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Remembered Today:

Complete Diary of Sergeant T.H. Bisgood, M.M.


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Finally finished sorting and typing the pages. And so here it is:

The Complete Diary (as it survives) of 3254 Sergeant T.H. Bisgood, M.M., 2nd Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)

20 Nov. 1915 - Ouderdom Camp, nothing worth writing about.

21 Nov. - getting packed up to move on once more. Moved off at 9 pm on a beastly night march, quite a number of fellows falling out. Passed through Eecke, L'Hazewinde, St. Syliyestre Cappel, Hondschoote, and Sleenvoorde, stopping in high dirty barn about here. Laid down in the stale smelly straw and spent a comfortable night.

22 Nov. - Resumed march in morning made several halts having dinner en route.

23 Nov. - Still marching and resting, marching and resting. Getting into better country now, quite pretty views. Passed through Rubrouck, Leberville Watten, put up at barn 3.K.7. from Watten

24 Nov. - Ripping old castle near.

25 Nov. - Moved on again, are nearing our destination; arrived 2 pm and dinner on road side. Were then alloted to farmhouse barn as billet for our platoon. Fixed up with farmhouse people to supply our boys with coffee, eggs, milk, etc. quite decent people but very grabbing. Address: Monsieur Norbert Dumont, Cultivature, Recques.

26 Nov. - 4th Dec. 1915 - Training. Nothing of importance

4 Dec. - Sent for by C.O. and installed in orderly room for months trial with a view to taking charge at an early date. The Orderly Room was palatial being in the smoke room of the Count de Coetlogons Chateau de Cossol, La Recousse. A beautiful old mansion full of art treasures, the walls covered with tapestries. Here also stayed the Colonel and other senior officers.

5 -8 Dec. - nothing of importance

9 Dec. - Felt very queer this day but stuck to it.

10 Dec. - Taken much worse and sent to hospital at No. 4 Arcques. Awful show for hospital more like a prison of the French Revolution. At this hospital Lord Roberts is supposed to have breathed his last. I don't wonder it. I went to hospital with Gastritis but on arrival was examined and told that I had skin disease and was put in the skin section D.4. Here we were really treated like prisoners and compelled to wear a red band on our left arm. The hospital needs a few words of explanation. It would seem evident that disease had overpowered the authorities. Revielle is at 6 am and a meal called breakfast is at 7 am. There are some 250 patients in this section and the dining hall consists of 3 large marque with room for 100 men, so that 3 sittings are necessary to deal out the 250 meals. When the bell rings there is a rush for the marque and the first 100 men rush within, the remainder wait outside, rain or sunshine nearly always the former, and there is no cover for the unfortunate ones outside. After a lapse of 15 or 20 minutes, the first sitting file out, their places are taken by the nexy batch as also their eating utensils UNWASHED, cold and greasy. It has been discovered that some men have been leaving the first sitting and joining the second sitting; to prevent this, small metal checks are being issued of various shapes reminding us of one of the old days at home at the cinema.

11 Dec. - Sunday. A little brighter, church service held in large wooden hut.

12-19 Dec. - Horrible time, same thing day after day, food quite insufficient and inferior. Applied to return to duty but had my head bitten off instead. Same treatment continued until Christmas Eve when everybody seemed to melt and we had a truly fine Christmas Day. A large stable was decorated and set out in style. We had a very heavy dinner and received a visit from the G.O.C. After dinner we had a good picture show in the church hut and the face of Charlie Chaplin for a time made us forget where we were.

26 Dec. 1915 -1 January 1916 - Returned to same monotonous state.

2 Jan. - Discharged from No. 4 Arcques.

3-7 Jan. - Returned to Recques and continued labours in the orderly room, while battalion continued training.

8 Jan. - 1.30 am Battn moved off again to Audricque Station and entrained for Quentin. 48 men in a cattle truck, 6 hours to Quentin, where we detrained and marched to Poperinghe. On our reaching Poperinghe we were billeted in the Hop Factory, a huge modern building of 4 storeys the upper one being much shattered by shell fire. We chose the best room among the officers and turned it into our orderly room. During the day I visited Poperinghe and was astonished to find the shops with battered windowns and torn off roofs, the inmates still doing business. Chief among these were the estaminets, there were also eating houses and souvenir shops, more or less damaged by shell fire.

9 Jan. - Remained in Poperinghe for the day nothing to do, very quiet, a few aeroplanes about, could hear the guns in the distance and one or two small shell bursts on the road.

10 Jan. - Left Poperinghe on horse transport, went long way round to camp at Ouderdom-Zlamertinghe and Ypres Road on account of heavy shelling.

11 Jan. - Improved orderly room site by use of boards, whole Battn engaged in making paths through the mud. Captain Heumanns Hut.Very bright day. 5 pm sudden storm, poring rain, canvas leaking. Hell of a night!

12 Jan. - Very rough day, wind and rain; proceeded to Ypres for tunnelling work. Took up our quarters in the Convent of Ypres cellars. Cellars large and quite comfortable, very good furniture and in one even a piano. The Engineers have fitted up an electric lighting plant. No one is allowed out of the cellars during daylight as it means a sure and swift departure from this life. The shells of Fritz of all sizes pound the ruined Ypres continually day and night.

13-15 Janaury 1916 - Battn engaged in making tunnels under German lines, it is now guaged that we are under a line of German trenches. 1 casualty: L/c. Monaghan.

16-18 Jan. - Work going well ahead, sleeping by day, working (12 hours) by night, we are the only troops in Ypres althought here are heaps of our Artillery sheltering around and behind Ypres.

19 Jan. - Shelling getting more fierce but work goes on (2 casualties). The enemy seem to think there is somethingon as they are directing heavy fire on our sap heads.

20 Jan. - Great excitement prevails, not a shot or shell all night, rumour has come through that the Kaiser has turned up his toes and that Metz has fallen into Russian hands. We all hope its true. 2.15 pm German guns suddenly open up again, using high explosive shells, the Engineers dumping ground evidently the objective.

21 Jan. - Great aeroplane activity, evidently looking for fresh points for artillery, shall find out soon; now shelling ASC Camp at back of lines and the shooting is splendid, right on their camp. Casualties reported later in day 45. It seems very strange that all the places we go to we are surrounded by Mr Hun on 3 sides, so that we come in for fire on 3 sides.

22 Jan. - Usual monotonous shelling, numerous star shells going up all round. 5 pm getting infernally black, the clouds being very low the star shells seem to touch them and give very weird effects.

