TCD MS 10821 folio 11 recto
[June 14th 1916] as it had poured all night & the trenches were very wet. We then had breakfast with some gunners who lived close to these trenches & who had got a very comfortable mess. Their guns were most beautifully hidden & from even a few yards away, it was impossible to discover their position. In the afternoon I rode over to Hauteville to the Divl School for officers & then dined with D Co[mpan]y. Tonight we put our watches on one hour. The weather still remains very cold & wet.
June 15th. Drizzling & very cold. Held various company inspections during the morning. Receive orders that we have to march into Arras tonight. Richmond & I were sent on ahead to Brigade Headquarters on Special business & after making certain of the places at which to rendezvous, we dined at Brigade Headquarters. The General I found that I had met at Ranikhet many years ago. We have got quite comfortable quarters over an Estaminet & the company are billeted in empty houses close by. They did not arrive in till nearly midnight. Arras is quite a nice old town with delightful old lime avenues everywhere & picturesque houses & churches. By day the streets are very deserted, but by night the town wakes up & after dark all the shopping is done. There are not many of its original inhabitants left, but the few that there are make quite a good thing out of it.