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[Page 103]
Halfway House
26/6/16
All stayed in and enjoyed the first rest for a long time not having to be on parade until 10 am.
Last night 5th Bde raid was a success and the N.Z. got 3 officers as prisoners. The show started about 11 and the air was soon split with the crashes. Walking along the road with Colonel Brand a living sheet of flame would now and then flash across the road nearly blinding one – the deafening crash followed at once.Oldfield was killed in the retaliation and Corpl Shield & 2 others wounded.
This morning was spent quietly by us here. Grey day as usual. The jargon the men talk in with the rustics here is a peculiar mixture of English, Arabic & French. "Bonpour you backsheese" said a girl today. A small boy in the street addressing another say "Eggere: you b------, you compree dat?"
At 8.30 pm one of our aeroplanes charged direct at a German balloon & dropped what looked like a bonquet of liquid flame on it. It descended in flames. Dotted flashes all over the sky denoted them going hard at the 'plane.
Set out for practice trench at 10 pm but heavy rain set in coincident with a vigorous bombardment. The Germans opened up on us and Capt Davis, Cawthorne, & Robinson fell wounded. 1 man killed & 2 others also wounded. From now on till after midnight there was no peace for the roar and crash of destructive shells.
We raided on the right and got 4 prisoners and 1 machine gun. My scouts could not possibly get out indeed some of them were buried by shell bursts. The heavy rain made the whole place a streaming mess.
A strenuous day.
27/6/16
Quiet morning. Men throwing live bombs &c. Met Colonel Lloyd DSO the dashing artillery Comdr and went over the aeroplane photographs with him and he arranged to meet me to go to his observation post and watch their registering shots.
A showery morning. Dropped in for yarns with different parties clearing up doubts and offering advice. Had a splendid rehearsal of stunt at night.