Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 128
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[Page 128]
equipment on, got out of the sap & walked along a road to the front line, & then away along the top, my platoon was on the right. The trench was already very muddy from the rain, & luckily there was an empty dugout, so not carrying caring a hang for the Boche over the way, I crawled in & had a sleep. As usual the front line is the best place to be, no shells. The sun came out later, & I was hoping the mud would dry up, but the confounded rain came on again. My dugout in the front of the trench, with waterproof sheet over the face, resisted valiantly, but at last drip, drip, came the muddy splashes, & I bent like the figure 8 in the narrow pozzy, dodging the drops. The rain stopped later & the trench was 6 inches deep in yellow water. Little Baddock, only a kid & a mere handful, got out & drained with a shovel, then he took his boots & socks off. The water ran on round the corner, so the chaps in those pozzies had to deal with it then. This French mud takes beating, - it's a queer life, we were ignoring old Fritz opposite; he no doubt, was busy baling out water & mud too. Had a snack of bread & jam, & some nice hot tea a chap made, the little Tommy cookers are great for boiling water in the trench.