Fit as Fiddles and as Hard as Nails

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[Sept 24th 1917] There was an air raid on London that night but I was at the Theatre and heard nothing at all, though some bombs must have dropped fairly close.
Sept 25th. Went to inspect the damage done by the bombs it was not much – mostly broken windows in Devonshire House and neighbourhood. Just as I was wanting to go to Euston to catch the 8-45 p.m. Irish Mail there was another air raid and I had some difficulty in getting to the Station where everything was in darkness. The only two nights I have spent in London, there have been air raids.

(Home of his cousin obviously returned to Ireland)

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[Sept 20th 1917] place this morning and the first accounts seem quite good. It was done on a large scale now that Gough has no longer charge of operations and so was successful. Gough frittered away eleven divisions, practically without gaining any success, while with a big attack on one day a large extent of important ground has been secured. The usual training was carried out morning and afternoon.
Sept 21st. It seems to have set in for a spell of fine weather. Heavy mists in the early morning, but after they clear off, bright sunshine follows. In the evening some Boche aeroplanes came overhead. All the guns fired at them and fragments of shells came down all over the camp. One nose cap came through the roof of the Mess, and went through a case of whiskey which had been used as a seat, smashing 2 bottles of whiskey to powder.
Sept 22nd. Nearly all the Battalion is out on working parties so that there is very little for me to do. During a football Match in the afternoon Boche aeroplane came over and heavily fired at. A “dud Archie” landed in the field close to the goal. It luckily did not explode, and on the ball going behind, the goal kicked off from the hole where it fell. We had a good Concert in the evening.
Sept 23rd. Sunday. We had Church Parade in the Camp in the morning, which was rather disturbed by German aeroplanes flying overhead and more attention was paid to them than to the sermon. We played the 7th Bt at football in the afternoon and beat them. In the evening we had another Concert. The Shropshires were very unlucky to-day, a “dud Archie” shell landed on their signallers’ hut and exploded inside killing and wounding fourteen signallers.
Sept 24th. Have been given leave to England. A car arrived at 10 a.m. and we motored to Boulogne arriving there are 1 p..m just in time to catch the boat. My warrant was dated the 25th, so I was very lucky to get across. We had a beautiful crossing, but the ship was very crowded.

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[Sept 16th 1917] in the afternoon. The Boche were shelling a kite balloon overhead and the owner dropped down in a parachute. This is almost a daily occurrence here and the Boche goes on firing with a 9-2 naval shell until the owner comes out.
Sept 17th. We got a car this morning and went to Armentieres in it to reconnoitre the defences to the North of the town. Very nice country, with rivers, canals, boats, diving boards and all the requirements for a hot summer. We came back all through the town which was absolutely deserted, not a civilian, not a soldier to be seen in it. We walked through miles of deserted and ruined streets without meeting a soul. The gunners have been shelling it heavily of late and sending over gas shells every night. It is far more ruined than Arras. We then had a pleasant drive from Armentieres through Estaires where there are some good shops. In the afternoon we had a C.O’s Confernce at Brigade H.Q.
Sept 18th. We are on the move once more and are loathe to leave our comfortable billets. The march however was not a long one though the weather was showery. We went to a camp near Neuve Eglise where we are all in huts.
Sept 19th. A fine cold morning. Had a very pleasant ride going round the Companies who were in the training area. The Boche after lunch was busy shelling some balloons overhead and many pieces landed close to us. There was also some exciting air fights. In the evening Pickering and I went in a very luxurious car to dine with the Corps Commander General Hunter Weston who was most agreeable and who gave us a most excellent dinner. There was a long and very dark drive back after dinner without head lights and several times we were nearly in the ditch. It poured with rain all the way, but the whole sky to the North was brilliantly lighted up by the continuous flash of guns. It was a very heavy bombardment that was going on but there was not a sound as the wind was in the wrong direction.
Sept 20th. The usual training all the morning. The big attack took

