Item 04: James I. Marshall diary, 24 November-12 December 1916 - Page 29

[Page 29]

prepared to take Peronne, which was about 10 miles off. Why hadn't we the 14 Divs that Fritz gave us credit for and be hanged to the Tommies, or at least their heads. commanders. However the whole scheme was abandoned, which was perhaps just as well.

On the 29th of August we packed up again and advanced by St Martin's Wood, across country to Assevillers where we rested for a while before going on to a gulley near Barleux where we stayed in the open for the night. Here we learnt that the 8th Bde had crossed the river but had been obliged to retire again, partly on a/c of our own artillery.

Our night was by no means pleasant. Shells of all kinds were falling into Barleux and sweeping all over our gulley. 4'.2"s were falling all night on the road along which we were lying, and not 20 yds off. How we escaped I cannot imagine but the shells were of the kind we struck going up to Proyart. I remember there was one big thumper falling behind us all night at intervals of 2 min. That, I think, coming so regularly helped to lull me to sleep for a while.

With no feelings of regret we moved back a bit the next morning and went into some blank trenches in front of Foullicourt near a chalk quarry. I do not know why but at last we