Diary of Alexander Sutherland Mackay, 15 June 1917 - 26 October 1917 - Part 3

very strong. This is evidently
about the hottest part of the
line. Fritz has a great number
of guns & doesn't forget to use
them. His aeroplanes & Balloons
on this portion also appear much
cheekier than ours. They take
observations by photography & next
day you are almost certain
to get shells close to your
position. If this game keeps up
long one will begin to grow
worms on his stomach. On several
occasions, just as we were at
the cooks galley getting our meals
we had to drop the tucker & fly.
Running up the small trenches

or climbing up on the side
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if the trench is not continuous,
one has to throw him^self flat down
to escape splinters & big lumps
of earth thrown up. Talk about
close shaves; after you fare nothing
worse than being covered with dirt,
one wonders how it happened.
16/9/17. Had a nasty experience
last night. Seven of us were
detailed to go downs to the Officer’s
mess, a place heavily shelled
lately ^& shift the things to a fresh position. We
picked our times but the second
trip three of us got lost, the
ground here is all trenches & dugouts
so its an easy thing to happen.
Carrying a heavy bundle two of
us wandered round until about
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11 pm, when we decided to
camp in a trench we struck,
for the night. Previously we
had been surrounded by a
particularly heavy fire overhead
from our own guns from other
Batteries. None knew our camp
so as there was great danger
in flopping an front of our
of our own guns in the dark, we
did wise^ly in stopping, notwithstanding
that we had the Captains
stretcher with us. At daybreak
this morning it took us an
hour to find our camp, so
you may imagine how similar
the ground looks, mounds, holes
& guns. Last night, we must
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have struck 50 men in the
same predicament as ourselves,
& I suppose there are hundreds
of others simply wandering
round dodging shells & looking
for their Batteries or Battalions.
We had practically no sleep
last night so I’m turning in
for a few winks, during a
temporary lull.
Afternoon. Just finished, another stunt
of 82 rounds & are away from the
guns for a few minutes to see if
Fritz will retaliate. He has been
fairly quiet today. I hope he continues
so tonight. Night is always the
worst time here, you never know
where to go if he starts keen
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opposition. Luckily so far this
stunt, we have had fine weather.
May it continue until the main
stunt eventuates. For some time
past all our stunts have been
handicapped to a great degree
by rain.
17/9/17. Started off with another stunt
at 8.30 am but before finished, found
it was meant for the night 8.30 pm.
Very cloudy today, luckily for us, all
the teams are busily engaged carting,
& no fr aeroplanes or balloons can
observe. The main stunt is supposed
to take place tomorrow, according
to rumour.
18/9/17. At 8.30 pm last night, we
got our stunt off & cleared away
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from the guns awaiting Fritz’s reply
He kept fairly quiet, as in fact
he did all the afternoon, so we
turned into our dugouts. Alas,
3 am this morning, the gas alarm
was raised, we all cleared &
made for an adjoining ridge.
He sent over a good few gas
shells & shapre shrapnel, but
nothing like the first night. We
als only had our masks on for
about ½ an hour. We remained
in a trench until daylight &
then returned gradually for a
few winks. Just finished
breakfast, a few shells are still
coming over. Busily engaged
this afternoon piling ammunition
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& getting off another stunt.
x 19/9/17. Two stunts today, both
in daylight thank goodness, Fritz
is much quieter of late. One shell
lobbed a few yards from our
dugout last night but no damage
done. We were wakened up for
gas again but did not shift.
The wind was in our favor & as
he only sent a few gas shells, you
good hardly detect it. The main
stunt starts at daybreak & I believe
is to be a long one. Two extra
gunners fr have been sent up
for the occasion. Nos 1 & 2 guns
of our Battery were disabled during
the week but will be up to
tonight again. Batches of
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Infantry have been passing up
to the front line, in readiness
to hop over.
20/9/17. At 5.40 am this morning
the main stunt started, talk about
a noise. Our Battery consists of 6 guns
& our gun each fired close on 900
rounds. We are only 18 pounders
the big guns have hardly stopped
since yesterday. One has to shout
to make himself heard above the
screaming of shells, its really awful.
You can't helpon pitying the poor
dogs the other side, every yard of
ground must be ploughed up.
Evidently Fritz has been confining
his energies to the front line, few
shells coming this way. A number of
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our wounded passed by this evening
some carried by German prisoners.
They tells us the Artillery Bar^rage was
very good & gave Fritz hell. The
push apparently has been successful
all along, a congratulatory message
on all the objectives being taken,
arrived from the head serang about
tea time. All thoroughly tired
after the days work but more
work in store during the night.
About 8 pm we got an S.O.S. (call
for help from the Infantry) & the guns
opened out. Fritz evidently counter
attacked all along, as S.O.S. (rockets
bursting in specified colours) flew up
practically on every sector of our front.
Our guns opened out with a vengeance
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evidently settled the question. I
have to go on. S.O.S guard from
2 am until 4.15 am.
21/9/17. We had no more S.O.S.
calls last night. About as quiet
a night as we’ve had since coming up.
Best sleep I’ve had, that weary I didnt
worry about gas. This morning I
am on aeroplane guard. A few
minutes ago a tank crossed our
trench, we were all amused the
way it walked over w trenches,
shell holes & stumps. Hardly had
it gone 50 yards away, when bombs
started to fall about the trenches.
Needless to say, there was a general
scatter, bombs put the wind up you
quicker than shells I think. Fritz
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3 planes were away up, the result
of the bombs was one horse with
broken leg. They had to shoot it.
