Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 281
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 281]
Went out with Gen. Holmes and Col. Bernard. Saw General Glasgow at his HQrs. Arranged with engineers for dugout material etc. for Battery personnel.
Thursday 11th January
Stayed in all day. Rearranging disposition of Artillery for extended front to be shortly taken over.
Friday 12th January
Visited Quarry Ammunition depot.
Conference with R.T.O. and Col. Fewtrell re taking ammunition to Longueval. Decided to use Decauville to Junction of train line with Longueval-Flers road and then lay our own train line forward to batteries of 12th Brigade.
Decided to get deep dugouts for ammunition dump personnel.
Arranged for C.R.E Circuit to do the work.
Bitterly cold day. Keen wind – hail and snow.
Saturday 13th January
With Brigade Major motored to Bernafay Wood, then walked via duckboards to Col. Waites HQrs. (No. 1 group) between Delville and Trones Woods. He accompanied us forward to positions being selected for his batteries, also on to HQrs. of later No. 2 group which is to be an O.P. Station for the Group. Thence back to positions of 37th and 39th Batteries, which when formed into a 6 gun battery position will be handed over to No. 1 Group. Col. Waite left us here. Major Williams acting as OC No 2 Group went with us to 12th Bde. battery positions. Not very satisfactory. Gun pits of 45th Battery very untidy. Discussed position re supply of ammunition by train to these batteries.
Sunday 14th January
With Col. Armstrong and Capt. Forrest inspected new wagon lines to be taken over by 4th Aus Div Artillery in a few days. Now in possession of 1st British Division. Good standings and shelters for horses also huts for men. All ranks will appreciate new conditions.
Bde. Major called on Gen. Wardrop Gocra of 14th Corps. He was given details of Gen. Gough's captures during the last few days.