Item 01: G. T. Birkbeck diary, 30 September 1915 - 23 April 1919 - Page 101

[Page 101]

12: Pascoe wounded by shrapnel this afternoon during a strafe.

13: Relieved from our post by No. 2, going back two miles to reserve position. Enemy guns very active all day & the shelling tonight is the heaviest we have yet had. Our roads to the line & horses are having scores of shells cutting them up & difficult for our ration & transport to make any progress. Issue of foods from War Chest & very acceptable. Bed at 11 p.m., but received orders to have guns & everything ready to move at any moment. Of course we always sleep in our uniform & gear handy, only removing our clothes when washing.

14: At 2 a.m. a very heavy enemy bombardment opened, shells screeching overhead & bursting on every ridge. Orders to stand by for instructions. At 3 a.m. the Huns attacked Vaux post, knocking our men (14) out of it in half an hour. Fire was used to attack Mussallabah from the rear, but our boys simply turned around in the post & fought them, leaving their main front to our artillery. We reinforced the 3rd regt on Vaux post, going in at 3 a.m. The