Marvellous how no men were hit
We will probably pull out & shift
forward again in a day or so.
22/9/17. Had to shoot at 11.30 pm last
night & again at 12.30 am. Wakened
up twice for gas attacks but they were
not of any moment, simply got our
masks in readiness. Fritz got two
of our balloons last night, one came
down in flames, the other the gas
escaped. I understand the men all
escaped in parachutes. His aeroplanes
have been active of date, dropping
bombs frequently. See a good many
airscraps on, so far in the fights
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I’ve seen, honors have been equal
two of ours & two of Fritz's coming
to grief. Things fairly quiet otherwise
a few shells flying about. All
ammunition is being packed up
on horses, too dangerous for the
limbers. Two of us in this sub
will be probably sent down to
the waggons lines for a spell
when they shift. I think we
are the only two who have been
continuously with the Battery, this
stunt.
23/9/17. Fritz got very cheeky yesterday.
afternoon & continued so all night. We
fired a stunt at 7 am this morning, one
man got shot through both cheeks, not
very bad. Evidently Fritz has got his
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guns fixed in the new positions after
the withdrawal. Seven of us went
over yesterday afternoon to the new
position, to dig pits. We had just
started when we were recalled.
We had not gone for when he started
to shell our places a treat. Fresh
positions I believe have now been picked,
a party came up from the waggon
lines & left at 7am this morning
to dig in. I presume the guns will
shift tonight. Shifting the guns
is the worst part of all, with Fritz
continually shelling, all bustle & little
cover. It looks as if we have decided
to keep Fritz on the move now, so
things must naturally be warm for
some time to come. The big guns
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& balloons have shifted up behind us
& we are practically the only 18 pounder
Battery left. The big guns always
draw Fritz’s heavy stuff, so in one
way we will be better off for the
shift.
24/9/17. Fritz sent a lot of gas over last
night, but mostly tear gas. This
morning I went up to the fresh
position, a different one to that
picked the other day. Shell holes there
are worse if anything than here,
doubtless many, are the results
of previous bombardments by us.
Two of our guns went up last night
the others gon tonight. Fritz has
had it all on his own here today
shelling & bombing galore. We have
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had to clear ½ a dozen times.
A while ago he knocked two
Tommies the other side of our
dugout, also the officers cook.
No doubt you feel rotten when
you see your mates bowled
over. Their artillery is the only
opposition we have, their infantry
from all accounts, are no class.
Just before we left tonight, Fritz
got all round us, one shell lobbed
right amongst the guns, getting
two officers, 2 Corporals & 2 Gunners
I managed to escape by throwing
myself flat. We all then acted
as stretcher bearers & going up had
to drop flat several times. Only one
man hit this afternoon is serious
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25/9/17. Landed up last night
& got little sleep most of the
time fixing things up. No
chance of dugouts here, we intend
sleeping in a little open trench.
Shells falling very thick all round.
He has been knocking our fellows
right & left, three drivers in one
bunch. All big shells, so one
has little hope of escaping free
if they lob too close. We have
fired several shots, but nothing
of moment yet. The main stunt
comes off tomorrow.
26/9/17. Hard at it all day
from 5.30 am banging away.
Fritz hasn’t replied, much or
at least we haven’t heard him
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Owing to the roar of our ^own guns.
The men went over this morning
& I hear gained all objectives
with few casualties. A crowd
of German prisoners have been
going past, a good number as
usual carrying our wounded.
I hear we are too shift forward
again, so they are not giving
either Fritz or ourselves any spell.
My hands are in a  terrible state
from shells, skin off & crushed
nails. Luckily the weather continues
fine otherwise things would be awful
with no covering. Suppose Fritz
will be counterattacking tonight,
that means S.O.S calls & little
sleep. Fritz’s aeroplanes are doing
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good work, the last two days he has
blown up several of our ammunition
dumps. However I suppose our guns
are doing the same but we cant
see them. We are firing on an
average from 3000 to 4000 yards.
27/9/17. As predicted practically no sleep
last night. Several S.O.S calls & up
four times unloading ammunition
from the waggons followed by a
shoot at 5 am. Fritz got very
near us last night one shell in
front & one at back of pit. We were
covered in dirt, but couldn't leave
off shooting, or the infantry would
have suffered. One fellow was
killed in our lot, & 2 guns in
battery at back blown up in the
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Mrs Mott
London St
Heighgate Hill
S. Brisbane
air. We half expected to get hit
any moment. Our kit was in a
terrible state this morning, all the
ammunition & gun covered in mud
from one shell lobbed in a water
hole nearby. Near tea time, he is
just livening up again.
13/9/17. Got 3 S.O.S calls last night,
our gun went cronk & was out of
action for the last two. They managed
to fix it up this morning. I had
to sleep in the pit all night &
unload the limbers as they came up
with shells. Little sleep as usual
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Saw one of our planes come
down in pieces a few minutes ago.
Fritz is particularly lively this
morning, we had to clear away
from our dugout trenches, he is
all over the shop, one doesn’t know
where to go. Its just on 2 pm but
we cant get near the cooks
shellhole. Suppose he will give
it a rest shortly.
Fritz kept it up until about
4 pm. Our stomachs couldnt stand
the strain until that time so about
2.30 pm we made a run, grabbed
the tucker Dixies & off like hell.
We did a flank movement
& had our grub. A pleasant
surprise then came in the
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