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[Sept 9th 1917] bad, swarms surround our dug out. The night was quiet: apparently the gas that was sent over the night before both to the N & S of us proved a good sedative. There are excellent turnip fields around here evidently planted by the Boche and we collect large numbers every evening which go into the dinners the following day.
Sept 10th. A very quiet night and a foggy morning. The 8th R. B. came up by 9 A. M. and relieved 3 of our Companies in daylight, the fourth having to wait till night before the 7th K. R. R. came up to take over. We marched back to our old camp near Neuve Eglise. Had tea with George Rennie. Their Band played very nicely outside.
Sept 11th. A rather disturbed night as aeroplanes were over all night dropping bombs all round the district. The Doctor too next door snored so loudly that between him and the bombs sleep was difficult. It turned into a very hot day and we had the 7th Bt Band playing in Camp in the afternoon and a Concert in the evening.
Sept 12th. Working parties and training filled up the days work and in the evening a Concert. Pickering and the Goose came to dinner with Fairlie & Irving.
Sept 13th. A cold and raw day. We are finding many working parties. The 7th Bt Band played to us followed by a Concert in the evening. Everything sounds very quiet up in the front line. From our camp we overlook Armentieres and the German lines beyond.
Sept 14th. Nothing of interest to chronicle. In the afternoon I rode over to see a new camp that we are to take over on the 18th. The Boche was firing at a Kite Balloon over our head with a naval gun and clockwork fuze. Great pieces of shell landed all around.
Sept 15th. On the move once more. Started at 8.20 a.m. to march to the Doulien area behind Bailleul. It was a hot and dusty march and we found or billets terribly scattered. It took me over two hours to ride around them. They were very comfortable however and the people round here are extraordinarily kind, going out of their way to help us.
Sept 16th. Sunday and a quiet day. Went for a ride through Steenwork

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[Sept 5th 1917] no less than three Generals came up to Battalion H.Q. a sure sign that it is a quite sector. Shortly after their departure, the Boche having seen the unusual movement, started shelling us. After dark we had a great number of visitors of all kinds and a very busy evening till midnight when I started to go round the front line.
Sept 6th. A heavy thunderstorm early in the morning wetted all the trenches again. There was much shelling by both sides to the N & S of us, the Boche raiding our lines to the South and we to the North. A certain amount of shelling of our trenches later during the day. In the evening the Shropshires came up to relieve us. I am not sorry to leave our dug out, which though safe was extraordinarily uncomfortable, as it was impossible to stand up in it and signallers etc were all crowded in too. We were also devoured by the most hungry mosquitoes which left one little peace all night. Our casualties for the 4 days were 1 officer wounded & 6 O.R’s. We had a quiet relief getting back into support by 2 a. m.
Sept 7th. We had a good night’s sleep, though mosquitoes are troublesome here too, breeding in the water in the shell holes and the rank weeds that have sprung up everywhere. I explored the ruins of Messines & found sundry unburied corpses and many young turnips, some of the latter I brought back for lunch as well as a few flowers. The day was very hot and muggy, and most of the day I spent reading on top of the dug out.
Sept 8th. A very foggy morning so that we can move about without fear of being seen. Our dug out here is very palatial compared with the last one and the walls are nicely papered. There are also two rooms and a certain amount of furniture in it. Very little shelling all day owing to the mist. In the afternoon the Corps Commander came round and wandered round our trenches. He is especially keen on sanitation.
Sept 9th. A fine day but rather more shelling. Morice St Aubyn came up in the afternoon as they are relieving us the following day. Had a very nice bath in the open. The mosquitoes at night are very

