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27th February 1917
Took it out of Mr Hun today.
Must strafe somebody. Turned the
heavies on to some of his
batteries who had the cheek to
drop a few about. Got quite a
decent crowd here,
Brigadier-General is CO and is
an awfully decent chap. Rumour
has it that out friend Mr Hun is
evacuating the line here. Just
trying to emulate our stunt at
Anzac but I'll wager quite a lot
that it isn't as successful.
Anyhow hope he is in no hurry
because I want to be in the dash
forward, if there is a dash.
Have always wanted a real good
'go' in the open. Leaving with
the Staff Captain. Wisdong, a
Sydney chap.
28th February 1917
Another war today. Caught a few
around Cemetery Circle.
Artillery hates all day. Gas
alarm tonight; also a ..... of a
scrap on the left. Enjoying
things generally.
1st March 1917
Up early this morning to relieve
the Brigade Major Things quiet
generally this morning. Things
slightly different this
afternoon. Evidently the Huns
had a big relief on and they
came along a road to the right
of Beau .... Got word through
from ..... BOP and put the
Batteries on to them and didn't
they get it in the neck. Got a
ripping report from the Inf.
Major. Got right into a ..... of
over a hundred, and .... they
did get it. Several other .....
came along later and they also
got a contribution. Gas alarm
tonight. They sent over gas
shells round Bty 2 but it didn't
reach this far.
2nd March 1917
Fairly quiet morning misty and
inclined to rain. Got a call
from the Front Line this
afternoon .... Gods .....
[quantity] of Angels in Heaven.
Will you send over a few bars of
love' which amplified meant that
the Huns were manning Heaven
Trench (their Front Line) and
would we open fire. We did.
Result quite a lot got .....
Later At 8.10 our worthy friends
attacked ..... [Runsay] Trench
which we pinched from them last
night. The guns got going 2
minutes after the first S.O.S.
went up. Result again they got
it well in the neck. Just got a
report from the Front Line, and
it says that the attack
completely broke down under our
fire. One Hun Company of .....
..... were bagged to a man.
3rd March 1917
Very wintry today. Sundry
artillery Hates but nothing much
doing. Tonight we had two gas
alarms. The first was a 'dud'
but the second was O.K. only
shell gas though. Was pretty
thick up here for a time but
nothing to worry about.
4th March 1917
Managed to get my hair cut
today. Not before I wanted it
either. Still cold, but fine.
Artillery hates all day. Very
heavy ..... on the right early
this morning. An awfully funny
thing happened with a patrol of
ours consisting of 4 men. They
were out in NML (no man's land)
and got caught by a Hun Patrol
of 40 who took them prisoners
anyhow both parties got lost in
the mist, finally they all
walked into our own lines, and
we bagged 40 Huns without a
casualty.
5th March 1917
Up at 3 A.M. to relieve the
Brigade Major and Staff Capt
Snowing like blazes. Glorious
sight outside. Very heavy fall
this time. Have just got a
glorious fire going so it can
snow quick as (and?) hard if it
likes. Decent sort of a day
after the fall, so decent that
quite a number of Tanks came
over and provided us with a
little amusement. Sundry hates
all day.
6th March 1917
Sundry aeroplane stunts today.
Our planes sank 3 Taubes and
they got one of ours which isn't
a bad percentage for us. Had a
visit from Shaw today. Believe
we shift from here tomorrow
sometime. Pestered with a few 5
gs about 1pm, but got a .....
Bty to work and it put a stop to
their pranks.
7th March 1917
Up early this morning getting
ready for our shift. Left old
Bde HQ and came over to this
one. En route had rather an
exciting time. Four of us the G,
Major, S.C. and myself were
sneaking along ..... walk when
the Huns sent over a few salvos
of 4.2 Two came too close for us
to get the .....[splinters] but
the G and I both slopped a bump
of earth apiece. Nothing but
bruises though. The rotten part
about it though ..... [is] that
the explosion made out ears ring
like fury. As a matter of fact
mine are still ringing as though
I'd swallowed a gigantic
telephone some ..... or another.
Got rather decent quarters down
here. Sundry hates all day, but
too ...... for any decent work.
8th March 1917
Nothing much doing with the
exception of getting an
occasional burst of Shrapnel
over and snowing like blazes.
9th March 1917
An occasional strafe and more
snow about. Nothing much doing.
10th March 1917
Cooper came up to relieve me
today. Said 'cheerioh' to BHQ
Staff .....[apres] lunch and
reported to Bty via .....[Ginchry].
Got strafed with wizz bangs and
8.2 coming down. Called into HQ
and reported to CO. Received
instruction from OC. Capt Crisp
to relieve Healy at WL. Left
..... [guns] about 4pm .....
into the 9th WL and caught some
mail. Arrived at 7th WL late.
11th March 1917
Getting a knowledge of things
with Healy. Had a ride into
Albert this afternoon. Visited
the Officers Club there and had
afternoon tea. Got mounted on a
rather fiery stead which its
best to throw me, nut managed to
sit it all right.
12th March 1917
Healy left for Bty this morning
so I'm down here for a while.
Nothing much doing. Rather
quiet, but the mud is still
thick. Caught some more mail
today.
13th March 1917
Raining like blazes as per
usual. Rode up to the 9th's WL
this evening and had dinner with
Faulkner. Got back about 8.30pm.
Rode the SM horse. Some charger.
14th March 1917
Still raining and mud knee deep
everywhere.
15th March 1917
Working like a Trojan getting
things square. Mud still
gloriously soupy and still
raining.
16th March 1917
Better day today. Very heavy
bombardment on both left,
right and centre. |