Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 38]
On the move once more, going as far as the hills behind Albert where orders were issued for all hands to get their gear into battle order ready for the front line. The wait lasted some time here & during that time a big mail was given out which was very acceptable for many of us getting parcels which had to be carried when we moved. The move for the front line took place at dusk that night, the battalion moving in platoons with big intervals between each, passing through Albert to a reserve trench just in rear of the big guns which we occupied until about one o'clock next morning. While in this trench heavy rain began to fall which made things very uncomfortable for their was very little overhead cover & before very long the boys were all wet through this being taken with the usual little growl which is a soldier's only privilege. The boys were all pleased when the order came to move at 1 AM "A" Company being the last to move & the route lay right through "Sausage Gully" where the mud was over the top of our boots which made walking extremely heavy. After passing through old trenches & barb wire entanglements finally relieving the 51st Battalion of the 4th Division in supports on the far side of Pozieres Village while "B", "C" & "D" companies of our battalion going right into the front line & it was well after 5 AM when the battalion was set in position. My Company (A) remained in the support line all day of the 15th being troubled very little by shell fire, for to me it appeared as if the hun was unaware of our position for he shelled both in front & in rear of our trench but we escaped all danger. About 12 o'clock of the same day I witnessed one of our aeroplanes bring down an enemy machine the occupants of which either fell out or jump landing near our trench but the plane landed in flames in no man land. I made my way along the trench to the place nearest to where the Huns were who fell out of the plane but was stopped from getting out of the trench to have a look at them by one of our officers. I learned however that there were two men both of course being dead & it was found that they had valuable information concerning our positions as well as their own which was immediately despatched to our Brigade Headquarters which was situated behind the line. About 2 o'clock that afternoon I was sent with three corporals to have a look round the front line in case we should have to move forward at any time. After proceeding along the trench our company occupied for about fifty yards we branched off to the right along an old German communication trench which had us on to the top of a big German dugout. After leaving battalion headquarters will still followed along the trench until we came to a notice pointing to the front line. at this point we turned to the left along another trench which took us straight to our "D" company who was occupying that part of the front line. The front line here was situated on the Huns side of a big ridge overlooking the enemy positions in front also to the immediate right & left the famous Moquet Farm could be seen quiet plainly a few hundred yards to the right front. After spending about an hour in the front line having a look round we made our way back towards our company our way being troubled a little by a few shells which fell near the communication trench. There was very little rest for anyone in our company while in this position for all spare time was spent in renovating and rebuilding the trench we occupied for although it was used as a reserve or main support line it was the main communication trench to that sector of the front line. Thee were a large number of enemy dead lying about our trench which went to show that although we had had a considerable number of casualties the huns had not escaped free. There was very little rest during the night of the 15th August for anyone for the boys we kept consolidating the trench for in