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[Page 18]
27th January 1917. Woke at 8.30 Had breakfast & kept ready for going on duty. Duty happened to be up at the first line trenches. Walked up to RL & arrived at the trenches at 2 oclock. I felt rather shaky on it. It did not turn out at all what I thought about the trenches. Desolation & quietness abounds everywhere at present up there. We reeled out our wire & got into communication with RL & through them to our Battery. I had my first baptism of fire while at the phone. It was a lively 10 minutes or so & I took refuge in a sniper alcove which did not afford much cover. Anyhow I was dead scared while it lasted and am sure a heavy bombardment must be awful. Our Capt arrived at 3.30 [indecipherable] it was too late for any "strafe" so we left the works out & came away via Japan Rd & Willow Walk (a series of trenches which communicate with the first second & third lines)! I was very tired & hungry when I got back & had a good tea. After tea fixed up the stove & started our first fire. Thus ended one of the most eventful days of my life.