Handwritten transcript of diaries of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1915 - 6 October 1918, Part 14 of 26

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excitement tonight except a gas alarm, we saw no Germans
on patrol everything being very quiet on our front, while on
patrol a heavy bombardment broke out on our right at [[Loventia?]]
which looked very spectacular from 'No mans land'. We are in
the Wye Farm Sector
 

25/6/16 Sunday Quiet day untill we woke things up by an
artillery demonstration on the Bn front at 12 pm, trench mortars
also joined in. Fritz replied causing some casualties

26/6/16 Artillery action on our front during the afternoon
to which Fritz replied with trench mortars, bombs & HE shells
One of our aeroplanes bombed three German capture baloons
each one bursting into flames as it fell to the ground
amidst the cheers of the firing line, Heavy bombardment on
our left during the night to which there was a vigerous reply
It rained steadily during the night, the line is in a very
muddy condition

27/6/14 Several showers during the day, everything very muddy,
& very cold, quiet in our front during the day only a few HE
shells falling in the support lines. At night working on the
wire in front of the Coy when we were seen by the German
observation post who turned a machine gun on us, fortunately
without hitting anybody, all returning to our lines safely although
wet through, as we had to lie flat in the pools of water &
wet grass to escape the machine gun & snipers who are
always looking for an easy shot. Pass word tonight Thunder
 

28/6/16 Bombardment by howitzers & trench mortars on our
front to which they replied. Repairing the barbed wire again
tonight.  Heavy bombardment on our right.  Password Charlie

Chaplin.
 

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29/6/16 Quiet day on our front, heavy bombardment
opened again on the right & left where our raiding
parties entered the German trenches, taking many
prisoners for identification. Out on the wire again
tonight Password Timbucktoo

30/6/16 Quiet day hardly any shelling, exceptionally quiet
night, no wire party. There is now much searchlight
activity by the Germans, who are now getting very
nervous both day & night, this sector is getting warmer
each day
 

1/7/16 Quiet day, nothing doing, usuall bombardment
on our right. Our patrol fired on by the Germans to
night, one man killed. A big battle has started
a good deal south of us in the Somme area

2/7/16 Sunday All day pretty quiet, heavy bombardment
opened on our front at midnight, we shelled very heavily
to which they replied with the best they had, throwing
several ["Why boys"?] amongst us, heard there were no
casualties in the 4th.  The 3rd Bn who are on our right
suffered 14

3/7/16 Very quiet day, no shelling, the advance part of
the 46 Bn arrived today to survey their front
this means that we can expect a relief soon
 

4/7/16 Very quiet day, no shelling, We are not being
relieved untill tomorrow by the 46 Bn. Heavy
shelling on our right during the night, raining during
the day

5/7/16 Another very quiet day. Heavy shower of rain
 

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at 3 am, making the trench very muddy, We will not be
relieved untill the early hours of tomorrow morning by the
46 Bn

6/7/16 Relieved at 2 am by the 46 Bn who were very late
in coming up, we left the line just before Stand too at
3am, marched through the early morning to Sailly, and
occupied our old billets in the flower mill. Resting for
the remainder of the day

7/7/16 Physical drill 6.15- 6.45 am, morning parade 9-11
Route march in afternoon 2 4 to Estaires passing through
several short showers of rain on the way, we all carried our
waterproofs which saved us a good wetting, The roads well
behind the line are in a good condition & not very
muddy

8/7/16 Parades same as yesterday. Afternoon route march to
Steenvoorde, a warm day, under orders to move off tomorrow
for unknown destination.

9/7/16 Sunday Left Sailly today, marched full marching
order to Bailleul about 5 miles. Started at 9 am reaching
our destination at 2 am, and were billited outside the town
at Outtersteene, a warm day for marching. Visited again the
old town of Bailleul, returned billet 9 pm

10/7/16 Early morning physical drill, parade 9-11 for a short march
afternoon parade 2-4. We are told during the march by
Major Brown that we are on our way to the Somme
Valley, where a big push has been in progress since the
1st of the month, we are leaving for an unknown
destination tomorrow
 

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11/7/16 Reveille 3 am, everything packed up, full
marching order, left our billets at 7 am, entraining
at Bailleul after loading the train with our
transport, luggage etc, train left at 9 am, we
disentrained at Franvillers-Candas (Somme) at 2.30
& marched to St Ouen 9 miles away, arriving in billets
by 9 pm very tired & dusty, fine day for marching,
no rain, we are leaving again tomorrow

12/7/16 Received orders suddenly whilst at breakfast
to get packed up, marched off at 9 am, fortunately
only a short march about 5 miles to the next village
of Vignacourt arriving in billets by 11 am. After getting
settled down it was discovered that we were in the
wrong billets, and had to move off again, however we
did not more very far finally settling down in other
billets. Moving off again probably tomorrow

13/7/16 Parade early morning physical drill, Morning
parade ordered for 9 am, just as we were about to
move off, orders came through from the Brigade to
move off full marching order by 12 am. Had a little
dinner mooving off sharply at 12 am & marched 10
miles, through several quiet country villages to
Allonville just oustide the city of Amiens. Billited
in large stables just outside the village on the Amiens Rd
from where we get a lovely view of the city which is
only a few miles away spread out before us with the
Cathedral in the centre. As our billets are on the top
of a hill the panoramic views very beautiful.