24 Jan. - I have to go to Poperinghe on business so shall visit our old pal Charlie Chaplin at the cinema. Returned to Ypres and visited sap now 30' deep and 70 yards forward now well past 1st Line (German) making for 2nd Line. One of the Engineers got wind up badly tonight. While drilling in a side sap he broke through without any opposition, he had evidently struck a German counter sap; and to everyones disgust he yelled that the Huns had broken through, and the message by the time it reached the main gallery was something like the following - "Germans broken through in Gallery No.-" the result was the workings were cleared and maxims brought to bare on the saps, but no followers of Kaiser Bill arrived. Much time had been wasted and the ass who gave the alarm was exceedingly well straffed. Within a few hours of this about 2.30 am the Buffs let us down badly. It happened that they were holding a crater and paying little or no attention to the business, evidently this was observed by our German friends who sent out a small party and quietly lifted 10 of the Buffs rifles off the crater edge and made off with them. A number of our sentries observed this and dropped 6 of the Germans but the others managed to get back to their trench and immediately started bombing the Buffs crater with the result that the section holding same bunked for all they were worth, much to the disgust of our boys who had to send half their number to hold the Buffs position. I went with this party and we did a little bombing of our own thereby preventing the loss of the crater. We had 2 casualties while Fritz had at least the 6 rifle purloiners.

25 January 1916 - After a trying night we had a few hours rest in our dug outs and then rose to start another day. Quite a large number of aircraft about. Our airmen seem to be afraid of enemy aircraft altogether.

26 Jan. - Received promotions to full Corporal and given entire charge of Battn papers and orderly room. Some job! 'A' and 'C' Companies change with 'B' and 'D' at Ypres, 'B' and 'D' returning to front line. 2 pm Heavy shrapnel started.

27-28 Jan. - Nothing more important than heavy shell fire.

29 Jan. - Enemy attacking heavily on West front. Gas alarm given at 11 am can distinctly smell gas now, though only slight, wind not quite favourable to the enemy. Evidently a large gas attack is being got in readiness as the whole of our front are "gas alert!" Ypres having a fearful pounding today, though there is hardly one stone on another, Fritz knows that Ypres is full of British guns. Hear that a big draft has left England, enough to make us up to strength this undoubtedly means "over the top."

30 Jan. - Our shift to the 56th Div. confirmed, we are to be the leading battalion in a new Division, we having been out here for 15 months. Our brigade is the 169th and the 3rd Army. Terrific straffing all day and night understand Canadians on our right are about to attack, await results with impatience.

31 - Shelling ceased about 4 pm and dead silence now prevails. Hear that the Canadians attacked at 1 am and captured small sector on our right front but had to evacuate on account of heavy artillery fire.

1 February 1916 - Gas still detected and am standing, by respirators all handy.

2 Feb. - Germans again attacking fiercely all along the W line but so far as we can ascertain without success, we repulsed our part by rapid rifle fire and some Mills bombing. The heavy shelling set fire to high piles of timber behind our line, thereby lighting up the whole of our sector and showing any man who appeared above the trench for the German sniper. We were scarcely able to move for 3 or 4 hours.

3 Feb. - At last the blighters have let loose their gas clouds and it appears on our sector only. The breeze is rather too strong for Fritz this time however, and with out helmets on we were hardly troubled; in fact the chemicals bothered us more than the gas. We kept up a rapid rifle fire and machine gun fire all the while and prevented any attack under the cover of gas.

4 Feb. - Some heavy banging with trench mortars. Every one on the alert in case of overdue attack.

5 Feb. - Very bright sunny day. Enemy reported to be massing on our front, numerous air scouts up. Suffolks sent up to reinforce us. 6 pm Quite dark, a deal of whistling and coloured lights from enemy trenches are being sent up at intervals of every 50 yards. 8 pm first signs of attack. Stealthy forms were seen moving in front of our wire and the click of wire cutters could be distinctly heard, but we held our hand. The forms suddenly disappeared and there were a number of explosions along our front, they had evidently mined our wire. After a silence of about 15 minutes there was a deal of scuffling in the front trench of the enemy and a party of men climbed over the parapet and threw a number of bombs, nearly all of which passed over our trench and exploded in the mud, doing little or no damage. The order to fire came here and a perfect hell of bullets swept our front where Fritz was approaching. Our machine guns and rapid fire soon put an end to his attack and he retired dragging a number of men who were badly hit. The enemy casualties must have been very heavy, ours were only 15. We were standing to all night in case of another attack, which however did not come off.

6 Feb. - Very very tired after preceeding night. 8 am Fine day, many enemy planes up and approaching our lines. 9 am 4 enemy aeroplanes overhead, 3 Taubes and 1 new pattern very large and heavy machine and very swift. This machine dropped several high explosive bombs and we thought we were coming to a sticky end. A number of our aircraft who were up seemed helpless and afraid, our machines do not seem to have half the speed of the Taubes or a quarter of the new German pattern.

7 Feb. - In the morning, reached our camp about 4 miles rear of Ypres level crossing, usually muddy field with bits of stick and canvas.

8 Feb. - Warned to pack for a long journey. Spent day pulling ourselves together, watching the aeroplanes scrap overhead, as usual, they dropped a few bombs, making a nasty mess of our field.

9 Feb. - Cleared up stick and rag camp and started on march for Pop; with all our possessions on our backs. Joke: Little Boy "Oh daddy what are soldiers for?" Daddy "To hang things on my dear."

Arriving at Pop station, we waited for 4 hours, while transport was being loaded, then NCOs and men were shown to their trains de Luxe - 40 to a cattle truck, and no straw to lay on. The officers had First Class carriages, and the Orderly Room, of which I am NCO, Third Class. Here again Captain Heumann shone, having gone down early and arranged for the civilians to clean up the trucks for his Company. It was intended to rush us to Arras, but after we started the order came through which caused us to be landed at the most out of the way place in the world, the name being Doudelainville, about 12 miles beyond Abeville, a large town in the Somme district. The village possesses one Estaminet, and one shop, for the wants of 1000 men. We find that we are brigaded with some good Territorial Battalions, i.e. The Queen Victoria's, Queen's Westminsters, and the London Rifle Brigade.

11-24 Feb. - A few words about Doudelainville. In peace time, the inhabitants number 280 (not including children) and they are all farmers. Each farm has a considerable portion of ground and all have splendid orchards. No fruit just now, worse luck! The most notable building is the town hall and police court, which consists of 1 room capable of seating 20 men. This is our Orderly Room. The people are very friendly and welcomed us with open arms. It is, and has been for the last three days, snowing furiously.

25 Feb. - Start order came through today, to pack up and be off at once. We packed and then received instructions that we were not to move for 2 or 3 days.

26 Feb. - Still in bed, trying hard to be ready to move. Have been offered hospital, but not if I can help it

28 Feb. - order just came to be ready to move off tomorrow at 8.30 am. 1st days march to Pont Remy. Reached Pont Remy and billleted for night.

