William Keith Gillies diary, 22 March 1916-30 September 1917 - Page 242
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[Page 242]
September 1917
27th Heavy barrage began at daylight & continued for two hours. Returned home 6 A.M. & slept all the morning. This afternoon I took the "tube" well to BlackWatch corner (Pollygon Wood & drove it in, but the supply of water is very limited. From 4 to 6 P.M. we were in the midst of a heavy barrage from Fritz & I was half burried twice before we got into a "Pill-box." Fritz counter attacked but was driven off with heavy losses. The 3 of us were nearly sniped by machine guns but by 8 o'clock everything was fairly quiet. After our reconoisance for a water supply we returned home at 6 A.M. (for 28th see further on)
29th At 9 A.M. I went out again with 7 sappers to establish an advanced water supply & dug a well inside a "Pill-box" about 1000 yards behind the front line to a depth of 15' & struck water. Fritz has been shelling heavily all day & at 8 P.M. he put a heavy barrage over & counter-attacked on the front & both flanks of the salient. Our barrage of both artillery & machine guns opened