14/7/16 Parade 9 am light marching order, route march for
2 hours, we are now under orders to be ready to move
at a moments notice, and all our gear etc are to be
 

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constantly packed up, we are expecting the order at any
moment. Detailed for B Hqrs Guard mounted at 8.30 pm
 

15/7/16 B HQ Guard all day, quiet day, all our senior
officers leave for the Somme battle front and visit the
newly captured position at Fricourt, to get an idea of
the new front on which we will operate. The firing
line is continually moving up, as we attack an objective
each day. Only at one point is the general advance held
up = at Thiepval, which presents a very difficult
situation as it is very strongly fortified

16/7/16 Sunday Fell in full marching order at midday
ready to moove off, we leave at I pm & marched to Warloy-
Baillon about 8 miles away, where we billet for the night

17/7/16 Early morning parade & at 9 am light marching order
At 2 pm parade to the Divisional baths, raining all the
afternoon making the roads very muddy

18/7/16 Packed up full marching order, without blankets
by 9 am, waiting orders to move off at a moments notice, orders
finally received late in evening that we are not leaving
today.  Day occupied in attending lectures on the new front,
and an explination of the offensive, & the objectives.

19/7/16 Everything packed up again, ready to more off at a moments
notice, during the morning overcoats & waterproofs rolled bandiolier
fashion ready for marching off in battle order. We move off at midday
carrying 2 tins of bully beef, 10 large biscuits, 2 extra bandioliers of 
cartridges. 2 Mills bombs, 2 sand bags, 1 bottle of water, 2 gas helmets
carried in their containers, besides overcoat  & blanket, 1 field dressing
& full fighting equipment with rifle, bayonet etc, we are now ready
for our first big fight on the Western Front, after an inspection
 

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of our equipment we return to billets for final adjustments
& issue of shortages. At 3 pm we stock all packs in the
Bn stores situated in village, this is the last we will
see of them untill we come out of the line. At 5 pm
we finally fall in, in full fighting order & march
away towards the noise of the big guns. On the road
we pass through several villages full of English troops
arriving at Albert at 8.30 pm which has been very
much knocked about by shell fire. We marched
directly through the town, passing the Church of Notre
Dame with the Madonna holding the child. This
statue which is on the top of the tower has been
knocked sideways, and is now hanging at right angles
over the pavement below, supported only by its base
Although it has threatened to fall for months, it still
remains in the same position and can be seen for
many miles around, and is a well known landmark to
all troops in this sector.  After passing through the
town we take the Poziėres- Bapaume Road, halting
outside Albert for about 1 hour. Many English regiments
pass us on their way to the rear having been relieved
from the front area round about Contalmaison,

Ovillers, & Longueval etc, they have been very successfull
and are all singing as they march along, every man is
wearing a German helmet. The whole road is simply
packed with troops moving towards or from the
forward area, everything however seems to work 
very smoothly, as men are told off to control the
traffic as if they were police. After an hours rest we
march on to the old front line passing through
what was "No mans land' & occupy the old German
front line. We are now at La Boisselle and relieve
the 13th Royal Fusiliers. The trenches here are dig
out of very hard chalky ground, quite different
 

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to the trenches in the north, the soil here being chalky
it is not long before we are all covered in chalk, as the
trenches have been dug direct into snow white chalk
They have all been bombarded flat under the terrible
bombardment our gunners gave them, everything is
in an indescribable state of confusion, after heavy
bombardment for days & nights which reduced them to
powder, mines were sprung underneath them simply 
blowing the wreckage into a huge jumbled up mass of
earth & dead men, of which hundreds are lying about
& have been since the first of the month and are now in a
very bad state of decomposition. There are a few dugouts
left, the largest is a 4 roomed house deep underground
with a concrete block house above it, the garrison were safe
from the shell fire as long as they remained underground, the
fort above although many times hit by our shells,  still is very
servicable &  in a fairly good condition. The garrison are all 
lying about dead either in their rooms below or in the
"pill box" probably killed by Mills bombs. When our fist wave
of troops passed over, they must have been caught like rats in a
trap as they had no chance to get out before, we got them.
From this fort many tunnels run a considerable distance
under ground linking up smaller dugouts & supplying their
wants with men, guns etc. This is the first complete German
system of dugouts that we have yet seen. The German system
on this sector was explained to us the other day & we
were told that there was as much fighting to be done
under the ground as above it. This garrison must have
contested very strongly as they are all Killed, lying about
with our "Pommies" in great confusion. Many Germans are
still lying where they originally fell or were killed resting in their
beds, having been caught before they had time to get up, the
whole area of the dugout is one jumbled up mess of wreckage
our bombardment has been very complete, blocking up the exits with
 

