Item 02: T. J. Cleary diary, 20 August 1917 - 23 August 1918 - Page 39

[Page 39]

have scarcely heard a gun for the last few days. No aeroplanes bothering us absolutely nothing doing.

There is a report about that all men who have transferred at any time from the Infantry have to rejoin their Battalions General Birdwood inspected the Mill today. He was the only Officer of his crowd wearing a slouch hat.

Saturday 16/2 Up in the line they have started the war again. We heard a couple of small barrages yesterday. A hard frost last night. Biting cold today. Letters from Mac & Henry yesterday. We received some H.V. 6" shells from Fritz two of them nearly hit the W.C. I hope he does not repeat the Dose. One lobbed near De Seul & killed 3 & wounded 5 Tommies who were pulling down a captive Baloon.

Letters from Mac today. Card from Laura & letter from Clare.

Fritzys plane coming over in Platoons tonight ever since it has been dark (one can hardly call it dark being moonlight) they have been droning away up above (no Bon fur Soldat) Someone must be going to get merry Hell.

Wednesday 18th/2 Monday Those aeroplanes fairly put the wind up our acting O.C. [shorthand]. He even went so far as to cancell the night shift & shut down the Dynamo and was roaming around all night like an uneasy ghost, looking for stray gleams of light & roaring up