29 Feb. - 2 March 1916 - Continued journey through snow to Ailly. Very full of troops, everything very expensive. oranges 2d each, eggs 3d each, Beef 2f per lb and so on. We have secured the local dancing saloon as our Orderly Room. Have just received a number of aeroplane photos of enemy trenches at Hamel-Grandcourt and Ovilliers. Evidently the line our division is expected to take in the near future. The snow has stopped and a thaw set in. The roads have been terrible.

12 March 1916 - Started at 7.30 am and a most beautiful morning. Brilliant sunshine all day. Reminded us all of our stay at Malta. Brigade moved together and marched exceedingly well. Passed through beautiful hills and valleys via Famechok, Ergmies, Gorenflos, Fransy, Ribeaucourt, and Bernaville. Arrived at Feinvilliers at 3.30 pm. Usual quiet country village. Billets for men very bad.

13 March - Another perfect day. Nothing doing much today. Army Flying Section arrived from England, all hair oil and swank, a few weeks in Flanders will do them a world of good.

14 March - Weather remains perfect. Order to move to Doullens just came through. Packed up and moved off to Doullens, quite a fine march of about 7 miles. Pleased to find a large town and good shops. It is quite evident that the English soldier is charged extra for everything.

15 March - Spent night in good billets at 20 Rue de Bourg.

16 March - Moved off for Sericourt rather a tiring march of 12 miles, mostly up hill. Arrived about 3 pm. Semicourt is a very small village.

17 March - weather beautiful.

18 March - No change. Every civilian here must have a safe conduct pass to leave the village.

19 March - Went to a demonstration of the German Flamenwafer. This is the fire-spraying instrument used by Fritz at a distance of about 50 yards. The chief effect is moral, if a man keeps well down he escapes injury. Just hear that we are to relieve 14th Division (Arras) about 7 to 10 days time.

20 March - Very heavy firing in Arras direction.

21 March - Wet day

22 March - Cold and snow returned

25 March - Revolver practice in quarry. Self appointed Substantive Sergeant dated 25/3/16. Leave stopped.

26 March - Cold. no news.

27 March - Spent afternoon in town Frevent.

28 - GOC visiting us tomorrow.

29 March - 19 April 1916 - Beautiful weather continues, there are heaps of troops passing through Arras.

20-25 April - Still waiting for orders. Weather glorious.

26 April - We are heavily bombarding Hun lines opposite Arras.

28 April - 3 May 1916 - Nothing at all exciting. Bombarding day and night.

5 May - Orders to pack and get.

6 May - Moved off 9 am through Forest 13 miles to Halloy.

7 May - Reached Halloy at 3.30 pm. What an awful hole. Only 4 houses and whole brigade to be billeted in this area. Our battn billeted in structures very much like large greenhouses, except that walls abd roofs were of sacking. The men have no blankets or covers and the rain simply pours through the sacking. It is extremely cold.

8-14 May - Conditions remain the same and sick parade is very large.

15 May - weather cold and wet. Expect to take up line between Monchy Ay Bois and Hebuterne.

16 May - Packed up for Blighty, left at 6 pm walked to Doullens. Travelled all round France to Boulogne and arrived in England 17.5.16 at 11 am. SEVEN DAYS LEAVE.

26 May - Reached Souastre (from leave) at 11.30 am. Battn is under canvas. Plenty of shelling going on. 12 midnight 1/3rd London have advanced their front line at Fonquevilliers by 500 yards during night, casualties only 20. In retaliation Fritz shelled adjoining village of Sailly au Bois and our bde HQ killing and wounding about 60. A shell hit the Sergeants Mess.

27 May - Machine gun fire all night. Batt'n working in local quarry.

28 May - Heavy shelling all round.

29 May - Battn preparing to move into Hebuterne and take over from LRB and QVR who report very hot spot.

30 May - Arrived at Hebuterne over night passing many guns on the way, had not reached there many minutes before we received our baptism. Heavy straffing continued all night. 167 Inf. Bde dug a jump trench 200 yards in front of our line, and occupied same. Most marvellous piece of work, for which they were highly complimented. Between night and morning the Germans came after this new trench but were repulsed. Our HQ dugouts are splendid. The Orderly Room is 15 feet below surface and fitted with electric light and telephone, the walls are papered. The first shell over seemed remarkably near our billets, and I went up to see if anyone was hit; was just making for a shattered house when over came another, missing me by about 3 feet, and exploding right over against the wall, where an RGA boy was standing, the poor chap got the full dose and called out for aid, so I had to stop to pick him up, no easy job. Having huddled him up to me I managed to fall into a dugout, at the same time over came a hurricane of shells. I thought the end had come. I was smothered in blood from head to foot yet had no scratch myself. The poor chap I had with me had 3 pieces out of his body, each the size of my fist. I fixed him best I could and waited for ambulance. This chap however only lasted an hour or so.

31 May - weather very good. shelling heavy

June 1st 1916 - Battery of 8" guns 45 yards in our rear.

2 June - During the night our guns well pasted the enemy lines. Our lines also got a terrific straffing. Queen Vics casualties being (rumour) 1 officer and 65 other ranks. London Scottish and 1/4 London just arrived. Lot of shrapnel about.

3 June - Relieving QVR in Y section in Heuterne front. Relief again evident to Germans as communication trenches are being shelled. Relief complete 6 pm. Whole bn at work digging in new front line. Trench mortaring terrific 10 pm. Just received confused message of great North Sea battle. 14 German and 13 of our boats sunk. 12 o'clock great straff of Gommecourt Wood commenced and continued for 2 hours, wonderful sight, earth positively quaking. Whole of our guns firing together 3.30 am. Our front line is getting hell from the German Minenwefer. This machine and its projectiles are our chief horror, as at night you can observe the bomb travelling through the air on account of the fuse which burns almost like a faulty star shell. One of these has smashed our parapet killing outright three of our boys and burying a corporal and 3 others. Shall be unable to get these latter out until tomorrow morning. Fear they will dead, impossible to tell damage in the dark. We are still engaged working at high pressure on the new front line.

5 June - Bright warm day, very little straffing before dinner. Usual afternoon tea by way of 9.2s. Casualties 20 all in 'B' Coy.

6 June - Raining hard this morning. Trenches getting rather uncomfortable, not much doing. New front line taking the water rapidly. 6 pm instructed to meet draft of 20 from Gallipoli (my own old boys); met them and brought them up under heavy straffing. Got through without any mishaps. Our chaps have just recovered the remnants of the 4 boys who were buried in front on the 4th, they were literally torn to pieces, poor devils, and we had to bury them in Hebuterne cemetery and we could not tell who was who.

7 June - weather very wet. News of the capture by Russians of 13,000 Germans near Verdun, followed by bad news of the loss of Kitchener and his staff on HMS Hampshire.

8 June - Extensive digging still going on amid heavy straffing. Parade about 8.30 pm with spades and picks and move off as soon as it gets dusk. Very risky and tiresome job as one has to keep falling flat in the mud when the star shells go up. It is a pitiful sight to see so many youngsters going up trying to look cheerful while a machine gun plays down the road. Many feel they will not return, yet they never say so.