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[Aug 31st 1917] is extremely nice and hospitable.
Septr 1st. We are on the move once more towards the line. A march of between 9 and 10 miles through Bailleul brought us to Neuve Eglise where we went to a Camp. It was a vile day cold and drizzling. In the evening we had to send on parties up to the trenches to reconnoitre.
Sept 2nd. We were aroused during the night by bombs being dropped somewhere near, but no damage was done. We had an early start in the morning and went up to Messines where we took over the Support trenches. The weather was very showery. There was not much shelling during the day and in the evening we were relieved by the Shropshires and we took over the front lines trenches. It was luckily a moon light night and so we found our way up easily. There was not much shelling but there was a lot of machine gun fire. The C.T. was very shallow and very little protection to us.
Sept 3rd. At dawn I went to two of the Coy H. Q. which were also in the pill boxes of concrete. On coming away from them, I was sniped with whiz bangs which luckily missed me. The day was quiet but as there was no covered approaches to the front line we could not visit them. Our own dug out is a pill box of concrete, very strong, very small and very low, so that it is impossible to stand up in it. We are terribly crowded but must make the best of it. After dark, I made a tour of the whole line which took me three hours. Except for a little machine gun fire, it was very quiet and while I was away H. Q. came in for most of the shelling. In parts the front line was only a series of shell holes – very wet.
Sept 4th. A glorious day. A certain amount of shelling in the morning otherwise it was quite quiet. A Hun aeroplane patrolled very low over our lines for nearly four hours. At night I walked round the front line between midnight and 3 a. m. It was a beautiful moonlight night and going was very easy. By night there is very little firing except Machine gun in the front line.
Sept 5th.  A lovely day and a very quiet morning. We lunched outside in the trench on the strength of it. In the afternoon no

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[Aug 25th 1917] marched back to the Café Belge. The relief was not complete till 8.30 p.m. and I was very nearly caught by some shrapnel just before we left. We had one or two narrow escapes on the way down as they were shelling the road, but we did not linger. On arrival at camp we were bombed by aeroplanes, but no damage was done though our champagne supper was rather interrupted, which we had arranged for the night we came out of the trenches. We have been the luckiest Battalion in the Division in the way of casualties 4 officers and 150 men only – some of the other battalions have been practically wiped out.
Aug 26th. We embussed at 9 a.m. and came through Poperinge to near Abele where we went into Camp. Not a bad place.
Aug 27th. A day of rest in Camp. It poured with rain and the ground is again thoroughly sodden. At night a violent gale arose with the rain which nearly blew our tents down.
Aug 28th. A terrific gale blowing and occasional rain showers most the hop fields have been laid flat. In the afternoon I went for a ride and had tea with Brigade. I hear that we are to move to-morrow
Aug 29th. A showery day but the march was only a short one of about 5 miles. We passed through some quite pretty country near the Mont des Cats and billeted in Thieushook. Most of the men are in tents but some are in barns and we have got a very nice mess where the people are most friendly.
Aug 30th. Ordinary parades in the morning. After lunch I rode up to Cassel to see Charles Butler who was not in but I had tea with  B.C. there. In the evening the Brigadier came to dine and we then had a Concert in one of the barns – it was a very successful one
Aug 31st. A showery morning rather interrupted parades. Charles Butler came to lunch, and in the afternoon I rode over to see the 7th Bt who were near Meteren and I had tea with them. A football Match took place between us and the 43rd Field Ambulances in which we were victorious and then we had the Oxford’s Band to play in Camp, followed by another Concert. I dined at Brigade H.Q. Our new Brigadier

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[Aug 23rd 1917] were in good spirits and did not seem to be having too bad a time. The smells there were awful – dead corpses and mules everywhere, I was almost sick. I nearly got bogged when crossing the marsh as I had to make a detour owing to shelling.
Aug 24th. A fairly quiet night but soon after 3 a.m. our guns started firing and the Boche very soon opened barrage fire. Our dug out under the Menin Road unfortunately lies in the line of their barrage fire and from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. we had hell. The Boche counter attacked with a new division and regained some of the ground he had lost the day before. There was great confusion all the morning as the situation was very obscure. I sent a pigeon message back to Division as all other methods of communication were broken, power buzzer, lamp, telephone, wireless all were smashed. The whole day we sat under a hurricane of shells expecting every moment that the dug out would be blown in. One entrance was blown in and much of the roof exposed and the whole landscape by evening had altered in appearance. The trenches near by had been flattened out and all along the road were dead – some blown to pieces with fragments of arms lying here and there, others that had been disinterred and formed evil smells all down the road. It was a vile spot. Our cook in spite of all difficulties managed to cook us excellent meals on the Primus Stove though at times rather covered with sand and dust from the shells bursting overhead. By evening we were all of us quite deaf. During the night we were relieved by the 23rd London Regt. Luckily it had quietened down very much and we had only eight casualties going out. During the four days in the line we had two officers killed, two wounded and 150 O.R. killed and wounded.
Aug 25th. Early this morning we moved back to the Halfway House to our wet dug out. Everything was very quiet and peaceful and no shells fell near us as we came out. We have been very lucky in the weather, beautiful weather every day that we have been in the line. In the evening we were relieved by the 8th KOYLI and we then

