Item 01: T. J. Cleary diary, 8 March 1916 - 15 August 1917 - Page 73
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[Page 73]
More names of trenches Rag Lane and Spring Street. There are some German Planes sailing high above our camp tonight trying desperately to find out if there is anything doing. our Battle planes are waiting below like Bull dogs but in vain because the taube [?] keeps too high meanwhile the anti gun is chasing them vainly with shells. On the other side Fritz is Bombarding Albert. I was nearly reported missing this afternoon.
Saturday 5-8-16
Went up to the firing line at midnight 4th We had to change parapets and dig out trenches as fast as they were blown. Shell fire awfull also machine Guns. The Bullets of the latter were exploding in the air everywhere, they looked like fire flies. I lost the trench (so called) and wandered about in the Orchard or Wood (Pozieres) absolutely without cover & while there met Charley Stead engineers. We kept together after although he did'nt know me. Murphy got a rap on the finger so he did not come out with us today. When the Boys charged they found a man who had been wounded and left in a shell hole 7 days previously in no man's land. a corporal a few