Item 06: John D. Wilson diary, 17 May-19 September 1917 - Page 17
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[Page 17]
Battalion came to France.
After six this evening there was a lot of aerial activity, and our archers were kept busy
in keeping enemy planes at a distance. Late in the evenings is a favourite time for Fritz to come over. He can see better. The sky is usually clear, and he escapes the glare of the Sun. He is an expert in keeping behind cloudes to avoid being seen and always flies at a very high altitude about 2 miles. He is then practically safe from gunfire but cannot observe much.
I wrote to my father this evening.
Our big guns are now operating with no uncertain voice S. from here.
Friday May 25. 1917.
A fine warm morning, but during the day it was rather warm.
It is now day break some time before 4 o'clock and is not dark until near 9 o'clock. This makes the day very long, but we have a very long afternoon to rest or enjoy ourselves.
This morning I fitted some knives on the chaffcutter and sharpened the ones I took off. There is only one chaff cutter (A. Benhall) 3 knives for the whole Brigade & others also use it. It is going every day, and gets a lot of rough usage.
For a long time I have been studing a new machine power