Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, January to August 1918 - Part 6

1918 SATURDAY 16 MARCH
Working at La Brasserie.
A party goes up to Spoil
Bank every day -
Hear that D Holt & others who
were gassed have got to
"Blighty". -
 MARCH SUNDAY 17 1918
Passion Sunday. S. Patrick
A beautiful Spring day -
saw 2 sparrows building in
a hawthorn bush near  Vermozeele
Working at La Brasserie all
morning - had the afternoon
off, & went a walk with
Harry R & Jack Southwell.
Fritz firing at obsn baloon
near us - he has been using
9.2" shells captured on Russian
front -
A service at YMCA in
evening - also wrote some
letters - An Austn mail
arrived - letters of Jan -
Sam R. Bob Fry & others went
to a parade to receive medals
from Birdwood.
 

1918 MONDAY 18 MARCH
Bank Holiday in Ireland
Working at La Brasserie
another bright sunny day,
the birds are singing all
day -
Fritz firing at an obsn baloon
above us. he finally hit it
& the two occupants jumped
out & descended in parachutes
while the baloon was drawn
down. A gas alarm
last night hear that 40 of
the 10^th Bn were gassed,
also some Pioneers
Saw an ammunition dump
blown up, in direction of
Spoil Bank, the smoke went
up for hundreds of feet
The Bns are "changing over
We are going up to morrow.
MARCH TUESDAY 19 1918
Left La Brasserie for the Line -
The W.O. wished H. Reynolds to do some
"walking wounded" signs, but H. asked
to be allowed to go up to his post with
his squad -
F.O. with P. Brown's Squad & my squad
relieved the 2^nd Fd at Iron Bridge -
A light rain set in & the track was
very muddy - A duckboard bridge walk
has been put in from Sandbag bridge
to the R.A.P. - Scotty R & F. Simp
went to Left Central post -
After the others had left we
cleaned up the place & took up
duckboards in the tunnel - Only
"walking" cases -
Ben Vaughan is on a wiring party
I wrote a letter for Bill Staniver
it was very amusing when
read out afterwards - said that
he (Bill) was at the post of
duty, & the birds were singing
gloriously - Bill has had
a lot of chaff about it since.
 

1918 WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH
Another wet day, cleared up
towards afternoon - the water
dripping through roof made things
uncomfortable in our dug out -
about 12 ft of earth -
The wires have been cut, & electric
light failed, which adds to the
discomfort, the place is like
a mine Walked - along several
hundred yards of tunnel in
opposite hill, to see M.O 10^th Bn.
We are with the 12^th Bn.
Alf Clemes came in, & had
a good chat to us, he is
with A Coy.
Woke up by gas guard to
find the place full of gas -
(Just previous I had a strange dream
that a Fritz aviator was chasing
me in the F H S play ground with
liquid gas, & I couldn't find my
gas helmet) Wore our helmets
for over an hour - phosgene
gas used, felt our eyes smarting
Two shells struck above our
dug out & gas lay there - saw
the liquid gas on Iron Bridge,
like yolk of an egg.
XX
MARCH THURSDAY 21 1918
Heavy shell fire throughout morning
Tom Pollock came in with the
news of Harry Reynolds death -
another fine, high souled man
with noble ideals, & a pure reverence
for womanhood, gone to his maker.
I admired Harry more than other
man in the unit & I will feel his
loss greatly - The post occupied
by Scotty R& FK. S. blown in, but
they were unhurt - A shell
killed a Sgt & pte at the canteen
of 10^th Bn on canal walk.
A great many shells H.E. fell
in & around the Canal -
G Day. & I had some narrow escapes
in getting water - The sandbag
bridge blown up shortly after
we crossed, & the water tank
was blown in.
The day was fine & sunny.
Harry R. & Jack Southwell had come down
to Scotty R's post with a stretcher case
& were putting him under shelter.
when a H.E. shell burst behind
him & struck him in the shoulder
& back, he died almost immediately
 

