Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 171
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[Page 171]
Divisional Commander and his Staff. Dinner would have done credit to any of the best London Hotels. Divisional Band performed during the evening. Very fine Dining room in the Chateau.
Friday 10th December
Had breakfast at 5.30 at 1st Div HQrs. General Holland had arranged to send a staff officer to conduct me round half of the firing line trenches. This officer (Capt Dobbie) took me in the cra as far as Quality Street, Fosse 7. We then walked through the rear ofLoosand inspected front line trenches including the Chalk Pit, where a 4".% How is being emplaced. Trenches were in a terrible condition – sandbags have in many cases fallen in taking the walls of trenches with them. water and slush ankle to knee deep.
Very few men supplied with gum boots though. Altogether conditions exceedingly bad. Returned to Vermelles via Popsen Alley which was awful with mud. Picked up car at Vermelles, reached home at 10.30 AM. Had lunch with General Holland. After lunch he drove me out 16 miles to Fenay, where his Division is billeted when in rest. Here he has a bomb school in progress. Selected and proved officers and N.C.Os are appointed as Instructors and a proportion of men from each battalion is put through a fortnightly course of instruction.
I saw all varieties of hand grenades and bombs successfully thrown in actual trenches specially prepared. The following are to be seen:- Machine guns – Lewis and Maxims, rifle grenades, catapault grenades of two varieties, 11'2" and 4" French Mortars. General Staff gave me book on bombs etc. Passed through a very beautiful agricultural country also mining. School is housed in romantic old Chateau. Had dinner at Div Arty HQrs and after dinner had along talk with Gen Cartwright and his Staff Capt, Capt Pile, re life and customs in India, they both having served some years there.
Saturday 11th December
By arrangement with Gen Holland I breakfasted at DHQ at 5.15AM and left with him and Col Longridge at 5.45. to see the remainder of the trenches held by 1st Division. We motored out almost to Hulluch, then took the trenches and moved through the balance of the first line trenches and the first support trench.
Exceedingly heavy rain had fallen during the early morning and the men were miserable looking beings, while the trenches were past