Stanley Dewhurst diary, 8 January-20 September 1917 - Page 9

[Page 9]

all reduced to the ground, not even a brick left standing to mark the place, only a sign-board.
We have a Lieutenant (now a Captain) over us who is a German. His people are interned and he is pro-German in every respect, treating us like a lot of dogs. Is it right that such a man should be in his position? His proper place is the Internment Camp, and not to be free where he can do untold harm.
On Saturday I took some stores up to the guns on pack mules. On the way back my mule rolled in a shell-hole full of water, without waiting for me to dismount. He got up after about 10 minutes and I rode on the pack saddle the rest of the way.
On Monday, 26/3/17, my friend and I put a chimney in our dug-out which proved a great success.
On Tuesday, 27/3/17, I took another trip to the guns. On the way, the mule I was riding got bogged in mud up to his belly, with the result that I got tossed into it, so that I was mud from head to foot. Coming back, we took the wrong track, which led us into a wood that had been shelled heavily. The path was barred by shell-holes, fallen trees, masses of bricks, etc., and it was with great difficulty that we succeeded in penetrating it and finding our way home, at which we arrived about 1 ½ hours late. In many places we were forced to let the mules go, as they refused to follow us, and we had great difficulty in catching them again.