Item 06: John D. Wilson diary, 17 May-19 September 1917 - Page 131

[Page 131]

paraded to one of the Brigade Officers in reference to an improvement in the rife Grenade so that it can be fired with ball cartridge.
I made a brake this afternoon of 636 strokes on the pump. This beats all competitors.
This afternoon I saw for the first time our 12 in shells going through
the air from our 12 in Howitzer. I had often watched them before but could not see them. The way to look is to watch the gun & when she flashes look up about a chain from the muzzle and the shell can be plainly seen as it travels through the sky until it is lost in the clouds on its way to the enemy about 12 miles away. These 12 in shells are about 3 ft long and in their flight through the air look no bigger than a bird but of course their flight is at a tremendous rate and their trajectory is very high the gun being at an angle of about 45 degrees.

Wednesday July 25, 1917. (1087).
It is a year to day since we landed in England from the S.S. Persic, at Plymouth.
It was fine this morning, but started to rain about 9. a.m. and continued steady rain I put my blanket out this morning to get aired, & when I finished pumping I went up and found it all wet.
It is a current belief with the artillery men around here that the war will go on to about the end of September. They pin their faith to a prophesy that the war is to last 42 lunar months, which is about 3 years and 2 ½ months. They also say that on this sector the enemy is as strong if not stronger than us in artillery of all