Mercer papers, 9 December 1917-19 June 1919 / Harold Mercer - Page 111
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[Page 111]
April 25th
Have started making notes in my little Red Cross diary, as I don't appear able to remember details with any accuracy. One of the German big shells lobbed right onto the billets of one of the Tommy batteries and killed five.
April 26
We were out on a trench digging stunt, and wiring, making reserve positions; and just as we were finishing were well & truly shelled. The whole country is a network of trenches, now, These will be the defences for a new resistance every hundred yards or so if Fritz comes again. This is a change to the old policy, when our front line & support positions were considered enough; if anyone was to advance it was to be us.
April 27
Battalion had some sports and a concert More trench digging at night.
April 28
We moved up towards the line, tonight, taking what seemed to me to be a very twisty track, until we struck our possies near Meteren.
April 29
We are located in supports, one platoon to a field, our position being simply pits dug in the ground, close to the hedge, tented with tarpaulins which has hedge-boughs thrown over for camouflage. Inquisitive 'planes keep coming over during the day, so we have to keep close Fritz gave us a strafe in the morning, aiming most likely, at an international post in a