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[Page 98]
Lille Post & L'Armee
19/6/16
Felling unwell. Slept in until 10 am and then rose and went to Batt. H.Q. Had breakfast with C.O. at 11.30 and then left with him for Bde H.Q. Went round the "stunt" premises and found things rather mixed. Had a yarn to the leader of the raid last night and arranged to go into the billet we previously occupied. Had lunch at H.Q. and worked in my Sergt. Major (Yeadon) to come with me.
Our guns very active today and we now appear to have plenty of shells. The turn in the tide appears to have been reached. News of great Russian victories comes to hand and the policy of aggression on this front seems to have passed over to us. All along the line we raid and shell and there is talk of big things to happen soon.
Handed over to Skene Smith temporarily after tea and despatched my bed and other gear on ahead to L'Armee by a fatigue party. Selected as my billet the abode of the cockeyed damsels with whom during most of the evening artillerymen were consorting and coarse badinage exchanged.
Went to Bdl. H.Q. and could get little information from the Brigade Major owing to the plans not yet being laid. Had to battle round for myself digging up previous plans of action & spent a very busy evening drafting up scheme and copying same for my officers. All are comfortably billeted between Rue Marle & L'Armee.
20/6/16
Up early as orders came for inspection by the Brigadier at 9 am. Fell the battalion's parties in as a company with close column to 4 paces. Received the Brigadier ceremonially with sloped arms to which he replied with a roar "What the d----- have you got your eyes turned this way for" – referring to an unfortunate in the rear rank who could not keep his head to the front. At once proceeded to fall out the men by parties as for the raid and got them all marked off.
Held a conference of my officers at 10.30 & threshed out a few difficulties. They then carried on with bomb throwing and physical drill. Owing to the damage caused to clothes by crawling through the grass we