Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 5]
Thursday,11th. – Cable burying in morning, between railway lines, damned hard work. Posted letters to Ruby and Miss Dickson, of Ayr. Walked to 5th Field Engineers and saw Ted Barrett. He was delighted to see me as I had been reported "missing" to him. Recd. Watch back from Paris, per Silver, unmended, Fritz shelling near possy.
Friday, 12th. – Cable burying in morning. Phil. Starr to Paris, with my watch and letter to Miss Alston. French [indecipherable]. Sports in afternoon. Recd. Letter from Commonwealth Bank re cable remittance from Dad. Hurrah! Posted letter to Bank and Mrs. Barratt. Fritz shelling near possy.
Saturday, 13th. – Cable burying in morning. Spent evening with Teddie Barratt. Posted Fritz dixie to Ruby (2fr.70).
Sunday, 14th – Cable burying in morning. Recd. Papers approx. March 25th, and Lamb's Essays from Dad. "Norrie" to "Blighty" with my Fritz bayonet and letter to Web Gilbert.
Monday, 15th. – Cable burying as usual in morning. Pay in afternoon. (40 francs). Recd. Registered parcel A.N. – great!, and 2 registered packets of papers of approx. dates Apl.28 and May 7th. Aeroplane guard from 11 to 1 during night.
Tuesday, 16th. – Aeroplane guard during day. No fatigue for anyone on account of heavy rain in early morning. Very hot and close. Recd. Parcel A.L. – contents much appreciated.
Wednesday, 17th – Very muggy in morning, - thunderstorm during usual morning stunt of cable burying. Very hot in afternoon. Swim in lagoon after tea. Thunderstorm during early night. Usual cable stunt in morning. Hot afternoon with several thundershowers.
Friday, 18th – Packing up after breakfast –had dinner and then marched into Villers Bretonneux. Took over a cellar for living purposes (8 in cellar) and machine gun position commanding road for attack from Fritz. "Stand to" in position 9 to 10 p.m. Comfortable beds and sheets.
Saturday 20th. – "Stand to" in position from 3-4 a.m. Self on gas guard 5-6 a.m. Slept till 9 – breakfast time. Souveniring round village all day. Fatigue deepening and widening C.T. near front line cut at 9 to C.H.Q. On job about 11; completed about 1 – waiting till after 2.
Sunday 21st. – Home from fatigue about 3 a.m. Stand to till 4 – on gas guard until 5. Slept till 9: more sleep after breakfast" souveniring, and card playing rest of day. On fatigue again in night from 10 – continuation of same C.T. Job completed by midnight. Ted Heath to Transport lines with out hand in morning.
Monday, 22nd. – Back about 1 a.m. "Stand to" 2 to 4; not on gas guard so slept till 9. Les Baker left us in morning on Blighty leave. Card playing mostly all day. Self exempt from fatigue to-night. "Stood to" at Platoon H.Q.S. 9-10 p.m. Gas bombardment from Fritz.- prevented fatigue party going out – coming over intermittently all night. Letter from Cousin Bessie /Wilson of Ayr.
Tuesday 23rd, - Returned to quarters about 1 wearing gas masks. Cellar free from gas so took off masks. Self on guard 3-4. Slept till breakfast, packed up gear and all evacuated the village about midday; gas very thick in places: rumour has it 400 evacuated from Brigade with gas and more coming in. Retired behind village to T. on R. of road – near B.H.Q. Poor dug-outs – no comfort/bursts of mad minutes occasionally from Fritz. – no one hurt.