Item 03: Peter Turnbull diary, 1 January-31 December 1918: No. 149
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 149]
[July 4, 1918]
We are in the front line all ready to hop over & as we do not hop over till 3 AM we laid down & took a little rest. There is a few Old Planes up making a lot of noise & dropping bombs in Fritz's lines & enabling the tanks to move silently up, it beats me how the tanks got in No mans land on the hopping off tape without Fritz's knowing. About 2.30 AM all our men where lying in No mans land waiting for the barrage, just about 2.50 AM a few guns open up with a steady barrage, & at 3 AM the guns opened out. It was the prettiest sight have ever seen to see the bursting of our shells about 50 yards in Front & the tanks going forward in fine style & our men with the U.S boys in waves just like a parade. We got to our objective & could have gone further, I saw some open fighting & it was real funny to see the huns coming in with their gas helmets on. We had a few narrow escapes but the excitement made us forget. My mate & me had to move back to the old front line after the lines were O.K