Walter Draycott’s Great War Chronicle

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Sunday 6 May 1917

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 – fine

Capt. J. W. Wallis comes to Hosp. to see me. He regrets my indisposition & hopes I will soon return to the office as the work has been thrown back on a/c of my absence.

I vomit a great deal. Wallis pleads with doctor to have me not removed but given every attention.

An enemy aeroplane flys low over Villers au Bois dropping bombs & firing his machine gun very near to the Hospt. camp that I’m in.

*”…the doctors were requested NOT TO SEND DRACOT TO A HOSPITAL. HIS SERVICES ARE URGENTLY NEEDED!!!” Excerpt from Draycott’s memoir “Pawn No. 883”.

Tuesday 1 May 1917

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Enemy shell La Targette.

In early morning there are many air fights. Our planes bring down 3 enemy’s.  S.M. Douglas walks  from La Targette transport lines to Villers au Bois.  Outside Villers au Bois some of our planes are manoeuvring when a collision takes place between two planes resulting in one having a wing & propeller blade torn off.  He descends rapidly and crashes with an awful thud.  Both men are dead smashed & twisted.  Awful sight.  Later in afternoon one of our Farmans descends riddled with bullets & a corporal wounded.  He brought down two of enemy.

Friday 13 April 1917

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We get notice to pack up and ready to move to Villers au Bois by 12 noon.

Hodge, White & self walk to Villers au Bois overland feeling very tired & wet thro’ up to knees thro’ wading thro’ the mud. Very cold.  We take 4 hours to do a 2 hrs. journey.  A cold reception for the billets are windy & damp.

Thursday 5 April 1917

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43rd Bde. making a raid this afternoon secure two prisoners.  We lost three officers, one killed, one wounded & one missing.

We leave Villers au Bois @ 4 pm. The party are – Sergt. Major Douglas, myself, L/c Hodge & White & Pte. Wilson.  We pass the guns which are firing a barrage fire.  L/c W is fearfully nervous.

S.M & I break from the party & take an overland route in full view of enemy. Trenches are in very bad state.

Funders

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