–– hot
The Matron says that during latest push we have taken 700 guns and 40,000 prisoners & a 5 engined bombing machine of the Huns dropped behind our lines on Somme.
7 dead Huns in it.
Wednesday 7 August 1918
The Americans & French have captured 30,000 Huns & 150 guns within the last week.
Monrufret & I go for a walk to Chelsfield & St. Mary’s Cray.
Saturday 22 April 1916 – rain
It rains all day most unmercifully absolute wretchedness prevails. Colonel Buller lines up the troops & praises them for good work done at Hooge & Ypres Salient expect Huns to break thru at St Eloi.
Saturday 19 February 1916
Drizzly rain in morning. I go sniping with Private Mackenzie & bag 4 Huns, they retaliate when they find me & give me a few close calls. Pte. Colville wounded in hand by snipers & Corp. Milne killed (shot through head). My waterproof is pierced by bullets from snipers. We put up dummie head (turnip) & Huns land shots through. We locate sniper & my hun goes with 6 inch shell. I fire elephant gun with telescopic sight. Leave trenches at 4 PM with advanced party to Locre. Griggs goes on leave.
*Elephant Gun – A large Caliber rifle originally used by big game hunters to kill elephants. During WWI both English and Germans used elephant guns to defend their trenches. The English found them very efficient as a countermeasure against German snipers who would often use large plates of steel as cover. The elephant guns were able to penetrate the steel, killing or incapacitating the sniper in hiding. Elephant guns could also be used as anti-tank weapons as they were often able to penetrate lightly armored tanks.
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.
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.
Saturday 22 January 1916 – Fair & Rain
The General passes up the trench at 10:30 after a severe bombardment. The Huns again bombard in afternoon doing consid. dam. to dugouts + trenches. In fixing up a trench we dig up a dead German with belt + bayonet on. Hair off skull
Cold, damp, then frosty night
Saturday 15 January 1916 – Dull & Rain
Sallied out of supports to Bde Hd Qtr. Returned after making purchases for the boys. Out again at 1 PM to the trenches across the field about 100 yards and outside a couple of shrapnel burst overhead, bullets flew all round I hurried on but 30 yards behind me a high explosive burst right on the path I had previously trodden. Stuck close to [hedge?] as I pass a gateway two rifle shots strike thru trees one at the roots + other at 5 ft up. I lay on ground flat as if dead for 15 min then up & on again. Gone about 200 yards when Huns open up a battery gun on our Headquarters. For 20 minutes they send over high explosives shells. One enters door of barn and bursts inside just after 3 men had made their escape. I took cover in a shell hole & waited. Afterwards I ran over an open piece of ground which was being swept by machine gun fire by Huns. Reach the trenches puffed out. As I rest a while the Huns absolutely pepper us with shells knocking our parapets to bits in places. Strangely enough only one casualty Lieut M Newcombe struck in the neck by Rifle grenade from Hun trenches seriously wounded. After cutting a few heads of No Co I depart. With exception of a few more shells + sniping the return journey was done in safety. Afterwards to Hd Qrs at 6 PM with Corpl Griggs
Tuesday 11 January 1916
McLean of No 2 Co. dies of Wounds
Fair later Rain. Went to Neuve Eglise & took photos. Then on to Wulverghem & ditto. Met old friend William Borrie of Canadian Engineers & of Vancouver. Great reception. Heavy shelling by us the Boshes reply feebly. I see many men being brought out of trenches on stretchers. Boches using Rifle grenades & Trench Mortars. Back to RE’s [Royal Engineers?] dugout & take — [blanks here may mean ‘photo’] of Will Borrie & Chums. To Neuve Eglise & take —[photos?] Back to billets at 1 PM. Cut hair. Huns viciously bombard trenches at night with rifle & hand grenades.
