Diary of George Booley, 5th Battalion, AIF, 1917, Part 4 of 19

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1917.
9th Week.
(61-304) Ember Day.  

The morning started
with any amount of excitement, first
the Bosche put over a heavy barrage
over our front posts then under cover
of the fog strong parties attacked our
post, 2 were taken one of 6 & one of 7 men
with a Lewis Gun, if we took 16 prisoners
killed several others & later on in the 
day we took 3 more prisoners & killed
some more taking the captured posts
back, we took them without a casuality, 
the day being very much in our
favour, the Enemy patrols being picked
men from the best Divisions so we
came out feeling very pleased with
ourselves, our Head Quarters was
at Lusinhof Farm.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1917.
9th Week.
(62-303) Ember Day.  

Back at Factory
Corner was our Bn Headquarters
before the retirement started
now we are in supports, this
corner has seen some straff in
its time & all that remains
of it is a heap of bricks, the
underground parts are intact
& it is here that we live, underneath 
again is a system 
of dugouts & tunnels & can
accommodate a large number 
of men, just away from the
building is a well & an old
iron Boiler with a bit of old
twisted steel & iron framework
& it would certainly be hard
to believe that such a thing
as a factory existed there.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 1917.
10th Week.
(63-302) 2nd in Lent. LESSONS.
Matins—Genesis xxvii. to v 41; Mark vi. v 14 to v 30.
Evensong—Genesis xxviii. or xxxii.: Romans xiii.

Today I went again to Pozieres to put
up Crosses on 3 graves, Bills, Wallies & Jack
Traceys, I had no Camera to take a photo
of Bills Grave, it looked real nice, the 2
white crosses showing up amidst the
desolation, I tried to follow the different
trenches ahead of where our Lads went
out but the place is practically battered 
beyond recognition a light Railway
runs, right past Bills Grave, this may
possibly be my last chance to do anything 
to the Grave, it is hard to 
think now that it was here
I felt the most terrified ever
I did & now see such a deserted 
desolate spot.

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1917.
10th Week.
(64-301) 

Today we moved to MAMETZ Camp
being relieved by 5^th Aust Bde, the Camp
turned out to be Melbourne Camp again
& I felt the walk more than any I have had
yet, I was well loaded with extra Signalling
gear & a bag of stores, in the morning it snowed
fairly heavy & the roads were very sloppy
but not nearly as bad as earlier in the
Winter, we arrived at camp about
2 Oclock in the morning well tired
however we got a drink of tea & got to 
bed our extra blanket being here for us,
for about 6 days we have had no blankets
at all & the weather has been
fairly cold, coming out a couple of 
Salvoes of big shells came over hitting
the light Railway & wounding several.

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 1917.
10th Week.
(65-300) 

Today the Luxuary of Luxuaries
a hot wash & a clean change, the first
for about 50 days, the longest spell that
we have ever had without, in the
evening I went to Montaubin to see
the 31^st Bn, & found out that Will
Bailey was killed somewhere near
Factory Corner & is buried about
there, he was killed in October by
a shell when on a working party.            

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1917.
10th Week.
(66-299) 

Moved to Dernancourt, temperature 
some degrees under freezing
point, arrived about midday
& found we have been alloted
a very breezy billet, but we
managed by using waterproof
sheets & various other things,
changing doors from one part
to another & pinching a couple
of bags of coal to feel a bit comfortable, 
Dernancourt does not
possess many houses that
out our way we would call respectable 
& there are many that 
would be passed as not habitable, 
especially those of the
mud type the mud having   
fallen out in huge lumps.

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1917.
10th Week.
(67-298) 

Slightly warmer today, snowing
in the morning, Tommy made Cpl &
Dick Sgt.

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1917.
10th Week.
(68-297) 

Started training again, Bn
Concert in the evening 

SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1917.
10th Week.
(69-296) 

Parade in morning, Bath &
change of clothes & afternoon parade,
Happy made L/cpl

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 1917.
11th Week.
(70-295) 3rd in Lent. LESSONS.
Matins—Genesis xxxvii.; Mark x. to v 32.
Evensong—Genesis xxxix. or xl.; 1 Corinthians iv. to v 18.

Church Parade in YM.CA Hut first time
since leaving Ottawa Camp about October
received new pay books, saw a new type
of Aeroplane flying, doing all kinds of
Evolutions, flying on their sides upside
down & at almost any angle. Church
Service in the evening at YMCA Hut
I was present & watched a most novel
celebration of the Holy Communion, the
hut was about three parts full & about
30 took part in the Communion, all the
remainder stood or sat round, interested 
spectators, it struck me as being
a most novel Service, as soon as the
Communion was over & before the things
could be removed a wild stampede
was made to the counter for tea & cakes.

