Diary of William Gordon Farquhar, 1915 - Part 3

Wed. 24/11/15. Same faces working and usual daily
repair work. At 18.00 all underground work
ceases listeners only being kept on. During
the night everything very quiet.
Thurs. 25/11/15. At daybreak enemy sent
out bombing parties who were allowed
to come up as far as our screens
when they were driven off. All work
ceases during the day. Enemy heard
working at N^o 18 right arm, N^o 23
and N^o 32. Extra listener per shift
put on. Arrangements made for shifts
to come on again at 21.00.
Fri. 26/11/15. 75 lb. charge laid in right arm of
N^o 32, enemy working here until dark when
he knocks off. Very small footage in N^os 1 & 2
Underlies. Putting shifts on task work.
After 21.00 shifts in N^o 1  Post have to be
knocked off in account of bad weather.

Sat. 27/11/15. - Passive stunt still proceeding. No work being
done to parapets or fire trenches. Work on N^os  1 & 2 Tuls.
delayed owing to heavy storm. Started N^o 6 Tul. from
approach trench, continuous  shifts on here tomorrow.
Starting all mining work on 6 hr. shifts with 12 hrs off.
Men from 17^th Battn. -  Mining 12 men  2 N.C.Os.
Surface 3 men.
From 20^th Battn. - Mining 84 men 15 N.C.Os.
During the day enemy has not been so busy undergound
as his work in N^os 18 & 45^A was very intermittent
Since laying charge in N^o 32. he has not returned there.
Sun 28/11/15. During night heavy snowstorm. Usual
faces going but progress slow. f Cut south
completed 4 shifts now working towards left
(N^o. 6 Tul.) to meet under lie from rear gallery.
Repairs to approach trenches in N^o 3 Northern.
also to parapets & [[bomb?]] screens things
being again normal. Enemy doing a
little work in 45^A.  centre arm. Laid charge
of 120 lbs (3 tins) in N^o 23 left & partly tamped same

Mon. 29/11/15. Shifts from 20^th Battⁿ coming in
(11.) late and under strength, reported to Brigade.
Recess  for 36^A completed & winze arm mended.
Other faces as usual. No sounds of enemy at
either 32 or 23; only place he has done any
work being at 45^A where he appears to be
working slowly across to left arm. Ground
frozen hard and consequently dry.
Tues. 30/11/15. Repairs to parapets & Screens. Party
on deepening approach trench to N^o 2 Post
36^A and other faces progressing as usual.
Footages in N^os 1 & 2 very poor.
Enemy still heard doing a little work
underground about 10 feet distant from
left arm of N^o 45^A. No other sounds
elsewhere below ground. Day fine &
clear but very cold.
 

Wed. 1/12/15. Loopholes in N^o 1 Post and usual repairs to
parapets and Screens. Party in new bombing pits
in N^o 2 Post supports. N^o 6 Tunnel central breaks
through into underlie from main rear gallery.
N^o 1 & Cut from N^o 1 Tunnel started other faces
as usual. During night enemy did a little
work at N^o 23 left as completed tamping
charge laid there since when he has done no
more work. Listeners to report immediately
he starts again. No sounds elsewhere below
ground. Dry clear but cold.
Thur. 2/12/15. Bomb pit N^o 2 Post completed. Other party
in trenches a parapets. Infantry party & I Sapper on
withdrawing tamping from N^o 23 which had been
blown at 20.30 last night. A few men who 
before blowing enemy was working two picks.
Explosion blew to surface owing to previous
blow in N^o 21 loosening the ground over a
considerable area, but think it was effective
in smashing enemy's works. Right arm of

N^o 24 damaged but can be cleaned out &
timbered when men are available.
Footages in faces for 24 hrs. a little better
but can still improve a good deal.
Fri. 3/12/15.  Shifts usually on 36^A Winze have, during
the day, been withdrawing tamping from N^o 23
the right arm and about 4 ft. of the left being
opened up. N^o 6 Tunnel breaks through to a
Cut South. Parties again put on & Cut North.
Progress in N^os 1 & 2 Tunnels rotten only about
1' 3" from each face for 24 hrs. Usual work on
support & fire trenches. At about 04.20 enemy
again starts work at N^o 32. At 07.00 mine
laid here a week ago was exploded. Three
seconds after there was a second explosion
causing a violent rush of air throughout
galleries and bringing down some of the roof
of main envelope in the vicinity of N^o 32.
No surface disturbance was observed; tamping
 

was not displaced nether were there any
signs on walls of drive of gasses having
ignited. Do not consider the secondary explosion
was due to bad detonation as charge (70 lbs)
had two electric detonators in series, but it
may possibly be due to deterioration in charge
itself as it had been lying for a week & was
not in tins as is usually the case. Since
blowing no sounds have been heard of
enemy at work below ground.
Sat. 4/12/15. At. 16ft. N^o 36^A starts driving out. N^o 8 Tul
party starts driving south to meet & Cut from
N^o 7 Tul. N^o 6 Tul. party starts on recesses. Other
faces the same. Cpl. Allen's party timbering up
fire trench in N^o 3 Post. Other work as usual on
parapets & approach trenches. Enemy has not been
heard below ground during the day. Numerous
rifle bombs on terraces during the morning. 

