Stanley Dewhurst diary, 8 January-20 September 1917 - Page 13

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[Page 13]

where I was, completely uprooting a huge tree, with a diameter of at least 4 feet, which came down with a crash. Pieces of dirt, etc., fell round about me. We got the order to shift our horses to a safer place for the time being.
On Sunday night, 15/4/17, we were hauled out of bed at 10 p.m., harnessed up our horses and proceeded to the battery, where we stood by till 7 a.m., in case the Germans hopped over, as the infantry at this point was not strong enough to repel an attack. I had breakfast and got to bed at 8 a.m., but was pulled out at 11.30 a.m., and after harnessing up our horses, stood by the guns till 6 p.m. I then went to bed (as it is best to get a bit of sleep when possible) but was pulled out at 1.45 a.m., to shift the guns, which we did before daybreak, arriving back at 6.30 a.m. I had breakfast and went to bed, but was pulled out at 7.45 a.m., to take a load of ammunition to the guns, arriving back at 10.30 a.m. Turned into bed, but was pulled out at 1.45 p.m., to go for a load of ammunition, arriving back at 4.30 p.m.
We got rather a bad spin of food here, as we were only issued with a very small quantity of bread, and biscuits were unobtainable, and the nearest place where anything could be bought was Albert- about 20 miles away, so you can guess that we felt the pinch.
On Tuesday night, at 11.30, we were pulled out of bed to harness up and stand by the guns all night, in case the Germans hopped over. Unharnessed at 7 a.m. next morning.
Every village that we come across has been destroyed by

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