Item 04: John Duncan McRae diary, 6 May-18 September 1917 - Page 17

[Page 17]

May 14. We were detailed into our Company & Battalion this morning. I am now in 1st. Platoon, 'A' Coy of the 19th. Battn. We did a little drill for the rest of the day, just to pass the time away. We saw a number of Fritz prisoners working, down here. They seem to have a good time and most of the boys are rather envious of them.

In the cool of the evening Alan & I sat at the end of our new home and there "mooched" the delightful gloaming hours away.

May 15. After doing a few hours drill Alan & I went for a walk around the camp over some of the battle-fields of last year & the year before. All the signs of the battle still remain. The trenches, dug-outs, ammunition dumps, shell-holes etc. etc. both those of Fritz & of the Allies, bear ample witness of the bitterness of the contest. The trees that once were, are now mere phantoms, the fields are rubbish heaps & what houses there were, can only