1918 FRIDAY 22 MARCH
A glorious day, warm & spring like
O & I walked down to Voormezelle
after lunch to be at Harry's
funeral - His 'sister's fiance was
present, A general parade was
called & we lined up round the
grave - While the chaplain said
the burial service, a big shell
passed overhead - The 2 bodies
were lowered into the grave, &
W Roscoe blew the Last Post -
the birds were singing, and
everything in nature seemed glad.
H.R. The Links
Cabramatta Rd
Mosman Sydney -
We walked back to Spoil Bank -
I saw Scotty & FK. S. Brought
the mail on from Norfolk Lodge
MARCH SATURDAY 23 1918
A warm Spring day.
The electric light has been too strong
lately & continually fusing new
globes - it was altered to day
is now A.1.
Went up to 12^th Bn HQrs & Saw
Ben Vaughan, Alf Clewes is
down with the Transport near
Kemmel.
Many rumours of the German
attack on the Bapaume front
No papers available, as
Bailleul has been under
shell fire lately, & it is out
of bounds to all troops
 

1918 SUNDAY 24 MARCH
Palm Sunday
A warm day.
Orders came up to report at
the ADS at Spoil Bank, as
soon relieved, The 2^nd Fd Am
relieved us at 10 AM & we came
on to Vormezelle. Then on to
the MDS near 'Kemmel in the
afternoon -
Vic Hall & I went over to the
Hospice, remains of a big block
of buildings near Wytschaete, then
to 14 FE. The 5^th Div. Inf. are
moving out, on way to Somme
The 3^rd Div, are already down
there & 4^th Div. on way down.
We, the 1st Div. are taking over
2 sectors, on left of Messines.
The MDS at Kemmel is made
into ADS temporarily - & the
ADS at Wytschaete a loading
post.
noticed birds building nests near
the ADS. it is very early for them
MARCH MONDAY 25 1918
Annunciation. Lady Day
Up at 4.15 & with the 1^st
Fd Amb bearers came up to
Wytschaete -they took over from
15^th Fd Amb. I saw Dick Fenton
We took over, P.B & my squads
remaining at Wytschaete -
Troops are changing over -
Some Americans came into the
Line, they are using some new
gas, fired from cylinders which
are then removed.
Very clear observation - Can
see towns behind Fritz lines
clearly - Ypres shows up
plainly - a great number of
Observation baloons & 'planes
up - Artillery is being
taken away & the front is
very lightly held - we trust
nothing happens here
Scores of rumours floating
about, re the big battle
now raging.
 

1918 TUESDAY 26 MARCH
News has come through of
the tremendous battle raging on
the Southern British front.
About 90 German divisions have
massed on a 50 mile front & have
pushed through near Bapaume
& Peronne - These & Ham are
now in German hands -
The British have lost 30 000 prisoners
& 600 guns, but German casualties
are estimated at hundreds of
thousands - The French are
on the British right -
The Somme has been crossed in
several places, & severe fighting is
still being carried on -
MARCH WEDNESDAY 27 1918
We anxiously await all news
that comes up the Line
Had a busy night, I was on
gas guard & helping with patients
all night. An attack on
our left about 10 P.M. & another
early this morning on our
sector - Heavy rifle fire, &
bombardment by Fritz artillery.
Thousands of stars going
up into the heavens -
Slept between breakfast & dinner.
 

