TCD MS 10821 folio 29 recto
[July 11th 1916] Arras & had a very nice bath there, which was most refreshing. The Boche retaliated very little to our bombardment.
July 12th. A fairly quiet night, though Boche patrols were reported. The weather is very unsettled at present & looks like more rain just as every thing was drying up. In the afternoon there was another bombardment of Beaurains & the brickfields which for a while were completely hidden in a pink cloud of dust. The Boche retaliated a good deal more & sent over some large crackers, 8” shells & a new gun about 6” as well as small mortars & fin bombs. The night however passed off quietly: the Boche had a big working party out & so kept quite quiet.
July 13th. The wind was blowing from the S.E. today, so we had a gas alert, but it luckily changed to S.W soon after & we were able to resume normal conditions. It started to rain however but eventually cleared up. In the afternoon I wandered down through the deserted gardens of Ronville where I found much fruit & many flowers. I went up to the Observation Post & had a good view over the country, then went to tea at Headquarters where I found we were to have a busy night, worrying the Boche all the time. It had already started when I got back & I found our guns busy cutting the