Sun. 5/12/15. Footages in all faces slightly better;
totalling 23'.6". Timber work in N^o 3 Northern
still going. Fairly heavy day on bomb
screens. Still no sounds of enemy below
ground. Inspection by O.C.D.E. & Major Sturder.
Mon 6/12/15. Total footages for day 28'.0". Timbering firing
(12) live in N^o 3 Northern completed. Thomson and
assistant on ladder way from com trench into
N^o 4 Drive. During afternoon Cpl. Marr & two men
on reserve firing position behind N^o3 Northern.
Timber firing step for additional 3 men in N^o 2
Supports. Enemy gave a few taps at 45^A but did no
work.
Tues. 7/12/15. Owing to 20^th Battn shifts. being sent to Shuls'
for repairs to trenches footage in all faces drop,
totalling only 14'. 6".  Start N^o 6 tunnel party on cutting
approach to N^o 9 Tul. Other faces the same. Cpls. Marr
& Brownler over rear firing positions N^o 3 Post.
Ladderway to N^o 4 Drive completed. Parapets in N^o 2
Post backed up on outside with spoil from N^o 1 Post
No sounds of evening below ground.
 

Wed. 8/12/15.  Footages for day better. - total 29'.9". N^o 7 - 8
& Cut breaks through. Shifts cleaned clean up by 19.30
when & cut to N^o 9. will be commenced. Entrance
to N^o 9 timbered up. Parties still on reserve firing
positions in N^o 3 Post. One sapper & assistant on
sandbag traverse in firing line of N^o 4 Post; one
about completed. Parapets & bomb screens during
the day have required a good deal of attention.
One Sapper on general plumbing work on post.
Surveyor & assistant kept busy. During the
afternoon enemy has been working fairly
close to centre arm of N^o 45^A
Thur. 9/12/15. Footage = 29'.0". Extra shift from 17^th B^ltn.
goes on to 36^A which releases 20^th. B^tn.shift for
work on shelters. Right arm of N^o 36^A commenced
ab 18'. Three sappers from this face put on shift
in N^o. 2 Tul. to try and push it a little faster.
Last night enemy was again heard playing about.
45^A about 6 or 7 feet distant. Charge of 80 lbs. laid
in left T. of centre arm & partly tamped. No sounds

of him elsewhere below.
Parties still on firing positions in rear of N^o 3
Post and traverses in N^o 4 firing line.
Cpl. Allen & party commence on rebuilding of
shelters on terraces. Others employed on surface.-
Sapper on Screens [[& our?]] jobs, Plumber and
Surveyor & Assistant.
Fri. 10/12/15.- Footage for day = 30 feet. Marked increase
in N^o 2 Tunnel footage with corresponding decrease
in 36^A due to changing over of Sappers. Footage in
N^o 9 Tnl. falling as ground becomes harder. No sounds
of enemy during the day.
Firing position in rear N^o 3 Central completed. Party
now on deepening approach trench to same. Position in
rear N^o 3 Northern should be completed tomorrow.
Traverse in N^o 5 firing line in progress.
One Sapper with infantry on repairs to N^o 5 Approach
trench which collapsed during the night.
Party on terrace shelters under Cpl. Allen increased to
8 men working 8 hrs. per day. During the day N^o 2 Post
and rear of N^o3 heavily bombed.
 

Sat. 11/1/15. Footage 28'. 3". At 19.30 all work on deep
shelters cease. The three 17^th. Batt shifts on 36^A are
being reduced to two the 01.30 shift tonight not
coming on. In N^o 1 Post there is only 5' to go to break
thro'. Consider this should he done as this Post would
then have a certain amount of shelter with
two outlets. During the afternoon enemy has been
heard distant from 34. He has also played a
little at 45^A. Firing position in rear N^o 3. N^th
just about completed. Traverse in N^o 5 loopholed
and completed, parados still has to be revetted.
One Sapper & party deepening N^o 3 approach trench.
Fair progress being made on Cut for terrace shelters.
Two additional screens erected in N^o 2 Post.
Thomson on repairs to loophole & overhead cover
in N^o 3 blown in by bomb. Plumber & Surveyors
as usual.