Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 129

[Page 129]

Read the war news in the "Daily Mail" of Monday. The Austrians are making a big offensive now. D Coy arrived at 11.30 p.m. & C Coy went back to supports. I was disgusted to hear my company had had their stew & tea before coming up, & C Coy won't have theirs till they get up back; I was mighty hungry, & to use a military term thought I'd "come a gutser", but the three of us who came up last night were told to go back to supports with C Coy for tea, so I went back, had a hot meal, & came back to the line. Thursday 20 June Quiet night on our front, the 3rd Division on our right came down & said they could see a Fritz working party out. Dawn arrived early, & on "stand down" all except the observation on post turned into their dugouts for a sleep. Cruel luck befell us today, our company commander Capt. Darcy Irvine & our platoon officer, Lt Lilley both being shot by our own A Company, & the former died soon afterwards. They went out to have a look at a chalkpit in front in bright daylight, & A Coy., on our left, fired with the above result. It is very sad Darcy Irvine was one of the best, both in & out of the line, & after 3 years war in Gallipoli & France to be killed by our own men is very rotten. Another officer came up to take charge of the Company, also one for our platoon. The