Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, April 1916 to June 1917 - Part 5

huts connected up by covered
ways - 2 Canadian hosps & St
Johns Hosp.- Between the road &
the sea was a spot where hundreds
of neat little wooden crosses marked
the resting places of men who
had died for their country, the
graveyard was very well kept, &
the crosses were all similar.
We had had gas masks issued &
were instructed in gas attacks &
went through the gas chamber
(chlorine) it wasn't very pleasant.
We then passed through a trench
with tear gas which brought
the tears to our eyes. A lecture
on gas attacks & another on
First aid etc. There were others
present, Scotch & Tommies-The
Scotch look picturesque in their tartan
Kilts & Khaki aprons & tancs
they are fine chaps.
7/1/17 One of the 1^st F Amb came into
our tent. (11 in a bell tent - rather crowd)
The 1^st Fd was cut up on the Somme
over 50 casualties out of about 80
bearers. The sgt in charge was blown
up & the men only knew they had
to bring in wounded, they were 24
hrs without food, many were worse 
They are picking men for diff. units ^today
We have iron helmets, 2 gas masks, gloves
insoles for boots, goggles for tear gas -
white leather fingerless gloves to go over others
A Scotchman shot himself last
night because he missed his draft, I
heard the shot -  Met Norman Cooper
at the YMCA. I knew him years ago
at the YMCA Hobart.
9/1/17 Parade 3 PM. Entrained in
long troop train after marching
to station (40 hommes on 8 chevaux)
Train came thro' country. SW. sim
to Eng. Country - beech & pine
woods - ffarms. fields -
 

tea of beef & biscuits, passed
many trains - they are all long
drawn by powerful engines. I
counted 58 trucks in one, At
7 PM stopped at Abbeville &
went over to YMCA close to
line - mud slush & water
lying every where -A big crowd
within - bought tea & sandwiches
 1p ea. Ret to fill bottle & came
back to find traim gone, our
part of it - Heard it wasn't going
till 6 AM. Hunted all over yard
with others, waded thro takes of
water, At last I got a guide who
understood my French & was
thankful to get back - We did not
have room to sit down with comfort
(40 in covered truck). The train
moved off about midnight - At
dawn was passing thro thick
snow - German prisoners clearing
lines - Interesting country, snow
19/1/17 covered for a time then
bare fields woods, a town
here & there. Germans working along
railways, solitary farms, a wood
with some white deer in. Low
lying land on Somme divided
up by channels of Water.  all
in splendid cultivation, vegetables
glasshouses etc flat boats propelled
by women, moving about - French
soldiers in their blue uniforms-
Convoys & Artillery trains & cavalry
in long strings on the roads
Red & Waggons, motor transports
etc. Hospital trains. passed Saleux
& St. Elcho, Finally reached Albert
after stopping many times, &
passing Casualty clearing hosp.
camps of Austn Transport etc
Seas of mud - marched thro' street
of Albert, past wrecked & shattered
 

houses, under the wrecked Catherdral
with the figure of the virgin leaning
over the street, holding the child
Camped in tents for the night -
The firing line is only a few
miles away- Continual firing of
artillery Kept us restless during
night
10/1/17 Mud is something awful.
At 10 we were all ready for the
March to the ADMS of 1^st Dⁿ
9 Km off for orders. We crossed a
field & struck to the S.W. along a
road near the railway line- We
marched steadily on with heavy
packs up, past motor transports
dispatch riders, mule teams, German
prisoners minding road, parties of
troop, cars etc. Passed Vivier Mill
& rested for a few minutes outside
Demancourt, then on thro' the
village which is partially wrecked
 many troops billeted there, on
thro' more country, with fields
of growing crops. barbed wire
entanglements once the firing ting,
dugouts etc. Thro' Buire Sous
Corbon where we got hot tea &
He, and then on to Ritemont where
we stopped as the ADMS' billet
in the Maire et Ecole- We were
apptd to diff F Ambs, I got back
to the 3^rd with Oll, & Hall & Thatcher.
I found many old friends - some
had gone to the 13^th F.A.. some Killed
wounded & taken prisoners -
Ralph G Sharp of Hobart in the 3^rd
11/1/17 Heard of the death of
Fred Nicholson & Bob Fisher
In morning cleared up round the
old corn mill where the unit is
billeted. It is still working, a
fine old place with water
which & 3 storey buildings, a
 

large courtyard with pigeons
& sparrows flying down to pick
up the scraps. - I am in C Section
& 0 in the transport du B sect. so
I won't see him quite so often.
In the aftn about 40 of us marched to
Vivrer Mill 5m. away for a hot
bath. a muddy walk, in places up
to boot tops - Warm water laid on
in an old corn mill, & change of
garments. - Watched a long troop train
going up the line stuck up : the
engines are very powerful
13/1/17 Wiok for mail - there is a
mail in. Oll left for transport
du up the road - The unit has
only just retd from up the line
& the Dr will be out of action
for a few weeks When camped
at Buire a few weeks back, in
charge of Rest Stn. a taube dropped
a bomb int the middle of the
orderly room, during the night -
About 9 Killed & 30 injured, includ.
several of the 3^rd & patients. There
were 5 bombs dropped. Inspection
by Maj Butler 9PM. - Walked to
Mericourt Village last night
this evg to see pictures in a
building in a village nearby
13/1/17 B section left today for
Warloy about 8 Km off. they left
directly after dinner. We were busy
in afternoon getting ready to move off
The yard was full of wagons &
hstors, ambulance cars etc, & every
thing was packed by nightfull
14/1/17 Left shortly after 9. Several
of us stayed to clear up. The
Sections A & C moved off with packs
& equipment up -a good load - the
Wagons followed, a long Convoy
We left the town behind & struck
out between fields white with snow
 

