December 1916

COLD

FROSTY.

Misty. – Had to get up beastly early to take #1 sec. Up. – Had to go back to VILLERS STN. & up the valley to CARENCY. – Left at 8.00 – Arr’d at 10.00. Went around the left of the Bn. Sec. with WALLIS. – Had to go around SNARGATE ST. with CASEY to satisfy the O.C. & Divn. that none of the part we revetted last tour in had collapsed. – It hadn’t, but we near did when a minnie dropped too close for comfort. – Casey tells me he’s been having a row with our extra-supers. – Can’t say I’m strong for BONNEL. – WALLIS may be a bit of a grouser but is a good super I think – CUMMINGS is O.K. according to Casey & Pete. – Went around with WALLIS again this eve & relief was then complete. – Rec’d 150 fags from STREATHAM HILL CONG. CHURCH.

RAINY – O.C. came up to go over my sector. – Visited crater & toured from Rt. to Left in all the mud we could find. – There has been some rotten work put in around here. – Went over to visit Bus Reid this aft. but he was out. Borrowed a candle from Brooks. They have a raid on for tonight. Have a bid to be present but I don’t wish to care for some – I’ve had any – Toured my own line & that was enough

Rainy. – Didn’t go out this morning. – Cayley & 3 inf. killed by a “pine-apple” in LIME ST. – Had to write his wife tonight. – Rotten job. – He had 3 fine little kiddies too. – Went up around the line at dusk. – BRISSON strafed in. Visited Greenwood in “D” co’y hdqrs. – Tooth-ache tonight so didn’t go out till late. – Made a trip up to the crater alone & got scared to death by a dud minny. – 3rd Bn got 70 prisoners last night but killed a bunch & got a M.G.

Clear, mostly. – Didn’t get up as early as I intended. Made a tour of the supports & up to the crater. – Met Col. Rae up there. – Visited “B” Coy Hdqrs & back to lunch. – The Major was up & went round Mac’s side. – Did nothing but visit Bn H.Q. – Slept all aft. – Mail in at dinner time. – Couple of letters & parcel. Pkge from Len. keeping it for xmas. – Caught merry hell about the letter from POOLE which I forwarded. – Don’t see why I should get in Dutch over that. – I’m fed up & sore so I won’t write tonight or I’d be liable to say what I think. – HUME MOSES came in, tells me Ken. Sawle was killed. – Took him for a stroll to the crater.

Cloudy. – Gas wind. Pounded the pillow till noon. Had brekker & made a tour of the supports, before visiting the col. – Started in to write a letter but I’m still sore & fed up about the one I got yesterday. – I’m sick of getting strafed & I seem to be in for it indefinitely – More fussy messages from Co’y H.Q. – Me for a job someplace else, first chop. – Divn butting in again & telling us our jobs. – “Revet with hurdles” & they send up around the line with Jimmy.

Another letter tonight.

SNOW FLURRIES. & RAW.

Breakfast at noon. – Relief day – No morning parties – 1st relieved 4th :- 2nd the 3rd :- Major came up. – Pump out of action till REMBER took over. – Fraser relieved Fonger. Went no farther than Battn H.Q. – Saw C.O. 1st – Maj. Nelles – Seems O.K. – Last time I worked the 1st Bn was with Col. Creighton at the BLUFF. – Lots of changes since then. – No mail but Pete got a bunch of parcels so why worry? – Not going out tonight. – Business of bathing & retiring early. Cheerful news by Maj. E.P. – “You will probably be in till the 20th.”

11.50P.M. – A wet sloppy night. – Just in & thankful I’m not in the infantry. – Starting to snow. – MacKenzie just in too, – wet & cold – I’m trying to cheer him up. – He’s keeping the homefires burning with a bunch of Davidson’s “Gap” signs. – Which reminds me that the same charming fellow is back from leave & we will have to put up with him while the Divn is in rest. – Was up early to-day & it was beautiful out. – The morning sun showed up every nook & cranny of the SOUCHEZ VALLEY, back to the old church at ABLAIN St. NAZAIRE & the pit head up towards LOOS. – Took Maj. NELLES around the line this A.M. – Wrote mother tonight. – Rumored that there are 7 Regts opposing us, – the Prussian Gds among them. – Enemy massing Arty.

Hutton 1st Bn died of wounds. – Was on leave at same time as I was. Chapman not reported in yet. – 1 A.M. The shelled the dump tonight. –

Jimmy Simpson woke me up at 4 A.M. to say that chapman had connected with one for a blighty. – No use trying to dodge it if your name is on it.

