Diary of Frederick William Gadsby Annand, 1916 - Part 7

AUGUST, 1916.
Thursday, 3 C Coy be digging in Field
kitchens on SUNKEN ROAD and making

Bomb stores -
A Coy tramline -
D Coy at night on extending CENTRE
WAY through POZIERES.
C/O, 2nd in Comd & Adjt on the job.
Hockley did excellent work in
keeping the men on the job
Had M.O. out also.
Friday, 4 A Coy completed extension
of CENTRE WAY through POZIERES.
Others standing by for night attack.
Attack launched at 9.15 & was all
round successful -
We had to have four parties with 4^th
wave to make and improve C Trenches
Good work was done. D Coy in the
first relief went astray.
Lt Retchford Killed. Lot of casualties.

AUGUST, 1916.
Got message from General Legge - 'Best congratulations
to all ranks 2^nd and Pioneers on their
Saturday 5 share in this action which will make
the name of 2^nd Divsn: Genl Birdwood sends his
congratulations to each Bde & all units on the successful achievement
of their objective. He says nothing can exceed my gratitude for
the good work they have done during the past week under
difficult conditions. Australia will be rightly proud
both of the gallantry & fortitude displayed by the troops"
A Coy on extension Tramline to cemetery
B - completing C T 2 & ext Copse Avenue
C -  res improving extension TOM'S CUT
D - widening CENTRE WAY
Enemy counter attack failed great slaughter.
Many prisoners brought in. Prisoners carried
our wounded. Lot of Germans coming to surrender
fired on by their own gunners. I met Jim
CANNON in ALBERT
Sunday, 6 C. Coy extending TOM'S CUT got
badly knocked about; Lt Patterson wounded.
B continuing COPSE AV from new forward line
to O.G. 1 -
D finished widening of CENTRE WAY to
2'6" at bottom & 3'6" at top.
A Coy extending & maintaining tram.
Arranged for cooperation in attack to the
NW which was cancelled.
Shelled at Hd Qrs bivouac gas &
H.E.
 

AUGUST 1916.
Monday, 7 Withdrew Coys from
trenches & moved Bn (less A Coy)
to BRICKFIELDS
Desultory shelling of bivouac
area & regular shelling of Albert.
Tuesday, 8 Bn (less A Coy)
moved to bivouac west of WARLOY
Divsn approve A Coy being attached
to 4^th Divsn for work on TRAMLINE
AUGUST, 1916.
Wednesday, 9 Resting in a  field
near WARLOY
Wrote to NELL No 28
Cable to NELL "WELL"
Thursday, 10 H.M. KING inspected
us & 7^th Bde at WARLOY
 

AUGUST, 1916.
Friday, 11 Marched to LA VICOGNE
Got 2 couriers from home.
Rode to CANAPLES for a
conference with C.R.E. Dined with
him. Picturesque village at the
junction of 4 valleys.
Pretty country.
Saturday, 12 Marched to CANAPLES
Bivouaced at the MARIS - beautiful
grove of trees
Genl Legge watched us marching
in.
AUGUST, 1916.
Sunday, 13 Marched Bn to church
Parade rear of D.H.Q. I had to lead the
singing. Capt Donnelly took R.C. to the
local church.
Hockley & I rode out looking for
drill grounds. Some splendid grain
crops ready for harvesting.
Monday, 14 Saw Lt Col Witham re
officers. Inaugurated Bn Boxing
Contests. Corps doing guard & platoon
drill.
 

AUGUST, 1916.
Tuesday, 15 Doc & I went by train
to AMIENS. At LONGPRE visited local church
& saw & heard unique funeral service.
Holiday in Amiens. Could not do all the
shopping we wanted. Revisited the Cathedral
& had some tram rides
Bn moved to billets at FIFFES
My room in a farm house adjoining a wood
Wrote to Geoff
Wednesday, 16 Divsn boxing contests
our men did well.
Col Newcombe called.
Wrote to NELL No 29.
Sent REMITTANCE No 3 for ₤10
through Field Cashier.
Post cards to Jenn Nell & Fred.
AUGUST, 1916.
Thursday, 17 Marched As RUBEMPRE
Bought grapes. Hockley shouted champagne.
Think he had a birthday. Visited cottage
weavers of great woollen plush. Donnelly
asked the spinning girl for a kiss & she replied
as usual "apres le guerre".
Billeted at the same house as before
that of Madam DUCROS wife of the Doctor.
Friday, 18 Marched to billets
at SENLIS -
Wrote to RAB
Met Tolley
Had officer's classes on LEWIS GUN.
 