& dotted here & there with haystacks
A white mist hid the view beyond
a 100 yds. Passed a lot of traffic
on road, a thrasher was at work
on one stack worked by Tommies
Right through the county mile
after mile, run  heavy bard wire
entanglements. Passed a corner
leading to Baizeux & turned off
past a chateau & thro. a village
Finally reached Warloy Baillon
about 7 Km. & marched thro a  
town to where we are now billeted
16/1/17 We are in a barn & likely to
stay here for a fortnight or so.
B section are running the hospital
& A & C on fatigues This morning
helping Wwash ambulance cars,
Yest morning some of as went a
route march along a road W
& past trenches & wire entanght
 through a wood which had
trenches etc right, thro' covering
the roads to Nth - Went down
a dugout 15 ft underground, the
ground was stewn with fallen
leaves & snow lay lightly over
the branches looked very pretty. outlined in
about I" of snow - Retd past
a long convoy of motor lorries
150 or so. There are a good man
estaments about, the civilians not
a great many must live  a wretched
life - The buildings are all
mostly very poor of mud plaster
strengthened by rough wood.
18/1/17 Heavy fall of snow lasst night
lying 4" thick - A route march in
afternoon & a battle in the snow.
We then continued down a road
but were stopped by a force with
snowballs, so had a fight with
them, then turned back.
 

19/1/17
The cars go round every day
& bring in the sick, the hospital
to full up now. On guard at
gate - very cold. -
20/1/17. A dinner at the canteen
I was on guard & couldnt get
it till late - they had a good
time, some had too much refreshment
21/1/17 Walked out to the cemetery
hundreds of wooden crosses, found
Chip Adams grave, of Old 3^rd
In aftn. Walked with Hall across
fields of frozen snow to Baizeux
retd to tea & went to Church
in the library of the Church
it was crowded, a C of E service
23/1/17 Watched anti aircraft. Shells
bursting at our aeroplanes scores of
them-Fatigue at our transport in
morning - Very cold last night. Icicles
from Water Spout 18"long. After
& 2ft-

breakfast washed dixie in hot water
& when I dried it 10 min after the
drips were ice - Rubber sheet wet
With evaporation during night had
ice on in morning - taps & water
casks frozen saw some freezing
Practice soccer match during
aftn. played on field outside village
in 2"of frozen snow. a fine match
it warmed us up - 1^st Dⁿ left
for Albert yest. Scotch & Tommies
now filling the town.
Friday 26 Jan. . Yest. we prepared to
leave & at 1.PM marched out from
Warloy. left our packs behind with tent
Dⁿ & B sect on hosp. Call for men wanting
commissions in infantry for the Coming
Spring push.
About a score did & they left
for school of instruction - A & C bearers
left W- marched thro' Hinencourt
Millan Court to Albert about 9 Km.
 

carried blankets & equipment. The
country all frozen - Looked round
Albert at night- It is a wreck-
After a fairly good night, break. of
bacon & bread marched past Contal Maison
& Mametz Wood- to Bazentin le Petit.
We were soon within the fire zone
& passed by artillery along the roads
howitzers & naval guns, streams of War
material passing both ways. This is
the most severe cold since the war
started & frozen snow & ice are everywhere- 
The roads are like glass,
Mamitz wood is a mere skeleton,
& other woods we passed merely have
torn trunks of trees remaining -
Barb wire entanglements- trenches, dug
outs etc - Huge shell craters & every
where the ground torn up in some
way. - The snow covers up a lot -
The railway ended at Bazentin & we
followed a light railway for a
 mile - left some men there, one
squad went towards Flers & I & 5
others followed another line & took over
an aid post from some Tommies -
Had several cases in evening. The
Austns are relieving Tommies here
of Pozures -
27th One call during night We live in 2
dugouts - one is 9 ft long  to 4ft high in centre
with arched roof & a fire at one end on
which we do our cooking with wet wood -the
other dugout is smaller 6ft long made of
a tank. Heavy artillery duel during
night several shells fell near us & during
day - There are shell holes in all directions
6 or 8ft deep most with ice & snow. ice
10" thick - view extends for2 or 3 miles
brown earth & snow. & sticks of trees. The
line is used for stores & ammn as well.
30/1/17 This morning I put my head out
of my dugout to find the snow falling
gently. soft powdery & white. About 2AM
there was a heavy bombardment from
 

