curled up on a very small position of the deck. I did not care what happened, shivering with the cold. We arrived at Southampton at four p.m. after loitering about and got to London at six p.m after a very miserable trip and losing a day of our leave. Went and got into mufti straight away, as was filthy and had not shaved for two days and only had GS boots on. Had dinner at Batts and then went and saw Mim.

Diary Entry - 6th November, 1916

Walford: Monday, Hoyland relieved me at ten a.m. and Cruikshank and I came down to Maillet, to the Mess. I did not get much sleep as Kershaw was to unload 1,600 rounds from the train and only had 12 men to do the job with - consequently he was up till day break. The 15th were all off for Thievre for a week's rest and left 5 men at the position to look after things and we were to ration them. It had rained most of Sunday night but was quite a good day now.

All the men except four left the guns last night and took two guns with them, for the purpose of training layers. It was a brute of a night. Of course, we got our full allotment of ammunition - four hundred boxes and we only had 12 men to shift them. They had a very thin time as it took from eight p.m. until five a.m. to do the job.  We were all packed up by eight a.m. and moved off to wagon line by eight thirty. Picked them up at eleven thirty and got underway for [illegible]. Took everything from the wagon line in the way of shelters, as there is nothing at our new place. Walrond and Claudet and Bailey rode on to the new lines and I brought the battery along. We were well over halfway there when they came back and told us that all was cancelled and we had to be in action tonight. It was very disheartening, as all the rations had gone on, which meant that the men would not get a meal until late tonight. As we got the news and were discussing the situation on the side of the road, my leave warrant came so I did not mind so much and went back with Walrond to RA to find out the cause of the quick return. All we found out was that the army had made up their mind to push on 9th, unless an exceptional amount of rain fell. But I would still go on leave. Had lunch at RA and then went back to Maillet. My warrant said Boulougne, and I wanted to know what chances I had, as it is supposed to be closed, but I got very little information. The train leaves from Louvrincourt.

Diary Entry - 5th November, 1916

Walford: I relieved Siggers at the guns, a very heavy wind blew all day. Bailley came up and cut wire for two hours before lunch. We only fired about 270 rounds with the only two guns that remained, the others being all away at the IOM. Cruikshank came up in the evening on his way to D36 to do Liaison Officer.

Bee: Had a peaceful night last night. It rained very heavily and has been blowing hard all day. Heard this afternoon that we - 15th Battery - are going out to rest for a week, which is rather exciting but sounds too good to be true.

Letter Home (Bee) - 4th November, 1916

Dear Mother and Father

We have not had a mail for over a week now and think that there must have been something doing in the Channel. Leaves are all at a standstill. My Brigade put in for special leave for me but had no luck. It got as far as the GOC of the army, and he returned it with a polite note at the bottom. It is the men I feel sorry for as they really do want leave now.

The weather is shocking. Tommy only has one set of clothing and boots and is out in the wet all day and night. I feel awfully sorry for them, but it can't be helped, the work has to be done and there's an end of it. But we, of course, can generally get a change somehow.

We have been expecting to take part in a show here for the last few weeks and fancy the weather has put it off. It takes you all your time to walk in an ordinary way so there's not much chance of an infantry attack. When I was in the observing station last doing duty I saw a good example of what it must be like on the Hun's side. It was just after daylight and they were walking over the top very nearly to the front line, taking for granted that all the British gunners were still asleep, which is generally the case, taking them on the whole. The trenches must be very bad when a man does this, as a machine gun is a very nasty thing to run up against. These fellows had sticks to help them along and even then they made very slow progress. I had some rather good fun, from my point of view and most of them when shot at dropped their load and got back into the trench very hurriedly. He has made things very nasty for us at the Battery position this week, hit our Mess twice and knocked in two gunpits. We had one poor fellow killed. The wall of the pit was knocked in two days ago but no-one was hurt, then he had the bad luck to be hit just over the heart by the splinter, like the finder of a nail from a shell that burst 30 yards away, which killed him. We also lost a very good chap, a signaller, two days ago. It always seems to be the best men who are killed, but a signaller is always more or less under shell fire and runs far more risks than the ordinary gunner. I had a letter from Jack the other day. He tells me he is OC of a section in the DAC. We are in hopes of being taken out and sent down somewhere about where he is. Our gunners are about worn out and due to have a spell on the line where it is quiet.

Same old cry, no news. With very best love to you all.

From your loving son,

Bertie.

Diary Entry - 4th November, 1916

Walford: Saturday I again drew RE material on the way to Achieux for pay. This time I found quite a queue waiting and it was some time before I got inside. Reached the wagon line - what is left of it, as 110 horses have moved to Thievres owing to shortage of water - about twelve and paid out about twelve thirty p.m.A good sprint across country brought me back to the Mess about one forty-five. In the evening Hoyland and I dined with Kellagher where we had a good dinner and felt as if we had had a tonic when leaving as K is always so wonderfully cheerful. It was raining before we left.

Bee: We have not had any mail this week - the subs must have been very busy in the Channel. Kept fairly fine today but did not dry up much. They got another direct hit on our Mess at the guns but did not do much damage except chuck the sand bags about. Up at the guns today. We fired 1,000 rounds on front line wire and had to pull the gun out of the pits. There was Hun plane flying very low in front, which made a great nuisance of itself. The anti-aircraft were evidently having a game of football as they only fired 10 rounds at it. The Heavies had half an hour's bombardment this afternoon, and the 18-pounds chimed in during the last five minutes and the old Bosch fairly shooting SOS rockets.

