September 1916

Fine. – Reveille at 7 A.M. Another picnic breakfast. – Detailed for billeting. – Met Capt. Urquhart at Bgde 10 A.M. – Rode over to BRICKFIELD area N. of Albert. – Given space to bivvy in open. – Lunched with Pope & Falq at Y.M. tent. – Went in town to locate officers’ billet. – Shot the bull to the Town Major & got a very good place for the night. – Looked round town. – Saw the now-famous church with the toppling statue. – Met Co’y coming in at 4.30

Most undisciplined lot of Anzacs round here. – Stubby gave us a bon dinner.

As we approach the line our grouch gradually wears off. – Had a comfortable shave & breakfast. Our billet seems to have it on most of the other units – Rumor that V.C. Mac will not be back to Co’y so applied to Guy for his horse. – Guy may go to 2nd Co’y as Capt. – I hope he gets his star but doesn’t have to shift. – 4th. Aus. Field Co’y who we are to relieve had a bunch of casualties digging jumping-off trenches before MOUQUET FARM. Anzacs are going after it again tonight as it is to be turned over to the Can Corps.

Fine. – Australians got MOUQUET FARM last night but were driven out again today. – Two co’y of the 13th are up in support of them. – We moved up to our dugouts in La BOISSELLE this aft. – Quite an elaborate gallery system with about 25 ft. of head cover. The chalk is fine stuff to work in. – Our forward Horse lines are in BECOURT Wood. Took a walk over with Guy after dinner. The French must be going to it from the flashes & noise on the left.

Rainy. – Up with the birdies in order to go up & look over the line. They say that from 5 to 9 A.M. is the safest time up there. – On for old Hill 60 again. – Had a look at POZIERES and the famous farm. – Met Col. Buchanan up in the line. – Nothing much for us to do up there but clean up & it’s foolish to risk sappers on work like that. Casey took a party up tonight & had several hit. Cuzner the only one seriously – 13th Have relieved the Australians. – Casualties heavy. – S.B’s running all around in the open to bring them in.

Rainy in spots. – Up at 3 A.M. as the C.M.R. party had to be guided from the Chalk Pit to Kay Tr. – Don’t know what they would have done if they had been needed to help the Battn in Box Lane. – Will be glad to get out of this sector. – They scare me to death every time I go up, altho things were pretty quiet today. – Pope & Greening came up to take over from #1+2 secs. Who went back to the Brickfields. – Pearston & Cripps wounded while going thro’ ALBERT.

Clear & cool. – Stage all set for the big show. – If they make it, poor old Fritz will get an awful set-back. – C.M.R’s on extreme left of attack & I hope they make their objective. Had to go up this aft. to guide them to their shovels. – Met Bill Boyle & Archie Gordon. – Heavy strafe on Thiepval at 6.30 P.M. – The land battleships went up forward just after dark. – Six of them went up to Pozieres. – There will be 30 following the infantry into action tomorrow morning. – The very sight of them should terrify Fritz.

Cool – After several bombardments, the show started about 6 A.M. – Reports all very satisfactory. Lots of prisoners going down. – Swiss navy doing excellent work, enfilading trenches + squashing M.G. encampments bodily. – Vacated the dugout to the 4th F.C. 10 A.M. + moved down to the brickfield. – Corps cavalry went up in support. – Gunners ready to move forward. – Went out for a ride with McK. & wrote letters in Y.M. tent. – Saw 9th Bde going up. – 7th went up this A.M. – Walked into town with Scott after dinner & got latest rumours. – Courcellette, Martinpuich & Flers taken.

Cool. – Pulled out for Senlis 9 A.M. – Short march. – Poor billets. Starting the usual round of parades again it sure gets your goat. – Guy & I got application blanks to transfer to the R.F.C. – Don’t know what sort of a fist I’d make of it but not much use staying here – Visited 9th Co’y. Everyone sore tonight because we all have to get up for physical jerks in the morning. – News continues satisfactory.