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[Aug 21st 1917] dug out, putting out the candles each time and covering us with earth and dust. There was very little sleep for us as this lasted all night and we were constantly disturbed by messages.
Aug 22nd. Zero hour was at 7 a.m. and I watched the Shropshires and the 43rd Brigade go over the top. Punctual to the second the barrage started. A great concentration of guns which made a terrific noise. At 4.45 a.m. there had been another show to the North which had caused a certain amount of retaliation on our front. Four tanks also took part. They very nearly went over the top of our dug out and crushed us in. It was a grand sight to see everyone starting and climbing out of the trenches at the appointed minute behind the barrage. Our Brigade on the left very soon gained its objective but the Brigade on the right were hung up about half way and could not get on. They had a fairly peaceful time in the front line except for machine gun fire. We got all the retaliation and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. we had a barrage of shells of all calibres over the top of our dug out. I have seldom spent a more unpleasant day anywhere. The water creeping up underneath and we not daring to show our noses above ground. One of the entrances was blown in and we were constantly smothered in dust. As soon as it was dusk we were subjected to the heaviest of shell fire, another entrance was blown in and the dug out set on fire. We put the fire out but one man was badly burned by the phosphorus and the sentry was blown to pieces poor devil. All our means of signalling have been destroyed three lamps have been smashed, the wireless apparatus the power buzzer and the telephone are all broken by shell fire. We however manage to exist and try and be cheerful. I am afraid we have had many casualties. Our reserve Company had 9 killed and 13 wounded & the escapes were miraculous. What an existence this is. It is only the politician and staff that wish to prolong the war.
Aug 23rd. We had a very noisy night with shelling all the time. The morning however was rather quieter and there was much less shelling during the day. In the afternoon I went up to see the Companies who

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[Aug 19th 1917] some thirty three casualties of which ten were killed. Our dug out is a wonderful place very wet and very deep. Two pumps are kept going all day and night to keep the water down and the atmosphere is appalling. We had not so much shelling during the day and only fifteen casualties but many narrow escapes. Numerous ammunition dumps of ours were blown up during the day. from 5 a.m. -7 a.m. we had a two hour bombardment of the German line, all the guns on the Army front firing, it was a fine sight. During the night many German aeroplanes came over and bombed the camps behind.
Aug 20th. A very disturbed night, as we were alarmed four times by gas and had to put our respirators on. It was quite like being on a ship, the pumps working with the swish of water, the distant shelling sounding like the propeller and the nearer shells like heavy seas breaking on board. Men were coughing and sneezing and being sick all round. The only thing missing was the motion. I went up to our new Bt H.Q. at 5 a. m. and had a quiet journey, though the smell of gas was very bad all the way and most people were wearing respirators.
Aug 21st. During the night we relieved the 9 R.B. who were in the line in front of Westhoeck. We had a disturbed night in our dug out owing to the whole of the Ox & Bucks coming in and losing their way. We left at 3-30 a. m. with all our Headquarters and had not gone half a mile before we ran into a barrage so we changed direction and ran into another. Eventually by halting frequently and many detours we managed to avoid the barrages and reach our new H. Q. under the Menin Rd. Finding that the relief was not complete, I went off to Westhoeck to see Company Commanders to enquire how they were getting on. Awful journey then over swamp covered with shell holes full of water. The smells were horrible, dead horses and Boche everywhere and the most awful scene of desolation. There is not a blade of grass or a leaf within a mile. Not even on the Somme was the country laid to waste as in this place. The day passed fairly quietly without much shelling but soon after dark we had a very rough time and many shells landed on the roof of our