The Diary      "Falling like rain..."
1916 - 1917
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December12th 1916		Landed Le Havre.
December25th 1916		Started up line on lorry.
December29th 1916		Arrived Guillemont.  There is then a gap in the diary in which nothing was recorded. The next entry follows still under the date of December 19th 1916 but clearly now in late March or early April 1917. From what follows, the previous two  entries were written retrospectively simply to bring things up to date, hence the lack of detail in these entries. Leaving three months later, stopped first night at Bray. Marched to Pozieres, had four days rest there leaving at night in snow storm for Roupy, after long hours and much work, found guns were out of range, moved next day to Savy, had 3 casualties here and 1 gun knocked out. Birch died of wounds.
April  10th 1917		Sent to ammunition dump at  Douilly.
May 11th 1917		Returning spent night at Foreste. Curiously he seems to have spent ten days at the ammunition dump at Douilly, there is no mention what he did while he was there. Foreste is about 3 km from Douilly on the road to St.Quentin.
May 12th 1917		Ordered to Vaux for artillery course.
May 13th 1917		Had day in Amiens, visited photographer.
May 19th 1917		Completed first week at school, not too bad. Walked to Amiens and saw cathedral : found it fine and interesting.
May 26th 1917		Visited Amiens got photos, Amiens not too bad but "plenty fatigue"
June 1st 1917		Morning exam, managed nicely, hope it will lead to a rise. Watched T.Mortar barrage, felt very thankful I was not an infantryman, concert in the evening.
June  2nd 1917		Returning to Btty. (Battery) spent day in Amiens, night at  Peronne la Chapellette.
June   3rd 1917		Hung up at Roselle
June   4th 1917		Arrived back, found battery in new position : more work close to Havrincourt wood Metz en Couture.
June   13th 1917		W.Wheeler left for Blighty to take up Commission. I am now in charge of No.2.
June   27th 1917		Stepped into an old German latrine. Whew ! Horrible!
June   30th 1917		Moved into position in Havrincourt wood last night. Feel about as strong as a rat  this morning. There will be a second "do" tonight.
July 7th 1917		Had a near "do" yesterday, being shelled with 8" armour piercing. Was very thankful to receive order to clear the battery. B.C. Post (battery command post) had a very close thing, I hope Fritz hasn't found our range. I embraced "Mother Earth" last night as close as I have ever done. Did not altogether fancy going back to battery when "he" had finished but we finished the night quietly humping shells and filling shell holes. We came through with only two cases of shell shock. Am feeling very thankful to Almighty God that all is well with me.
July 8th 1917		Received the order to clear, pull out 3 and 4 guns.
July 9th 1917		Fired a final 28 rounds on 1 and 2 guns then pulled out, packed up and proceeded to Fins
July 10th 1917		Fritz has been shelling the Btty position this morning. How fortunate we were that bad weather conditions prevailed during our moving. God is good.
July 11th 1917		Started our journey this morning, Ervillers our destination via Bapaume, arrived a little sore and weary, spent night in stable, same as at Fins.
July 12th 1917		Started off for Hermaville via Arras, walked to Arras arriving footsore and weary reached Hermaville almost mid-day feeling a bit sick, spent night in huts.
July 13th 1917		Received sudden orders for 2pm everybody riding this time.Arrived at Noeux about 8, billet in huts.
July 14th 1917		Spent day in the town, stopping here until position prepared. Went up with digging party all night. Raining the whole time, how nice !
July 16th 1917		Went into position at night.
July 29th 1917		An unlucky shot caught No.3 last night, killed two and wounded three, only one of the detachment escaped. The way shells dropped one wonders at times if "they" know we are here. Bdr.Rowley and Dare move the death casualties.
July 31st 1917		Dear Annie's birthday. How I would love to see and to cheer her. Had our first experience of tear shells this morning, whilst unloading shells, what a fright it gave us, we needed no encouragement to double for our helmets but no harm was done.
August 6th 1917		Went up to Loos yesterday digging new position, for we are expecting to advance, after working all day in one spot, I heard that a German sniper had his gun laid on that spot, another mercy !
August 7th 1917		Day off duty today, been into Bethune, nothing striking but made a change.