Cold in the early morning. Made us cuss the man that cut down the blankets. – Casey & I were late for phys. jerks so were sent out like naughty children to take the route march. – No new dope but everything seems satisfactory up front. More prisoners gone thro’. 9th Co’y beat us up nicely at Baseball. Guy put in his application for the R.F.C. Mine goes in tomorrow. – Boswell came round after dinner. – Went down to Wagon lines of Murray’s battery but he was not in.

RAIN. – Nothing to do but hang around the billet. – This is a mess of a country when it rains. Good news LEAVE IS ON AGAIN – Casey goes on the 20th. – It should work around to me in about 6 wks. If Guy has gone to the 2nd Co’y by then we may get away together – Had a disastrous session of Japanese banker this aft. – Tried to write a letter that would be approved of. It’s an awful job. I can’t pull the soft stuff. – 3rd Bgde passed going in again. They are a cheery bunch. Hertzberg & Birkett came over to dinner.

Rain to cloudy & clear. Nothing for the Super to do all A.M. Told the Major I wanted to be an angel. He say’s[sic] there won’t be much left of the Co’y if this keeps up. – Has loosened up & said we can go to Amiens. – Pep’s a good scout, but the cares of an O.C. rest too heavy on him. – Guy & I rode to Acheux this aft. –

Casey’s leave cancelled at the 11th hour. – Went down to the 1st coy to help console Birkett. – Called at 8th co’y. – The O.C. rather crabbed our trip to Amiens by telling us not to go till after morning parade. – It’s mighty strange that sappers can get excused from parades but we can’t.

After much grouching Pete & I got started about noon.

Fine. - Busy all morning getting things in shape for Sports. Everything went beautifully – We put it over #1 by 54 to 33 in the aggregate. – Scott starred for us & Melville for #1. – Too bad Cuzner was killed. – Great interest taken by all. – Even the C.R.E. was on hand & offered a prize which naturally gave grounds for dispute. – Scott & Melville tied. – Football match tomorrow to decide winner: – Dined at #1

Big show due to start again tonight. – 3rd Bgde going over + Bn Div. on left going after Thiepval.

Fine. – Orderly dog. – For some reason the O.C. let me off parade. – Show much be going on alright from the row. – Quite a bunch of Red-patch casualties coming down. – We got our Red-patches to-day. – Guy & I put them up but the C.R.E. told us to take them down. – Football match resulted in win for #1, 3-0. – It was anybody’s game up to the last 10 min. Melville is their whole team.

Fine. – Route match. Rode into Warloy with Pete, Guy & Birkett. – Birkett’s nag sure can travel. – I’d like to let nigger out but it woulnd’t be safe. – Scott wants to race his horse against Dolly [illegible] I’m going to ride for Guy. – Pete and I found a nice little place for refreshment. – Going back for dinner tomorrow. – Bunches of prisoners coming down all day. – No news other than that Thiepval and Combles have been taken. – The 3rd Bgde. has lost a good man thro the death of Col. Buchanan. – He was a soldier and it makes you feel fed up with the whole business to lose men like him. – He was the first officer I saw commanding an “oversea” co’y on Fletcher’s Field in 1914. – Maj. Mccuaig is the only original 13th officer left with the Battn.

Fine. – Orders to stand by on two hours notice. – Report that Bosches are falling back to their next line. – If true it means a lot of dirty work for us in settling down for the winter.

Rainy & cold. – Took over from 2nd Coy. – Rode in & went over job with Stock. – City engineers of Coucellette & Contral maison. – Wiled away the afternoon with the National Game of America. – Eager Edwin gave the party. – #2 don’t like the idea of shifting out of this nice billet.

Rainy. – The Co’y came in from Senlis. [Illegible] dropped in to see Tommy. – Wanted to run me in to AMIENS in the car. Just my luck, - after loafing for two weeks to have that happen the first day I have to work. – Got sappers placed on jobs. – Went up over pipe line from CONTRALMAISON to BECOURT.