TCD MS 10822 folio 19 recto
[May 3rd 1917] their original position. Losses were very heavy and the attack all along the line seems to have been equally unsuccessful. We motored into Doullins to buy canteen stores.
May 4th. Lively weather. A huge ammunition dump blew up in the evening and went on all night. Gas alarms and frequent shelling completed the entertainment.
May 5th. Rode up to the line all quiet there.
May 6th. Rode up to the Battalion which I found in trenches W. of Wancourt. I sent Laye and Able White back to Arras for a rest. I went out on a big working party, digging a new communication trench up a badly shelled valley. The night was quiet however and not many shells came over. Returned back at 3 a. m.
May 7th. Beautiful weather. Spent a quiet day reading and improving our shelters in the trenches.
May 8th. A very wet unpleasant day. Everything turned to mud. Enlarged our trench quarters in the afternoon as they were very cramped. Heavy fire at 2 a. m. to the N. of us. A German attack on Fresnoy which was apparently successful.
May 9th. A very fine day again. Everything turning green rapidly wherever possible – but in this chaos of shell holes there is not much chance for many things to grow. More shells than usual came over both by day and night, but no damage done.
May 10th. A hot summers day. Carried on with ordinary parades during the morning. Some shelling in the afternoon which killed three men and wounded two others. A very heavy bombardment about dinner time near Guemappe. De Calry was killed near here in the evening. He will be a great loss to the Brigade. After dinner I went round to the 7th R.B. to condole with them and was shelled on the way back. Our latrine was destroyed during the night.
May 11th. A very hot summers day. Spent a quiet morning doing mostly Office work. Had a hot walk in the afternoon to Neuville Vitasse to go to De Calry’s funeral. Had to send out a large working party during the night. I was much afraid of trouble as the Division on our left attacked and took Cavalry farm and some trenches at 8-30 p. m. Much shooting by