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[Page 28]
Here we see a waving green crop of barley and besides it a big brown patch where a little boy of about 17 drives a beautiful big horse by one rein, up and down, adding one more furrow to take the seed which will dye the patch a different colour. In the background are large hills, the slopes being covered with thousands of grape vines,, their spring buds shyly creeping out, in the valley to the left is a picturesque French village with its ancient plateau, many of the old walls crumbling away and its quaint little church seeming to tell you of its hundreds of years existence. At Le Harve we stayed about a week and I was made No. 1 of A. Sub, the night before leaving. Our next move was to Bleringham when we were billeted in a farmhouse. Here I found my scanty knowledge of French stand me in good stead, for the old lady who could not speak a word of English would give me anything I wanted. From Bleringham we followed the Brigade, which had gone into action, to a billet near Steinwork and from here supplied them with ammunition. Here I also acted as No. 1 of A sub until a Sargeant was brought from the 14th Battery. The work here was rotten. Reveille was at 5.30 when all but the Sub on duty exercised horses or later mules, and then turned out of stables about 7.45. Fall in 9.15 with inspection, after which exercise again and then stables with grooming, turning out about 12.45. Fall in again 2 with harness cleaning till 4.30 then stables till 5.45 or 6 p.m. After this there was feed up till 7.30. This routine went on without variation day after day and if you were out all night with ammunition well youo had to get up just the same. At 5.30 a.m. I get heartily sick of it and wrote to Lt. Dimond to see if it was possible to get in the battery as a gunner. Lt. Dimond kindly visited Capt. Jenkins and arranged it, but orders came through to sent up 1 N.C.O. and three men were to go to each battery for training and so I was sent for a month to the 14th arriving here on the 5th June 1916.
June 5th 1916 Arrived at the 14th Battery about 8 p.m. and had to stand to till about 2 a.m. owing to strafe expected.
June 6th 1916 Put into B sub pit with very nice fellows. The strafe took place to-night, and we poured shells into the Germans for about 45 minutes, each gun firing about 128 shells.