Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 7]
had to be manhandled. The weather improved somewhat & the trenches cleared that a fourth trench (Energy Alley in the right Bde sector) was attempted. The Germans apparently objected to this activity for no sooner was this trench completed than it was obliterated by shell fire. It was cleared again that night only to be again shelled the following day. A further attempt to clear the trench the next night drew the Hun's ire once again for he blotted the trench out of existence again. Altho' the Division again moved out to rest on Dec 24th the Pioneers were ordered to remain & look after the front line communication trenches.
By this time all trenches except Energy Alley were duckboarded throughout & it was decided to concentrate on these three which required all available labour even at the expense of the 4th trench. As it was seen that the Battalion stay at Waterlot Farm was likely to be prolonged improvements to the camp were made all round, a hot bathroom a medical dugout & a large drying room were constructed. However on 5th Jan [1917] after 46 days continuously on front line work the battalion was given a fortnights respite. 2 Coys going to billets in a village some miles back & the remaining Coys working on deep dugout construction near Flers.
On Jan 17th the battalion went back to front line work once more but the situation was eased by the fact that accommodation for 150 men was available in deep dug outs recently constructed right at their work. Also advantage was taken of a hard frost from Jan 20th to Feb 17th – the ground being frozen solid for about one foot deep – to get large quantities of material forward so that when the thaw on the latter date & the trenches got slippery once again material was available to meet the situation & work was consequently a good deal easier.
Previous to this the task was one continual plug against the efforts of both the enemy & the weather. Eternal Alley still gave a lot of trouble as it was marked by the Hun who shelled it was always shelling it. Early in March the Divisional sector was extended & the enemy trenches were captured all along one front which necessitated further extension of the communication trenches to meet them. The 2 Coys which had been working on the Flers dugouts & had driven about 200 feet of 9 x 7 gallery were taken off this work, one going on with the trenches