Diary Entry - 3rd November, 1916

Walford: Friday. In the afternoon I went to the Field Cashier to draw pay but when I got there found he was closed owing to the heavy demand for money and had to go away to collect more from the bank. In the morning I drew some RE material from Beausart.

Bee: A little finer today. Suttie and Bailey from the 48th were round to dinner last night. This afternoon Claudet and I went out to look for Palmer and eventually found his battery, after an hour's walking - and an eventually found that his right hand gun was alongside the battery where we first asked if they knew where they were. He has a most uncomfortable place to live, mud all around, no billets and no corrugated iron to live under. Their job in the attack is an hour after zero they are to limber up and go into action in the second line no matter what happens. Siggers went up in a plane today to have a look at the country. He is to be liaison officer and goes with the [illegible].

Diary Entry - 2nd November, 1916

Walford: Returned from guns, it rained most of the day, nothing else worthy of note.

Bee: Heard at twelve last night that the infantry had picked up an RFA Bomb., killed, and had brought him to Battalion HQ. This proved to be poor Woods. He with four others had been killed by one shell and an officer had his leg broken. Our luck is out all right, and it seems to be always the best men who are killed. The gun position is in a filthy condition, hard to walk.

Diary Entry - 1st November, 1916

Walford: Wednesday went to the guns in the morning at last a fine day Bosch threw a lot of shells, from 8-inch downwards, about, but not much damage was done. The 15th lost a signaller during the day up the trenches in Legend Trench. He was found dead with an officer wounded and another signaler - evidently a 5.9 had hit him.

Bee: Guns today. Was stopped going along the Succerie road. The heads at last have declared it dangerous as you can be seen from Grandcourt, so no-one is allowed along it until dark. Fairly fine today, but rained in the evening. The Hun is beginning to throw a lot of stuff about Euston dump now and kills people in Southern trench every day. He has got it registered to a tee. I wish they would put this damn show off; the casualties in the trenches must be very heavy. The train was not much of a success tonight. About four p.m. the Hun gave the line and avenue blazes and broke the line in three places. Bomb. Woods has been missing since twelve today, he was along the F.O.O line, I am afraid he must have been killed but trust not.

Diary Entry - 31st October, 1916

Walford: Tuesday. I had been at D36 O.P since the previous evening, doing Liaison officer. The trenches were in a frightful condition owing to the heavy rain. From eight to nine in the morning Bosche shelled the O.P with 5.9s and we all retired to the dug out. It was rather a nuisance as I had just spotted a battery firing and was trying to place it on the map. Coming back from the trenches, I came down New Gate and the water almost came over the tops of my field boots in places. On reaching the Mess, (guns), found it in a shocking state, water having poured into it. The occupants had dug two large holes to take the water.

Bee: The afternoon turned out quite decent - bright, warm sun. Bromley, Claudet and I went for a walk, first to the second divisional battle station in front of D 56. They have some very fine dug outs there, with plenty of cement on top. We met Major Carrington who took us to some O.Ps where you get a good view of the country the show is to come off over. There was one place we got a magnificent view from and that was the 5 bores' O.P. It has been a machine gun emplacement and is very safe and very comfortable. You can see from Serre [?] on the left, right round to Stuff Redoubt, also Posuire [?] Beaumont-Hamel is right below you and it looks a regular fortification and, to my mind, will be worse than Knipval to take. We went back by D36 and had tea with them. Tonight is to be the first time of bringing ammunition to the guns by train. The line stops 400 yards behind our position and we have small trolley lines laid on from there. It ought to be a great saving in horse flesh, if the Hun will only leave the line alone, but I have my doubts. The mine for the last part of the journey is a 3-coupled motor, armour clad. The line of course is just laid over the surface and can't go very fast.

Diary Entry - 30th October, 1916

Walford: Monday, still raining. Siggers relieved Hoyland at the guns. The OC was president of a court martial, which he attended in the morning at the DAC. In the morning I started the servants and four gunners on flooring the officers' Mess - it is a place built of cupolas behind a big wall in the brigade chateau grounds. Cruikshank went over to the RE's to get the timber. In the morning, the battery was shelled by 5.9s, as also was the 15th, but we got the worst time, although we had no casualties. The 15th lost a bombardier with a splinter through the heart. No. 3 gun pit was hit and the cupola completely knocked in and the position was full of shell holes - even the Mess had a direct hit with Siggers inside but only one prop was bent as the shell fell on the side of the pit.

Bee: I went up to the OP last night and had a very peaceful walk up. The Hun evidently made things fly during the afternoon, with an organised straff. Between seven and eight p.m., I had a great time shooting. The light was bad but shot off 40 rounds at Huns walking over the top. Their trenches must be in a horrible state as they were going overland to the second line and, between the showers, we could see them quite plainly, some carrying trench mortar bombs. There were two fellows carrying a basket, which they dropped very hurriedly. Just after I had left the battery position and was coming home, they shelled it and the 48th very hard for an hour. They knocked in two of the 48th's pits and got two direct hits on our Mess. We had one poor fellow killed, Bomb. Linch of the right section. He was standing in his gun pit behind his gun when a splinter from a 4.2 burst 30 yards in front, which hit him on the heart and killed him instantaneously. It was frightfully bad luck as the same thing might happen dozens of times without a bit coming into the pit. It has been a most horrible day - could not be worse. It poured this afternoon and the road and everything else were covered with water. I went to the wagon line to get a pair of GS boots as have nothing that will keep me dry. Got sopping wet going down. The road was crowded with infantry relieving, poor things.

