Item 02: T. J. Cleary diary, 20 August 1917 - 23 August 1918 - Page 56

[Page 56]

plenty of Bombs dropping just now. Between anti aircraft & Machine Guns & Bombs there is an awfull clatter.

Friday 12/4
Sure enough although we put all lights out a Big Gotha dropped 4 Bombs rather close to us. That settled it we had to go to bed in the dark which earned much bad language ( by the way our beds were duckboards) there are rows after rows of trenches from here up to the line and extending back up to about Amiens and a few miles behind it. Fritzs aeroplanes are over us in ones & twos practically all the time which does'nt look like as if we have the air supremacy which we claim. There are actually 4 in a bunch right over me now. We're winning alright. One of the cheeky planes mentioned above has just come a glorious "Gutser". He was shot down by one of our own and landed about 2½ miles away. I started to walk over but it was too far.

Saturday 13/4 We left Steenwerck dump on Wednesday. It was captured by the Germans the following Wednesday just 7 days later.

Sunday 14/4 Working at La Motte yesterday. There is a French armored train here The Camouflaging on it was very perfect. The 6th Company U.S.A. Engineers is working here also some 5th Divvy Engrs.

Monday 15/4 The last 2 days & nights have been very stormy windy & cold, but we like stormy nights