Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 110
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[Page 110]
bacon & tea , when the Brute began to drop shells very close. The two mules in the limber stood with their ears up, frightened, but steady. Then a strong smell & burning sensation in the nostrils told us he was sending over gas shells with the others, & we had to let breakfast rip & put on our gas masks. The driver of the limber jumped on the back of one of the mules, & very hurriedly drove away, & luckily got away safely. For over an hour we sat with our respirators on, & with nose gripped, & breathing through a mouthpiece, you feel every now & again as if you want to swallow or clear your mouth of saliva, but you daren't take your mask off. The shells poured over on the flat, & round the dugouts till 5 a.m., when we took our masks off. I had a sleep till hot tea arrived at 11, then went across to B Coy's pozzies, & was delighted to find Boo was alright, also Eldridge, tho' shells had dropped very close. Unfortunately one fell right in a dugout two signallers were in, one was killed, the other died of wounds. One poor chap's hand lay right the other side of the road to the dugout. Had a sleep & read in the afternoon. Stew & tea came up by the limber at 5 p.m. As usual on Sunday I read a few chapters of the New