Diary Entry - 29th October, 1916

Walford: Sunday, and yet again it rained all day. At ten am Siggers and I set out for Couin to buy some stuff at the EFC. Going through the town we saw Crozier in a car and he stopped, ran along the road and had a few words with us, telling me that John was in his division. In the afternoon, about three, while we were playing the gramophone, a pipsqueak came through the top of the house, but no-one was hurt.

Bee: Another blinking wet day, poured all the morning. The ground is something awful now. I came down from the guns about eleven a.m. and go to the O.P. tonight.

Diary Entry - 28th October, 1916

Walford: Saturday, relieved by Cruikshank again. It rains all the afternoon. No. 3 gun goes out of action as a result of the heavy shooting that has been done.

Bee: At guns today, very cold and wet. I think the show ought to be put off now all right, but all we get is 'postponed for another 48 hours.' Bromley and Claudet fired 500 rounds on the wire this afternoon. There wree dozens of our aeroplanes up today. The Hun did some very good shooting at Euston dump, but did not bag anybody, although there were over 100 there at the time. Had a straff at 11 last night, the Hun was very much on heat, his machine guns were shooting like fun and bullets were fairly whizzing round our position. Hughes went to D36 today, so we have only two subs for duty, myself and Welman. Kershaw is away at [illegible] with the horses.

Diary Entry - 27th October, 1916

Walford: I relieved Siggers at the guns. It was raining and there was a very strong wind blowing . Suttie shot 213 rounds. The padre came up in the afternoon to arrange a church service and decided to have it in our Mess at nine am. He expected to get thirty men in but how he would do it I don't know. We were on duty through the night and fired our alotted number of rounds.

Bee: Another rotten day, cold and wet. I was [legible] very late today and had a rotten headache as did not get breakfast until 10.30 a.m. Did nothing all day.

Diary Entry - 26th October, 1916

Walford: It was raining when I got up and continued throughout the day. Hoyland and I rode over to Beausart to collect RE Material, a GS wagon being already there from the wagon line. Did nothing else the rest of the day.

Bee: Still wretched weather. Stayed at the billet most of the day. After lunch, Hughes and I went around and had a look at the 15-inch How. It is a whopping great thing. The shell is about 3 foot 6 inches long from base to point and it weighs nearly a ton. A motor lorry can only carry three at a time. Went up to the OP for the night. The Hun must have shelled Euston camp and the Sugar Factory hard all day by the looks of the shell marks. He also got a direct hit on No. 1 gun pit but, as luck had it, the gun was at ordnance [?] and no men were there at the time. Hun brought down four more of our observing planes today in front of the Battery. I believe one Hun came over our position very low down - you could see the man in the plane. Very cold at the OP. There was a heavy straff from our guns about nine p.m. and the Hun put up some very fine rocket display, evidently his SOS rocket. I don't think there can be anyone on our particular part of the front, as very few Very lights went up.

Diary Entry - 25th October, 1916

Walford: Wednesday, being relieved at nine, I proceed to the battery and breakfast with Hoyland. The Mess there has been much improved and has a fireplace in it now. Cruikshank came up and Hoyland and I made for Maillet at ten. On our way, we crossed a railway which has been extended from Courcelles and reaches right to Euston. It seemed to have been built in the night. It rained again from eleven a.m onwards, making everything in a worse state, if possible. I dined with the 15th in the evening, while our Mess had Bailey's brother in to dinner - he is with the 3rd Division. A few shells came over during dinner, but they weren't very close. I was very surprised to hear on reaching our Mess that one had blown our cook house at the back of the house away and that a man had been killed next door. Everyone had gone into the cellar of the shattered kitchen and received a severe shaking from the shell's explosion.

Bee: Still raining, awful weather, show put off another 48 hours.  Went up with Walrond to wire cut, but word came through that the ammunition allotment per battery was 150 rounds so did not shoot but kept this for keeping gaps open. Saw three Hun machines take to one of our old buses and set it on fire and it fell well behind their lines. I am afraid the fellows in it did not have much chance. Someone said they saw one man throw himself out. It was an unpleasant morning. The Hun got six direct hits into Southern Avenue with 4.2 How. It is one of the main communications trenches. He caught a party of infantry coming out - killed two officers and six men and wounded about ten others. The sight of badly wounded men so early in the morning is not very pleasant. Came back early and wrote a few letters after a most depressing day.

Diary Entry - 24th October, 1916

Walford: Hoyland relieved Cruikshank at the guns. Flynn of the 50th came round to see Siggers about going up in an aeroplane during the morning: as they were to go over with the infantry, they wanted to see the coutnry first. He stayed to lunch and talked everyone under the table. Suttie and Bailey went up to the trenches after lunch and it rained all the afternoon. At four, after some tea, I set out for D 36 OP to do liaison officer. I got there soon after five, after having almost throttled myself with wires in Taupin Trench. I had to go down to Bow Street Battalion HQ to see the colonel and it was a rotten trip as the infantry were being relieved, the trenches filthy and you could not see your hand in front of your face. On the way back, the Taupin wires drove me to desperation. I got hung up in them about three times. It was not what one would call a comfortable spot and the rats were very thick.

Colonel Newcombe went home to England to a gunnery school. He is to be an instructer under Brigadier Kerwin who is OC school.