AUGUST, 1916.
Saturday, 19 wrote to DOUG
Capt. ARNALL called
Sunday, 20 Moved to trenches
East of ALBERT & commenced work
on Decauville Railway.
GOT CABLE from NELL dated 12 Augt.
Letters No 24 & 24a from NELL (to 25 June)
22 from Geoff, Nellie & Jean also
from TOT & George Robinson.
Sunday papers.
also from Phillips at Salisbury plains
Sunday papers came.
AUGUST, 1916.
15 Bosch planes came over &
Monday, 21 bombed surrdg camps Killing
Some gunners & 1^st Pioneer Carpenter. Our
people brought down three of them.
Had finish of Lightweight boxing, Woods of
B Coy won. Bn on railway grading &c.
Called in Col Newcombe, & saw Lt Col
Nicholson of 1^st Pioneers.
Tuesday, 22 A Coy worked on
tramline extensions right & left
of POZIERES & transport of material to
dumps R.E. stores -
Other Coys on grading & forming LIGHT RLY.
Completed about 2000 yds, well into
AVOCA VALLEY.
Moved Bn & Hd Qrs (less A Coy)
into trenches in AVOCA VALLEY &
relieved 1^st Pioneer Bn.
 

AUGUST, 1916.
Wednesday, 23 D Coy improving
extending SYDNEY ST - good work
B on centre way & well in
Pozieres -
C on road in Mash Valley
Saw plane with broken
wing flying home -
Good Bosche raging on
our long guns.
Got 1916 German rifle near windmill
Thursday, 24 D Coy on Sydney St &
new cut to St Kilda Rd
B Coy Centre way & Jonis Cut.
C extd Jonis cut to O.G. 2.
A Tram ext to KAY Dump
Big attacks on our right &
left - great afternoon bombardment
of the Bosche -
Counted 48 of our planes
up at once.
AUGUST, 1916.
Friday, 25 D Coy on right Bde
area & B on the left -
C Coy started Peg Trench
from Copse Avenue -
Tram to Kay Dump completed
by A Coy - Carrick on tram
E of Pozieres to Quinn trench
Saturday, 26 A on tram &c, B Centre Way & well
C Peg Trench - D Yarra Bank

Donnelly & I went through Pozieres & down well.
Interviewed wounded from 6^th Bde stunt on
Marquet Farm. Hot shelling behind us at
head of Sausage Valley & in Pozieres as we were
returning. Donnelly & our orderlies horses
were wounded. Saw one of our planes
come down front of Contalmaison; heard
pilot shot through arm. Genl Hockley &
Donnelly report on tram for art near Pontiff
Wood.
Lt Col. Fewtrell dined with us.
 

AUGUST, 1916.
GOT LETTERS No 25 fr NELL
Sunday, 27 & No 23 fr Geoffs also Jen
Had officers of 4^th Pioneers shown around
our posts.
Monday, 28 Two German planes attacked our
observation balloon, observer came down in parachute
on my dug out. They bombed dump next door to
One of our British planes shot down one Bosche
plane which fell over towards Contalmaison.
Worked during forenoon & were relieved
at noon by 4^th Aust Pioneers.
Marched to billets at Senlis in the
afternoon.
Lot of rain & wind.
 AUGUST 1916.
wrote to NELL No 30.
Tuesday, 29 Cabled home
"Thank band many happy
returns Nell Rob' -
birthday
Capt. Needham disappointed at
Capt. Taylor being given temp cmd
of C Coy.
Got note from Genl Birdwood
Got letters No 26 fr Nell, 24 Geoff
Rob, Jean, Nell Fred, Miss Byran
& Whitehill
Wednesday, 30 Rode to Rubenfire to
see C.R.E. re future work. Learned
at Hd Qrs that we are to go into Ypres Salient -
Settled last pay with Cashier
Dreadful wet day. Rain all the way there
& back. Lunched at C R E Mess also invited
to lunch at D.H.Q.
 