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1917.
11th Week.
(71-294) 

Morning parade, I was instructing 
this time instead of being instructed, 
for the first time I got on splendid
satisfied myself & that is saying
something, afternoon parade was
Bn parade & we just manoeuvred
round in the mud, Sgt Raymond
taken away with Maleria

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1917
11th Week.
(72-293) 

Morning & afternoon parades
I was instructing again but owing
to the Coys being away on a Bn Attack
I only had two Pupils.  In the evening
Wally Lane arrived to take over our
Billets so I delivered Miss Zwemer's
letter.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1917.
11th Week.
(73-292) 

By 9 oclock on the Road with
full pack up, marched back to Melbourne 
Camp (now called MAMETZ)
arrived here for dinner with a good
appetite, soon after we arrived it
started raining & kept up on & off
for some Hours, Bde Band met us
at Railway crossing but put up too
lively a step for us with packs up
& just finishing 5 miles of slushy
road.  In orders tonight I am Acting
Corporal dating 18/3/17.

THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1917.
11th Week.
(74-291) 

Very cold windy morning
the afternoon much better being
very pleasant in the Sun, one of our
Aeroplanes came down not far from
our camp but neither men damaged
a big explosion took place near
here but dont know if it was a shell
or not.  Some of the chaps went to
a picture show at Fricourt & a reel
was shown of pleasure resorts around
Melbourne showing St Kilda
Road.  Tonights orders amends last
nights I am Tempory Corporal.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1917.
11th Week.
(75-290) 

Morning & afternoon parade
the afternoon one had 43 on parade, I
had a good class of learners in the afternoon.
My lamp arrived safely today also Dows
I feel quite pleased with mine, my last
one I lent to Les Hicks to take with
him on the Raid on the 10^th Feb
but the poor Kid never came back
& we have heard nothing of him.

 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1917.
11th Week.
(76-289) S. Patrick's Day.  

First news this morning 
was that Bapaume was in our
hands & was afterwards confirmed,
also Le Transloy & some other Villiage
the 5^th & 2^nd Divisions being the honoured 
Divisions to be in the taking,
news through of the Revolution in Russia
The Czar being dethroned & Grand
Duke Nicholas in his place.  Today
some Hospital Sisters came as far
as Fricourt in a Motor Lorry & walked
back again, probably the first women
to be so far up.  Morning & afternoon
parades, Gus Sexton evacuated ill.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 1917.
12th Week.
(77-288) 4th in Lent. LESSONS.
Matins—Genesis xlii. ; Mark xiv. to v 27.
Evensong—Genesis xliii. or xiv. ; 1 Corinthians x. & xi. v 1.

Church parade, Mr Cuff away at flying
Corps, Tommy at Division getting his
Military Medal & I had to take the Section
for the first Ceremonial parade I have done
as an NCO. & although not in charge
of the Section I felt very proud of the
position, after Church parade we marched
round giving the Salute to the C.O. & I
led the Battalion, the Sigs always lead
the Battalion & being in charge I was
the leader, the Bde Band was playing
after this we went along the road for
a Route march, in the evening
I went to the YMCA Hut to a Service
& quite enjoyed it the singing was 
nice.

MONDAY, MARCH 19, 1917.
12th Week.
(78-287) 

First news this morning was
that Sol was dead killed by a Bomb
also about some more of our fellows
in the 57^th who have done well one having
a Military Cross.  Morning & afternoon
parade, I was only looking on, one
of the others took my class, a very
cold windy day. 

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1917.
12th Week.
(79-286) 

Morning parade in huts, in 
the afternoon the Section went for a
Bath, I went to Pozieres & did up
Bills grave perhaps for the last time
as we expect to move away from here
I sowed the grave down with oats,
I could find no sign of Jacks or Sons
grave as I was not sure of the place
they were killed in, I arrived back
about dark.  I went up through FRICOURT, 
the old German Line in this
place was terribly strong & it is
wonderful how they were ever shifted
from it, Pozieres is a very busy place
now with a full gauge Railway, I
have seen High Wood, Delville Wood &
many of the old strong points but none
with the number of remnants of men 
& so much broken as the Pozieres
Ridge.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1917.
12th Week.
(80-285) 

Moved from Mametz to Buire
Via Ville, the Bde Band played us
as far as Meaulte then fell out, the
road was pretty bad from there on &
our bugle band were playing anything
first but well, but we eventually arrived
here, had a good feed and everything
was right.  The papers are full of 
the German Retreat & everyone seem
decidedly cheerful over it.