Bee: Slept at the guns last night. Shooting all night. The tanks were supported to come up. But it started raining about eight p.m. and they must have had to stop where they were. Colonel Newcombe left us today. He has been taken home to start a new school of instruction for OC during the winter. He and our late Colonel General Kerwin, the two best and most thorough men I have met out here. They are both awfully nice men personally as well. A brute of a day. It rained all night and all of today. Show has been put off 48 hours now this jolly wet has started, of course. I have not a pair of boots to my name that are watertight. Have been waiting until I go on leave but have been caught on the hop all right.

Diary Entry - 23rd October, 1916

Walford: Relieved by Cruikshank at ten a.m and hear that Siggers has been appointed intelligence officer for the brigade and has to go over with the infantry. Good luck to him. In the afternoon, Siggers and I had a tour of the big uns, first of all visiting 15-inch howitzer - she is called granny and was firing when we arrived. She is not a big piece, but the shells are huge and stand about 3.6 height, weighing 11 cwt. What sort of a splash it makes on landing, I shudder to think. The 12-inch howitzer was our next stop. It is a nice looking piece and a much solider looking weapon. The shell it fires is large too, it weighs 7 cwt. We passed numerous 9.2 and 6-inch hows between the two large ones. The former having an enormous dump of ammunition at their guns. We also had a squint at the 6-inch Mark VII, which was firing as we passed. The officers of the 12-inch were very hospitable, showed us all over the gun then gave us a drink at the Mess, which was on the side of a railway embankment.

In the evening the captain on returning from brigade informed me I had been awarded the Military Cross.

Bee: Went up to the guns this morning, a very foggy morning but much warmer and the fog lifted for an hour about two p.m. But got very little shooting done. The Hun aeroplanes were fairly active during this time. The show was put off again. I don't think it will ever take place. And am certain that we always let the Hun know long beforehand that we intend to make a push by the artillery all shooting like fun a week beforehand.

Diary Entry - 22nd October, 1916

Walford: Sunday. More frost and another cold east wind blowing. I relieved Cruikshank at the guns. Bailley, who had come up from the wagon line for breakfast walked up with Suttie and myself. We shot the whole day, loosing off 1089 rounds at the Bosche. Nothing thrilling happened.

Bee: Another fearfully raw day. Wrote most of the morning. After lunch went on to D 26 to hear what news I could get out of Sanger, as he has just returned from leave. Heard about Uncle and Spud Ritchie, who were wounded on the Somme. I went up into the hedge in front of their battery to see if I could see Stuff Redoubt, but it was too misty. It was the first time I had watched a 4.5 fire and I was surprised to see how far you could follow the shell in the air. After afternoon tea we came back and visited Kellagher, who is moving up into his new position 1,000 yards from the front line. A very unhealthy spot, I think.

Diary Entry - 21st October, 1916

Walford: Saturday. Cruikshank relieved me at eleven a.m. Luckily Bee had shared his breakfast with me, or I should have been left without any. As my horses were waiting for me on the Succerie side of the dressing station, Bee and I rode down together and my groom walked. In the afternoon, we rode over to Acheux, passing through Headeauville on the way. Siggers was coming with us, but had to go up to the trenches as Liaison officer. We came back by the wagon lines, which were in a state of bog, picked up Claudie there and rode back across country, passing a lot of 6-inch hows and 9.2 hows, a battery of the former being concealed as hay stacks.

Bee: A white frost last night, very cold, but the sun was out most of the day. Every was late coming up to the guns as they were out late last night, carting ammunition, but did not know that they were not coming up until late. So I pushed off about ten thirty a.m and had some breakfast with Walford at eleven a.m. Walford and I were at the guns last night. After lunch, we rode round to Acheux and visited the field cashier. The country back there is alive with troops and the roads are alive with traffic

Diary Entry - 20th October, 1916

Walford: Friday. Instead of going up to the guns the previous evening, I relieved Siggers at ten a.m. He in turn had relieved Cruikshank. Siggers had spent a night as liaison officer in D36 OP. The night had been very frosty and there was a bitter east wind blowing. We fired 800 rounds on the wire in the course of the afternoon. The Bosche had been busy with his pipsqueaks at midday and caught three men of the 15th, one seriously and the others - two sergeants - only slight wounds. If the 15th had not tried to get the man away when they were still shelling, as any sensible people should have done, only one man would have suffered.

Bee: Very cold day, east wind, up at the guns all day, did a lot of shooting. The Hun got some lucky ones in on us with [illegible] Sergeant Parrish and a gunner. The former was rather badly wounded - went into his back and must have touched his lungs. As they were carrying him away, Sergeant Villa was hit, but only slightly. It all happened inside five minutes. He put a good many pipsqueaks over and had a good line [illegible], but it was only chance.

Diary Entry - 19th October, 1916

Walford: Thursday, the day having been fine, you could only expect it to rain that night, and it did do, very heavily, continuing through the day. I read in the Mess all morning and after lunch looked the signallers up in their billet and also walked over to D36 to see Sanger, who was away. They have a good position along a line of trees but their dugouts were all leaking after the heavy rain. Some of them looked like underground tanks.

