Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, January to August 1918 - Part 13

1918    SATURDAY 3    AUGUST

The farm was evidently built in

more troublous times, for each

corner of the square is semi

fortified by a kind of round

brick tower with loopholes -

The dwelling house on one

side is built of brick the lower

part of the walls black, & the

remainder white with pink

tiled roof - a beautiful & 

sweet smelling pink rose

adorns the wall. The Court

yard is about 100 ft square

with a large barn on one

side, over 100 ft in length with

steel framework & iron roof.

Except at the front, water 

surrounds the farm. with.

reeds & bullrushes growing

thickly. A pigeon cote stands
in the yard & near the house

door a circular basin with
a clear stream of water

gushing from a stone pipe in

the centre, & overflowing

x at an outlet.. Plenty of

trees & green fields surrounding

the farm, with well stocked

kitchen gardens.

x The water comes from an artesian

bore 90 ft deep.

AUGUST    SUNDAY 4    1918

Yesterday S.R. went for a long tramp - We

had a map & compass to help us.

Followed several winding roads

passing through interesting Country. In one

part Portugese were digging trenches

Arrived at Clorques, turned to S.West.

Rode a few Kilos in a motor lorry

jumped off where the road turned

off for Boulogne - Soon after that

we jumped on a RAF car going

to Calais - got off a few Kilos

beyond Clery, & followed a light

railway line through woods

& by streams, with green fields

& cattle browsing peacefully

It was good to be alive & to

be away from things military.

We lunched at a small farm

house, of brown bread, an egg

omelet & salad, & a few gooseberries

a repast for for a King - After a 

shower we proceeded on our way,

struck into the main highway at

Omer & soon after caught a lorry

& rode to Aire 12 or 14 Kilos.

Aire is horribly knocked about by

bombs, very few inhabitants. it 

was a fairly large town. At 6

o'c we turned towards home.

1918    MONDAY 5    AUGUST

about 9 Kilos walk - passing through

Roquetoire - We called at a farmhouse

for a glass(?) of milk. The eldest of 4

girls spoke Eng. un petit peu & we

managed to exchange some remarks.

We reached home at 9.30 to find

that all leave is cut out (to St
Omer etc). Orders to move may come

soon./ Sunday

Went for a route march of 6 or 7

miles, returning by a different

road to the outward - Passed

through 3 or 4 villages, & through

a big hazel copse the nuts are

not yet ripe, - through a thicket

of bracken & blackberries & out

into an oak wood mostly

young shrubby trees - On

road back through Quiestede

passed people returning from

Church - A tattoo

roll call at 9.15 P.M.- several 

missing, they turned up later

X Kept us awake.

Frit planes were over later on

AUGUST    TUESDAY 6    1918

Monday A route march in aftn

Went into Ecques in evg.

Tues Packed up in the morning -

struck tents etc - a heavy

shower. - We started off at

3 PM, & another heavy shower caught

us nicely, however the sunshine

dried us by the time we reached

Wizernes - This is where we entrained
last Dec for Ypres -

We left about 9 PM & soon were

through St Omer & on the way to the

Somme via St Calais & Abbeville.

A very restless night although

we managed to lie down, & dozed

fitfully. - Morning found

us near Abbeville where we stopped

for a time then on to

Pont Rany where the 9^th. & 11^th

Bns & transport disentrained.

1918    WEDNESDAY 7    AUGUST

We came on a few more Kilos 

through Fontaine to Longpré

& from there marched to

L'Etoile crossing the Somme

on the way - it is a picturesque

village on the slope of a 

hill, with a Church overlooking

the valley of the Somme for

many miles - I climbed 

up to it & was rewarded by

a most glorious view -

We made friends with a little

girl of 11 or 12, who told us

of various things. she was a

nice little kiddy. -

Left L'Etoile at 7.30 &

marched a mile along the

road where we boarded

motor lorries just as the

sun was setting -

The 12^th Bn was also there,

They went on in front - We had 

moto charabancs seat 24. Came on

thro' the growing darkness, now fast

now slow & bumping considerably at times

Passed thro Flixecourt Canaples? &

Allencourt where we left the 12^th, then

on to the outskirts - A short march

brought us thro. the suburbs to

some large school buildings

AUGUST    THURSDAY 8    1918

& after a cup of tea we laid down for 

3 or 4 hrs rest  - Up at 7, & after breakfast

cleaned up the place & made it ready

to received patients - Good news from the

front, they started to attack last night

& are advancing - The other 4 Aust. Dvns

are up here - Dinner of stew & tea,

Orders came shortly after to move up

All the bearers left about 5 P.M. for -?

Several hundred prisoners have passed thro

Amiens to day & on the way to

Hamel, we passed a lot of prisoners

700, then 500, later about 50 officers

then 500 more & later still others.

We marched slowly, stopping 3 or 4 times.

Traffic hung us up several times - 

A cosmopolitan lot of soldiers - French

British American etc. Passed through

Aubigny & Corbie, every house a 

wreck - Hamelet, the Church a 

ruin - The AD.S has moved on

twice to.day -4^th & 13^th Fd Amb.

Cars passed us - very few wounded

returning yet.

