Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 236
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[Page 236]
Tuesday 18th July
Went to La Motte and there received instructions to go to G.H.Q staff at Amiens, thence to Boulogne. Major Studholme did not come. Reached Amiens about 2 PM, via Hazebrouck, Lillers, St.Pol and Doullens. Had lunch at Hotel de Rhin and left immediately afterwards with a Member of Intelligence Staff (Lt Col Wilson) for advanced G.H.Q. at Beauquesne. Thence returned to Amiens, and had a walk round the interesting and historic city. The Cathedral particularly interested me, also the various Canals (from the Somme) which cut through various parts of the town, and have tenements rising perpendicularly from their banks. Stayed at Hotel du Rhin.
Wednesday 19th July
Rose at 3.30 AM and at 4 AM motored out to the scene of Battle beyond Fricourt. I took Benson with me to make some sketches. I went through the village and wood of Fricourt and from the North Eastern edge of the Hill I got a magnificent panorama of the country we have been so successfully working in. The village itself is absolutely destroyed and the Woods are stripped of branches and trunks shattered with shell fire. The ground too is honeycombed with huge shell holes. Heavy shelling of the Boche position was in progress. We inspected the old German trenches and dugouts. Many a score of German graves are in the vicinity, all neatly marked with Green painted wooden crosses. As noting German thoroughness many name plates were of enamel, with names of deceased, date of death, regiment etc. also enamelled.
Our Heavy Artillery was forward about 3000 yards of the Original German Front line. I returned to Amiens via Albert. Here the Church of Notre Dame has been badly damaged with shell fire. Benson made a sketch of the ruins. Church was just nearing completion in January 1915 when it was shelled. Cost 7,000,000 Franks. Received from Col. Hutton Wilson details of Parliamentary tour. Delegates timed to arrive at Boulogne about 11.30 AM today. Left Amiens about 10 AM and passed through billets of 2nd Div Artillery close to the City. HQrs. 1st Anzac are at Vignacourt.
Reached Boulogne about 6 PM via Abbeville, Hesdin (where I arranged motor Transport for visitors), (Montreuil G.H.Q. where I arranged for passes) Etaples (Australian Base Training Depot) and St. Etienne, taking the coast road from Etaples. Stayed at the Folkestone Hotel, Boulogne. Met Col. Griffiths and took him to