Bee: Woke up with the rain dripping through onto my bed. It is a good summer house but the roof will have to be patched

Diary Entry - 18th October, 1916

Walford: Wednesday, at the guns all day, superintended work on the position during the morning and the Captain, after lunching with me, cut wire all the afternoon. Bosche during the morning had thrown over a good many 8-inch very indiscriminately but the closest had fallen at the Euston crossroads. However, in the afternoon, as an aeroplane had approached unobserved to the 15th and seen them firing, the 8-inch was turned on to them. This made it very uncomfortable for us as the batteries were only about 30 yards apart. The 15th while firing had one direct hit on a pit but the one man inside emerged unscathed. Several landed on our side of the tram line rather close and so we evacuated for about 15 minutes to see what they would do. The 15th had also evacuated. Bosch however chucked it and we came back and went to gun fire first with the right section then right half battery finally the whole battery and fairly hurled the shells over, firing 800 for the afternoon, which, of course, ends at four forty-five now, on account of the light.

Bee: Damned cold last night, but I had nothing to complain of as I had my blankets and a bed, but the signallers found it very cold as one was on duty all night. The dugout has two entrances but is nothing extra. Kellagher built the OP which is a very fine structure. It is built of bricks which they carried from the Sugar Factory and has steel girders and a concrete roof, but it rained hard last night and the roof leaked like fun. I got out about six, mainly because I was cold, thinking I might get a shot at the Hun but it was such a rotten light I did not see much. The OP became a very popular place for OS who were cutting wire. The 34th Brigade's Colonel Parry came along and was rather on heat re being in view of his battery op, but I think he is rather selfish. Anyway, he must have gone back and seen our colonel as we had to shift to another op that night. I hardly got a look at the front at all between ten a.m. and four p.m. Major Jones and Captain Grant Suttie and a few others occupied the loop hole.

Diary Entry - 17th October, 1916

Walford: Tuesday, I took it easy all day. It rained in the afternoon and continued all night. For some reason or other after lunch Br. Gordon and Soeul, my servant, took it into their heads to have a drink. Where they got it, I don't know. However they took too much and were so incapable that I had to leave the Mess so as I would not have to arrest anyone. After dinner, at seven, I set out for the guns, walking in front of the cook's cart to guide it. I call it walking, but it was more like wading through a mire of mud. Cruikshank was relieved and had to walk back and that evening it occurred to me that a relief in daylight would be a better idea.

Bee: Went to the 48th for lunch and found Siggers and Walrond there. They were very excited as they thought I had come to tell them I was going on leave. I then went up to have a look at the front from the 56th OP as we do liaison officer from there. Then came back had tea and started after tea for my 24 hours. There was a nasty sight in Roman Road Trench. Some infantry had evidently been hit and bits were all over the place.

Diary Entry - 16th October, 1916

Walford: Monday, I remained at the OP all day. It was a well-built place of bricks, girders and concrete, but just like an icebox, as it was very draughty. The General and Carrington came round for half an hour in the morning, which put the wind up me as I did not know the front well, not having seen it before. Kellagher and Suttie also came up in the course of the afternoon, and I was relieved by Dean of the 71s at six.

Bee: A glorious day. I had to go and sit at the Brigade this afternoon as all of them had to go out. Had a very slack day on the whole. Then went to dinner there in the evening. The Colonel is very fed up as they are talking of sending him home to take charge of a new training school which is just being started. The Hun put a few 8-inch over into the village during the afternoon. One fell not very far from our Mess and one hit a house that we intended to live in.

Diary Entry - 15th October, 1916

Walford: Sunday, it was my day off. As Siggers had returned from the wagon line Hoyland was to go down but he remained here till about three. He made a nuisance of himself in the morning and in the afternoon we went round to the 15th Mess but no-one was in. I was to do liaison officer that night so had dinner at six forty-five and reached Kellagher's OP at eight p.m., where I could not find McIntyre, whom I was to relieve. However, he returned from the Left Battalion HQ about nine.

Bee: Up at the guns all day. Hun aeroplanes were very active but were kept behind Hun lines. Ward came through at two p.m. saying that we had to shift our position, so Walrond let the men break off. It was not until eight p.m. that this order was counterordered. It was all very rich when we heard we had to shift after working for so long. There was a heavy straff by the Huns last night, with mortars, and the infantry ran up for retaliation. The adj., being a bit of a sport, thought that he did not get enough support, and so he ran up an SOS rocket, a very valuable thing, there being only 20 in the Corps. It had the desired effect and started the heavies and everyone going, but I would not care to be in the adj's shoes this morning.

Diary Entry - 14th October, 1916

Walford: Another cold day spent at the Maillet position. Bailley and Siggers turned up about six and stopped for an hour. Then, about eight, they phoned me to come in, so I set out for the Mess without waiting for my relief. As it was the anniversary of the Captain's command of the battery, we had a dinner. Kellagher was there, as also was Bailley. All went well - in fact, almost too well with the latter - he gave us an amusing speech in which he contradicted himself about ten times. The after effects about bed time were also rather bad.

Bee: Today and yesterday, nothing much doing, just kept digging, but can't get any information as to when the show is coming off.

Diary Entry - 13th October, 1916

Walford: Friday, Hoyland was at the M position, Cruikshank at the Mess, myself at the guns. In the afternoon, Suttie fired 335 rounds and fairly stirred the Bosche up. He was cutting wire and got the first 100 rounds off in about 15 minutes and 200 in 45 minutes. We went to five rounds gunfire after battery fire as fast as was convenient, laying each round carefully. Well, Boschie's counter battery got annoyed and put about 40 rounds on the positions round the Succerie, whereupon we stopped till he had finished, solemnly starting again and going to another 5 rounds gunfire. This stirred Bosche to anger again, and he put over about another 50 4.2s and 5.9s and, as we stopped again, I think he thought he had us marked down.

