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[Page 69]
Monday 31 July 16 Pozieres
Running a line out near central wood today. More Shrapnel. Ground torn to pieces. One of the 4th killed by concussion. One young chap was taken out of the trenches in a state of collapse shaking like a leaf. Breakdown I suppose. Train loads of munitions about. Was pulled out of bed at midnight last night & warned that a Gas attack was pending. after standing by about ΒΌ of an hour we were allowed to go back.
Through the night the Germans shelled our Head Quarters with some new Gas & got the O.C. & the second. The effect of this gas is not felt for 3 Hrs & if I am not mistaken they kept it up for nearly 9 hours. There was plenty of Bodies festering in the sun on the field & shells of all sizes. the 17th got a knock the other night the Germans anticipating a rush placed some machine Guns in positions in shell holes in no mans land & when the 17th rushed they were badly cut up. The following night the Tommies got across without losing a man (the luck of the game). I noticed some of the names of communication trenches. Dinkum Alley, long Alley [deletion]. The sound of the Shrapnel is really vicious