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[Page 29]

made things very warm for our forward guns and the 42nd Battery on our right, shelled them for about four hours without stop, blew one gun up and set fire to it. Two of the 42nd ran up and put it out while the shells were dropping all round them. Received my first letter since leaving England.

Friday May 31st
On S.O.S. 12 to 1.30 a.m., things were very quite. 2 p.m. had a shoot, had to work the gun all on my own. Fritz left us alone all day for a change. We had just got into bed and settled down when we had to get out again to do a shoot, as our infantry were making a raid on Fritz.

Saturday June 1st
Fritz sent over a lot of gas during the early morning hours (it has a rotten stink with it). The weather is continuing to keep fine & warm. Started to get things ready to move out.

Sunday June 2nd
On S.O.S. 1.30 to 3 a.m. Old Jerry was shelling fairly liberally on our right (dirty dog). 4.30 roused out of bed again. Gas very thick all around us, had to put on our masks. 11 a.m. left the gun position at V. Bret. for Glissy. Spent the afternoon cleaning the gun. After tea had a swim in the Somme (the 1st wash for three weeks) then went to bed.

Monday June 3rd
Up at 4 a.m. started to get the wagons packed. 8 a.m. left Glissy, passed through some exceedingly fine country and saw some beautiful scenry, until we reached the outskirts of Amiens. then it was nothing but desolation, houses smashed to pieces by shells and bombs, roads torn up, telegraph poles and wire lying all over the place. Bricks, glass, wood, iron all mixed together in heaps with the furniture & contents of the different houses. It was the same all the way through Amiens. The Cathedral is still standing.

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