Diary Entry - 12th October, 1916

Walford: Hoyland was at the guns, Cruikshank at the Maillet position and I was at the Mess. For most of the morning I wrote letters and in the afternoon I strolled along to Kellagher's battery for a bath. After having rather a struggle with the Wedgwood, I got a good wash and went into the Mess for tea, where K, Medge, Wailley and McIntyre were already seated. Their Mess was so comfortable that I did not like turning out to go back in the cold.

Bee: Went up to the forward position today. About ten a.m. the rest of the officers came up and said there was going to be straff and that we had to cut the first line wire. So, of course, there was great heat as the day before we were cut down to 100 rounds a day. It finally turned out to be a feint attack to find out how much artillery the Hun had against us. And it was found that he had very little he could put onto this particular front.

Diary Entry - 11th October, 1916

Walford: A very dull cold day, spent at the Maillet position. The OC came down in the morning and had a look through the signalling equipment and moved it into our dugout as it was so damp where it was. After having made a hole in the roof to let smoke out, I got a fire going in a tin and dried all the instruments and signalling equipment, which needed it badly. Cruickshank relieved me.

Bee: More rain this morning. I went to the wagon line, which is at Bus, but I went by Acheux, where the field cashier is. The country seems to be alive with infantry and transport. The wagon line has shifted a few yards but is still on a ploughed field. I came back by Courcelles. I saw a covey of 9.2-inch very cleverly concealed. There are a lot of haystacks and one battery has built haystacks for gun pits, which are very well disguised. No one could possibly see they were guns until five yards away. I was at the 56th battery yesterday. Kellagher has a wonderful show. I don't think I have seen a position more complete - electric bells and speaking tube to each pit. And he has just completed a reinforced concrete pit, which was built inside one of his ordinary pits and would be proof against most things. He also has a hot and cold water bath laid on, which is luxurious.

Diary Entry -10th October, 1916

Walford: A splendid summer day. The Captain and self went to the wirecutting guns. Hoyland remained at the Mess to bury Br. Spencer and also to get a billet from the town Mayor in Maillet. I laid out the lines of No. 4 gun but at first attempt read off the wrong angle, which caused a lot of heat. I am not used to the No. 3 director and it has a bad zero mark. We eventually got going but when 95 rounds were fired the brigade asked us to stop as only 400 rounds were allotted to our brigade and we were to fire high explosive. In the afternoon, we made the total up to 341 and stopped. We got a lot of work put in at the position and I dug quite a nice hole in the ammunition pit during the time there was no firing. Siggers went off to the wagon line that night, Cruikshank having come up. Kellagher dined with us and it was quite like old times again.

Bee: A beautiful day, bright sunshine. Went up to the OP to carry on the wire cutting, as Walrond had to go to the frontline with the colonel. But had only fired 30 rounds when a message came through to say to cut down our expenditure to 400 rounds per Brigade, which looks as if the show will be put off. Up until yesterday, we were to shoot as much as possible and we got rid of 900 rounds from four guns. Saw Walford today and heard about his effort at Stuff Redoubt, which he was recommended for. Then came back to the Brigade for afternoon tea.

Diary Entry - 9th October, 1916

Walford: The Captain, Siggers and self went to the gun position in front of Euston Dump. Hoyland remained in the mess. The Captain took Siggers up to the OP with him to cut wire but, as it was overcrowded, Siggers returned to the battery and we worked on the combined 15th and 48th Mess there. We fired 600 rounds with the three guns.

Bee: I had a day off. I spent the morning sorting out papers that I had accumulated since we were here last. It was much finer today and looks as if we might get decent weather now. Walford, I see by orders, has had his name sent in for a decoration by the 11th Division for something he did while doing liaison officer at Stuff Redoubt. I have not seen him since we left here before. I went round to the 48th in the afternoon, but only found Hoyland in.

Diary Entry - 8th October, 1916

Walford: I came to the guns, arriving there at nine forty five a.m. and I stopped at the Mess all day, to answer any telephone messages or orders that might come in. It rained hard all morning and I was not sorry to be undercover, except that it was darned cold sitting in a big draughty 60-pounder gun pit with no fire and the rain dripping through the roof. All the other officers were at the main wire cutting position in front of the Succerie. They returned at dusk. About seven, it was reported by the NCO in charge of supplies that Br. Spencer, our orderly to brigade, had been found dead on the road, one of the 4.2 we had heard bursting on the outskirts of Mailly Maillet must have got him. He had been riding a bicycle when the shell struck him and the front wheel had a piece blown clean out of it. Our luck seems to have deserted us.

Bee: It has been a brute of a day. It rained hard this morning and we were wet before we got to the position. It was rather a tiring day running about all the time, watching the different parties. You are really a foreman. They shelled our old position with 8-inch armour piercing, like yesterday, and gave us a few splinters. Walrond started cutting wire, which kept us going all the afternoon. There are dozens of guns coming in here every day. Heavies are as thick as flies. I expect there will be some show here shortly. Rumours says this is the biggest concentration of artillery there has been yet.

