Item 03: Peter Turnbull diary, 1 January-31 December 1918: No. 113
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[Page 113]
[May 31, 1918]
Two letters from A.H. & a card
Allonville
About 1 AM we were awakened by Fritz putting a few shells over very close to here, a few were only about 50 yards from our billets & we could here someone singing out for S.B. [stretcher bearers]. I got out of bed to try & consol the French 3 children & old lady here who are running about & crying, its a pitiful sight to see them. A shell came over not far away & one of the children nestled into me & I put my arm around the poor things neck. About 6 AM I went over to see what the shells had done & found that one had dropped right on a shed where a Coy of the 14th Bn were billeted & I hear he go[t] over 100 of them, killed & wounded, the other shell dropped on a shed to. We left Allonville about 7.30 AM & marched to a wood were we camped under canvas, I am left out with the 33 1/3%, the rest of the Bn moves into reserves. I went down to the River Somme about 650 yards from here & had a lovely swim. A big 12 inch gun behind us fired 3 shells & they fairly shook this place. It is a lovely evening & very pleasant in the wood around about here.