Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 51]
France Firing Line "45"
26/4/16
Dawn at 3.30 am. Stood to arms until 4.45, the enemy sniping being very brisk. Inspected firing line and found all correct. Some new reinforcements having their first experience of active service Passing one dugout I saw a form suddenly shoot out – I shrewdly suspicion it was propelled by a sergeants boot – and stood blinking and looking round. Roused like hell at the poor beggar for not being out on his post but the dazed look of the fellow's face made one feel rather sorry for the new chums first rough trench wakening.
Lovely spring morning – a Taube flew up and down and our aviguns put some shells very close and he turned tail and made off – very unlike ours who take no notice and finish their reconnaissance however badly bombarded. Very pretty upaloft made of some transparent airlike substance. Trenches very dirty and require a lot of cleaning up. Party on lowering exposed gangway at communication trench.
At about noon our artillery commenced a bombardment of the enemy trenches about 3/4 mile on our left and the flash and fire of bursting shells was thick among the trees there. The enterprising enemy rose to the occasion and responded in kind, shells following each other in very close succession and crashing into and around buildings near Bois Grenier sending up showers of dirt. Noticed that the shower of debris was visible while the scream of the shell and its subsequent noise of explosion followed. A good example of sight being faster than hearing.
Some of the stuff they put over was very heavy. Rigged up a periscope by means of which it is possible to sit at ease on the forestep and focus field glasses on the image of the opposing parapets.
Today being a lovely day the skylarks are very busy singing and fierce argument rages as to whether they are "imported birds" or not. Fare very much better for food here than in Gallipoli for lunch today stewed rabbit & bacon bread butter, jam tea, boiled rice and preserved fruit & condensed milk.
Visited Jay's Post at 3.30 and had a look at enemy's trenches through glasses. Sniped at, at the head of communication trench. Inspected JAYS and returning had the narrowest escape of death one wants Walked along the trench a shell burst directly in front wounding a machine gunner. Dropped down just as another burst overhead and the shrapnel splashed alround. Crept along and joined four men crouched up near a trench pump meantime four others burst before one could breathe almost. Reached firing line passing stretcher bearers on the way.
After tea received orders for a stunt planned as follows. At 8.15pm stand to arms again at 8.20 a gramophone placed on parapet was to play two loud records and to still be going strong at 8.30. The idea being the novelty would induce the enemy to listen with heads over parapet a little more than usual. Suddenly at 8.30 two flares were to go up and simultaneously all the machine guns (laid dead or during daylight) were to suddenly sweep the parapets and each man here was to fire two rounds rapid dead in. We would surely have killed some. All men were warned and eager for the fray when orders arrived within a few minutes of the stunt cancelling it. Most damnably annoying. I cursed for about 10 minutes and then calmed down a little but these d. contradictive orders get me raging. Very heavy bombardment towards ST. E201 we could see some shells blowing.