1918 THURSDAY 28 MARCH
Maundy Thursday
a cold & wet day.
Things are fairly quiet on
this front, some shells fell
near a battery on our left
& nearly caught several.
Hear that the N.Z. Div is fighting
near Beaumont Hamel, &
has repulsed several attacks
The 4^th Aust Div. has seen some
fighting, so I expect we will
be down there before long -
Fritz has captured 4500 prisoners
600 guns & 1000 machine guns -
a message from Haig impressing
calmness & confidence on the
troops, in this hour of crisis.
The French are attacking on our
right - fritz has Albert & is
fighting on the road to Dernancourt
& Buire
Two of the 6^th Bn wounded were on their
way on leave to Eng & taken off board.
A shell bust in their dugout & gave
them both "Blighties".
MARCH FRIDAY 29 1918
Good Friday
A gas attack - one gas shell
fell in a dugout of 8^th Art.y &
24 casualties resulted, one died here
& 2 after leaving, they were very bad.
The M.O. extracted blood (venous) from
the arms of some about ½ pt.
one was badly affected with mustard
gas, externally - took away his
uniform etc & put him in pyjamas.
 

1918 SATURDAY 30 MARCH
Fine morning - rain in P.M.
Came up to Verne Dump after
breakfast to relieve squad
at Rt R.A.P. 6^th Bn. The
post is in a dugout - entered by a
low narrow winding passage - An
air shaft in passage & another in
our dugout  -8 bunks which are
not quite long enough for us, &
we are not able to stand upright,
however! C'est la querre!
Went down with Allen to Wytschaete
for rations & mail, raining, we
folld the duckboard rack past
Prince Ruperts dugouts, the Bn H.Q.
A Fritz 'plane flew very low over
us during morning - There do
not seem to be many 'planes about
MARCH SUNDAY 31 1918
Easter Day
Fine, the mud is drying quickly.
A glorious sun set -
Rumors of a raid coming off
but it did not eventuate.
Walked across in direction
Cabaret farm, through a wood
past a young fir plantation, the
young trees were greening, but
most are badly knocked about
& the majority of the large trees
are killed, A road runs thro
wood in direction of Comines,
bordered by a one-time fine avenue
of trees. The wood was filled
with the music of birds, it
sounded heavenly. Miniature
lakes were every where, & scattered
through the wood concrete
pill boxes & strong posts, many of
which are occupied.
A heavy railway runs across
country near us, in direction
of Ypres.
 

1918 MONDAY 1 APRIL
Easter Monday
A perfect spring day a
soft breeze laden with the
breath of growing things
A bombardment opened up
about 10 P.M. The artillery
on our sector were very busy.
A great many Star shells
going up, machine gun fire
& rifle fire - The raid was
commenced just as the
moon rose out of a bank
of dark cloud
APRIL TUESDAY 2 1918
Easter Tuesday
The raid came off early off
this morning - only one case
came through our post, he
was hit by one of our shells
as were most of the 7 or 8 casualties
Coming from the open, he
us upset into a shell hole
& was suffering from shock mostly.
We got him down as quickly
as possible to Wytschaete &
he was taken on in the car
but died at the A.D.S.
6 or 7 Fritz prisoners were taken
& a dozen reported killed,
Our intelligence officer & a
private missing, one wounded
Fritz brought in - The raid
was made to secure information
from the prisoners, the pill
boxes were not occupied by
us -
 

1918 WEDNESDAY 3 APRIL
Orders to hand over to RAMC,
The remains of 6 Divisions
from the Somme have come
up to relieve us - We
packed up & came down
to Kemmel - stayed the
night, -
During the night. Fritz threw
over some high velocity shells
they fell fairly close, evidently
aimed at the Road as Fritz
had a good idea that troops
were on the move - We were
all awakened about 10 PM & 3 AM.
APRIL THURSDAY 4 1918
Left ADS at noon, after handing
over to 63 RAMC - passed
through Kemmel & took the road
to Locre, just before reaching the
village we turned off along a
muddy by road & after crossing
some very rough country, came
out on the Voornezeele Locre road
where we waited for motor
lorries -. A tremendous amount
of traffic on the road, cavalry
transports, pontoons - infantry -
& motor lorries filled with troops.
A battalion band (Aust) with
bag pipes played while some
Scotch troops passed - it seemed
to be much appreciated.
Boarded motor lorries & came through
to Caestre, some very lovely
scenery on the way - a
pleasant change after the Line,