Item 06: John D. Wilson diary, 17 May-19 September 1917 - Page 91
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[Page 91]
and sent up again without any men in it. This was a great joke played on Fritz. He kept shelling it for hours but failed to hit it. Then he left off probably feeling that he could not frighten the observers who were not in it.
There was a very heavy cannonade south of Armentieres this afternoon.
Soon after dark a fleet of enemy air craft came over dropping bombs and started two large fires in the direction of Bailleul and penetrated a long way to the rear. In the distance we could see two of our search lights examing in the sky at one place & at another place 1 search light.
We did not go to bed until 11.30 for fear of being bombed out as the enemy repeatedly crossed & recrossed our billets.
1057. Monday June 25, 1917.
It is again cloudy this morning.
A french woman told me that there were 27 horses killed yesterday.
We are very busy cleaning up.
Left Ependabe about I p.m. and arrived at the new camp in Belgium about 4 p.m. without any accident. We passed on the way one of the marvelous "tanks". It crossed the road in front of us, went over ditches & fences without the slightest effort.
The new camp is at "Carmel Hill" and there were only two tents for the men, & one for the officer. It came on to rain & rained all night, so I and another were invited to sleep in the officers tent, others slept in limbers with tarpoleons over them. Some of my mates had to go with mates to