Stained Glass Windows Commemorating World War One

These windows in St Mary's Church at Swaffham Prior show scenes from World War One, including a tank almost identical to that drawn by Bee - sadly, the light shone from behind it and it did not emerge clearly in the photograph I took:

Diary Entry - 7th October, 1916

Walford: Saturday, it was raining when I woke and continued very heavily until about eleven. Bailley went up to the guns for breakfast and remained there until about four p.m. I was at the lines most of the day and collected 600 rounds from the DAC and sent off two GS wagons to collect RE material from our old position, which by some stroke of good luck was still there having laid there since we were at Thiepval. Hoyland moved up to the guns at ten a.m. At four p.m I went over to Louvencourt to see if I could get some butter but had no luck. The infantry had been practising attacks on the country surrounding the wagon lines and had the trenches marked out with canvas to represent the enemy's lines. They did the whole show in pukka style, having men with flags to represent the barrage lighting flares when their objectives were gained and having an aeroplane in cooperation.

Bee: Went up to our new position with a working party. The Brigade are all close together and are all digging pits. We have four old positions just behind us for billets. I was up there all day. The positions were not decided on until eleven p.m. We started building three pits. Our gun pit billets are full of trench mortar bombs, which took us three hours to shift. About six p.m. a Colonel from the 3rd Division came along and told me that we had better stop work as it was his position, which was rather disheartening, but I with my one pip could not say anything but stopped work and came back and reported the matter. After much argument, we won the position, although it took the heads some time to sift out. Two Brigade majors were out until nine p.m. with a compass.

Diary Entry - 6th October, 1916

Walford: At nine o'clock, Hoyland attended a parade at RAHQ, to have his ribbon pinned up by the corps commander. Kellagher and Hutchings were also there. At a quarter to twelve, Hoyland and I set out for Doullens , a town about 12 miles away. The road was packed with troops, guns and transport, all making for our part of the line for the push. Louvencourt, the first time we passed through, was simply packed. We lunched at one thirty p.m., and it was good to be inside a civilised dining room again, although the hotel was nothing much to talk about. We shopped from two until four thirty, loaded up the Mess cart and sent it off, following ourselves as soon as we had had tea.

Bee. This looks a very peaceful position and has not been occupied for some time. They put a few strays over last night that went very close to some of our men but did no damage. Laid out the lines of fire for the guns this morning, but had to wait about until late in the afternoon for news of what was doing. But everything seems to be in a bit of a muddle. We heard tonight that we would have to shift up 2,000 yards closer, which will be just in front of our old position at Euston Dump. We have a very fine billet here – a big house where both the 71s and ourselves live. It is grand to be under a roof and have a floor. Wilman, who used to be in the 71s, has come back and been posted to us. We have also got a captain attached to us. It is still showery weather. Had a bath today in a copper, which was not much as I could not get into it.

Diary Entry - 5th October, 1916

Walford: Thursday, at eight forty-five, we marched for Bus via 11^th DAC to fill with ammunition. On arrival there we found the 71s had got there before us and were filling up but, as they were after us in orders issued, they must have taken no notice of their orders. Bus was reached at twelve thirty and we went to water, which was one mile away and found Bosch prisoners working there. As Bailey persisted on having stables, it was two thirty before we or the men got lunch. The guns had to go up that evening and left  L at five, together with 18 wagons of ammunition. Siggers, Cruickshank and I went up. Hoyland came down to be presented with his MC by General of the Corps. It was difficult getting everything into the position in the dark but eventually got away about seven thirty p.m. The other two stayed at the guns and I called in to see Kellagher on the way back to the WL, whom I found in excellent form, just having returned from leave. It was a cold wet ride back to our lines and I was glad of a little drink to keep me warm.

Bee: Walrond and Hirshaw went off at nine am to reconnoitre wagon line and position. We started at nine fifteen and went round by Sanlis to fill up with ammunition at the 11th division DAC. There was some muddle with the orders and the three batteries landed at the dump at the same time, much to our Colonel's disgust. He came along in a car and let us know what he thought of us. We went along very slowly as had all the nondescript vehicles in front. Found our wagon line at Bus, which was just an open field, which was cropped last year. So know what it will be like if we have any rain. The men had just finished their lunch when the order came to move up to Mailly Maillet. We got underway in half an hour and got up about dark. The position was in an orchard – not a bad place, but I don't think we will be here long, as it is too long range. It's not a bad place as there are plenty of apples. 

Diary Entry - 4th October, 1916

Walford: Wednesday. About eleven, when we were all more or less asleep on the Tuesday night an orderly brought a message round from brigade to say that we were to move to the wagon line, leaving the position not later than eight-thirty a.m. From then until twelve the telephone kept going and there were all sorts of little things, like ammunition, to be handed over to the batteries of the 59th Brigade in the morning. About midnight, Bosch had disturbed our slumbers by putting some pipsqueaks unpleasantly close and we were just thinking about moving into the trench when he dropped to the top end of the Valley. As soon as breakfast was over, it began to rain and, by the time we moved off, it was coming down steadily. I took guns down to Aveuilly, where our wagon line was, it having moved up soon after the fall of Thiepval. Hoyland and Cruickshank brought the baggage and mess and said there was a stand-up fight between a 9.2 and 10-pounder battery for our position, mainly to get the dugouts we had built in the side of the trench. It still poured when we reached the wagon line and, beyond being almost run over by a galloping Canadian wagon, we had no casualties . We expected to find orders awaiting us but they arrived about an hour later, Cannover bringing them along. At two, we marched for our old lines at Senlis, arriving soon after three, having the consolation of being able to use a road which was in the enemy's view when we went up to the battle. We pitched tents again as no billets could be obtained in the village. There was much rejoicing at having got out of the 11th Division but there were many deep throated groans when it was announced that we were not for leave but going into another battle.

