TCD MS 10822 folio 6 recto
[Jan 2nd 1917] afternoon and four Jock Officers in kilts to be attached to us. In the morning a raid was expected and we had to be in readiness but nothing happened at all.
Jan 3rd. Relieved the 8th Bt in the trenches. A daylight relief which was completed by 2p.m. Then I went round the trenches and found them in a far worse state then we had left six days before. The weather was very wet and everything had now fallen in.
Jan 5th. The last two days passed quickley. Ficheux Street was badly blown in by 5-9″s which fired with great accuracy. Thanks to large working parties the condition of the trenches is much better. Jan 6th. The Boche shelled Ficheux Street between 8 & 9 a.m. with great accuracy, blowing it in at several places. Went round the trenches and found them much wetter after a night’s rain. A heavy bombardment in front of H Sector started at 11 a.m. 32000 shells from 12” downwards to be fired. We watched the show from the reserve line, also the smoke clouds on either side. There was not much retaliation and we had a quiet night.
Jan 7th. A cold day which turned to rain and it poured all night. Went round the trenches morning and evening.
Jan 8th. A little shelling on the right and near our old H. Q. at Riviere. A dug out fell in and buried several men. The trenches are very wet again. We got one man out of the dug out alive, but another is buried and after digging 24 hours we had not reached the body so that I am afraid there is no hope. Many of the dug outs are very dangerous now after all this rain. It poured with rain most of the night and the trenches are wetter than ever.
Jan 9th. We were relieved by the 8th Bt & the right Coy and one H. Q. got shelled during the relief. However there were no casualties. We did not get back to Beaumetz till 4-30 p.m. Clarke dined with us and was very cheery.
Jan 10th. Rode over to Simencourt to inspect billets there as Beaumetz