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[Page 61]
5/5/16
Rue Dormoire
in their billets with full gear on ready to move at a moments notice. There was some very heavy rifle & machine gun fire and green alarm flares were frequent. Our guns opened up in response to theirs and generally there seemed to be merry hell round the trenches.
Had intended to go down to advanced post but the bombardment made me stay here instead. Some rain tonight and strong wind. Those passing the scene of King's death and this mornings bombardment, saw tonight a woman in black with her little orphans, sobbing over the ruins of what yesterday was her happy home. Now, a smoking heap of debris. It is cruel, first the man of war takes her[indecipherable]from it is her home.
My men are at their best in the firing line, there everyday. I have funny sayings to go down and there is great willingness and individual enterprise shown in all they do. At present no one is enthusiastic at this pick & shovel job, - ½ the men working all day and the balance all night. Up to date our men have learnt two French phrases which they air upon all occasions "[indecipherable]", "Compree".
6/5/16
After breakfast went down to the trench and stayed out until nearly lunch time supervising work there and siting new trenches. Rode down on bicycle. A very quiet morning. After lunch went down to Rue Fleurue with Dr Craig and had to pull up to wait until shrapnel ceased. Tested water down there with an interesting chlorine test using iodide of zinc for the reaction. It is proposed to put 4 platoons down here for work and in my humble opinion is most injudicious. It will be interesting to just wait & see Mackay and his platoon go down at 9 tonight.
Elmigler is transferred to "B" Co. Thomsen comes to me as my second in command. The German artillery is good. If not able to definitely locate a battery on the map but only get approximate square they proceed to bombard the square aforesaid landing the shells methodically in this manner [diagram]. The lines are quite as even as this and the result is that they cover every inch of the square in question.
It does not follow that they knock the gun out though they may kill all the crew. Only a direct hit on the gun is effective.
After tea rode out to the Halfway House again stopping on the way to order a British Warm (overcoat). Only 26 men out on the entrenching job and it was so dark nothing could be seen. Quite a force going out. The C.O. in at Armentieres tonight again.
Bed 10.45