Bee: We got orders late last night to be out of our position by eight a.m. An absolute brute of a day, pouring with rain, which made the ground frightfully heavy. The mess cart got bogged. We only went as far as our wagon line, just near Albert, and sat there in the rain feeling very uncomfortable, awaiting orders, which arrived about eleven a.m. On the way down we went and had a look at the mine crater at La Boiselle, which was the signal of the start of the big push. It is immense. The crater is fully 100 feet deep and about 80 yards across. The Huns, I believe, occupied it first, but it blew up close to their line. We started to move again at two p.m. and came as far as Bouzincourt, about three miles. Walrond made the detachments walk so I walked with them in front. The road was blocked with traffic – the Canadians, who were on our right, were coming out too. The men have a very wet camp, I'm afraid, tonight. We were lucky enough to get a room in a house. This is the Canadian area and we only got it as a favour. They put a few gas shells over us last night but nothing much.

Diary Entry - 3rd October, 1916

Walford: When I reached the position, things were very sticky and I was mud to the eyebrows as, when the country has been well plied with shells, it becomes very spongy and soft. There was a lot of talk about us going forward into a new position about Constance – in fact the captain was to reconnoitre the position. The 71s were already forward at Mouquet Farm in a very uncomfortable place. There was a test shoot in the afternoon of about 20 rounds a gun for the aeroplanes to observe so as it could be seen if anyone was dropping at all short. In the afternoon, as it was very muggy, I had a bath – it consisted of standing in a trench while my servant threw buckets of water over me and was very refreshing. Bosch made life in the tent rather unpleasant on Tuesday night as he burst pipsqueaks in the air right over the sleepers and, as they only had canvas over them, they had to turn out in the middle of the night twice and get into the trench. There were no casualties through the mercy of Providence.

Bee: Very misty and wet all morning. I was at the OP and found it very miserable as it only consists of a disused trench without any cover. I put in most of my time digging a hole into the side so as I could get out of the rain. The Hun seems to be very much on heat – he was searching and sweeping all over the country with pip squeaks and 10-centimetre gun. He put some very close to us but did no damage. There is not nearly so much chance of getting splinters as there was at the other OP. Walrond went out with Suttie and Polie to pick new positions. We are going back to our own division where we came from tomorrow. It looks as if they might be going to push there too. Anyway, it is better than staying here.

Diary Entry - 2nd October, 1916

Walford: Monday at eight thirty a.m. I set out with one signaller and one gun for the infantry, this time as liaison officer for the 59th Brigade. I also relieved Hoyland and ran a wire from his dugout along the trench to the infantry's HQ, and so we had two wires or ought to have, but the brigade had not run a wire out there when I arrived. It was expected to arrive any minute. The orderly officer did eventually lay one out, getting there about one p.m. There was to be another nibble at the redoubt in the afternoon, but it rained and so it was put off. Bosch evidently knew about it, as he commenced at three, when our zero was at three fifteen p.m., but he only kept it up till about four p.m. The Royal North Lancs. were relieved that night by a battalion of the Worcesters of the same brigade. The trenches were in a shocking state in the morning as it had rained heavily throughout the night and was still drizzling in the morning. My relief arrived at nine fifteen a.m. – earlier than I expected– and we wended our way back, following the wire on the way.

Bee: I started digging a sleeping place for myself last night, after putting it off many times, as thought we would be shifting any hour. Got a fine hole dug when it started to rain about 11 a.m., and it has been raining solidly all day and everything is in an awful mess. They put over a good many spones[?] last night. Up till now, I have been living in a little hole I cut in the side of the trench, but I don't like it, as I felt it might fall in any time. At present my new place is full of water but, if it is dry tomorrow, it will soon dry and I will be able to get the roof on. This has been one of the most depressing days – water and mud everywhere and everything wet. But our mess cook is the most cheerful soul and, although he has been wet through since lunchtime, he is singing,  and he gave us afternoon tea and lunch as usual. There was to be a fairly big attack this afternoon but it had to be put off on account of the wet.

Diary Entry - 1st October, 1916

Walford: The clocks had been put back an hour during the night so that we were back to ordinary wintertime again. The General and Major Carrington were round to see us in the morning and seem to think we might go back to our own division soon. In the afternoon there was a small show and we tried to get the whole of Stuff Redoubt and take Regina Trench over the crest, but the show was unsuccessful, as most of the small attacks are. Too much nibbling like this is, in my opinion, a bad principle, as you lose heavily and it is very seldom that you gain ground, whereas, if you go at it on a large scale, with plenty of men, ground is taken with not so great loss of men

Bee: A beautiful day. Very quiet most of the time. There was an attack on Regina Trench, which we were supposed to have got. The 71st moved out this morning about nine a.m., closer to Mouquet Farm. We expected to get the same orders but, thank goodness, are still here. Our General, Sanders, came round today, which was very good of him, we thought. And we aired our views of the 11th Div. RFA. They gave us a very unpleasant time for about an hour and a half. They were shooting a 6-inch gun, which was falling uncomfortably close to us. One landed 2 foot off No. 2 pit where 10 men were standing, and they never hurt a soul. Oakley was wounded today at the OP in Sky Line Trench. A piece of shrapnel went into his arm near the shoulder and he went straight down to the dressing station at Villers [?]. The clock was put back an hour today for wintertime. Stuff Redoubt, which has been reported to have been taken by us in London papers five days ago, is still just as much the Hun's as it is ours. They will not have a big show and put an end to it, but keep bickering away and lose more lives in the end than if they had one good bust.