TCD MS 10822 folio 17 recto
[April 11th 1917] bad time, as the weather was bitter and towards and towards evening some two inches of snow fell. After dark we collected a large number of wounded and were then relieved by the 8th Bt and marched back in the snow to some trenches in the Corseul Switch line where we spent the night in the snow. We luckily got an issue of rum in the morning, as everyone was frozen. It snowed on and off during the day and we remained where we were until about 10p.m. when we were relieved by the 8th Durhams. The Boche had meanwhile evacuated Hill 90 and it was impossible to walk into Wancourt without any opposition. Our losses of 12 officers were therefore quite wasted thanks to our staff, who remained in safety and comfort far behind; for this they will no doubt get many D.S.O.’s and foreign decorations. We had a fearfully muddy walk back to Arras over all the lines of German trenches that we had captured. We found one man stuck in the mud and unable to move and brought him along with us after digging him out. We arrived at Arras at 2 a. m. where we went into billets. A good supper was awaiting us there after which we retired to bed.
April 13th. We slept most of the morning and I then had a good bath in the town which was packed with troops. In the afternoon we were taken by Lorries to Monchiet where we spent the night in huts. It was a very muddy and unpleasant camp.
April 14th. We spent the morning at Monchiet and in the afternoon marched back to Sombrin to our old billets. It was actually a fine day, but snow is still lying here in the shade.
April 15th. It poured all day. The Divisional General and the Brigadier came in the afternoon to see how we were getting on and to thank the Battalion for what they had done.
April 16th. A fine morning but wet all the afternoon and a deluge during the night. We had a C.O.’s Conference at Brigade H. Q.
April 17th. It rained and snowed all day. Has anyone ever seen such poisonous weather. God is certainly on the side of the Boches.
April 23rd. Weather very bad up to the 20th, then a little finer. Managed to get a little training done and also a football competition. Rode over several times to see the 9th Battalion. Also we played them at