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[Page 83]
direction of Thiepval & won a trench they went on another 400 yds. & dug themselves in. next morning the Germans Bombarded the trench which was unoccupied & made 5 separate counter attacks. They were cut up & could'nt understand it thinking all the time the fire was coming from their old trench
29-8-16
Left Albert yesterday. Had to throw some of my stuff away to lighten my pack. Roads incredibly muddy, passed the 17th on the way. Supposed to be on our way to Armentierres. Now billeted in a stable in Senlis. It is a filthy billet & situated about 5 ½ miles from Albert. Apparently we are going to rest today. Surprising how Smith got lost, he has been missing now for over a week. I passed him at the Coffee stall when he was coming home sick. He has not been seen since. A lot of our Boys have been Knocked out by the French beer & stout. they charge us terrible prices 1 Franc for a pound loaf of Bread.
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[Page 84]
30-8-16 Wednesday
This is an awfull country in wet weather. The houses are blown to bits. The roads cut up by military traffic. Mud every where & our Billet smells like a W.C. the last two nights our fellows have been drunk (some of them) & they make night hideous with their howling. We sleep in Bunks improvised out of wire netting & poles some of them are about 11 feet high & the drunks fall out of them or else are unable to get into them. One amused me very much yesterday. He was lying in a pool of his own filth. when it came on to rain he then got on all fours put his coat over his head stuck his nose in the ground. his stern in the air & sang several Hymns with the rain pouring on him all the time without altering his possy. I don't believe a man could buy a good indelible pencil anywhere in France now.
Letters to Mac & Ciss
31-8
Had a bath today. Received a parcel from Ciss last night. heard from the O.C. about new Gas shell deadly for everyone within its Radius for 12 hours. He also advised us that we were going to Ypres