Enemy aeroplane flies very low last night dropping bombs on Neuville St. Vaast & machine gun firing.
1st Canadian Division capture village of Fresnay after severe fighting.
L/c White goes to Paris on leave.
Monday 30 April 1917
Enemy shell Vimy & the pits. Only a few gas shells come over.
Am very busy all day on a/c of handing over to 9th Brigade. Enemy machine falls in flames near Thelus. Douglas & I make our way back to La Targette via Bois de [Bouval…] – Arras Road & Neuville St. Vaast. Sleep night @ Transport Lines with Sergts. Baker, Scott & Smith. Absolute Hell is going on around Arleux & Oppy villages.
Thursday 29 March 1917
2:35 to 3:15 am & 4:20 am. A most Hellish fiendish bombardment is in full swing during early hours. Neuville St. Vaast is heavily shelled with 8” & 5.9” shells. Machine gun fire appalling. Many fires reported at back of enemy lines.
Saturday 3 February 1917
5 enemy ‘planes attack two of our Scouts and send them to earth one in flames. Observer burnt to death. Pilot has feet burned. The other crashes to earth in Neuville St. Vaast both seriously injured. Enemy possess a very fast machine. Ours are much too slow.
*A scout plane is type of surveillance aircraft used for the purpose of discovering an enemy position and directing artillery. Aerial reconnaissance was often a hazardous task because of a requirement to fly at slow speeds and at low altitudes. The task was made all the more dangerous with the arrival of additional German flying squadrons, including Manfred von Richthofen‘s highly experienced and well equipped (with the Albatros D.III) Jasta 11 (No. 11 Fighter Squadron), which led to sharp increase in Royal Flying Corps casualties.(www.wikipedia.com)
Wednesday 10 January 1917
Wednesday 10 January 1917
Gas attack on our left by the enemy.
Cold & misty rain.
I go to Neuville St. Vaast to survey north of the village, a piece of ground with many trenches over it.
Enemy busy with T. Mortars. Our Stokes guns reply vigorously. I make my survey & on way back visit P.P.C.L.I. H.Qtr. where I learn from Regtl. Sergt. Major Jordon that I’ve been “Mentioned in Dispatches”. It appeared in Regtl. Orders.
*Considered uncivilised prior to World War One, the development and use of poison gas was necessitated by the requirement of wartime armies to find new ways of overcoming the stalemate of unexpected trench warfare. Although it is popularly believed that the German army was the first to use gas it was in fact initially deployed by the French. In the first month of the war, August 1914, they fired tear-gas grenades (xylyl bromide) against the Germans. Nevertheless the German army was the first to give serious study to the development of chemical weapons and the first to use it on a large scale. (www.firstworldwar.com)
*Mention in Dispatches is awarded for valiant conduct, devotion to duty or other distinguished service. During the First World War, 5467 MIDs were awarded to Canadians. (www.forces.gc.ca)
Wednesday 3 January 1917
Damn the Hun. He has spoiled our dinner with his blasted shelling.
Have to run the gauntlet between here and Neuville St. Vaast. By jerky running I outwit him with his shells.
Get ‘ell for running risks. The old General MacDonnel very fatherly over my escapades.
Get valuable nose-caps.
*”Hun” is a derogatory term for German used particularly during the First and Second World Wars.
*The expression “running the gauntlet” is derived from a form of physical punishment where a captive is to run between two rows – a gauntlet – of soldiers who repeatedly strike them.
*Nosecap is that part of a shell which unscrews and contains the device and scale for setting the time fuse.
Tuesday 2 January 1917
Having a devil of a time with the damn rats in our dugout and round about La Targette and Neuville St. Vaast.
Enemy shells our area.
A few more inches and he would have got our dugout. However he makes the walls shake and parts fall in.
*Trench conditions were ideal for rats. Empty food cans were piled in their thousands throughout No Man’s Land, heaved over the top on a daily basis. Most soldiers who served on the Western Front would later recall how rats grew in boldness, stealing food that had been lain down for just a few moments. Rats would also crawl across the face of sleeping men. Although shooting at rats was strictly prohibited – it being regarded as a pointless waste of ammunition – many soldiers nevertheless took pot shots at nearby rats in this manner. (www.firstworldwar.com)
Wednesday 1 November 1916
Fine but cloudy. I go to Neuville St Vaast & the trenches for information concerning the location of HdQrs & trenches.
Enemy very active, many trench mortar bombs & rifle grenades are sent over to us. An RCR man has his leg blown off & succumbs to it & several men are wounded, an officer also. I travel along a trench wherein are several dead Huns & Frenchmen. Ghastly sight.
Sunday 29 October, 1916
Miserable weather & very cold. I go to Neuville St Vaast to see town Mayor, re plans of village. Pte Kerr of 49th is a VC for valour on the Somme area. Lt MacNeil goes away to Canadian Corps on staff (adj to Instr’n school).
*John Chipman Kerr – A Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. On September 16th 1916, during an attack at Courcelette, Private Kerr ran along the trenches towards the enemy as he knew that they were running short of bombs. He opened fire at point blank range and took 62 prisoners as the enemy was convinced they were surrounded. Some of Kerr’s fingers had been blown off in the attack but he did not seek medical attention until the prisoners had been escorted back.
