Snow & hail in morning.
I go twice under shell & rifle fire to Co H.Q. (the culvert). Interview McD. at 12 & again at 1 PM. We study positions together and decide on making a fresh line on our front. We have aerial photos to go on & compare with our maps. I meet Major Gault who exchanges greetings with a merry laugh & a joke.
Leave H.Q. at 3:30 for Ypres to visit Brigade H.Q. As I pass on Menin road a whiz bang shell strikes within 20 feet from us. I enter Ypres at 4:15 PM & leave at 5:30 PM thro’ Vlamertinge & Busseboom arr. camp 9:30 PM after calling on Wallach.
Friday 4 August 1916
Exploration of Stewart trench recently captured by Capt Stewart. Discover 4 enemy dugouts 15 feet deep, trench 5 feet deep & 3 to 3 1/2’ wide.
Leave Ypres for Poperinghe to take train for England as my bro’ Harry is undergoing a delicate operation in hospital at Liverpool.
Thursday 30 March 1916 – frost and cold
At Busseboom near Poperinghe & quartered in hut. Fearful cold night as no door to hut and large cracks in floor. Very dirty.
Vivid memories of the Ypres Salient still haunt me. What a hell! Believe me.
I write letters to Betty, Harry always and Bro’ Charles in France.
A report to hand says on our right two lines of enemy trenches have been taken by Northumberland Fusiliers at St Eloi + Royal Fusiliers.
Wednesday 29 March 1916
I went way down the communications trench to Zillebeke. A most horrid storm arises, the wind howls thro’ the much battered woods (Sanctuary Wood) accompanied by snow, hail, sleet & rain. The night was tempestuous & the elements vied with cannon to make the loudest frightfulness. Hideous in the extreme. I lose my steel helmet so have to trek 5 miles without it, snow & hail mix with my hair, frightfully cold. I fall into many mud holes, shell holes and disused trenches. Am covered from head to feet with mud of all colours & reeking with the stench.
We pass through Zillebeke after taking 3 hours to travel a mile. The 43rd were in the Common trench with full pack on same as us. Difficult to pass each other. Rotten bad management. Passed along Menin road and thro’ Ypres at 3 am & took train outside.
*Brodie Helmet – Also called Steel or Mark I Helmet was the first steel helmet worn by British, Canadian and American troops during the First World War. The use of artillery shells resulted in increased head wounds and made steel helmets a necessity. Their bowl shape with wide brim allowed for protection from Artillery bursting from above the trenches. The Brodie Helmet was used by Canadian forces into the beginning of the Second World War when it was replaced with a modified version.
Monday 27 March 1916 – rain and fine later
Absolutely the most wicked weather last night boys outside all night. Rain snow sleet & driving wind. Hard pounding rifle grenades & trench mortar bombs are sent over in profusion. Hell opens again at 4:30 am by our artillery at Hill 60. A most hideous & frightful roar & noise. A rifle shot can scarce be heard. Aeroplanes very active. Fly low. Our feet are wet and life almost unbearable.
As I am standing outside the dugout a shrapnel bullet passes my neck and buries itself deep into the sandbag. Again I miss death by a rifle grenade. 3 burst simultaneously near dugout in fire trench. All night there is a horrible hell & din going on.
It rains all night and the misery – pitiful as we stand out in it all through the night.
*Hill 60 – A heap of soil just south of Ypres in Flanders made from soil removed from a cutting for the Ypres-Comines railway. The hill was a strategic observation point overlooking Ypres and Zillebeke making it a valuable target and thus the area of multiple battles throughout the duration of the war.
Monday 20 March 1916 – fine
My [rucksack?] is carried by transport wagon. I march with Coy. to Ouderdom near Poperinghe encamped in huts.
Many aeroplane fights.
Huns shell Dickebusch and Ypres all afternoon.
Bombs from German aeroplane drop near our huts.
No casualties.
*Poperinghe- One of only two towns in Belgium that was not under German occupation during WWI. It was used to billet troops just behind the front lines and as a safe area for hospitals.
Saturday 18 March 1916 – fine
Inoculated against trench fever.
Battalion inspected by General Alderson previous to going to Ypres.
*Trench Fever – A disease transmitted by body lice caused by a bacterium that lives in the stomach walls of the lice. The symptoms include high fever, headache, and sore leg or back muscles. The poor conditions of life in the trenches caused a huge number of cases during the war. In fact during 1915 to 1918 one fifth to one third of British troops reported ill had trench fever. Antibiotics can be used to treat trench fever no effective treatment or inoculation was available during the war.
Monday 14 February 1916
Heavy bombardment by our artillery 9.2 [BL 9.2 inch Howitzer] etc. Very cold weather, heavy showers of rain, shelling at Ypres
Saturday 12 February 1916 – rain and fair
Early this morning the Huns take a few trenches from the British troops near Ypres. Our artillery pound the devil out of the Huns making hellish roar and din. We retake trenches. Aeroplane fights numerous all day.
Sunday 26 December 1915 – fine day
Walked into Bailleul for boot repairing and haircut, but nothing doing. They do not work on Sundays but will sell anything.
Sent ring to Miss Alwyn Browne as souvenir of Belgium (Ypres). Had eggs and very tough steak also some coffee for dinner.
Bought ring souvenir for Miss Alwyn Browne and forwarded it on to her. Also 2 for self, 3.50, 4.00 and 2.50 [£]. Got a lift to Belgium border on motor lorry and then to Locre. Kept fine in afternoon.