Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 146
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[Page 146]
on the right & left of the road, but none on it luckily where we were going along, also lots of limbers going to & from the line. Just as well he doesn't know the exact spot to put them. Wedn. 3 July At 4 a.m. the usual one man watch started, an hour each in turn, & the others slept all day. I had a good luck look at the ground we are to go over, it is a long way across to the ridge & wood where Fritz's trenches start, but he is sure to have isolated machine gun pozzies in the open that will trouble us, & there is a high crop in No Man' land too. Everything is very quiet today, & there are no signs that he has any idea of what is to happen. I don't feel the slightest bit excited now, but when the starting moment arrives, & our hopes rest on the tanks working without any hitch, it will be more sensational. Had a good sleep during the day.Thursday 4 July America's National Day today, & the Yanks & Australians carried out the attack. Well I'll describe this grand & wonderful thing, & in its results unutterably horrible, they call a battle. After hot stew last night, at 2.30 a.m. my platoon (our barbed wire having previously been cut) crawled out, & lay along a tape line.