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[Page 40]
It was not long after daybreak when the strain of the previous afternoon & night began to tell on the boys most of whom where forced to sleep by sheer exhaustion. When daylight set in I was able to have a good look at the landscape in front but there was no sign of any alien trench directly opposite our position but trenches could be seen to the left & right. Moquet Farm could be seen quiet plainly for it was only a few hundred yards away to the right front having a very strong fortified appearance but still all that really could be seen was a big heap of bricks surrounded by big barb wire entanglements. The Huns in front of us mostly occupied shell holes some of them being either very daring or unconscious of our position for they would start walking about from one hole to another in broad daylight offering good targets to our boys who happened to be alert & the huns suffered several casualties from this practice. During the afternoon of the 17th August our own heavy artillery started to shell our front line which caused a number of casualties in both our company & "B" company who were on our immediate left. Being shelled by our own guns had a very demoralising effect upon the boys also to make matters worse the enemy opened out on our position with his artillery & between the two it took every possible effect for everyone of the boys to control their feelings also to remain in the trench against such odds. This inferno lasted all through the night & all next day every effort being made to inform the Artillery of their incorrect range & it was thirty six hours before it was found that the maps the artillery were firing from were wrong for according to them we were occupying the Huns front line. About dusk on the 18th a volunteer was called to take a message back to the 1st Battalion Headquarters to be telephoned through to the artillery to cease fire for both our company and "B" were suffering considerable. I volunteered to take the message for although I knew it meant going through Fritz's barrage I preferred that to remaining in the front line being shelled by our own guns. it was not long before I was on my way with the message & after going along the trench a fair way found there were too many men in it so had to get out on top for the message had to be delivered as soon as possible. When I got up on top I started on the run having a very warm time for the enemy barrage was fairly thick including a lot of shrapnel but thanks to providence I covered the two hundred yards of open country without being hit. After going this two hundred yards I was able to get into the trench again which made further progress much easier for the trench afforded very good cover from the shells which still continued to fall as heavy as ever. After a long walk through trenches I eventually found the 1st Battalion Headquarters who immediately despatched the message both by telephone & a runner (a man detailed to carry messages). On delivering the message the Colonel of the 1st Battalion told me to go back & tell our Colonel he had sent the message for our battalion had moved their headquarters early that night down into a big German Dug out in the front line where our company was holding the line. I was also told that a party of the 1st Battalion was about to start for our part of the front line with ammunition & rations & I was to go back with them for no man was supposed to go about the front line area on his own. When the party started to move I went with them but after walking some considerable time it was found that the man who was guiding lost his way so we had to about turn. After walking until about midnight through trenches the idea was given up, of trying to find the way to the front line until day break. Throughout the whole of this wandering Fritz kept up the shelling