August 18th 1917		Came out on rest last night, to Bethune, after the most nerve trying fortnight in our experience, 3 of our guns being knocked out with direct hits, the whole of their detachment with them,, our two worst experiences were carrying ammunition under shellfire, to keep our two guns in action during the push of the Canadians around Lens. And going back into action on No.2 after No.1 had been knocked out, what a night it was, we were expecting our turn  any minute, but he left us alone thank God.            We were a thankful crowd that boarded those lorries to come away, we had had sufficient.
August 28th 1917		After 10 days rest and change at Bethune, we came back to Maroc, about 40 under strength, and took over the two guns of 331 Btty., was not feeling keen about coming back, but the rest did us good, our nerves were all the steadier for it, found Maroc a little quieter than when we left. (Promoted Corporal, to date from Aug. 15/17)
September 2nd 1917		Have been shelled out of 331's position this morning luckily we were put under cover, so that no-one was hurt, when he quietened, we came down on to our other two guns in the new position whilst Fritz completed his work, which he did, for it was a terrible sight that met our eyes upon returning for ammunition the next day, No.3 gun was smashed to pieces, and the place was tore up everywhere, he must have been using 11 inch on it.
September 5th 1917		Had a terrible experience last night Fritz set up a barrage all around us with shells of every description, including gas , shells were falling like rain, to top it off we got action S.O.S and had to turn out on to our gun in the midst of it, remained in action for one hour, with gas helmets on, shells dropping all around the whole time, and not one of us touched. What a mercy. Murphy told  me this morning he intended recommending me to the Major for the way I behaved.
September 6th 1917		Was complemented by the Major this morning, I wonder if anything will come of it. If ever medals were won, they were won that night.
September 15th 1917		Received orders to report at Mazingarbe headquarters, and go on a gas course, rotten luck. Arrived Lillers 11 p.m. and entered my first billet, an estaminet, we were put to sleep on the top floor near the roof.
September 16th 1917		Day occupied in Lectures, gas helmet drill, and passing through two gas chambers, I am not interested in it a bit. Stepped out to tea and had a look round. Landlady has two boys about 6 and 9 who smoke and drink beer like a man, the two girls swear just like the British tommy. The moral influences seem very bad here. Maudie's birthday today, how thankful I am that she is  not being brought up like these children.
September 19th 1917		On my way back, just heard the news we are digging our position in Loos, cheerful.
September 22nd 1917		Had to shift our billets yesterday, for Fritz had been busy ranging on them. Thats three positions and three different billets we have occupied since being in Maroc.
September 24th 1917		No.2 detachment got knocked out last night, with an unlucky shot, 2 killed 3 wounded.
October 28th 1917		I hear we are going to move up North shortly, probably in two days time, may it never come off. We shall see.
November 1st 1917		Have received the good news that we are not moving, we are all pleased as Punch.
November 5th 1917		We are altering the angle and rebuilding the pit, had the thankless task of burying a fresh one of the H.L.I (Highland Light Infantry) which we came across .He had been buried in 1915.
November 8th 1917		Received  definate news we are going to Italy probably which means no leave for us. Hard luck, I should have been among the first dozen. Am feeling very disappointed.
November 9th 1917		Arrived Neaux-les-Mines during early hours, going on tonight.
November 9th 1917		Arrived Bapaume, moving on tonight.
November 12th 1917		Arrived Aizecourt. Hear we are going into position from here, so it is not Italy after all. I am thankful for that much.
November 13th 1917		Arrived Villers Guislain, after trying time at Aizecourt.
November 20th 1917		Took part in a strafe, had it easy for nothing came back, hear the lads did well.
December 1st 1917		It was a near thing with us yesterday, Fritz opened out a strafe at daybreak just after we had taken over the guns, and immediately rushed our front line and came right on, within an hour and a half we received order to dismantle breech and run for it which we did in quick time for Fritz and his aeroplanes were well after us, the air seemed full of aeroplanes which flew low and turned their machine guns on us time after time, several of our men were knocked out in this way, but I got through thank God. I did'nt know I was a cross country runner before. I hope the same never happens again for it is not nice to leave guns and everything behind and scatter like a lot of sheep.
December 2nd 1917		Went into action at Saulcourt with two guns, no stores, no kit, had damn all. After about a fortnight moved to new position nearer Rialton, to the right of Hendecourt.
The diary continues From january 1918  onwards simply click the ">>" arrow below.