9 June - Same as before

10-11 June - Three coys now at Bayencourt. Rain continues making the work all the more hard.

12-16 June - Work by night continues under fire.

17 June - Better day today regards weather. News just rumoured that our Div. is to take the trenches opposite Hebuterne and also Gommecourt Wood on our right.

18 June - Preparations going ahead for the great event.

19 June - Had several air raids today.

20 June - Brilliant day so far as weather is concerned. Great excitement at approach of coming events. Big preparations going on, smoke candles and mortars arriving in large numbers. Today the Town Major came racing along, and told me to get all the villagers to open their windows as our big guns (15") were about to start. Then came the terrific thunderstorm, which coupled with our 9.2's and 15" simply defeaned everyone. Hostile artillery very active. 4.30 pm fifteen 77 mm shells near Y15R, fifty 77 mm between X47.48 blocking the junction. MGs very active also from 10 pm to "stand-to". Fifteen Minenwerfer bombs fell at Y47/8 also. Hostile working parties heard also in Ferret and Firm, and in separate S.W. corner of Gommecourt Park. Between 11.40 and 11.45 am one of our aeroplanes fell behind enemy lines after a gallant struggle. Some of the lads captured 2 German grenades bearing the inscription - "Vor Gebraich Sprengkapseleinseten". This is quite a heavy grenade and is evidently hung on the belt by hook "A".

25 June - Beautiful weather today. Had to get up early as the six 15" guns started at 3 am and they very nearly blew our barn off its feet. We understand our artillery have done good work during the night and morning, having demolished two of the strongholds in the Gommecourt Wood. Fritz evidently thinks the same about the matter, and is determined to find our big guns. At about 9.15 am over came a fleet of 15 German aeroplanes, however, our AA guns got very busy and the fleet minus 2 were driven off. Of the 2, 1 caught fire and came down behind our lines, while the other alighted in no mans land, where it was pounded into a jelly by artillery of both sides.

28 June - Packing up once more, this time in fighting order, all our heavy packs again dumped in Souastre, we know that many will not called for again. All in great bustle and excitement.

29 June - Once more we have been marched to Hebutern amid shot and shell. This time means business.

30 June - Have taken over Y Sector trenches directly opposite Gommecourt Wood. All the while, our artillery is at it hammer and tongs and the din is terrible; will it never cease? Tonight the bombardment is intense as the attack all along the line comes off tomorrow. To be quite honestm we expect a "walk-over" as our guns have not been replied to, and barely a German has been seen. Rain is now falling heavily making the trenches very uncomfortable.

1 July 1916 - At last the long looked for day and hour has arrived; broad daylight, the rain has ceased and the day is quite bright. The din now is beyond all imagination, every gun in France seems to be turned on the Hun on our front, surely none can live in this hail of shells and still the German guns remain quiet. Meanwhile all our front line men had been engaged in lighting smoke candles and firing hugh smoke bombs. Now arises a dense cloud of smoke all along our line and the time has arrived when we must show our hands and advance. The Germans as soon as they saw the smoke knew what was to follow and rapid fire was opened at once. Nothing daunted the London boys climbed up the parapet ready for the fray, they advanced in the face of terrible fire, the Germans now found their hidden artillery and belched forth a tornado of shells on the advancing line. Men fell by the dozen, yet nothing daunted the remainder pushed on. When our brave lads were nearing the German front line batches of the enemy were seen to be clambering out of their trenches (minus their equipment) they rushed forwards hands in the air calling out in their bad French "mercy comrade". Our batt'n alone were responsible for 182 hun prisoners, they were thin and hungry, but quite a decent class and very clean. Only a small percentage of each regiment ever got into the German trenches these few however gallantly hacked their way right into the 3rd line from where they sent us the SOS signal. We, the 2nd London were the reserve batt'n and as soon as the battalions in front sent the signal two companies were up and over despite the fact that all fire was now concentrated on our particular sectors. The reason for this concentration was that the Division on our right (46th Div) let us down and failed to attack. The sight of our boys advancing in the face of this terrible fire was wonderful though terrible; losses in our two companies alone numbered 250. But for the fact of our officers the whole batt'n would have been wiped out. These officers refused to allow the remaining two companies to go over and so saved them. Our trenches were now blocked with dead and dying, only a dozen or so of our lads ever reached Fritz's trenches at all, hundreds were lying in no man's land mostly dead, some however alive though badly wounded managed to crawl into shell holes of which there were thousands; later in the day in one shell hole I found four chaps. We held on to the German 3 front lines for a matter of 10 hours using all our own bombs and ammunition besides that which we found in the trenches. At about 7 pm all ammunition ran out and as it was impossible to get any more from our own lines owing to the heavy barrage of fire, we had to retire; first from the 3rd German line, then from the 2nd into the 1st and finally the 100 or so that were left had to retire over the top towards our own lines. What a horrible journey midst a hail of bullets, past heaps of dead and dying eventually (with only 27 instead of the 100 odd that started) covered in mud and blood. 23 of the 27 badly wounded. Suddenly at about 7.30 pm the firing died down to a minimum and looking out I noticed a man had boldly climbed out of the German trench and was holding up a large white board with a brilliant red cross painted on it. This man advanced well into the centre of no mans land and beckoned to us, whereupon one of our stretcher bearers jumped over the parapet and went to meet him. The man with the board was a German doctor who spoke quite good English; he offered an Armistice of one hour and this after much ado was accepted by our people. The Hun doctor then signalled with his hand and immediately a party of about 50 German stretcher bearers doubled out and started attending to the wounded. This was good enough for us and over we went again. I was not quite sure whether they were playing the game or not so I went armed and this bit of caution nearly cost me my life. The German doctor told me to cover my revolver with a mackintosh or I would most certainly be shot. The Germans were real bricks and kept their word to the letter, extending the armistice 10 minutes to allow us time to get into our trenches again. Our people however did not play the game as after we had been out about half an hour they put some shells right into the German lines. We thought our time had come and said goodbye to each other, but still the Hun kept his promise and not a shot was fired, this little episode made us feel awful cads. As may be imagined the sight out there was terrible, there were men in every attitude, dead mostly, many blown to fragments. Most of the wounded we found in shell holes, I found 3 chums in 1 hole all unable to move but cuddled together and it was a hard job to persuade one to leave alone, they decided that age should settle it and the youngest left first. The look of amazement and relief on the poor devils faces when they saw us peering over the shell hole was good to see. One boy could not believe it and asked me amid sobs if he was dreaming. I am glad to be able to write and say that we got all our wounded in. The dead we could do nothing for, as time would not permit I covered over a few of the most hideous cases and returned to the line sick, sad and very fatigued. Wounded were trooping out of all the trenches like the crowd from a football match. The trenches were appallingly blocked here and there with dead men and one could not help but walk over them. Passing along Young St. I came along a tableau of 3 of my chums, 1 standing, 1 sitting (headless) and the other lying, all 3 had been hit by the same shell. In the dusk in Yiddish St. I stumbled over something and bending down to my horror found it was a mans head, so as to save some other chaps a similar shock I tried to pick up the offending napper but found that it was rigid as the whole body was beneath the ground and it remained there the whole night and part of the next day. In Yellow St. I was clutched at and caught by a hand protruding from the side of the trench, all that was visible was a hand and arm, the sleeve showed it to be an officer (1st Lt) of the L.R.B.'s There are many other frightful scenes that go to make up this nightmare, but I will refrain from writing more about them. The remnant of our boys hung on to our sector of trenches all night and have had no sleep for 3 days and nights. We were all knocked to the world when the Kensingtons relieved us at 5 pm. We straggled in penny numbers to Sailley, a small village in the rear of the line and disappeared into cellars hoping for a nights rest. Ere many minutes however over came heaps of big shells both gas and tear. Some pierced the dugouts others hit the church and houses. Several of us crawled out intent on rescue work. I was making for a heap of ruins that had been a house when the doctor grabbed me and insisted on me going to bed. I tried to sleep, but the shells kept coming round with a whizz and crump. Every moment, I expected one to drop through my house (a tin roofed hut). I shall always remember this night, I completely broke down.

