Item 02: W. E. Bendrey diary, 6 October 1915-19 June 1916 - Page 81
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[Page 81]
Apl 11 guns, roosters, bugs, mice, rats, a yelling kiddie & - "Kelly" –
No bath parade today on a/c of a Div' inspection so we cleaned up the farm-yard; & it was some mucky too after rain. Have to carry gas helmets on a/c of aerial gas bombs. The mice are so numerous that they parade in platoons & companies, & even march in columns of route, but owing to lack of rafter- width they are exempted from forming fours.
The big guns are beginning to speak to some purpose, guess the big bombardment has commenced in deadly earnest. Reckon id sooner be in a charge than under fire in a trench, specially if the big naval guns were at it.
12 Turned out at 6.30 this morning – full marching order – for inspection by General Walker, & by gee we did a freeze for an hour or so. They say this is Spring, but I reckon its more like midwinter. Not a bad