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[Page 60]
5/5/16
Rue Dormoire
Reveille 4.45am and two platoons left at 6 for the Halfway House. Breakfast in bed at 5am rose at 7am and set out on bicycle for the spot. Reaching the AMC Depot just before laundry 6 inch shells started landing pretty close and splinters coming over menacing and went inside. Found Bruce King there mortally wounded. As he was breakfasting a splinter tore a hole large enough to take a clenched fist in his back & tore away the backbone. He was sent away in Ambulance quite unconscious & died soon after – one of the best.
The Germans proceeded to give this spot hell searching for a battery, sometimes two screaming shells landing at once and one always in the air. Had a whisky with Imperial Artillery officer and meantime a shell set the house on fire. They continued to plaster the place but no other casualties resulted.
Thought of making a dash but the Artillery fortunately dissuaded me. It turned out afterwards the shells were only 10-15 yards from the road. Working on the map made a detour which however did not secure one from occasional whizzing splinters.
After looking at work done went over to Rues Allee & Fleurie with the Colonel. Returned by cycle about 10,tres fatigue being so very close & warm. After lunch went to the funeral of poor King. He was buried in the churchyard of the old church at Erguinghem, sewed up in a blanket. The corpse lowered by ropes passed under arms and about knees and gently put down. An ugly red splotch upon the stretcher showed where the blood had soaked through the blanket. His face was calm like one asleep.
We went into the old church afterwards but the interior was disappointing being all new. Noticed statues of Jean d'Arc and St Michael on either side of the chancel. The churchyard like most French churchyards was quite disfigured by the old tawdry wooden crosses. We saw a rare stone tombstone. These wooden crosses are elaborately made of board with a round top painted with flourishes and all inscriptions commence "Ici repose le corps de ----" and add that the decd. died fortified with the sacraments. [indecipherable] in the way of glass cases of flowers are common and no dates old than about 10 years were noticed. Do they dig up the ground again after a few years for other burials.
After went with Doctor for a cup of café and prattled French for mademoiselle. Local people confirm German [indecipherable]. At about 8 a violent bombardment commenced & continued without intermission for an hour and a half. The gas alarm was sounded and all hurriedly donned their helmets ready for the fray but a message soon came along saying that there was none. All stood