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[Page 31]
Tues. JAN. 23. Frightfully cold & water frozen in the Carts. Had an easy day. Poor old Mac (52 Batty) was evacuated this morning. I had a quiet day. After Tea, just as we were sitting round the Fire, quietly imbibing our rum, when Fritz dropped a number of shells almost on top of us. Evidently his plane had spotted our railway & was feeling for it. If only he knew how close he was to it he would have sent many more shells over in the same place. Our Bombrs got rather too many issues & had to be put to Bed.
Wed. 24. The 14th came out today & we took their places in the Line. Before going out we went to the Bath House & put our feet through the new process to prevent "trench feet". We washed our feet in camphorated soap & warm water, then dusted them with camphor & French chalk. It is very soothing to the feet & is a French idea. Our Party came out to No. 4 Post, past the Batteries. Fritz put over a lot of shells some of which landed very close to us & made us seek cover. One Artillery chap got wounded slightly in the Head & Leg. Maj. Mackenzie fixed him up. We reached A.A.D.S. [Advanced Dressing Station] about 4. There are about 20 of us camped in a Tin Hut & is jolly cold. Serg. Mathieson made us some Tea, which was very welcome as we could not light a fire owing to Fritz's observation. About 7 Matt. brought round our Rum Issue which we kept by us & took sips of during the night. It was too bloomin' cold to sleep.
Thur. 25. About 5.30 this morning we got a call to take in a stretcher case. His name was Dick Keen, 30 Batt. His arm was blown off & badly wounded in the Leg. He was a big chap, must have weighed about 13 stone. Was delirious & kept trying to get off the stretcher. Poor beggar died before reaching Loading Post. Billgy May, Joy Cotter, Jem Wyatt are in my squad. We got back to our dug out about 7 & went to Bed again. It is frightfully cold.