I am writing this in my dug-out. It seems very comfortable at present.
We have one large dug-out in which Carroll slept with two machine
gunners. I was going to sleep there too, and as I have a new officer,
Ingle, with me he was going to sleep there. But by the greatest stroke
of good fortune I spotted this one just near. It is the best dug-out I
have ever had. The other dug-out is swarming with mice and rats, who
scratch earth into you all the time, and come and expire on you at
night. One fell down and died on the table while we were having tea.
But in this I have only seen one mouse so far, and it has got about
ten feet of solid earth over it. I sleep on a comfortable folding bed,
in my clothes, of course. It is well back six or seven hundred yards
from the firing line. The firing line is more unhealthy than other
trenches we have been in. They will keep sending the oil cans I told
you of over into the front line. If you manage to get away from them
round a traverse they come rolling round the corner after you; I don't
love them at all. I have got "Printer's Pie," and I am just going to
put up some pictures and am then going to bed. I relieved Carroll, and
have been messing around since. I went down to the firing line for an
hour or two to go to each emplacement and see how the men who were
firing the guns were getting on, and then came back and observed their
fire just outside my dug-out; there is our observation post from which
you can see our own lines and the Bosche lines for miles. I have just
been down to one of our ammunition dug-outs, seeing 100 rounds put in
that a fatigue party had brought up. Friday 10 to 12. Good-night,
Mother mine.
Had a comfortable night, but, as it was rather cold, I have had my
sleeping bag brought up for to-night, so I shall be all right. Fuller
was late this morning, so I had to wait impatiently for my boots and
puttees to be cleaned before I could get up, consequently we did not
have breakfast till nearly 10-0 o'clock. After breakfast Ingle and I
went round all our emplacements. We had quite an interesting time, as
in one place where the trench is not occupied, and up which we have to
go to one emplacement, one of our field gun batteries put four shots
into the trench about 10 yards behind Ingle and knocked him over, then
a rifle grenade landed nearly at my feet and kindly failed to go off.
We returned in time for a late scrappy lunch at 2-30. When I was
intending to have a nap and a read when one of the Northumberland
Fusiliers officers, Bowkett, turned up with Kitty to see the line, as
he is probably taking it over from us in a few days, and I had to
wander right around all the emplacements again. After tea I went down
to see how our guns were getting on and found the infantry were very
pleased with them, as one gun had managed to destroy a Hun machine gun
emplacement, and the others must have done considerable damage, as
they so much raised the Hun's ire that he shelled them all
unsuccessfully.
We had a pleasant dinner, and the rest of the evening I have spent
worrying over returns, new emplacements, trench maps, &c., and so to a
well-earned rest.
I am beginning to find my way about a bit now, but there is a
veritable maze of nice white chalk trenches. We are in a sort of
valley, and in the middle of the valley is a slight rise on which the
village of La Boiselle once existed, and which now forms the German
salient.
Sunday, 28th, 1-0 a.m. Wakened up by Parker, of the Lincolns to tell
me that gas cylinders have been seen being taken in La Boiselle, and
that, as the wind is in the right direction, there may be a gas
attack. I hope not; however put on boots and puttees. I warned the
men, putting one sentry on duty, as also the servants. I have a
beastly headache, and I am very tired; I wish people wouldn't see such
things. They are very quiet, too, to-night, which looks suspicious.
May 29th. Awakened very tired about 8-0 o'clock, dressed by putting on
my boots, sponge bath, shaved while I had my breakfast in my dug-out.
Then I went with my sergeant to see about new emplacements. Started on
a new one with a corporal and four men working, also myself. In the
afternoon I received a scheme for construction of six new
emplacements, and I had to go to try and find positions. I managed
more or less to do so, and returned in time to start working out
ranges, compass bearing, angles, &c., only to find I had to go down to
two emplacements again to place them accurately by the map. Busy all
evening with indents, returns and chiefly with schemes for
emplacements. Bed at last--12 midnight.
Yesterday we worked on emplacements till about 2-0, when I returned
for lunch, and was strafed by the Divisional General for having my
guns in the firing line; afterwards a disturbed lunch, during which we
were shelled and our men's dug-out pushed in with a 5.9 howitzer,
though 16 men in the dug-out were unhurt. The Bosche was busy all day
with 5.9's, blowing most things in. In the afternoon I went up to see
the Brigadier, who was very nice, and attempted to solve all my
difficulties. I then had dinner with Carroll and Brand, and returned
to the trenches, and so to bed.
