Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 61

[Page 61]

in the line. I was with the party that went to B Coy. & it is an eye-opener. They talk of "front line" of trenches, it was simply isolated holes & dugouts, & on a dark night one could easily walk right into the German lines. It was more like outposts than the front line. I found Boo while there, he was O.K. Unfortunately, our company have had 3 casualties; Cpl. Evans was hit by a shell while handing out rations, & died later, Dibden & Holmes, the latter Capt Wallach's batman, were wounded by shells when well back. It is a hard job to find your way at night, in fact the Germans seem to be right round in a circle, & Lor' knows how a commander allots his front. Hot stew & tea came up on the limbers at 8 p.m. in big thermos heaters & petrol tins, my word it was acceptable. The dirt on this page is trench mud, & the smudges are rain drops as I lay in this desolate pozzy writing.
Tuesday 30 April At 3 a.m. we were on ration carrying again. The different parties went down the road to the Crucifix, where the limber brings the rations. I hate that spot, Fritz knows it, & two shells burst with a roar right in our ears. We quickly grabbed a petrol tin of tea each & the bacon, & hurried away. It beat me how the mules stood there so quietly. We took the tucker to C Coy. & had to come back to the Crucifix again with the