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[Page 38]
German dug-outs are exceedingly well built, anything from20 to40 feet deep, spacious and lighted with electric light. In some cases the steps are made in a zig-zag manner in order to prevent the possibility of bombs falling down. Divisional Artillery Headquarters are situated at a place called TARA HILL which was originally part of the French main line of defence and is shelled occasionally particularly at night.
14thAugust Brought the remaining gun from Chalk Pitto billet. General NAIRNE sent for me and gave orders for the Heavy Gun to be fired between the hours of 6 and 7.30 p.m. Lt. Pinder Sgt-Maj. Wheeler and party left about 3 p.m. to prepare the gun for firing. Myself, Sgt. Russel-Davison and two men left later, after obtaining the special charges.
We took the opportunity of riding as near the line as possible in a box car. The driver was game and so we went well in the danger zone with the car. Eventually after an exciting trip we arrived at the gun-pit.
Enemy shell fire was intense. We found no one at the gun-pit, and quite expected that PINDER and his party had been blown out. Having overcome so many difficulties we found that we were unable to fire the gun owing to the absence of clinometer and prismatic compass, which Lt.PINDER and party had. The Bosche bombardment intense.
We waited half an hour in the hope that the others would turn up. Then Sgt. Davison went to try and obtain a clinometer, with instructions not to be away more than half an hour. In half an hours time two men turned up with a clinometer, and as Sgt. Davison had not returned in the time given him,
I made an effort to align the gun by the row of trees which were marked on the map along the road leading to Mouquet Farm. After scrambling about for some time I found there was no line of the road or trees to be seen. I then went to Battalion Headquarters and was knocked over on the way and quite dazed. Arriving at the 50th Battalion Headquarters I was delighted and surprised at being able to obtain a prismatic compass.
I then scrambled back to the gun-pit, and found that Sgt. Davison had returned. I then aligned the gun by compass, which entailed three things;-going some distance from the gun to avoid contact with the iron, to remove steel helmet, and to remain perfectly still in the open while Fritz was shelling. The lip of the pit had to be cut away and the men worked like Britons in the open, pushing the earth down into the pit.
The German bombardment rather increased in intensity. Three rounds only were fired. This does not sound much, but those who were there can realise what those three rounds meant. After firing the three rounds we left hurriedly, making a dash for the only remaining good sap which was about a quarter of a mile away.