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[Page 3]
15.8.16 Tuesday
The night has again been on the quiet side but at the same time there were many desperate little infantry attacks carried out, with a view towards feeling the Enemies strength.
Today is Assumption day in France, Its celebrated by feasts & this reminds me of a supersticious belief of the people round here. The town of Albert which is still being shelled by the Germans, has prior to the war always been regarded as a kind of a Holy City & to this end they erected a magnificent Cathedral, with an immense statue of the Virgin Mary with an infant in her arms on the high spire. All the months that the Germans have been shelling the place the Cathedral seemed to have escaped damage, until the beginning of our offensive, when a few well placed shells reduced it to ruins but marvellous to relate, although the church was smashed the spire remained standing & a big German shell striking the statue, knocked it out of place & it began to fall. By some miraculous coincidence it seemed to catch on the ironwork & is now hanging right out over the street, just as one would lean over a railing & look down I have seen this myself & can vouch for the truth of it. The people say that it is the Virgin Mary holding Christ in her arms & looking at the destroyed Paradise, & it really looks like it.
Rumour had it that a big fight would take