Diary of Alexander Sutherland Mackay, 27 October 1917 - 4 March 1918 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.50
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 4

ter proftically no seral work gop Another 18 pounder Brobill on Baltery has pulled in near us. I hur gns are narly in line with our dayouts. I pope Frity docrnt obsoue them if hes does we are shol to get after struy shells. 91/10. Still very dull weather but our gins are levening up Wearly all the pursounting Batteres in addition to ours haver been potting off von. ass Hutys burted were entanglements in preparation of a atunt commng off either tonight or tomorrow night Jauphor ap can eshect some rxtaluation before this week (is inded 10/2414 Forts was all this afternoon throwing on by stulf after af baftery 40 ourfright flank on the crist of a 4 gof too close to be pleasunt kisl I should aay but missid they guors ar te has first finished 10pse lasf 40 minites un preparits i but the air was fairty think a pand It was for that period. phills althought noten a think effects. We could an four A is bursting low plow& pprapail high int the air I was simply duning of all colours by hights aas going on this .OS. to artilln for hill. I aushore the will hepr carned opinion re rues of the paid from the infapitry in Shuet eye now the morning
4 did not retaliate last 14 Trty night so far is still dumb. The first report of last nights whack is that we int killed is wounded & 1 officer missing. whitet we cappnd 20 prisoners, But fe t sp tbrought backs I marking gun. they also saw a number of Germans strutched out the result of the axtilliry boobardment. Very mnuct days, with the ixception 10to of the nual daly fring ltle yoing 19/18 5 ft would appear that wve ape sumply wanter for Thrity to set the ball rolling, byfor fur explose I fany Id wthe be bi thit ai when the sarner goes it He krops i fex bombs recinonally b sone clse dugout. Got siveral fathers t homel tho drek . the lata. fro. 4 With the excription of last 20/ Fet 191 might things still very quiet. Monday he dropped at good at my K $42 round our left. but lurkily there were fno Hech Observation is very poor the wilh exception of a few hoprs wire dtay Keeping mavellously mold. the weather they are extreiting Fthity. to make push at I am tomorow a A. He won't have it all morning 28 if he does. Thif kmas on this own the 8th. Brigade Cofoof Funds Parellp ffrom appible thes week mind was from some alboutne flady, who simply signed A of two Soldrer boys. Tobuich shaving othe church wion, Handkingus pewits. soah
43 the confents. Althought late y on all hhends thorough appreciation pv thom. Hrity aid not raid this morning 48 or thep sector althought it was fully expected. A that time we heard a strny on and their further along All our mint wwere Hiwould waiting for our S.O.S. seats Save got the shills before our rockett. touched the grounds of thit hage. pig the Fitty. Slf awarting Farity, the fent fr a few gps shills last night but dumnge done. H heand thin no eaiding further along but thepbonbard. mint fonly fasted about half an hour couldt have been of mugh 4o it nri lp cold winds blowing the 44 L days with alut. pol fioren too fraly but wy mut shet of this late in the Wanter Rechved o parnt from the 9 t Bryga p funds last night indely M Walsons, it conterned n 4 ap Jocks from a Mn 4 4 Fairty cold tody but upte d barrig the daily shfts A 4 well wve will be pulling from what I can hear. Syt supppe it preans two otther weeks then in again. By tonights spll looks as if the Japs want wn the now. I wish they to would t thim go it mighty kind 4 bing things to a hiad

39

 

there is practically no aerial work

going on. Another 18 pounder mobile

Battery has pulled in near us. Thus

guns are nearly in line with our

dugouts. I hope Fritz doesnt observe

them, if he does we are shot to get

a few stray shells.

9/2/18 Still very dull weather, but our

guns are livening up. Nearly all

the surrounding Batteries and additions

to ours, have been potting off & on

at Fritz's barbed wire entanglements,

in preparation of a stunt coming off

either tonight or tomorrow night.

I suppose we can expect some

retaliation before this week is ended

10/2/18 Fritz was all this afternoon

throwing over big stuff after a battery

 

 

40

on our right flank on the crest of a

rise. He got to close to be pleasant

I should say, but missed the guns

Our stunt has just finished 11 pm,

it only lasted 40 minutes in preparation

of a raid but the air was fairly thick

with shells for the period. It was

a pretty sight although rotten to think

about the effects We could see our

High Explosives bursting low down &

the shrapr shrapnel high in the air.

Fritz's line was simply dancing

with rockets of all colours, [[big?]] lights

to see what was going in [[& his?]]  S.O.S.

signals (calls to artillery for help). I suppose

we will hear varied of opinions re the

success of the raid, from the Infantry in

the morning. Shut eye now

 

41

11/2/18 Fritz did not retaliate last

night & so far is still dumb. The first

report of last nights whack is that we

lost 4 killed, 12 wounded & 1 officer missing.

Whilst we captured 20 prisoners, put a

few to sleep & brought back 1 machine

gun. They also saw a number of Germans

stretched out, the result of the Artillery

bombardment.

12/2/18 Very quiet days, with the exception

19/2/18  of the usual daily firing, little going

on. It would appear that we are simply

waiting for Fritz to set the ball rolling,

before we explode. I fancy I'd rather be
on this side when the barrier goes up.

He drops a few bombs occasionally but some

close to our dugout. Got several letters

from home this week, the latest being

 

42

16th Decr

20/27 Feb 1918 With the exception of last

Monday night things still very quiet.

That night he dropped a good

few 5.9 & 4.2 round our left

section but luckily there were no

casualties. Observation is very poor

with the exception of a few hours

every day. Keeping marvellously mild

the weather. They are expecting Fritz

to make a push at 3 am tomorrow

morning (28th). He wont have it all

on his own if he does. The Xmas

Parcels from the 8th Brigade Comfort Funds

arrived this week, mine was from some

Melbourne lady, who simply signed "A

mother of two soldier boys". Tobacco, shaving

soap, cheese, cocoa Handkerchiefs & sweets
 

 

43
were the contents. Although late on

arrival all [[?]] thorough appreciated

them.

28/2/18 Fritz did not raid this morning

on this sector although it was full expected.

At that time we heard a stunt on

further along. All our men were in their

seats waiting for our S.O.S. He would

have got the shells before our rocket

xxx touched the ground if we had

raided.

1/3 Febry [[?]] Still awaiting Fritz, he sent

over a few gas shells last night but

no damage done. [[He?]] heard him

raiding further along, but the bombardment

only lasted about half an hour

so it couldn't have been of much

consequence. Cold winds blowing the

 

 

44

last two days with sleet. Not

[[?]] too freely, but we must

expect cold this late in the winter.

Received a parcel from the 9th Brigade

Comfort Funds last night evidently

sent by the Watsons, it contained

a pair of socks from a [[Maro?]]

Fairley.

4/3/18 Fairly cold today but little

doing barring the daily shoots.

Another week & we will be pulling

out from what I can hear. I

suppose two or three weeks

spell & then in again. By tonights

paper it looks as if the Japs want

to join in the row. I wish they

would let them go, it might tend

to bring things to a head.
 

  
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