3 July - Moved a little further back today, as far as Souastre for one day, my word, we did look a lot of tramps.

4 July - Well I'm hanged if we haven't got to go back up the line again, today this time to Fonquevilliers. Positively wicked. Arriva at Fonque: and are held in immediate brigade reserve in case of accidents. Pretty heavy shelling going on, our old stick and plaster billets are getting a rare old doing. 11.30 pm: a heavy shell has just landed in "A" Coys billet, killing Sergt. Fitzgerald and wounding 3 others; another in "D" Coys billet, this time killing Debenham, and wounding 2 more. Not such a bad night considering. So much water in the sector, that it became necessary for ration parties to make improvized bathing drawers from sandbags, and it was extremely comical to see these parties carrying heavy soup dixies with simply boots, sandbags and tin hats by way of clothing.

5 July - Have a decent dug-out in the Brewery garden. Engaged burying the dead and clearing trenches. Awful scenes again, 123 officers and men buried in one huge grave.

6-12 July - Same type of work each day. Reserve Battn from Egypt have arrived.

12 July - Left Fonque: for St. Amand for 4 days REST?

13-14 July - Spent a couple of days at St. Amand instead of four. Ordered to go back to trenches, rotten shame, men by no means rested.

15-18 July - Arrived at Hannescamp N/R Bienvilliers. Trenches here quite good; banks of giant poppies and other wild flowers in abundance. 2 coys in trenches and rest in dug-outs. Not very much shelling in this sector. Big raid fixed for tonight.

Raid a wash-out owing to heavy German wireing which was being cut when Fritz turned 4 searchlights on the party. Only 2 casualties however resulted.

19 July - Battn returned to St. Amand for 4 days rest. The rest was made up of various training, and I heard men say, they would rather remaine in the line.

5 September 1916

I am rather at a loss to know where to begin.

This last awful month has driven us all as near mad as possible, nothing but mud and blood and terrible loss of friends on all sides. Success to our arms, yes, plenty, but at what cost. I will endeavour to take my troubled brain back to the period just before the Somme attacks.

I entered the Divisional Training School for the finishing touches that produce the perfect SM. This school was held at the house of the Baron de Delwar, at Grenas, and might well by styled as a "House of Correction" for young officers ad NCOs. We took lessons in everything under the sun, from A-Z, and every mortal thing we said or did was wrong. We had only one consolation, and that was, no matter how bad we were, the officers were always a lot worse, so said the officer in charge, anyway. Well, to cut a long story short, I had three weeks hard swotting at this show, and returned to the battalion with "very good" marks. On my way to the battalion, I learned to my disgust that they had just moved into the line at Angle Wood, in rear of Combles, and that I should have to follow at once. I set out for Angle Wood some 20 miles off, passing on my way through that awful "Happy Valley" so well known to the lads out here. Happy Valley stretches miles and is composed of myriads of shell holes and tons upon tons of wet and sticky mud. As I neared the edge of the valley, I came across some 200 weird animals, nestling together. I learned these were of the now famous Mr. Tank tribe, and as I knew we were borrowing one of them for the coming attack, I felt very interested. Mr Tank is a most extraordinary person to describe. He is composed of steel plates, rivets, and caterpillar bands. He is able to travel on his head, back, base, or front, can climb any hill, shell hole or trench, can push over any ordinary house or tree, and is a perfect devil for machine gun emplacements. These latter, he simply rolls on and squashes; his weight is only 30 tons. Passing on from Happy Valley I found myself in the small village of Carnoy. Here I rested, and had the usual cafe au lait, etc. Leaving Carnoy I came across the most extraordinary sight; as far as the eye could reach, the ground was torn up into a series of holes, and it was impossible to find a level square, yard, here were the most famous Trones, Bernefay, Delville Woods, almost touching one another, now represented only by holes and sticks of shattered and torn trees, dead lay almost eveywhere, and the smell were beyond one's imagination. Guns there were by the hundred of all sorts and sizes, regardless of any cover, blazing away for all they were worth. Now one was able to see and realize what the artillery were doing for the cause, it made one pleased they were on the British side; at the same time I knew it was hell up in front where I had to go. However, it had to be done so on I went. It was getting dusk when I reached Angle Wood, and owing to the lack of trees it was hard to find. However, having found it, I reported to Captain Heumann, and was greeted with the remark "Oh! I'm glad to see you've come, you're just in time for the stunt tomorrow." I knew what that meant, and wished I'd lost my way.

