Item 06: John D. Wilson diary, 17 May-19 September 1917 - Page 7
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[Page 7]
Friday May 18, 1917.
The day is dull and cloudy but fine. The mud is drying up.
Fritz sent over a few shells from the direction of Fluerbad, They went over Nieppe & fell near Steenverck.
I answered Mr. B. C. Miller's letter to day. Wrote 4 pages to him.
My sister in her letter of March 20, says,
"Sunday the 18, was the anniversary of poor Martha's death. We put a memoriam notice in the local papers. It does not seem as if a year has gone round since we laid her to rest. Father has had a nice iron railing put around the grave"
There was great excitement here this evening. One of Fritzs aeroplanes tried to get one of our observation baloons that is stationed near us. Fritz flew round the baloon several times empting his machine gun into it. The two observers jumped out in their parashoots. Our archies opened a heavy fire on Fritz & he made off without getting our baloon. He appeared to be hit & flew very low. I doubt if he got back to his own lines safely. Everyone including civilians & soldiers came out to see it.
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