Item 01: James William Dains diary, 21 November 1916-4 June 1917 - Page 76

[Page 76]

inside protruding almost on to the roadway, the head being away in the recesses of the dugout. At last we reached the entrance to S.P.Y. & after winding through a maze of trenches bearing the mark of a terrible strafe & in places leaving far too much of one exposed to the bullet of the sniper, we arrived at Capt. B's Dugout. This is shell proof & is reached after descending about 8 steps. Its of concrete but even this is no home. Water was oozing out of the walls & dripping from above & this is the life. After chatting awhile I left him & returned to Square farm feeling that it was almost out in the country.
Went to town this afternoon.

Saturday Mch. 31st
Fine morning. Came into Billets this evening.

Sunday Apl. 1st
I had a service at Y.M.C.A. this evening, "A man shall be as the Shadow of a Rock in a weary land". It was a fine service. Br. Gel. English, Wesleyan Chaplain called.