our left, a raid by the Scotch
no casualties down our line. There
was one at midnight, Hall & I went,
Each night it has frozen & the ground
is frozen for feet down. water put
outside is ice in 10 min. I have been
enlarging my dugout, & am now
very comfortable, a shell had burst
inside & made a mess, swashed 3
stretchers etc. a rat woke me up
early on my leg, it has a burrow.
Two officers passed early & a couple of
shells burst near them they sheltered
in our dugout. Many shells have
burst near since our occupation. they
know the line & batteries now - & can
see us - I went for rations & wood
& water this afternoon - no mail, Fritz
tried to get me, some shrapnel
hit the truck - Monty Long evacuated
sick & another man came along. snow
falling most of day. I got water from a
cutting. the ice on it was 10" thick-
We can see, the hill ahead where our
front line is & the higher ground beyond
where the Germans are.  Bauperme is
ahead, Highwood is back a bit, a
wreck of blackened tree trunks. - The
surroundings are like the Artic regions
1 Feb 17. Joy.! - Yesterday recd some long locked
for mail. LP. Mrs Robertson. A Emma & Home
O. well at base. A machine gun is
signalling morse in the German trenches
Two baloons up over Fritzs lines & 2
of ours up a mile or so back - for observation
Every day aeroplanes are up on both
sides - Enlarged my dugout yest. for
another mate - Yesterday had a warm
time, two bombardments round here,
scores of shells fell within 20 to 200 yds.
mostly high explosive. B & I walked up
to 7 Elms dressing stn. ½ mile further
up. it is one an old road once bordered
by trees, now only trunks. They have five
dugouts - one is 30 ft underground with
rows of bunks
 

This is starfish siding - not much
like the ^sea shore except for the shells.
3^rd Feb Yest. saw one of our aeroplanes
brought to earth winged - It planed down
behind High Wood - saw 3 tanks after
3 of our aeroplanes. ours were lower down
& had to flee. One taube (dove) was
right above us - could see the black +.
one bombardment yest. 57 shells in ¼ hr
& others- fairly quiet to day - I took
down one case today. Blackmore from
Sth Bruny - The 12^th Bn,  are up.
Cd Elliot passed, had a chat to
him - his sister is at Woolwich
Hall not well, had too much supper.
4^th Sunday Several cases during day- Hd
that we were going to be relieved to
night. We have been very busy in
spare time enlarging dugouts & are
quite satisfied to remain so Sam & I
went down with next case & saw
M.O. who was quite agreeable to our
remaining-.
mail in - I recd 4- Hall had a parcel
& 25 letters. 2^nd Brigade moving out
5^th Feb. Quiet day - few cases -
Watched a thrilling aerial duel between
4or 5 of ours & 6  German machines
The latter were higher & had the best
of it. Ours flew away but retd &
had another go &  then left the Fritz
in the field - They looked like big birds
wheeling & flying up & down, their machine
guns cracking - some flashed like
silver in the wintry sunlight.
7 Feb. Two of our men Hall & Coburn left
Coburn has S. & Hall has been sick 3 or 
4 times - Harry Reynolds & Scotty Robertson
took their places - Busy all aftn enlarging 
main dugout, moved a lot
of earth & strengthened roof & filled in
holes round- A mouse in the dugout
came into my hand & took some bread
out of mess tin. A few shells fell
around today. 6 wounded -
 

Yest. we walked down to Bazentin
le Petit, taking a patient, visited the
regl canteen & got some chocolate. -
9^th. Visited Drop alley on way back
from Millers Post, some of the 3^rd Fd.
are there & are very comfortable, Sh.
gave me a "Mercury" -B is our cook
& we are living very well with some
extra rations. Hall evacuated to Baz
Rumor of a gas attack. Put in
a shelf above fire in 2 dug outs
11/2/17. Scattered about the Country
are little crosses- There is one 200
yds away along a trench- "To an
Unknown German Soldier". The dead
are sent down to Bazentin to be
buried. Recd a big mail last night
18 letters when we took a case down
A short bombardment last night. The
4^th Bn. "hopped over", but made a
mess of it-, the barb wire was not
touched, the officer jumped into it
& got torn about but retd. 5 casualties
& they didn't get through. A heavy
frost. The 5^th Bn also had a raid
about 50 Casualties. To night the 12^th
12/2/17 (Tas) went in to relieve 4^th, a
long line single file. Two stretcher
bearers in the 4^th were wounded not far
from my dugout about 10 P.M. stretcher
broken - Moon is not up till late -
13/2/17 Went up to Factory Corner RAP
yest. saw Flers not for away, a
ruin of desolation - Close to the
trenches, the post is in dugout 20ft
down. Saw aeroplane fall this
afternoon ½ mile away. it came
down like a wounded bird, flapping
its big wings helplessly - Both airmen
(Austn NZ of Og) were Killed – Went on to
Bazantin this aftn to get rations
Weather warmer, snow melting
rapidly & making ground very muddy
15/2/17 Yest. we came down to Millers