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[Page 19]
May 23, Wednesday
"Stand-to" at 2.15 AM. Our trench mortars on the left stir Fritz up till stand down. At 2 P.M. Fritz is dropping high explosives all along our line. We are feeling uncomfortable. After a while Fritz stops and our guns start. We are preparing to move out of the trenches, move out at 8 P.M. through "Tramway Avenue" to our billets in Armentiers. Engineers working on the supports and the new avenue.
May 24
Resting in Billets. We go down and get a well earned bath and a change of under clothes. Transfer from the bombers to the Platoon. Spend the rest of the day wandering about Armentiers. Am feeling depressed – it starts to rain making me worse in spirits. Kelly & Abbot granted leave for England.
May 25
Wet day. We receive pay. fatigue all night. Return in the morning tired and damp.
May 26
"A" Coy. on fatigue in "Tramway Avenue". Work all night on the pick and shovel and filling sand bags. Rifle and machine gun bullets come fairly close. Fritz starts shelling 7th Brigade at 3.30 a.m.
May 27
Wake up to find an English mail waiting for me. Go to Armentiers for dinner. Sleep all the afternoon.
May 28, Sunday
Fine day very quiet. Detailed for night fatigue.
May 29
Returning to billets tired out. Our Field pieces open out at 2 A.M. Fritz shells "B" Coy. billets.
May 30
fatigue in Tramway Avenue – 4 Casualties.
May 31
Off duty – bathing parade.
June 1st
15 Bat. 5th F.A. shelled and silenced. Planes lands inside the German lines. Our captive baloon breaks adrift. See two men come down in parachutes. As we are marching up to the firing line we are shelled – 3 casualties.
June 2
Fall in at 8 p.m. Go into the supports on fatigue.
June 3
Return home at 2.30 A.M. Bombardment on the right – gas alarm. Enter the trenches at 8 P.M. Heavy bombardment on the left. Lieut – brings along news of the navy battle.