Diary of 262 Lance Corporal Alexander Lyall - Part 3

13/5/16

Another day of rain &
very quiet. A lot of our
men were out tonight
along the front on wire
work & scouting & all
got back safe The
was an attack on our
left flank last night
north of Armentieres
with what result it is
hard to say. I had a
big mail today a letter
from Mother stating all O.K.
one from Lina Clem Paterson
 & Bess & 2 from Winnie
Willie was at home when Mother wrote
 14/5/16

At midday the enemy
gave us a few shells round
about our trenches most
of them 60 in number landing
near our B Coy but all
the damage that was done
was the upsetting of a few
sandbags. We did not
bother replying to such
a poor display. The afternoon
& night has been very
quiet. The rain has kept off
today but we will have more
soon. What a place for rain

15/5/16
Another miserable day
in the trenches followed
by a beautiful moonlight
night. Despite the fact
that the night was so clear
our scouts & wire worker
were out again getting
in some useful work &
all returned safely. The
whole day was quiet &
uneventful.
17/5/16
Enemy artillery very
busy all day. During
the evening we had
three gas alarms but
no gas came. We were
kept waiting ready with
our gas-helmets up to
midnight. Lieut Pye
was killed by one
of our own men who
was engaged in listening
Had a letter from Lina
with two packets of
cigaretts enclosed.

21/5/16
Enemy bombarded our

right & left flank heavily

to day doing no damage

our artillery replied giving
as much as we got I

hope with better results

The weather is beautiful

now & every one is on the

alert for a possible attack

here. The enemy are very

busy on our front & an

attack on our front is

expected any minute.

Our first army is reported

to be engaged in a big

battle. Capt Briers left

Friday to go to Brigade I

hope he comes back to us

again.

Had a box of cigs from

Alex Watt, also letters from

Mother, Maggie & Win

We expect to go out for

a spell tomorrow night

if all goes well.

22/5/16

We were prevented from
going out tonight as there
were rumours of a
possible attack being
made by the enemy & every
one was on the alert
until daylight. The day
throughout has been
very quiet with nothing
to report.

23/5/16
The enemy again very
busy with artillery
this afternoon giving us
a few along with the
others. One shell landed
behind our telephone
dugout I expected the
next to come through
the roof but it fell short
It was well it did as
they were heavy high
explosive shells & would
have sent us all to kingdom
come We came out tonight
at 10-30 after 11 days in.
29/5/16

The past week has been
very quiet & uneventful, the weather
being glorious. Yesterday our
B Coy were shelled out of their
billets & the telephone wire
all broken. McGlashin & I

went to mend them during
the bombardment & as each
shell came we had to throw
ourselves on the ground After
having mended the wires
twice & which we again broken
by shells we retreated to safer
quarters & retreated to safer

quarters & returned a little
later when we were able to
establish communication once
more. Although in great
danger all the time all the
damage I had was the skin
of the back of my right hand
were I think a piece of shell
of perhaps tile from the roof
had hit it. McGlashin got a
piece on his steel helmet
which only cut the cover, but
did not got through I had
a letter from mother on the 27^th
& a parcel from Madge today

Also letters from Win Renie

& Fairie.

3/6/16
The enemy were very busy
with their artillery yesterday &
gave us a warm time. They
silenced one of our batteries
of 18 pounders destroying tne
three of the guns & killing two
of the gun crew They brought
down one of our planes in

the afternoon & one of our

balloons broke way & drifted
towards the Germans lines The
two occupants came down by

parachute & the balloon was
finally destroyed by German
anti aircraft guns It was a
great day for Fritz. To day
has been quiet & fine. We
came in the trenches again
tonight At 9.30 where we hope
to remain for about ten days
I had a letter from Mabel

dated 29^th May reporting all

OK at home.