That night amid preparations for the show in the morning, I managed to snatch a few winks in a friendly shell hole (not too muddy). The rumbling of the tanks awoke me at 3.30 am. Fritz was searching the sky with searchlights imagining the noise was aeroplanes. At four, we had to move up to Falfont Farm trenches, our bombardment was intense, the enemy also were replying with not a few, at 6 am just before daylight we moved up to D the "kick off" or to use Army terms the "assembly trench". We had not been long in these trenches when the captain called a meeting of his officers, during this meeting, the Germans shelled the trenches heavily, and all the officers and Sergt. Major of both "A" and "B" Coys were killed or wounded except one, a young Subaltern, and he was suffering more or less from shells shock. Here it was, that we lost Captain Heumann or "Dickie" as he was better known to all ranks, his loss put a damper on everything, as he was the life of the battn, he was killed by concussion only. I left him seated on the fire platform as though he were asleep. Now came the order to advance to another trench, and I was compelled to leave the Captain and the Major in the hands of the KOSB's who promised to dispose of the bodies. However, the time to attack "A" had arrived, and there was nothing for it but to go over, so the Sub. took "C" & "D" Coys and I took "A" and "B" Coys. It had been our intention to try for a bit of the Treches de Combles but this was so strongly defended that we had to swing off to the left and make only for our original objective "A" (700 yard front). The Germans here seemed at first awestruck at the Tanks, but they soon pulled round and offered a most stubborn resistance, so much so, that we did not quite get all we wanted to, though we were very successful, we took NO prisoners. I found it terribly hard to keep my end up, we broke into the German line between the points shown by the arrows and biffed Fritz here properly. I then sent a party down trench "B" and took a party along trench "A" and bombed as we went. We reached points A and B and cleared the whole of the loop trench, but we were unable to get any further as we lost many of our best bombers, and also the Germans had strong barricades erected at these points on which were mounted machine guns. We then withdrew a few yards round the corner, erected barricades in a similar manner, placing Lewis Guns in gaps between sand bags. For several hours after this we tried to bomb each other out, we were lucky enough to get hold of some rabbit wire and make a cover or our trench, which spoilt Fritz's chance, as bombs alighting on the wire would invariably bounce off and explode on side or the other of the trench. After several hours of this hide and seek game, we managed to get up our 2" Trench Mortar battery, and my word didn't they shift, 2 shots and they were off, leaving about 20 casualties. We rushed the barricade only to be faced with another; and then our troubles began, as OUR artillery not knowing exactly how far we had advanced began dropping shells in our new line, one shell wiped out the whole of one of my bombing sections. I was simply frantic as shells were coming all ways. I sent runner after runner back to HQ but evidently many of these became casualties; at last however, one got through and the range increased, not however before I lost 2 of my best Sergts and several men (who with myself were all buried with one of these short rangers. Fortunately I was partly visible and was promptly pulled out only receiving a few small pieces of HE in my thigh and hand. Those in my thigh I have not yet had time to remove.

Mr Tank settled down having met with an accident, a Hun shell hit one of the caterpillar bands. You may well imagine how we felt perched in already smashed up trenches receiving the awful shelling which the tank brought forth. However, our friend held his own, firing from his Maxims every shot he had, and using up all his shells in the Hotchkiss gun, the mechanics then set the petrol tanks alight and retired into our trenches.

Early the following morning, I was on the rounds visiting what was left of "A" and "B" Coy, when in the grey mist I observed 2 helmeted figures prowling around the tank, my opportunity had arrived, and I let one have a nice fat piece of lead in the back of his neck, but was not quite quick enough for the other; he however, got a pill in his arm, as he shouted pretty freely when he bunked. My next hour was occupied in staggering (I could not walk) round our captured pieces of trench, counting my wounded and unwounded men of "A" and "B" coy, they numbered "A" 35 and "B" 47 (out of 328). It was useless to count the dead, so we pushed them over the parapet until we could find time to bury them. That evening we were relieved by the LRB and crawled back to a reserve line trench for a few hours rest, bit how could we rest with the incessant shelling. The name of the trench we were in was called Farm Trench, as it was dug just in front of where a big farm had once been; this farm was not 2 wooden gate posts and a large number of various sized shell holes. We remained in this trench for 48 hours and received a draft of 150 Rockies (Derbyites). We then moved up to a trench in front called Q trench. I guessed it meant another do. The next night we received orders to again relieve the LRB and at zero hour "take" position together with the sunken road. I must mention that the LRB together with the QWR had 2 goes for this during our "rest" period, and had failed, hence the call on us. We took up our positions again at "A" that night, and tried to look cheerful until next day, the morning dawned, and it was a lovely dawn. Zero hour this time was at 12 noon, a most extraordinary hour, as every movement could be seen, but of course "ours is not reason why" and so, once more, over we went. We were very fed up, but also very determined, and to show the new men an example. Fritz fought very well, but we were one better and before 1 pm we had 187 prisoners, and umpteen hundred wounded Huns. We were greatly troubled after this by the continued sniping. Fritz is a jolly hot sniper. I discovered a party of 10 men sniping from the fringe of Bouleaux Wood. I took a party of 20 picked men, and a Lewis Gun to point B and told off 2 men to each sniper, telling the men to take careful aim and fire together, while the Lewis Gun was to enfilade from the side. That night we had 8 more German caps. There were helmets and souvenirs by the hundreds, but we could not bother with such things, we were pleased enough to have our lives. Immediately the success of this stunt was reported to Brigade we were relieved and put in the Leuznake trench. This was an old German line and full of smashed dugouts and still containing many a fat German, and the odours in consequence were not of the best. We spent 48 hours in this line and then moved again up into the assembly trenches opposite A close to the Trench de Combles, which by the way, we were to take on the morrow. I sent a party out to discover what strength the Germans were in the trench; the party soon returned minus the NCOs and reported that the trench was crowded and that the 2 NCOs were shot on the enemy wire, this did not seem hopeful. The enemy put up a heavy barrage on us, and I thought they must be going to attack. But when the barrage died down, nothing happened and for the remainder of the night there was dead silence so far as Fritz was concerned. At zero hour next morning (4.30 am) we clambered over the parapet and advanced at a walking pace to the T. de Combles. To our surprise not a shot was fired at us, ony a few stray shells from nowhere in particular. We arrived at the trench and found only a few wounded and dead Germans; the others had hopped it into Combles or elsewhere. Needless to say we were agreeably surprised. We had not been here long before they started lobbing over the hills a few 8", 10" and 15" shells and we had to take cover. I obtained permission from the OC to go out into Combles and see what we could see. I took a decent Corporal with me, and went on right into Combles without any opposition. I came across a party of wounded Germans who had been left under the care of a German doctor, and took them over. There were many dark and deep dugouts which we explored. The dead body of a woman was found in one dugout, she had been butchered by a German. After an absence of 2 hours we returned to the Battn and reported, together with the LRBs we then marched into Combles to a bloodless victory. We have since, read and roared at the far fetched and ridiculous accounts in the English papers of the Capture of Combles. Corpl. Williams and myself claim to be the first British troops to enter Combles and don't care a twopenny what Beach Thomas oir any other newsmonger has to say on the matter. Our Battn now thoroughly scrounged round the town all day. The next day our Division was withdrawn, and our Battn placed between the 4 famous woods High-Delville-Trones and Bernafay. It took us 8 hours to get back here, and when we arrived, we were given a filthy muddy old trench with inches of water and more inches of mud at the bottom, the men whoever, were dead beat, and fell into this trench and slept.

