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[Page 46]
Firing Line France (45)
19/4/16
Stand to at 3.45 am. Cold dark and wet. Got up in gum boots & heavy coat inspected the men. All looking forward to getting back into billets and rest. Enemy extremely quiet and not a shot was fired during breakfast they probably feeling the weather as much as we, since arriving here it has been wet every day. Rations and supplies come up at night by trolley from a place where they are dumped at La Croix Marchel by the transport. The C.O.M.S. is quartered in Erquinham and comes down on the limbers at night. He buys a paper for us and today we have the "Times" 48 hours old. Some mail came in last night late.
The troops opposing us here are Bavarians and keep very quiet. The distance between the trenches 200 – 300 [indecipherable] is just too far to be interesting. Pumping parties hard at work and 20 men away on Engineers work. Patrols out last night report wire fairly good on our front. Put three trench mortar bombs across at enemy's pump and blew in some of their parapet for them. Behind our line there are many small graves some surrounded with barb wire and covered with green grass, small crosses on top denoting that they are bodies on men unknown. In places these graves are nearly covered over with mud, in others only a couple of inches of dirt covers them. Noticed a leg bone knocking round the firing line.
Cold and bleak again today, we have had wet every day of late – a wretched climate. Web at stand to arranged order of march and route for the relief and got all men into marching order at stand to. Inspected Jays Post and firing line.
At 7.15 pm No. 13 reported suspicious lights near a ruined tower at Bois Grenier immediately phoned to Batt. Office. About half an hour afterwards the enemy machine guns opened, heavily scouring our communication trenches. An incoming platoon of the 21st had a very rough passage having to crawl part of the way through mud with bullets all round them and crouch with bullets hitting all round them.
At about 9, the taking over was complete and I started my chaps moving off. The enemy was sending up some very brilliant flares as we quickly filed through the trenches to the rear but we bustled along past exposed places and had no adventures.
Reaching billets we had get tucked in very close together owing to our other place having been blown to bits by shells. The scene in our mess room reminded us of Bairnsfather's cartoon – tired and dirty officers sitting happily round all filthy with mud. Turned in early and all slept very soundly.
20/4/16
Reveille was rather a dead letter. All dogtired and fast asleep as late as 8 o'clock and I had trouble in getting anything to eat before 9.45 at which hour meeting the Major at Batt HQ we proceeded to 23rd HQ where Colonel Watson joined us and formed a Court Martial. Tried 5 cases and passed sentence. The MMP's told us they had received orders to be very respectful and chary in handling our Australian lads. They are lovely. To see the twinkle in the eye of some sunburnt hones Australian free and easy lad as he gives his evidence regarding a good night out or brawl he took part in, is good. We spent all day there and lunched with the C.O. at his billet where we indulged in French conversation with the interpreter.
It is great to get out into rest after the dirty firing line. Spies very active of late and those who get caught disappear to their fate promptly. Great amount of barbed wire round Fleubaix, it is a great furphey today that the Russians have captured Trebizond.
All the hedges and elms are pushing out great coats of green leaves and getting their summer coats. The little village is much knocked about with shells. Frequent little shrines about and niches in walls with sacred images. Also on the inside of doors a cross painted with "In hoc signore".
Orders out tonight that an orderly has to accompany us whenever we move abroad. The people of the house are shifting out all their furniture, are we going to get shelled tomorrow??