Item 03: George R. Faulkner war diary, 6 July 1916-17 November 1916 - Page 100
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[Page 100]
What a refreshing tonic it was to me, but how much more to the Infantry, to leave behind the last mud hole & see once again Virgin country & actually green grass – I went through the Villages of Flers – Ligny – Guedecourt & Beaulencourt – Guedecourt seemed to be principally a great death trap for the Indian Lancers who tried hard to take it, but went down in a heap – I found one of their swords & gave it to a Dr. At a Dressing Station of Fritzs I found the graves of 4 Australians – 15th Batt., who must have died in Fritzs charge. Counted 4 of our Planes, which had fell in Fritzs line once. At Beaulencourt I got a few nice souvenirs – The Church is badly Knocked about – yet strange to say a few stations of the Cross & statues are still intact & almost seem to say why this sacriledge.
In what was once a beautiful Chemists Home, I noticed also that two sacred pictures seemed to defy the bombardment, for they were still in grand order & had not even shifted out of their position. Along side the Church – no doubt the presbytery, I