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huge masses of earth etc. The decaying bodies did not add
to the desire to explore further, so we left after a hurried
inspection. We eventually settle down for the night
in an old German trench a long way behind his original
front line, this is our first nights rest in a captured
German trench. Very heavy shelling is continuos
all through the night, the guns in front of us are
continually roaring, we only manage to get a little sleep
through such a deafening noise. Fritz is throwing very
many "Tear gas shells" into his old line as he expects
that we are occupying them, which we are not,
the air is very heavy with the smell of gas, both of
my eyes have become inflamed we all feel it a good deal
for the first time. Personally I get absolutely no sleep
during the night as the whole earth is trembling
under the shock of heavy gun fire, & bursting shells
There are a tremendous number of guns concentrated
here on this sector, all giving their attention to the country
round about Poziėres where we will make an attack
in a day or two, they are steadily being added to, as
fresh batteries arrive in the sector & join in.

20/7/16 Very heavy bombardment continued all night,
during the day we are at liberty to wander round, no
fatigues, we are being will rested before we go into the
forward area in a day or two. We occupy our time
by roaming over the old German front line of trenches
& exploring the dug outs which are very elaborate &
well furnished with furniture taken from neighbouring
villages, including a piano, the walls of the most
elaborate were even papered & feather beds installed
in the bedrooms, this has evidently been the Hd Qrs of
the Bn occupying the line in this sector, as it is a
complete house fully furnished about 30 ft underground
 

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entered by descending a concrete manhole with iron
steps let into the side, the whole being immensly strong
& larger than those we saw yesterday. Many dead
both German & English lie about, they must have
had a very hard fight in such a strong position, as
each room was a separate miniture fort & had to be
taken seperately. In this sector there are very many
dugouts all about 10 to 15 ft deep leading through an
elaborate system of tunnels to very large rooms with
sleeping accomodation for about 40 to 50 men each, who
sleep in tiers of 3 one above the other as if they were in
the forecastle of a ship, all the bunks are very comfortable
Under this syetem of garisoning the line, it was possible to
only expose a small proportion of the men actually required
for observation during a bombardment, the remainder
remaining under cover & complete protection, only a short
distance away, ready immediately to rush into the
line comparatively fresh & not suffering from the effects
of the shelling.  In most cases they were caught before they
had time to get out as the English attack was so sudden.
Notwithstanding the fact that most of the dugouts had two
exits, they were trapped as the exits were in the hands of
the Tommies & all they had to do was to use plenty of Mills
bombs, with the result that all the dugouts all simply
filled with German dead, the English being much in the
minority although there were plenty lying about. We
entered many dugouts, they were all elaborately constructed
On returning to our bivouac in the evening we
received orders to get ready for the line, as we are
expecting to move up in the morning, orders received
later in the evening that we will not be leaving
untill tomorrow evening. Had a good nights sleep
despite the continuous roar of heavy guns. We dont know
when or where we will get the next
 

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22/7/16 Easy day, nothing to do everything ready for the
advance. The big guns are very active all day, heavily 
shelling the village of Poziėres, orders issued this evening
about our advance position & objective which is the
village of Poziėres. Our position in the attack is on the
Brigade left in the rear of the 2nd Bn. Zero hour
is to be 12.30 am, when we are to pass through the 2nd
Bn who have captured the trenches in front of the
village. We leave La Boiselle at 9.30 pm to take
up our position in the forward area. While on our
way up to the line & about 1 mile from it, we run
into a section of the road constantly under heavy shell
fire, we are compelled to run the gantlet one at
a time, and as we have each been given either a
tin of water, bag of rations, or a box of 1 dz Mills
bombs in addition to our heavy fighting equipment
we find the "going" pretty heavy. The name of this
particular spot is "Suicide Corner" & it leads to the
chalk pits on the main road outside the village.
This section of the road is under exceptionally heavy
shell fire as Fritz must know that we are compelled
to pass this corner in order to get on the outskirts
of the village, so he has concentrated several heavy
guns on it. There seems to be no chance of getting
through as the shelling never ceases. A very large
number of dead & wounded are lying about who
could not be attended to owing to the heavy shelling
anybody caught here has very little chance of getting out
again especially if badly wounded, it is a case of every
man for himself, if you get hit you must crawl out
of the danger zone as best you can. Many of our 
boys are wounded & killed here & are left behind.
Managed to get through, without a scratch. although
a shell splinter hit the box of bombs heavily that I