TCD MS 10822 folio 22 recto
[May 21st 1917] but nothing in the day time. There has been very heavy rain and the trenches are in an awful state of mud.
May 24th. A certain amount of shelling but very few casualties. We have a grand view over the country from our Headquarters. Certain places the Boche shells regularly and some batteries in the Coseul Valley have had a very poor time. One night the Boche sent over a number of gas shells. We also have gas appliances, but the wind has proved unfavourable, though we have had several alarms that it was going off. To-night the Boche has been shelling very heavily to the N. of the Coseul and I expect an attack there. We are to be relieved by the Ox and Bucks at midnight.
May 25th. We did not get away till 4 a. m. as the telephone lines were broken and we could get no news of C Coys relief. All Companies eventually got clear without a casualty, and we walked back in the early morning to our old H. Q. on April 10th. The day was very hot and the batteries near us had a poor time of it, being shelled nearly all day with 8”. I saw several direct hits and pieces of shell were flying about everywhere. The 10th Durhams relieved us in the evening and we moved back to Beauraine. While having dinner we were bombed by aeroplanes but no damage was done. After dinner the General came in and told me that instead of having a rest, I was to go and take over command of the 9th Battalion the following day as Henry Porter had been wounded. George Rennie had just come back so he took over the 7th Bt again after being away over six months.
May 26th. A very hot day and it was most pleasant to have a bath. Am very sorry to leave this Battalion where we have a very nice lot of Officers. Our Band played in the afternoon. I had only just started it and this was the first time it had played in public. They were quite good. After tea I rode up as far as Wancourt and then walked up to Battalion H. Q. We are now in the left sector which is not nearly as pleasant as the right sector. We have a deep dug out but there are so many in it that it is not very comfortable. We had a very quiet evening.
May 27th. Whitsunday. I was woken up at 2.30 a. m. by a heavy