TCD MS 10821 folio 35 recto
[July 22nd 1916] to bed to get a little sleep.
July 23rd. A pleasant day, though full of excitements. All the afternoon the Boche threw big shells into Arras which fell all over the place & I am afraid killed several people. Just after dinner a great bombardment started & we could not hear ourselves speak. The Boche was bombarding the trenches preparatory to a raid, which he carried out, but it was not very successful as only eight succeeded in reaching our lines. The remainder were caught by our artillery fire. Just as the shelling was quieting down a [?] went off & the bells started tolling the tocsin for gas. Everyone started to put on their gas helmets, but noticing that the wind was from the West, I went to Headquarters to get on the telephone & find out what had happened. It turned out to be a false alarm & all the Staff were trying to get the blood of the culprit who was in one of the new Battalions that had just taken over from us. Eventually everything quietened down & we [were] allowed a quiet nights sleep.
July 24th. I was awoken at 7 am by three large shells falling close to our house & sending fragments all round. The Boche has brought up some new big guns &