Lewis war diary, August 1917-March 1919 / James Ray Lewis - Page 79
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[Page 79]
for the first time. About dinner time he surrendered, there were about 50 of them. According to their statements the raiding party was 120 strong or so, and I dont think there were many got back, for there was plenty of their dead in potholes and lying about. Many of the them were half drunk with brandy when they came over on us . One German said Surrender Australiea soon be all dead men, and was bayoneted. Another one said "I beg your pardon Australiea", in tears poor beggar died afterwards.
Fritz put some 5.9s on to the line and my mate was killed and buried by one. We passed down the trenches that evening to take up a better position and his arm was sticking out of the dirt, further along were some german equipment littered about and in one bay was a dead man with a wound through his back. The prisoners were Brandenburgers.
We went into reserves about 3 mile or more back on the night of the 16th of May. But our casualties were not finished yet for Fritz shelled us out with 5.9s and we had to move further along the gully. Where I got a nice comfy hole in the hillside to myself. Only there was a couple of 4.5 Howitzers close to, that disturbed one when they fired.