11.30 P.M. – All quiet on the W. front. Too much so considering the fact that Fritz is liable to blow a mine at any minute. – Mac has a consolidation party standing by all night. – Had Maj. Trotter, Ivey & Robertson of the 12 F.C. up to go around this A.M. – Bit of a strafe on Rt. this aft. – Looked like Fritz was feinting there with a view of hitting elsewhere. – Bunch of mail tonight. – Can. – GERMANY asks for peace but must make her own terms. – Some joke. – King Tino sides with the Kaiser. Rotten night. – Went round about 10 P.M. –

Fair to showery. – Have been gorging all evening. – Cain came up this A.M. so I stayed in, wrote Report on trenches for Divn. + stuff myself. – Got a box of apples & Fraser had a flock of chocs. cakes & the like. – Hope I don’t have to get up in the night. – Hooper, Med. ‘16 was in – Is now with 2nd. – Blew our two camouflets on 2nd Bn Front about 10 am not very heavy – No crater. – Allan got hit at the dump tonight. – Jones carried him to dr. stn. – Germany threatens typhoid bombs if Allies don’t quit .Seem to be poking it to us in Roumania – 1st Bn picked up a prisoner last night. – Prussian Gd.

FAIR. – Got up in time to take the Maj. around. Very quiet all A.M. – Bit of a strafe this aft. – Stuck around & wrote a couple of letters. – Guy gets away to Blitey tonight. – Wish I could go along & help him. – Rumour of big Fr. Victory. – Had a letter from Laurel Wilson to-night. – He seems like a good scout. – Also had one from Uncle Geo. – Another good scout. – Got Maj. Nelles his stove tonight. – Have been writing all evening. – The fire’s gone out & Mac is out. – Won’t he be mad when he comes in. – Casey has gone down to WIMEREUX on the camo course.

Misty. – Got to bed about 2 A.M. & rose about 11. Didn’t go round the line till about 2.30 P.M. & decided that thenceforth I’ll get up & do my journeying in the cool of the day. – Even our own T.M. got after me – Fritz grouped 3 beauties at the Jct. of CHALK & BRISSON. – Blew it all to hell – Had a party working there last night too. – Not good enough. Got another 150 fags from the Str. Hill Cong. Ch tonight. – It must be a habit with them.

2A.M. – Just ordered Guy’s wedding present. – This is my hoodoo date with #1 sec. – Will have to look out. – Good night.

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Midnight. – Bn. Standing to all night. Managed to get hit so the hoodoo is a fact. – Fritz started to strafe as soon as I went out this aft so I didn’t go far. – Whizz-bangs don’t clear the crest by an awful lot up there. – What looked like a nice quiet night to finish up the tour was rather canned by a message from Bn just at dinner time. Fritz stopped tamping in mine sap nr. GABRIEL – Expected to blow any time. – Went up to Bell’s H.Q. got the dispositions + saw that crater jumping party had tools req’d. – Toured the line with Cain. – Called at Coleman’s H.Q. + had dinner. – Went up forward & sat in the line waiting for him to blow. – If he does, he’ll get an awful surprise for the 1st are right on their toes & I think we could beat Fritz to it if it comes to getting the crater lip. Will probably blow about day break, if at all.

He didn’t blow, but the wind did. Turned COLD, COLD, COLD. – Hard frost all day. – Ivey, Henderson & Rob. relieved us at noon. – Fritz was wise to the relief & shelled the valley. – Pete & I tramped home for Xmas in a snowstorm. – Maj. Trotter & McAfee at VILLERS. – Went for a chilly bath with Mac.

Villers-au-bois to Fosse 7

COLD – Frozen up all day. Casey got back at an early hour. – Co’y left VILLERS at 8.30 A.M. – Picked up Transport at Servins. – Arr’d

Grubby little mine village but with good baths.

Milder & drizzly

Divine service in one of the mine buildings. Met Harry O’Leary – They are billeted in the next street to us. – Had a topping bath at the mine. – After which Pete & I rode over to BRUAY & visited #1 – Had tea & came away just as Boswell arrived.

Orderly – A live day, from filling the family sox in the morning to taking Mac home at night. – The boys enjoyed their dinner & so did we. – Duff was so filled with the xmas spirit that he felt called upon to greet Gen Tuxford like his long lost brother. Our own dinner was no less a success than the men’s – A pleasant time was had by all. – Music, & song. – Cheers, + finally the great Bucking the line scene by Mac + Red.

Fine & clear. Mac had a most welcome cup of black coffee sent up to me & told me all about xmas while I got dressed. – The Maj. is going round with his tongue hanging out & if every one feels as I do we must have had a good time. Had a route march this A.M. which did us a lot of good tho’ it nearly killed some. – Slept & read “BONDLE” all aft. – More parcels today – Our constitutions will be ruined entirely. – Came over early intending to go to bed but sat in front of the fire & dozed all eve. Mac went on leave.

Fine & clear. Squad drill all morning.

COLD & WINDY

Strung wire all morning & “lectured” to the sec in the act. – The bunch of us went down + visited the tea room in Barlin that Boswell has been raving about but it’s not up to much. Came home intending to write but went to sleep. – Woke up about 12 + went to bed. – Feeling rotten.

Stormy – Rain. – No parade, so had Sadie cut my hair. – Had lunch with Harry O’Leary. Nothing doing this aft but a muster parade. Walked down to Barlin with Bull + as he had been inoculated it did not do him any good. He’s keen on having a New Years eve dinner down there away from the wet blanket. I wrote all eve.