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[Page 51]
The morning of the 4th broke with a very heavy fog which did not lift until about 9AM when rain set in which became heavier as the day wore on. That same morning I was sent with a fatigue party to work in a support trench being considerably troubled by enemy shells for Fritz, like the weather was cranky. During the morning I received orders to take my party back to the battalion for the huns shelling was becoming heavier and we were shelled all the way back to reserves but luckily received no casualties in the party. We had hardly reached our quarters when our artillery & trench mortars started to return the enemy's fire which developed into a general bombardment but only lasted about half an hour. We resumed our fatigue work in supports about mid-day but was unable to do very much for Fritz still continued a slow rate of artillery fire which made things uncomfortable. This shelling continued all the afternoon so I took my party home & when we arrived there about 6PM the huns artillery had reached its highest intensity being very fierce but died down about 8PM without having caused much damage. our artillery however weren't to be beaten so about 11PM that night they disturbed the enemy with a heavy barrage which lasted about an hour but during that time several tons of ammunition were thrown about. The next couple of days were spent very quietly with just the usual fatigues to break the monotony but during the night of the 7th our battalion relieved the 1st Battalion who were then occupying the front line. My company "A" relieved the company who was occupying the mine craters but my platoon No 4 was put into supports on top of the canal bank. When the relief was carried out the company commander detailed me to act as company orderly corporal whilst in this position the duties being to see that the rations were taken to the frontline also conduct business between company Headquarters which was in supports & the front line troops. I also had to detail a party of six men & one Lance Corporal to take charge of several small bridges & a locke across the canal for order were that these were to be blown up should the enemy successfully attack the position. For this special purpose Gun cotton slabs with fuses attached were always kept in position in case of emergency the only thing neccessary to blow up the bridges was to light the fuse. The next day the 8th our company suffered its first casualty since coming into this part of the line & luckily was only a slighly wounded case. During the early part of the night of the 12th our Battalion Raiding Party who had been out of the line practicing paid a visit to the huns front line killing a number of the enemy & secured some valuable documents only suffering four casualties themselves altogether the raid proved very successful. Whilst in the line here news was received that the Hun intended to blow up the front line by mine sp parties were told off as fighting parties their duties being to fight for possession of the mine crater in the event of such happenings. To avoid more casualties than possible should the mine be sprung the front line troops were withdrawn about three hundred yards at "Stand to" night & morning leaving a sentry here & there in the front line to give warning of any enemy movement should any be visible. Luckily the expected enemy movement did not take place while we were occupying that part of the front line which was called the "The Bluff". While occupying this part of the line the troops had a very good time for frontline work, for they received three regular meals a day having nothing to do except their turn on sentry work at their respective posts. One man from each platoon was allowed to go once a day to the battalion canteen which had been installed in the big dug outs in reserve where the boys could purchase cigarettes, and practically anything in the eating line.