AUGUST, 1916.
Thursday, 31 Wrote to Elsie.
Lot of men t misbehaving-
Went to picture-show.
Sent Albert cards home & also to
Mosher
attended picture show -
Friday 1st wrote to Brown Kishman
Mrs. Cook Boulogne, Mr Whitehill, Mr [[?]]
SEPTEMBER, 1916.
Friday, 1 Called at Bivouac of 1^st
Canadian Pioneers; lunched with
Lt. Col Hodgins & staff. C.R.E of 2^nd
Canadian Divsn, C/O & 2^nd of 2^nd
Canadian Pioneers called in afternoon.
Sent Coys on route march 6.30 to
8 p.m.
False alarm by AP.M & his
police - funk.
Still at Senlis.
Saturday, 2 Adjutant of 1^st Canadian
Pioneers, Capt MORAN, Barrister
of Winnipeg dined with us.
Canadians are a fine lot. I like
them.
Called on A.P.M. & held inquiry
into abuse of my men by the
military police.
Hockley sick.
Sent Capt Shaw & Lt Wertheim
to Beuval as advance party.
 

SEPTEMBER, 1916.
Sunday, 3 Marched to billets at
BEAUVAL, a pretty village. I called
at aerodrome enroute & inspected the
fighting scout planes.
Got billeted in excellent room with
electric light.
Monday, 4 Went by car into D.H.Q.
at DOULLENS. Sent av party to
Hazebrouck. Hockley & I rode
back from Doullens.
Wrote p cards to Nell & all the
kids.
SEPTEMBER, 1916.
Tuesday 5 Marched to Rly at
Doullens & entrained
Preceding train of 6th Engs late
So start of ours delayed.
Insufficient trucks (only 33 vans
& 10 trucks & 1 1st cls carriage available)
4 vehicles left behind for next
train.
Wednesday, 6 train left Doullens
2.45 am. Arrived GROVEN
10. 30 a.m.
Marched to POPERINGHE to
good billets. Hd Qrs & all officers
billeted in convent; excellent
quarters.
 

SEPTEMBER, 1916.
Thursday, 7 went D.H.Q. &
saw Col Newcombe re plan of
work, also Q re billets. Instructed
to get billets at Belgian chateau.
went to chateau & found it an
Artillery Hd Qrs.
Had a good Mess Dinner
29 Bn officers present
Friday, 8 Arnall, Donnelly & I
rode to YPRES & there met officers of
West York Pioneer Bn. Went out to
the extreme point of Salient & saw
the work of that Bn. Arranged
for temp billets in Cavalry Barracks
called at D.H.Q. & saw Newcombe
re work & Q re billets for rest
of Bn.
GOT letters 27A fr NELL (1 missing) also
Conn, Mrs Byran, Hip Richardson, & socks
from Peggy Robinson ^ letter fr Elsie
SEPTEMBER, 1916.
Saturday, 9 Had officers photographed
M.G. offr absent, also some
wounded.
A & C Coys moved to YPRES
First lesson & ride on motor bike. 
Got letters 27 fr NELL, also PC of Nell & Fred;
No 25 Geoff, Nelson Goldsmith. Bridge & Q' N.
Bank, London. Parcel fr Nell & the Kids
Letter from Rvd ^Louis Mason. Went to
picture show & dined at No. 5 Proven Road
Sunday, 10 Hockley Donnell, & I rode out
early to YPRES, & went out into Salient with
Capts. Arnall & Taylor to decide details of work
Inspected site of proposed tunnelling between
Halfway house & Yeomanry Posts.
Lunched in A Coy billets in old Cavalry
Barracks.
Called in C R E & borrowed level

without legs.
Got MONTREAL CAMP allocated to us
Mosher's birthday. Thought of her
very much.