TCD MS 10822 folio 30 recto
[Aug 15th 1917] only disturbed by one shell which dropped 100 yards away.
Aug 16th. A noisy night as there was a heavy bombardment and we were due to attack early this morning. The attack seems to have been mostly a failure. We had a Concert in the evening and while this was going on an Orderly came to say that we must be ready to move at a moment’s notice.
Aug 17th. We had a comfortable move as we did not start till 9 a.m. and then marched to Dickebusch where we stopped for dinner. We left again at 5 p.m. and went by half platoons to trenches E of Zillebeke. We got on very well till near Zillebeke when the Boche started shelling the road. We went into shell holes close by and waited. Some shells came close by and mixed with the H.E. were gas shells, both lachrymatory and chlorine. We got some strong whiffs of the latter which burnt the throat and made one feel very sick. After much delay the remainder of the column came on but the guides for us had disappeared after the shelling. Meanwhile some mustard oil shells came over and we all had to put on our respirators. Eventually the men were all put in trenches but were terribly crowded. We found out our dug out which was deep, very wet and very overcrowded. However we were quite safe though uncomfortable and shared the dug out with the Shropshires and a Bde H.Q.
Aug 18th. A beautiful morning. I was up at 4 a.m. and went up to the front line to have a general look round with Stucks/Sterks. It was very interesting seeing all the ground that I had been over in 1914 but now it was absolutely unrecognizable. The country was ghastly, not a leaf or a blade of grass anywhere only shell holes full of water. Horrible smells and sights. The morning hour was quite quiet but the Boche started shelling as soon as we got to Bt H.Q. & he shelled us steadily all day with 5.9’s & 8”. Very noisy and most unpleasant.
Aug 19th. The weather is luckily fine and sunny, so that the country is drying up well. The heavy shelling all day and night caused us