Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 169
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[Page 169]
Tuesday 7th December
With Brigade Major motored out to vicinity of Fosse 7 on Lens Road then walked past the old British line to crest of ridge (Hill 65) just overlooking Loos, and from the trenches here observed a bombardment carried out by our Artillery at 10 AM. Shooting appeared very good. The 9".2 Howr battery engaged a small building near the edge of enemy's lines, which has been harbouring machine guns. It fired 26 rounds, 2 of which were blind, several fell within a few yards of building, but the last two shots absolutely demolished the building. Our aeroplanes were overhead and one had 47 shrapnel fired at it in the space of 1 minute. When returning to DAHQ we called at and watched the 4'.5 Howr battery at work at Fosse 7, and immediately on our leaving this latter spot the enemy commenced shelling with 4".2 shell. We had just left in time. After lunch I watched 9".2 Howr shooting. It is a wonderful gun, firing a 290lb shell of which 4 a minute were actually fired.
The service of the gun was very smart. Range about 10,000x. I also watched 6" guns adjoining firing a series. These have a range of 20,000x and have frequently fired at 17,500x. These 6" guns and 9".2 Howrs are placed in the garden surrounding Divisional Headquarters, and on my way to them I passed a very beautiful pond, with very tame white swans swimming about quite at home there notwithstanding continual artillery fire.
Col Scott commanding 25th Brigade has today received his orders to report to England at once for munition work. He has an Advanced Ordnance Certificate. He is very much annoyed at having to leave. While out in the advanced positions this morning one could see any quantity of equipment of all kinds lying about, and between our new lines and the Enemy's, many dead bodies, which no one dare bury. There are also several demolished field guns (German) and dummies.
The buildings inLoosand adjoining villages are sadly damaged and especially the magnificent machinery buildings of the various mines, which must have cost millions to put in position. The4 destruction of property is colossal. Nearly all French troops here wearing new steel helmets. British are still generally wearing the Field Service cap, though a few steel helmets are issued for use in the trenches.