Item 04: Herbert Henry Harris diary, 1 August 1917-31 May 1918 - Page 188

[Page 188]

one of our machines brought a Fritz down this morning just alongside of Villers Brettonneaux & about 700 yds from here The Fritz was an elderly man about 50. he was terribly mangled. in case anything happens to me I want this money returned to my Wife 70 Bridge Rd Camperdown. Sydney. Aust.

Saturday 18/5/18
On duty from 12 to 3 a.m. Our guns gave fritz hell all night & he only retaliated once or twice can't understand it perhaps he's short of ammunition This is my sixth day here think I'll send my windy man back to his company Writing Wrote to Maud & the Bank to day, deferred Pay. £50-7-6 Owe me 42/6. Wrote to Amos also two of our chaps wounded last night one killed got 3 Prisoners 1 an officer & 3 huns killed. Not so hot today big storm somewhere close, so a lovely evening & just now not a gun firing don't seem real.

Sunday 19/5/18
called up at 2 a.m. as Bombardment expected & a sort of no telling what was going to happen my time was 3 to 6 however Bombardment did start the 2nd Div. went over & we put over a Barrage to help them a bit very lively for 2 hours don't know how they got on one of ours brought in wounded (Bullet). a glorious night & similar morning our Planes been over more than an hour now its about 5 a.m. & the sun just coming along. deferred Pay. £50-9-0 owe me 44/6.
The air is full of our Planes & the machine guns are like type writers. Wrote to Nell. Posted letters to Nell, Maude, Bank London & Amos Williams.
been very warm to day Fritz has got High Velocity gun on us now shell arrives as soon as the report. [indecipherable] on duty 9 to 12. midnight heavens how our guns do [indecipherable] fritz up.