We came to the Chateau at Hamel Vaire

about midnight & soon turned

in, rolled in a blanket. - The

17^th Bn are here. -

The Chateau is a big long building

on the banks of the

1918    FRIDAY 9    AUGUST
[*Bayon Villiers*]

Somme - Rose 7.30 - Reported

that 20000 prisoners & 200 guns

have been taken - Saw Col Elliott

Started off again at 10 AM passed

thro. Hamel, it was a big place &

is now an utter wreck, the Church

built of stone is almost flat - Saw

Morton of 13^th Fd Amb. & Will Howie

who is with the Artillery - Lunched

in a field close to the German

reserve trenches of 2 days ago, they

are very solidly built - Fritz had 

evidently left in a great hurry - Ammn

equipment etc. lying everywhere -

We had previously passed over

the advanced trenches - One place 

on the track road was a mine Set for

tanks - the tanks had crossed

the fields however - Arrived at Bayon

Villers in aftn, the villages are

stripped of everything - even doors &

windows & iron off roofs. Prepared to

continue the march but after waiting

till dark when Fritz planes were

flying over & dropping bombs indiscriminately
we retired for a few hours

rest - Some of the bearers were called

out at one o'c, & the remainder left 

soon after day break - The observation

baloons have been taken up
AUGUST    SATURDAY 10    1918
quickly - 4 of our planes were brought
down yest.  Saw a great number
of tanks, they have done very well this
time, many of them taking men &
ammunition right to Fritz lines. Got
up in time to see the barrage open &
the infantry going over - The 2^nd Fd
are ahead of us, the 3^rd Brigade in
support - Very open Country - flat, a
wood ahead, & another to our lefts.
Have seen a number of dead already
this morning also prisoners.  Fritz had
dug in very - (Sunday): A short spell. Very
busy, they are fighting like - on
ahead - I am so far stuck here
Up till 2 AM this morning - Yest AM
went to 12^th Bn for a time, they are
in supports - Col Elliot wounded in
arm - many deady lying about
the country - Our men took some
high ground on ahead this morn -
saw several aerial duels - Counted
28 planes one time - saw three
of ours brought down - one came
down near us - We went & brought
the observer in, he was terribly
wounded, dying - The pilot had slight
wound - 'Went to CCS (Fritz), now
a RAP,  Later in evening gas
sent over - We had to wear

1918 SUNDAY 11 AUGUST
helmets for a time - About a dozen
gassed round about - Kept very
busy till midnights - A clear
sky - starry - The air seemed
full of Fritz planes - 10 or 12
bombs dropped in trenches close
to us - only 2 slightly wounded
from them  Fritz heavily shelled
the next road during evening
while artillery were passing at the
gallop - Sunday  Very warm - some
of us dug graves under a walnut
tree for 6 or 7 of our 1^st Div. men killed yest
McIlroy gassed also Wheat & H. McNeil
Cook Killed - George Walton badly
wounded also Fred Davey - Tanks
going back & forth, they look efficient
& this time have justified themselves.
10^th Bn advanced 2 Kilos yest & today -
Germs massed on their right
& put up a strong opposition with
machine guns & bombs. Fritz seems
to be bringing up more artillery -
a ceaseless cannonade going on all
day - Turned in to try & get some sleep but
too hot - About 9 PM received orders to
proceed to Fritz CCS 2 Kilos up road East.

Fritz seemed to be dropping bombs
everywhere as we proceeded up the road
We saw the great flashes of burstg
AUGUST    MONDAY 12    1918
bombs, star shells, & ground flares lit
up the country - A big ammn dump
seemed to be burning miles to rear, it lit
up the whole sky - Spread our blankets in
a hut at the C.C.S. which was ours
before Fritz advanced in Mar. Some
big Shells fell around about midnight &
later bombs kept us awake - then a gas
alarm & we got our helmets on, after
breathing in quite enough - it is an
awful weapon - Had very little sleep -
Salvaging hospital equipment all
morning - several marquees burnt
great stores of dressings drugs etc
An Austn mail in yest. up to end
of May -
At noon orders came to go to 11^th
Bn.  Went across Country & along
communication trenches - the line
runs near the old 1916 line -
A good many Australians lying
about the country - there is
comparatively little shelter.
A good deal of Champagne & Wine
in enemy stores - We had rice
& tinned meat & syrup - rations
are light otherwise. (the former were
Fritz stores) German sandbags
towels, paliasses, bandages etc
are made from wood pulp

