Diary of Alexander Sutherland Mackay, 12 October - 7 November 1918 - Part 3

21
Leave is going freely now there are
only about ½ a dozen to go before
my turn comes. Do not know yet
if we will be successful in getting
leave to Rome, however Paris will
fill the bill if not. Great War news
on every front, it looks as if the
Turks & Austrians will be caged before
long when we may then expect
Fritz to come to his senses. What
a relief it will be to the World
when a halt is called.
30/10/18. Enjoying fine weather, although its
fairly fresh of a morning. Its simply marvellous
for this time of the year. Fritz was over
bombing last night, but he dropped his eggs 

22
further back towards the line, probably
about Bohain, I suppose he was after
the Railway.
31/10/18. Goodness knows how long this
reserve stunt will last, we are all very
anxious to get out for our spell. Fritz
dropped some very heavy eggs in the
village to the rear of us last night
about a kilo away. We could feel the
building we were in here, shaking like
a leaf from the concussion. Hope he
doesn't visit us tonight. We hear Austria
in throwing in the towel but have
seen no paper. Sincerely hope its correct
as anything may happen then. Ive
always put my faith in internal
troubles ending this war, if it’s a question
of fighting I'm afraid there is a good
 

23
deal to go through yet before end.
Getting up a Calcutta sweep today
on the Melbourne Cup. It makes one
realize Xmas is not so far away
1/11/18. Another great disappointment
we got word last night to pull into
action again. Everybody is thoroughly
disgusted, as it looked almost a
certainty for a spell this time. It
makes one think they haven't the
reserves they talk about, or that,
the Australians although small in
numbers are indispensable. We are
off this morning. Several Tommy
Batteries have ben out sometime

why they are not given a go breaks
 

24
us up. However its no use
growling we've got to bung into
Fritz again, whether for one stunt
or a dozen remains to be seen.
2/11/18. Arrived at our new wagon lines
about 3.30 pm yesterday, they are to the
right of the last position we had near
"St Souplet". We came right through
Bohain again, no doubt that place
has been a big town, a good number
of civilians, chiefly womenfolk are back
there. It was quite a sight to see
civilians again. We passed about a
dozen red cross motors packed with
civilians on the road back, they all
looked down in the mouth although
 

25
togged up in their best. There was
a stunt on yesterday morning so
they may have been liberated from
some village just recaptured. It
appears we have been brought back,
owing to some Tommy Division being
late or lost. The stunt we hear comes
off the morning after tomorrow, is like
last one - fire in one place & then
move forward in the dark. We are
naturally not looking forward to it,
its simply cruel digging in & not seeing
where your are, at a fresh posie, besides
the rotten journey along the road in
the dark. The guns are shifting up
today, its raining this morning & fairly
cold. We passed the 1^st Division of
Jocks on the road up yesterday, we are
 

26
to cover them in the coming stunt.
Our fellows have always held the highest
opinion of the Jocks, but there are undoubtedly
about the finest body of men
I’ve seen. They looked perfect in
physique, huge limbs & as active
as you like. They looked a picture
in their kilts & little caps. A number
belong to the famous Black Watch.
If they don't shift Fritz along
a yard of two, Im satisfied no
other troops will. We heard
today - supposed to be official - that
both Turkey & Austria have caved
in. Fritz will surely now not
be long in trying to snag make
the best arrangements possible.
Later. The guns with a guard went
up to the position tonight, the gun
 

27
crews are off tomorrow.
3/1/18. We are going in today at
3 pm. Fritz put over about 6 shells
last night & settled an observation
Balloon xxxxx anchored to the ground
just near us. I do not know if it
was totally destroyed but the damage
was sufficient to allow all the gas
to escape. Fine today for a change
hope it continues so over night.
Its going to be a solid night from
all accounts, so fine weather will
be a Godsend.
4/11/18. Thank goodness we have finished
our stunt, arrived about 5 pm at the
first posie & managed to scoop out a
bit of a hole before dark. It started to
rain & as the hole was in a small gutter
 

28
we could not pitch our Yankee
tent so slung a couple of Fritz sheets
over as a roof. It was too wet to undo
of kits, so we just threw them down
rolled up & lay on top. Our Fritz sheets
started to leak so we were fairly uncomfortable.
It was frightfully cold especially
as our feet were soaking wet, we kept
the circulation going by knocking them
together. I smoked cigarettes practically
all night, sleep was out of the question.
We however got a stiff nobbler of rum
a piece, which cheered us up whilst it
lasted & the welcome news that the
forward move would not take place
until daylight. The Barrage opened
about 5. 30 am & lasted until 8 am.
We had a great concentration of Artillery
 

29
but Fritz was solid himself. His big
shells now nearly all contain gas, he
has thrown up his former gas shells
x as they always gave us the office, with
their ping ping sound, to don masks.
With the big shells, you are liable to
be taken unawares. We started off
for our second position at 8.30 am &
opened up again at 9.30 am going on
until 12.15 pm. It was pretty murky
getting to this posie, along the road
& adjoining paddocks, he has ploughed
them up a treat. We came at the trot
nearly all the way. This place had
formerly been an orchard, but now
most of the trees are cut down so as not
to interfere with the guns. Just as we
arrived, Fritz landed a fusilade all
 

30
but luckily missed the guns, & hurt
nobody. Two of us were like moles
& burrowed into a shellhole until he
eased up. We saw a great number
of prisoners go past, one fellow at
the tail end was as drunk as could be.
We couldn’t help laughing to watch
him run to keep his feet. Half his
complaint would have been very
acceptable at that time. The stunt
was very successful, they took all
objectives long before the specified time.
We were hoping for orders to pull back
to the Wagon Lines tonight, but have
just got orders to dig down.
5/11/18. Had a glorious rest last
night, it was simply great to get our
wet socks off. Fritz never retaliated