Sunday 1 October 1916

Up the line early for information. Enemy shelling hard and so are we.
At 4 PM we receive orders to move up the line in front of Pozieres. It rained hard & much mud. I act as guide to the Brigade. An awful bombardment is going on on both sides, numerous colored flares being used, much rifle fire & bombs being used also.
Arrive at a fork road close to a battery when we come to a dead stop as the road was full of shell holes. Night dark. Location of Cemetery (our Hdqrs) difficult. We unload the wagon on to a railway (trench tramway) much sliding and cursing and shouting. I had to shout orders out in order to be heard, a horrible din. L/c White, my ass’t. draughtsman is frightfully nervous. Have to use stern measures with him.
On our way to HQRS we encounter soldier on a truck (tramway) with leg blown off. Our truck was full & I gave orders to unload in order to let him pass. They did not know of a dressing Stn, so I referred them to the one @ the Cemetery. He was attended to.
Our Sergt Major is drunk & a nuisance. Everything is left to me to manage. Arr @ HDQR a deep dugout about 20 feet. Will only hold 8 men. We are all wet thro’ & covered in slimy mud. This is war. A man is brought in on a stretcher by a party, they want him to see a doctor. L/c comes, says – “just lay him over there.” He’s dead! Many wounded coming in.