This morning I wakened at 7-30 Tempest came in, laying claims to my
dug-out, claiming it for Barker, but we said "No." Breakfast at 8-0.
At 9-0 I prospected with Wilson-Jones and found a topping place for a
new emplacement, which we set up forthwith, also making on the other
two new ones. Lake and another man came to lunch. This afternoon and
evening we have been doing more work on the emplacements. I am getting
a bit tired of these trenches; they are much too dangerous, and I hate
suddenly having to crouch against a traverse when a big shell comes
and crouches on the other side of it. I shall now retire to my little
couch. Good-night, Mother dear.
June 1st. Working all day on emplacements, putting headcover on, &c.
This evening, about six o'clock, I was called upon to reply to German
trench mortars, but just as we had reached the bottom of the
communication, they opened gun fire on the communication trench,
wounding several men, while we lay at the bottom of the trench, while
they whizzed over in sort of sheets of shells. They soon quieted, but
one burst was enough. I went down to the front line about 10-0 to look
round, and coming back they were unpleasant again--big stuff too--but
to our left. The shells are something terrific here; I think it is one
of the hottest parts of the line.
June 2nd. Working all day on emplacements. In the evening we were
called upon to retaliate for German mortars, and pumped hell into them
for a few minutes (excuse the word, it is the only one I can think
of), and soon shut them up. I was relieved by Carroll.
June 3rd. Went up to the trenches, to see how the emplacements were
getting on, with Kitty. In the evening the Tyneside Scottish relieved
us, going up to the trenches at 2-0 a.m. instead of 2 p.m. We had an
awful crush of them in our mess for several hours, and I had great
difficulty in pushing them off up to the trenches. I took them there
just to be in time for a terrific bombardment on the trenches, whilst
the Germans tried unsuccessfully to raid our trenches. They used tear
gas on us, sent over in shells, and it makes you weep. When I returned
they were shelling near our billet, and we had to spend the whole of
the rest of the night in the cellars, and only got to our bed at about
6-0 in the morning.
June 4th. Carroll and Brand went back to rest with the two new
batteries, and Kitty and I remained in reserve, as they wanted us to
take part in a raid that we were going to do, and, though our own
brigade was in rest, our batteries were selected as a compliment to
take part in the raid, which we learned was to come off on Monday,
June 5th, so we tried to go to bed early on Sunday after our troublous
Saturday night. However, we learnt that the division on our right was
doing a raid, and the Bosche started retaliating on Albert, the town
we were in, so we had to spend another night in the cellars.
June 5th. We spent the day getting ammunition up, 400 rounds,
registering our guns, &c. We found our emplacements damaged by the
bombardment of the night before and had to make one new one. We meant
to return to our billet for lunch at 2-0, but we actually came back at
6-0--in time for high tea. At 8-30 we paraded, six men from each
battery to work four guns, and got to the trenches to find everything
quiet. We prepared our ammunition, &c., and were finished just before
11-0, at which time all our artillery suddenly burst forth into a
hundred thunderstorms, and absolutely rained shells on the German
lines like hail. At 11-20 we started, and put over about 70 rounds
from each gun, and finished at 11-35, and returned to the third line
as soon as possible to collect there to take our guns out. I quite
enjoyed it all; there was a huge row on, and you could not tell if any
German shells were coming at you, there was such a noise. It was quite
exciting. I was surprised to find that it is really not nearly half so
bad when both sides are hard at it and our own getting decidedly the
best of it, as when occasional shots keep arriving.
We were glad to get out all right at 1-30 and back to our billet. The
next day (Tuesday) we moved back to Bresle, and arrived there in the
evening. Kitty and I had to go up to the trenches to collect some
things, then we had tea, and came along in motor wagons, &c.
At present we are back where we were in tents; it rains fairly often,
and, as a rest, we have to parade at 6-45 for field days. I am going
to the Suffolks to-night.
I am awfully sorry this letter has been so long, but I have been made
O.C. group of four batteries, and I have had to work all day and most
of the night.
I am very fit and well, and hope to be home on June 15th. Old Wroxan,
who shared a room with me at Cambridge, was killed the other day--he
had only been out about a month.
Socks, cake and all sorts of nice things received.
Much love to all, from your loving Son,
ALEC.
B.E.F., 10th.