6/6/16

The past three days have
passed without much to take

note of but tonight made up for
the quite spell. It was arranged
that the 7^th Bde should make a
raid on the German trenches
to get what information possible
& return. Our guns opened out
at 11.15 PM & continued firing as hard
as they could go for an hour
The enemy of course was replying
quite as heavy but I don't think
with so great result as our guns
The bombardment was the heaviest
it has been my misfortune to be
under & quite long enough for
my liking. The 7^th Bde got over
manage to take back 1 machine
qun & four prisoners suffering very
slightly & doing a lot of damage
to the enemy. Out Batt had 4 killed
& 7 wounded A Coy only having one
killed & no wounded. It was
war while it lasted & not good
as a nerve tonic
Had a letter from Madge today
dated 31/5/. reporting all O.K. at

home.

10/6/16
There is more activity
about our front now
but no advance has been
attempted by us or the enemy
The artillery is very busy
& ours has become particularly
active doing serious damage
to the enemy's lines
Thing are very busy on
our left where the Canadians 
are but no alteration has
been made on the positions
Weather again wet & cold
& trenches dirty.

15/6/16

We have made several

raids on the enemies

trenches with varied success

One of our parties destroying

two trench mortar & one

machine gun & got back

with loss of life. Another

party found an empty

trench the huns much

have know we were

coming. The enemy has

made no attempts at

raiding lately he seems

to prefer his own trench

17/6/16
The last few days have
been quiet After a fortnight
in the trenches we came
back to the billets ^tonight, were
we expect to be for the
next two week. Had a card
from John from somewhere
in France I am hoping to
see him soon. Had letters
from home & Willie Everyone
reports O.K. Russians doing
splendid work on Austrian
front I hope the keep going
20/6/16

The days we have been out have

been quiet & uneventful.

I went to see Bill Perie

yesterday. He is just the

same Bill & looking A.1.

The enemy shelled Armentieres

today setting fire to the

church there an old game

of their's. They also land

a shell in amongst our

machine gunner killing 

five & wounding ten. It

was very hard luck to

be hit in their billets.

22/6/16
Had quite a busy day
Found Jack about 9 oclock
this morning & have been
with him all day.
The batteries have been
very busy all day & while
see John back to his
billet we both had a
very narrow escape
John had a very hot
introduction to shell fire
& not by any means pleasant.
Had a parcel from home & a
letter stating all well.
23/6/16

Today has been another

busy day with the artillery

The Enemy tried hard to

silence one of our batteries

near ^our billets but without

success. We had to move

from our billets in case

they were shelled but all

the damage they did was

to killed one old man

a civilian. Went to see Jack

at his billet He is getting

along O.K. & is getting quite

used to the strafe.

24/6/16
We had a slight bombardment
last night but
nothing was attempted.
Today the enemy made an
early start with his
artillery again trying for
our batteries but without
success. One shelled landed 
in the Pioneers billets
wounding six men &
killing one women
Another bombardment was
carried out by us last

night just to keep Fritz awake.

25/6/16
Today on the whole has
been fairly quiet. At 4 oclock

this afternoon our aeroplanes

made a raid on the enemy's

observation balloons destroying

one & forcing the others down

A fierce bombardment

was commenced by us at

11 pm & the 5^th Bde made a

raid on the enemy's trenches

doing serious damage

& bringing back 4 prisoners

We had one man killed & 7

wounded. The enemy

suffered heavily casualties

estimated at about 100.

26/6/16
Artillery again very busy

on both sides but no 

damage done near us.

The Germans put their

observation balloons well

up at about 8 oclock tonight

but were scarcely xx

up when they were attacked

by our aircraft & three were

soon seen falling to the ground

in flames. It was a fine

feat by our planes & very

quickly carried out. The

observers could have had

no possible chance of escape

Four in two days is good

going & I hope they will

keep it up. The 18^th Batt made a 

raid on the Germans trenches

doing great damage & bringing

back a few prisoners

All our raids have been 

very successful so far & I

think Fritz is wishing we 

had never come.

28/6/16

The past two days have been

very quiet & wet. There

has very very little artillery

firing. We are going back

for a spell tomorrow night

It will be nice to get

away from the artillery for

a few days. & I am hoping

to get a trip home if we

are back for long. Jack

goes on leave on Sunday

July 2^nd (lucky beggar) but

I am pleased he is going

It is a representative of us

both now we have seen each other