9-16 October - About noon next day, we extracted ourselves from the mud bed and looked for something to devour, the rations were up and we made short work of them. Even here there was no peace for us, Fritz sent over a number of shells. One of these missed cooker by about a dozen yards and my word didnt the cook scoot, we had to laugh; being able to laugh seems to be the British soldier's chief asset. Another shell lifted up an Ammunition wagon full of 9.2" and dropped it 40 yards away into a shell hole. We stayed 2 days.

This brings me to the present month (October). that evening Bn orders were published and the following passage was read out: "The CO has much pleasure in making the following announcement Sergt. T.H. Bisgood is awarded the Military Medal which will be presented in due course." This was quite a surprise to me, but of course, I was very pleased. I was presented to the Corps Commander in Merville Square.

8-10 October - Later in the day I was sent for by the CO and told that i was to go away to a French seaside resort for a few days holiday. I started off next morning with a few others and travelled all night arriving at Onival next morning. Onival presented a very cheerful sight, our camp of all new white canvas was perched round the lighthouse high up on the cliffs, it was a glorious day.

At this rest camp (the first REAL rest camp I have been to in this campaign) there was only 1 parade a day, that for a few minutes. We had a most enjoyable time and were sorry to return on Oct. 16. I found the Battn on rest at a pretty village on the Somme (Breille).

21 Oct. - Battn moved on from Breille today.

22 Oct - Church parade, very cold.

24 Oct - moved on to Pont Reine and then entrained to Burgette and marched from here to La Fosse.

25 Oct - La Fosse is 12 km from firing line and Neuve Chapelle. Can hear the guns quite plainly now.

29 Oct - Left La Fosse for Croix-Barbie 6k nearer the firing line. Quiet place, no shelling up to now.

31 Oct - Very wet again, expect trenches will be very bad.

1 November 1916 - Battn moved into line in front of Croix-Barbie, myself going to Merville Corps Rest Camp

4 Nov. Merville quite a decent town. ASC has a cinema, which I visited.

5-9 Nov. - Stopped at hospital at La Gourge (Div. HQ) until 9/11/16. Returned to duty at own request. Very fed up with hsopital.

10-15 Nov. - Spent 6 days at Boudeville feeling very seedy. Have been offered a job at the base camp but cannot see my way clear to leave the boys.

16 Nov. - Have been appointed Intelligence Sergeant for the Battn. Quite an interesting business, am in charge of observers and snipers. Our nickname is the "Brainwave dept" and we observe Fritz and all of his doings, the condition of his trenches, his spirits and many other things. Then one has to go over the top and see if Fritz is really there, as if we did not know for certain!

We are now holding the line at Richbourg St. Vaaste, about a mile north of Neuve Chapelle. Have a few good OP's imitation trees etc. My favourite is named Nelly, and she is a buxom tree made of steel and bark. We are doping 6 days in and 6 out now, each time changing with the LRBs. Had a good deal of straffing from Mininwerfers of huge dimensions, probably the size of ordinary pails or buckets. Fritz seems to have had a new Miny which bursts in the air and sends out a shower of heavy shrapnel.

22 November 1916 - Are out again for 6 days doing fatigues, repairing trenches etc. by night. Our billets are the remnants of houses in Croix Barbe, 2 and half miles beyond the line.

Casualties 'B' Company 6/9/16 to 10/9/16

Killed

Officers 1 Capt. R. Heumann

ORs 6

304 CSM Mills, B.

5981 Pte Bobey, S.

2268 Pte Lambert, A.

2667 Sgt. Torrance, A.W.

5949 Pte Green, H.

4738 Pte White, P.C.

Wounded

Officers 3 - Lt. B. Attenborough. 2nd Lts. Downey, K. and Spencer Gray.

ORs - 30

1851 Sgt. Shrimpton, A.K.

2022 L/Cpl. Fauchere, A.H.

1229 L/Cpl. Little, C.

2381 L/Cpl. Mears, J.W.

1103 L/Cpl. Newman, C.

4552 Pte Clarke, P.J.

6532 Pte Chinnery, A.J.

4517 Pte Cornish, W.

3426 Pte Coles, S.

4740 Pte Fane, A.H.

3077 Pte Goode, C.C.

22/4186 Gold, F.T.

1578 Pte Hart, F.W.

6433 Pte Kimble, A.J.

6453 Pte Hill, H.W.

22/4352 Liney, W.G.

5098 Pte Lucas, T.

3497 Pte Matley, H.

4731 Pte Maulkin, H.A.

4492 Pte Morgan, G.D.

22/4189 Pte Millan, C.S.

6110 Pte Nash, W.H.

4643 Pte Poynter, J.E.

6368 Pte Pyrke, H.V.

4862 Pte Percival, W.

6539 Pte Shaw, R.D.

1523 Pte Shefford, J.

22/4196 Pte Steel, R.T.

1729 Pte Webber, F.W.

3786 Pte Wells, S.

----------------------------------

13 April 1917 - In Lion Lane a subaltern and 2 bombing sections were told off to force the Cojeul trench during the night by bombing Fritz out, and then the whole company would come along and consolidate. About 8 am next morning not having heard from Sub. we decided to carry on up Cojeul trench with the remainder of the coy, on the way (I was leading) we were astonished to see the Sub. and his party returning; asked by the Coy Commander if he had done his job, he replied "Sorry Sir, could not get through as they were sniping at us." I was furious to think that an officer could make so lame an excuse, and at once said, "I would do it for him." whereupon I called upon the 2 sections of bombers and 1 Lewis Gun Section to follow me, this they did until we reached the barricade across the trench, then to my intense disgust they refused to budge further. I was that wild to think my men would let me down I dashed over the top in a towering rage, revolver in hand. I moved very quickly and so escaped being hit by snipers who were certainly very attentive. I had not gone very far before I found the Sub. and a Corporal following. I then came to a branch trench and posted the 2 here to prevent myself being attacked in the rear, while I proceeded up the main trench. I had not gone many yards before one of Fritz's stick bombs came hurtling into the trench well behind me, evidently Fritz had no idea I was so near, scooting round the bays I came suddenly upon a party of 10 Bosch creeping towards me, quick as lightning my revolver was up and I was shouting the odds so loud that the enemy at once lost their nerve and up went their hands, I fired a couple of rounds over their heads to let them know I was in earnest and then backed down the trench beckoning them to follow, which they did without hesitation. I then relieved the first man of his revolver (a topping German automatic), glasses, and trench dagger, as far as I could judge, this was an officer or a very senior NCO, anyway he seemed very fed up and took off his Iron Cross and gave it to me with the words in bad French "Kaiser no bonne, souvenir comrade" needless to say I at once grabbed it. I did not bother to straff the remainder as I knew the men would do the necessary. I ordered the whole batch into a little side trench and they fell down on their knees and started crying and begging for mercy. I found out afterwards that they thought I was going to shoot them whereas I only wished to keep the main trench clear. Placing this bag in charge of the men I again proceeded up the trench in direction of the Bosche and saw 2 of them go up over the top and make off across country I was up and after them like winking, when some blithering idiot opened a Lewis gun on them (1 of our Captains) both men were hit, luckily I escaped. One of the fellows hit was a very decent chap indeed, well educated spoke splendid French, about 18 to 19 years old, I collared him and carried him in (he was hit in the leg), fed him and later gave him some rum to keep the cold off. I almost wished I could have kept him for a souvenir he was so decent. Making further along the trench I again came upon a T branch and here met the LRB coming from our left. "B" Coy halted here while "A" and "D" coys passed through us into Heninal and we watched them chasing Fritz across the country beyond. I had never seen so many live Germans running before. Spent the night shifting to another position more to the right, and thought we were to be relieved, but no such luck as we found ourselves in the front trench opposite to Cherisy, a brute of a place. About 12 midnight I was sent for by the Captain and told that we were to take Cherisy in the early hours of the morning, this was bad news and I was astounded and explained to the Captain that it was impossible as another village Guimappe by name which lay to the rear and left, had not yet been taken, he agreed but said "orders are orders." We moved over the top at once and advanced with spades under cover of darkness a matter of 200 yards and dug ourselves in holes all that day waiting for the word "Go" and hoping it would never come. Those of us who knew the ropes also knew that the word "Go" would be the finish for the lot of us. 24 solid hours we were crouched up in these holes waiting for the fatal word which for us never came owing to the 14th Div. not advancing. We were relieved and the 2 other Battns of our Bde were put in, while we were put 500 yards back in a shallow ditch, the feeling of relief was beyond description; we also felt very sorry for our pals the QVRs and QRWs who had the job.

