Item 04: Herbert Henry Harris diary, 1 August 1917-31 May 1918 - Page 144

[Page 144]

We all had the wind up for some time as the shells 9" made such an awful report a double one at that however am alright again now & we are about 5 kilos from the line. Bailleul was shelled yesterday & 30 or 40 people killed or wounded
one of our Planes was hit by a fluke & blown to bits a dispatch Rider was blown to pieces one of his hands was picked up 200 yds away. glad when we get out of this
deferred Pay. £45-13-0 Owe £2-10-7. The Boys in the front line heard us getting shelled & wondered how we were getting on. Big smash on this front in a few day's time.

Sunday 17/3/18
did not feel too comfortable last night Capt Gow told us to make for dug-outs if fritz started again. Went looking for one & found one that would hold 200 men a beauty, but did not have to use it as fritz gave some other camp a doing on our left.
This morning he sent over 4 H.E. on top of Mt Kemmel something doing to day 20 Planes went over just now looked fine. Another lot off to Blighty today & schools. Pay day. deferred Pay £45-14-6 Owe £2-8-7 Wrote Post Cards to N. J. C & A.

Monday 18/3/18
Lovely Morning, also last night not a bit cold, but looks like a change. thank goodness it was a quiet night as had a decent sleep. fritz's guns were firing over us again this morning like this [small line sketch of two parallel vertical lines crossed by a single line] on to the Railway & into Lake Locre. Aircraft guns going it like blazes they do kick up a row. deferred Pay £45-16-0 owe £2-6-7. Shelling us again 1-30 p.m. dropped a dud a few yds away just now & shells still going over us Am tipping this place will be blown up yet also all camps in Range. Band Practising as usual Fritz's H.V. gun trying to get one of our Baloons all day banging at it now 6. p.m.