Heavy bombardment by our artillery 9.2 [BL 9.2 inch Howitzer] etc. Very cold weather, heavy showers of rain, shelling at Ypres
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Sunday 13 February 1916
Heavy artillery duel in morning. Scores of aeroplane battles take place. Huns failed in their invasion.
2nd MacGill bunch go on leave while old Pats have to take back seat – rotten!! numerous protests. CQMS [Company Quarter Master Sergeant] Beaton goes on leave. Shells fall all around us but none strike. I walk to Kemmel & Lindenhoek & back.
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.
Friday 11 February 1916
Wet and miserable, lots of mud. Private Mackenzie and I make tour of trenches. We are subject to pesky bombardment and snipering. Relieved by 49th Regiment at 6 PM and march to Kemmel hill to huts.
Major Grey goes to England on leave.
Thursday 10 February 1916
A very miserable night, snow in morning at 9 am, fairly quiet day. Usual bombardment.
Wednesday 9 February 1916
Froze hard all night. Feet of boys very cold. Huns very lively last night.
French mortar bombs, rifles, grenades, etc. are sent over by us.
Lively bombardment this morning whizz-bang shells from Huns come over about noon. Nose cap from one narrowly misses my head and bores its way into tree in front of me. At 2 PM to firing line from trench supports. At 3:15 I cut the hair of Major Grey and Capt Cornish in their dug out, Major Curry returns from leave to England, lively bombardment in evening.
Tuesday 8 February 1916
Up at 5:30 AM, breakfast 7:30. Company works in trenches. I make wind vanes for gas alarms. General Macdonnel, Col Buller, Major A. Gault make tour of the trenches. 2 PM to Battalion HQ. Transport back into trenches. 2:30 PM lively artillery duel goes on.
About 5 PM Huns give us hellish rapid artillery fire, Griggs gets nasty wound in hand, I bandage up, bled very much. Lance Corporal Lightbody and Private Blair go on leave.
* Lt Col H.C. Buller – Colonel Buller took command of the regiment after the death of Colonel Farquhar. He was injured during the Second Battle of Ypres and lost an eye but did return to command the regiment in 1916. Buller was killed in the Battle of Mount Sorrel on June 2nd 1916.
Monday 7 February 1916
Up @ 7, breakfast 8 am. Move off in full marching order to trenches at Kemmel wearing overcoats.
One man of RCR’s (Royal CDN Regiment?) brought down by expansion bullet… Dead.
We relieve 31st Battalion
*Expansion bullet – Also known as the Dum-Dum bullet, an expansion bullet was designed to expand on impact, thus creating a large wound. Traditionally these bullets were made from lead, a soft metal that would flatten upon impact. In 1898 the German government adamantly protested against the use of expansion bullets citing them as inhumane and excessive. The next year during The Hague Convention of 1899 they were declared prohibited from international warfare.
Sunday 6 February 1916
Breakfast 6:30 AM, blankets rolled @ 7 AM, move off 8:15 for Locre billeted in huts.
Met some of 27, 24, 29th Canadian Battalions, Capt Barclay goes on leave
Saturday 5 February 1916
No entry
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