14 April 1917 - 6.30 am zero time. QVR and QWR advanced in several waves for Cherisy an exceptionally, in fact, ridiculously long way off the expected happened, as just as these fellows mounted the parapet and went over, down they went. Fritz simply sat on his parapet and caught them in the rear with MG fire, it was nothing less than a massacre. We waited expecting at every moment to be called on to reinforce, but evidently the Brigadier or whoever planned the show, discovered that 2 battns wiped out in one morning would be enough. That night we carried in dead and wounded of our own brigade by the hundred, cursing the man who was criminal enough to send them over to certain death.

15 April - Relieved and trailed back to Heninel spent all day in a ditch.

16 April - Moved further back to Beauraines for next night. Believed to be going right out.

18 April - Ordered up to support the Kensingtons at Wancourt, huge mass of troops here, prisoners taken previous night informed our people of a strong attack about to be launched by Fritz, who had also been massed. Very dangerous spot here on slope, facing the enemy. Had they bombarded heavily they would have wiped out thousands of our men, we we were packed into every hole, far too many for the accomodation.

Waited all night and next day for Fritz, who thought better of it and did not attack, so we withdrew to Beauraines.

20 April - Holy snakes! the whole Division to be relieved at once and rumour has it that we are to have 6 weeks rest, I don't believe it. Moved into Arras and there to our amazement were umpteen Motor Buses waiting to take us to our destination, St. Amand. Arrived at St. Amand the same billets we had before the fateful and disasterous July 1st last year. Had a very warm welcome from the French folk, who asked after many of our boys who had "gone west". I fixed myself in my old billets for a long and comfortable stay.

21 April - Still a/S.M. Paid a visit to the battlefield of Gommercourt where exactly 9 months ago we lost practically all out battn. Went right over the field where we started on July 1st and carried right through Gommecourt now a mass of mangled ruins. One of the largest and most dense woods in France now represented by only a few shattered tree trunks and myriads of holes. Passing over the ground between the old lines we even now found bones, bits of cloth and gas helmets belonging to our boys killed 9 months ago and never buried. The civilians had buried quite a number of our men and named the graves, among these being Captain Handyside and Cole. Took a photo of the latter.

22 April - Spent a couple of enjoyable days in St. Amand with my French friends.

24 April - Well of all the cheek, whole Division ordered back to Line for another show, after only three days rest.

25 April - Reached Wanquetin stayed for night

26 April - Moved to Berneville. Arrived at Arras front.

27 April - Special preparations for an attack on sector opposite Vis-en-Artois, objective Lanyard trench just beyond Cavalry Farm.

2 May 1917 - 167 and 169 Brigades to do attack. Our battn is to lead with Cavalry Farm as the 1st objective and Lanyard trench as the 2nd.

END OF DIARY

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  • 2 years later...
  • 2 years later...
Thanks, Glosters. What an eerie mixture of boredom and horror this is! Great read.

Marina

I agree with the comments already made. i was particularly interested in the references to Doudelainville as we have visited its cemetry on several occasions and stood by the graves of 3 members of the Drake Battalion.

Bren and Kevin

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Hi Glosters. Thanks for taking the time to share this diary with us. There appears to be a lot of hard work involved here. I have recently concluded transcribing a Battalion Diary covering one day. It had three pages of text about the battle and 18 pages of casualties and I thought that was hard work, but you have really put some effort into this.

Thanks again.

Martin

P.S. My Uncle was an RSM in the Gloucestershire Regiment. As a Sergeant in Korea he was captured at the Imjin River. He still lives in Gloucester.

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  • 3 years later...

i know it is over 8 years old, but having spent the last hour reading it felt it was worth while recycling it

brilliant read & an awful lot of typing

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Amazing reading! My small "skirmish"experiences during 18 years of service between 1961 & 1979 have simply paled into insignificance! We had it easy compared to this .... I cried a little, but blame old age creeping on ........

Embarassed for being emotional, but what the heck ........ finally got to fully understand my Grandad's "I was gassed in the trenches on the Somme" tales & my Dad's D Day landing experiences.

Black Sapper

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  • 8 years later...

MIC has two regimental numbers 3254 and 231039 - also indicates a Silver War Badge listing.

The second number has Pension Index card at WFA/Fold3: BISGOOD, Harold Tom, 231039, 1/2 London - very few details

M

Edited by Matlock1418
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Possibly Kath. Not sure how we'd be sure though. A snippet of his more peaceful life pre WW1?

His Baptism entry off Ancestry: image.png.fcc804c4ba88cdd6bcb0f041f2ab8bdb.png

Edited by Ivor Anderson
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I have only just discovered this thread owing to @Ivor Anderson's recent posts, but Sergeant Bisgood's diary entries are extremely powerful, particularly for July and September 1916. thank you @Glosters for posting.

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Thank you for pointing out this diary - 56th Division were supported by tanks at Bouleaux Wood and Leuze Wood on 15 Sep - the damaged tank he describes is almost certainly C16 Challenger commanded by Lt Eric Purdy. 

Edited by delta
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This is a great read! Thanks.

Am I correct in saying that the 2nd Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) was with the 24th Division in December 1915/January 1916 (as per the LLT)?

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