47
8 a.m.A voice: You are wanted
on the telephone, sir." Curse the
voice, and the telephone. Go to the
telephonetalk to the Brigade Major.
8.30 a.m.Fall asleep.
9 a.m.A voice: You are wanted
on the telephone, sir." Curse the
voice, and the telephone. Go to the
telephonetalk to X Battery Com
mander. Says he has orders to regis
ter on ruined building, 90 yards from
front of my trenches, at 3 p.m. Tell
him that I shall evacuate my trenches
and get back into the support trenches
while he is registering, as most of his
shells will probably fall into my front
line. His reply shows that he has no
sense of humour.
9.30 a.m.Fall asleep.
10.30 a.m.Wakeshavedamp my
face (water has to come a mile)feel
as if I had had a large and refreshing
bath
11 a.m.Breakfast.
11.30 a.m.—Walk round trenches,
and carefully examine ground in
front and German trenches through
periscope.
1 p.m.Write a letter or two, and
read paper.
2 p.m.Arrange for reconnoitring
party to-night to ruined building.
3 p.m.X Battery begins registering
on ruined building. One of the shells
falls just outside my parapet. Tele
phone Battery Commander and tell
him what I think of the shooting of
his battery. Danger of wires fusing,
so conversation broken off.
4 p.m.German battery begins
registering on my trenches. One shell
just inside my parapet. Begin to
build up parapet, but find machine gun
trained on breach, so leave it till dark,
as no urgent necessity. Telephone
Y Battery. They blow in portion of
German parapet, and I order a machine
gun to be trained on breach.
5 p.m.Walk around trenches, and
visit trenches on my right and left.
6 p.m.Short evening hymn of
hate no casualties.
6.30 p.m.Lunch, tea and dinner
meal.
8 p.m.Duskstand-to-arms
listening posts go out.
9 p.m. Darkstand-down
night sentries posted. Reconnoitring
party (one officer and two men) goes
out to reconnoitre ruined building, and
to ascertain whether it is occupied by
the Germans by night.
9.45 p.m.Sound of rapid firing
from reconnoitring party. I go out
with six men and a stretcher party.
Find reconnoitring party within 20
yards of ruined building exchanging
fire with Germans inside. One of
party killed, another wounded. Send
stretcher party in with casualties, and
keep up fire until stretchers inside
trench. Then retire to trench. 'Fact
established that ruined building is held
by night in some strength.
12 Midnight.Listening post in
front of trench 200 reports sounds of
Germans working on their wire in
front of their trenches. Draw in
listening post, and open rapid fire
in direction of German wire, with
satisfactory results.
June 29th.
12.30 a.m.Write a letter or two,
and read paper.
1.30 a.m.Walk round trenches.
Very still, dark night. Not a sound
from German trenches. Sit on para
pet and wonder whether the trout have
been rising well this season at home.
Flares go up intermittently along the
German and our front, throwing No
Man's Land into bold relief. Next
invitation I receive to a firework dis
play after the war will be refused!
2 a.m.Red rocket, followed by
green star rocket, goes up from
German trenches on the right. Report
it by telephone to the artillery.
2.15 a.m.Stand-to-arms."
2.50 a.m.Dawn.
3.40 a.m.Daylight. I sit down to
write report. Begins: "A quiet
night
4 a.m.Heavy fog comes on
Stand-to-arms again.
5 a.m.Still foggy. Listening post
in front of 201 reports suspicious
sounds. Draw in listening post, and
sweep front with machine gun.
5.30 a.m. Fog lifts Stand
down."
6 a.m.Turn into my dug out."
6.1 a.m.Fall asleep.
