Stanley Dewhurst diary, 8 January-20 September 1917 - Page 19

[Page 19]

On Friday, 8/6/17, I rejoined the B.A.C.
Each night, while at the dump, it was impossible to hear one another speak as the artillery resembles continuous thunder of intense variety, lasting from sunset to sunrise.
On Sunday, 10/6/17, took a walk to Steenwerck after tea and went to pictures.
On Tuesday, 12/6/17, Fritz shelled the village. People left their homes to seek safer quarters, carrying their belongings with them. One shell blew up a house, but no one was in it at the time. I afterwards saw the poor chap hunting among the ruins for his belongings, some of which he was collecting in a bucket. Another shell killed two girls, while another landed in a back yard but, luckily, it was a dud.
On Wednesday I joined the 7th Battery.
On Sunday, 17/6/17, we shifted camp to the other side of Neuve Eglise.
On Monday rejoined B.A.C.
Wednesday, 20/6/17, three taubes came over and brought down two observation balloons. The same day my wheel driver got wounded in the neck, also another chap and a couple of horses. In the night took a trip to guns with ammunition on pack horses, as the road was nothing else but shell-holes. We left at 9 p.m. and rode to dump, packed our horses and led them about 3 miles to guns. Got back at 12.30 a.m.