stiletto_33853 Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2007 To his Mother. March 22, 1917. ".....Yesterday I was out on the hill from 11 a.m. to 4.30. A most wonderfully clear afternoon and wonderful to look back miles into Bosch land. Our shells bursting over various parts. Bosch trains and factories, etc., carrying on. I have been up again this morning and almost equally clear between some snow storms.....I spend most of my time in gum boots. My wanderings take me down disused trenches with mud to the tops of my boots occasionally. It is pretty hard going, as you may guess, but like a Scotch hill it keeps me fit.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 2 January , 2007 Share Posted 2 January , 2007 Cheerful as ever. Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2007 3 p.m., Friday, 23-3-17. "I am getting on fine, and am very fit. Every one is extremely genial, and being with different Battalions is interesting - some muddlers getting nothing done, others (the Regulars as a rule) with such a different and businesslike feel about them. This morning I was walking round trenches I have not been in before. I found a large bomb store in a disused one, and near it on a bank an excellent spring of water. I have now found two springs on this hill, both well situated, which rather solves the problem for me of forming reserve water supplies." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2007 To his Sister Rosamond. Sunday, March 25, 1917. "Just had a very nice Service with my men in a strange old dug-out, with one candle. We had one last Sunday, and they asked to have another to-day. I shot a puppy last night who had a broken leg. I am thoroughly enjoying my work, which is to a considerable extent an R.E. job." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2007 To his Mother. Monday, 26-3-17. "The men in H.Q.'s. mess vary with each Battalion. At present it is C.O., Father -(a most genial and jovial R.C. person), Intelligence Officer, Adjutant, and Doctor. The latter is a very nice chap. Talk is varied, as you may imagine, chiefly perhaps war, but everything else too. You would sometimes be suprised to look in and hear discussions taking place on weirdest things, regardless of guns popping off outside the door. A good many medical ailments discussed at supper this evening, including some pet Australian liver complaint of the C.O.'s which he described as 'like a bunch of uncooked tapioca - thats right, isn't it, Doctor ?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2007 To his Father. 7.30 p.m., Wednesday, 28-3-17. "How I would have enjoyed for you to spend the day with me to-day - including too last evening and last night. This morn several 5.9's plumped onto the trenches on the side of this hill, also very heavy Bosch shell and minnying of our front line which all laid out before me, and in afternoon intense Bosch shelling of the front on a 600 yard front, about two shells a second for over an hour, after that from the top of this ground I watched our shells bursting about two miles off on Bosch back lines; they also at the same time searching for our batteries. As this sort of thing happens continually all down the front it gives nothing away to mention it generally, though this was a day which thousands in England would have given up very much to have seen with me and seen, also connected of course with numerous warfare duties. Some day I must show you this land, and especially a certain church (Lorette Chapel)." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Diary - March 30. "Went with men putting up notice boards (names of trenches). Terribly hard work walking in trenches........Canadians again came up to hold Ridge while Northamptons relieving Leinster's." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 3 January , 2007 Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Two shells a second for an hour - that is terrifying, impossible to imagine. Also the CO's tapioca liver - yeuch! Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2007 March 31. "Just been witnessing Canadians raid South of Souchez river, about 500 going over, zero time 10.30. Bosch green and red lights innumerable. A wonderful sight and sound.. The wounded will soon be coming in to the Dressing Station here in Ablain Street N." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2007 To his Mother. 9 p.m., 1-4-17. ".........Evitt, the Parson who came back with me, came here this afternoon and had a Service just behind some trenches on an old roadway across a hillside. It at once started to snow heavily, so we shifted into a corrugated iron shelter, which I had just put up for rserve rations, bombs etc., just by. A good Service. I told Evitt he was consecrating the bomb store. You would have liked to be there, with the experience of our guns firing over us from quite near. You would have liked still more to have been here about 10 p.m. last night, and seen our guns giving heavy bombardment on Bosch lines (firing over us). Bangs with sharp flashes and then tearing of shells going through the air with usually a few sparks somewhere in their flight, and then the flashes of the bursts. Everything goes well out here." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2007 7 p.m., 2-4-17. "This morning I went with O.C. Battalion here and 13 men to Brigade [at Aix Noulette] to show the men the country, and to see the Brigadier on certain matters. I lunched there, and then came back a different way. Most of the time a driving snow storm. This was in one way fortunate, as I went through a big and lovely wood, and expected to also have to come back through it, and round to my abode by a circuitous route, but the snow made it impossible to cut across open country which in the ordinary way is in view of the Bosch, and important not to show movement in case important things should be shelled now or at any future date. I have no Officer yet, but expect one soon, I am glad to say. I have a special and exceptional appointment with considerable powers. I receive orders from the Brigade. Whether I am on the Staff or not I can't say !" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Diary - April 2. "Mobbs had a chit that to-day commenced our attack on Vimy Ridge. From which it might be supposed that we had not already shelled it and much less that we have now for weeks been pounding it ! But a pounding indeed it has been, all day tens of thousands of shells...........Going to my dug-out again found caterpillar towing big gun into position and another big one on the road also to be placed. The place will be solid with them soon and for miles and miles along the front in depths. When shall we have the Ridge ?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2007 April 3. "Men on different jobs. Went to cellars with Mobbs to see if he could put men into them as there are now guns in the Sugar Refinery and he wants to clear men from there.........Bosch have to-day got several direct hits on Maestro and on Laprade. Shall have to mend them to-morrow. Got back at 11 p.m. Mobbs has orders to relieve to-morrow night; he has had 8 dyas in and only 4 out, very sickening. Apparently Leinsters and Middlesex have both had a bad time." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 To his Father. April 4, 1917. "Just had tea and the Doctor in the Mess has said 'Do you know it's Good Friday ?' I don't think any one else in this City realized it but him. We have had plenty of Church bells 'du pays' though, i.e. from our guns.............I said yesterday I saw a strange bird - that I could not identify - I have since seen three of them, but none so that I could get any backgrouind but the sky. Neither birds nor animals care anything for guns. I particularly noticed a few nights ago, some teams of six horses or mules with limbers trotting back past guns firing very heavily almost in their faces from the side of the road and taking no notice whatsoever." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Diary - April 6. "Lovely morn..........Our test barrage on Vimy Ridge began and was a wonderful sight. Bosch answered with a barrage, mostly in Zouave Valley. Watched with glasses. Later heavy showers. Major Vanderbilt of Tanks attached for one day; went on to Brigade - I sent two guides with him. Got back to lunch at 3.15 seeing various things on route. ........This afternoon one of our 8 inch Howitzers fired before lifting the gun, with the result that shot into side of a hill a few yards off - one of the team killed, 2 wounded." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 April 7. "Heavy Bosch shelling.......Lovely morn. Caterpillars panting everywhere as I went to bed at 11.30 p.m. ...........The guns sound bitterer every day." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 To his Mother. Easter Sunday, April 8, 1917. "It is a strange land to spend Easter Sunday in. We have not had quite the peace that I hope you have, but like David in Ps. xxiii inward peace can be there tho' war without.........I suppose America has come in for the Entente. I hope it may mean much good to us. I have found 2 most gorgeous masses of snowdrops, each about 9 inches square, in an old garden. One of them I shall dig up and put in a tin for this Mess." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Hunsdon Bury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Diary - April 8. "When in Ablain the Bosch put 5 shells very near me; plenty of splinters, then one of our 18 lbs. prematurely burst just by me. Previously in the morning they had shelled nstily on the Ridge. This place is more than unhealthy now. How I wish our attack would come; but how momentous it is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 5 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2007 To his Sister Rosamond. 8 p.m., 8-4-17. "What an Easter Sunday I have had. I went to lunch with a Regiment some way off to inform them about certain ground, and then to show it to them. Shelling was active all day, but I have not had a scratch." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 5 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Diary - April 9. ".......At 5.30 p.m. all the guns opened fire simultaneously and the Canadians at the same moment began their attak on Vimy Ridge. The Bosch have several times got wind up and put up a barrage, and we obviously caught them 'asleep.' As a consequence of this we in Ablain have had a quieter day than for a long time past. A counter-attack was expected to-day or very soon and we were wired accordingly. Apparently prisoners state that if the Ridge is taken it must be retaken and the Guard's Division at Douai is ready to do so. All O.P.'s (I went up the Ridge at noon, waiting till then in case of orders) report much movement of men, lorries, etc. .........Apparently all objectives were gained down to Arras and now (11.30 p.m.) I hear there are 10,000 prisoners, hundreds of M.G.'s and 16 bug guns..........To-night, here, only single gun shots about every 2 seconds. It seems dead quiet ! Will there be a counter-attack to-night ?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 5 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2007 To his Father. 5.30 p.m., Tuesday, 10-4-17. "This morning on the hill where I am went, as I often do, into several O.P.'s (usually called Opips), sort of dug-outs with slit like aperture to look through, and looked with telescopes and glasses into Bosch land. It brings a feeling very similar to deer stalking and I wish you could have it too, as you love such a birds eye view with a map before you, and seeing our shells in various parts. O.P.'s are usually gunners shows for seeing the accuracy of their battery's shooting. Inside is a telephone with a man on it, and you hear from him 'No. 1 gun fired.' Watch the target and telephone back 'two degrees left' or whatever it might be; or 'unobserved. No.1 fire again.' Often some Artillery Officer whom I may or may not know says 'Come into my O. pip and I will have a shoot,' which is always interesting. I couldn't have a job more to my liking than this one I am on. ...........Mother asks if I am a Staff. As I am doing executive work and am not with the Battalion I am still on the Staff, though my appointment is, I think, a unique one." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 5 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Diary - April 11. "No counter-attack in night.........Zero for Leinsters and Sussex in Hache Wood is 5 a.m. to-morrow, also apparently for Canadians to take Pimple. The former necessary as overlooking Zouave Valley and also both must be taken together." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 5 January , 2007 Share Posted 5 January , 2007 I've often wondered exactly what OPs are for - apart from just observing. He never said a truer word than his last sentence. Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 5 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2007 To his Sister Rosamond. 7 p.m., Wednesday, 11-4-17. "I have done a rapid skin of lovely goldfinch I found dead in a trench this morning............. Events have been developing, as you will now have seen in the papers. Everything seems very satisfactory, and this afternoon we hear that we have Bullycourt, which should be important. I want to see the paper accounts, and you want to see the show itself - how unfortunate these things are ! We are having lots of snow, and the ground is now white with a heavy fall............. The position, as you will no doubt see it in the papers, will, I think, do your hearts good and cure all aches. It cures all ours here, or would do if there were any, and rejoices us much. This is probably the hardest knock Germany has yet had, and I fail to see how she can recover. My life has become more 'healthy' since this push - the Bosch shelling being more erratic." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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