1918    TUESDAY 13    AUGUST
or paper string - his meat ration looks
like horseflesh but is fairly good eating.
turnips & flaked potato were in the
Kitchen at C.C.S - Every day & night
recently there have been columns of
smoke ascending from burning houses
or dumps. - The weather continues very
warm - The 10^th Bn is only about
250 strong now - every Bn has suffered
severe losses - Last night the 10^th took
over & 11^th went into supports -
The casualties have been particularly
fatal - about 40% of 10^th Bn he
Casualties have been Killed -
Mostyn Moore came up to the Aid
Post.  he & I buried 4 Fritz dead
during the afternoon, had more
than one close shave -
Flies are very numerous & annoying
A battery of light guns - 3" - brought
up at dusk & placed in position
close to the R.A.P., the gunners
prepared the shells & camouflaged
the guns for action in a couple
of days -
Several cases towards evening
AUGUST    WEDNESDAY 14    1918
2 men were Killed near the
canteen left by Fritz - it is a
death-trap; there are a number
of dead ly-ing about -
Very warm - had a fairly
quiet day - Several aerial
fights, Fritz seemed to have
the best of it.  We saw 4
machines brought down, Once
a Fritz came flying over us,
only about 300 ft up. All the
M. Guns in the neighbourhood opened
up, but failed to hit him; he
turned for home, & on the way
met one of our "Spotters" & after
some clever manoeuvring brought
him down, then made for home.
The 9^th Bn. took over, from the
10^th as soon as night came on.
We came down to a little Copse
near Vauvilliers
Fairly quiet night, a battery
close to us firing occasionally,
& a bomb dropped about 200
yds away & raised some
dust. -

1918    THURSDAY 15    AUGUST
Very warm.
The 10^th Bn cooked our meals.
In afternoon we came down to
Vau Villiers loading post, then on
to Bayon Villiers, riding half the
way in a motor lorry -
Most of the remaininding bearers
drifted in during the evening,
The last coming in with Capt Lilford
at 1.30 in morng.
Had a little sleep, but bombs &

shells were shaking the place half
the night.  Fritz systematically
bombs back areas every night, as
we do.
Moved off at 6 next morning.
AUGUST    FRIDAY 16    1918
Moved off at 6 after a cup of tea -
Returned by another road branching
off at _, to Villiers Brettoneux,
where our H.Q. were, then turned
off to North, & came to the cross roads
near Hamelet.  A crucifix had
stood within the shade of 3 espaliered
chestnut trees on one corner, it was
now lying in the dust.
We stopped here, collected wood
& "boiled the billy" & fried bacon for
100 men.  The wagons etc. passed
us during the halt.
Continued, & came in to the
rear of the Chateau where we stayed
a night recently at Vaire -
We pitched camp among the
beech trees & in an adjoining
field - The 9^th Bn are camped
near us -
Arthur S. Wain. & I made a
bivouac with w.p. sheets -
straw from the Wheat field -
the night was warm & we
spent a good night - mosquitos
troublesome -

1918    SATURDAY 17    AUGUST
We are camped on the bank
of the Somme, 3 or 4 Kilos
above Corbie.  The Somme
is a shallow stream here,
it runs through a wide
valley, & much of the land
surrounding the river is flat &
marshy - a canal has been
cut & this carries most of the
water along a straight course,
It is a fine place for swimming
& everyone is making the
most of the opportunity. -

Made our bivouacs more
comfortable &c.
AUGUST SUNDAY 18    1918
Church parade in the morning
The 9^th Bn & our unit
assembled in a field a
Kilo away - The 9^th is very
much depleted; they are
reducing it to 3 companies
with 3 platoons in each.
In afternoon went a walk
with Holt & Barlow near
Sailly le Sec, past our old
outposts. Went to a high
point, with a fine commanding
view of the surrounding Country
With field glasses could see
shells falling beyond Albert _
Ribemont & Mericourt lay at
our feet & Henen ct Wood on
the horizon - Could see
the tower of Amiens in the
distance - & Corbie lay down
 below us on the Somme which
flows through a broad valley -
The Ancre is North of us, &
joins the Somme towards
Amiens.

1918    MONDAY 19    AUGUST
The Afternoon off - Went into
Corbie with Barlow & Sandy -
Walked along the river bank
crossing at one of the several
pontoon bridges - We passed 2
imitation bridges for deceiving
enemy aircraft. The town is very
much knocked about, also the
Church which is a massive
structure dating back to 6th
Century - A Cousin of Charley Maguire
was Count of Corbie in the
8th Century - Particularly around
the square are the houses knocked.
Returned to tea, & later
walked into Vaire the village
near The Church is almost
destroyed -
Austns of 1^st Div & 3^rd Di &
Americans in hundreds
Leave increased to 5 per week,
I am about 60^th on roster.
AUGUST    TUESDAY 20    1918
A fine day, after a slight
sprinkle of rain in the
night -
Went for a swim just
before lunch. -

Col Cade is going on leave
Also one of my bivouac mates
Arthur S. -

Rumours that we leave in
a couple of days.  The 3^rd
Div. Arty & Eng. are moving
up.
The 3^rd Brigade held a
Swimming Carnival on
the wide part of the river -

1918    WEDNESDAY 21    AUGUST
The Col & 5 of the boys left on
leave.
Orders to prepare to move, & at
4 P.M. after striking camp. The
Bearer Sections left the Chateau
& marched through Vaire & up
the Somme Valley for 7 or 8
Kilos. - The roads are 3 in. deep
ion light dust -
Bivouaced on a wide plain
a couple of Kilos from the
river - not far from an the 8^th
FA Amb. post.  They supplied us
with a cup of tea.
Fortunately the night was warm
as many of them hadn't brought
a blankets.
AUGUST    THURSDAY 22    1918
Warm & Sunny.