Diary for George Lush Finlay, 1915-1918 - Part 14

Aug 11  Spent 10 days at HONDEGHEM
about 17 miles from where
we are at present and
enjoyed the change of
scenery. For up in this
district the people seem
to be much more prosperous
and the houses and villages
are very clean. Two days
ago we marched from
Hondeghem to this district
which is not far from BAILLEUL
and ESTAIRES. How long
we remain here I don't
know but I expect that
we will relieve the 2^nd
ANZAC shortly.

Aug 29^th  Just returned after
4 days in Paris with
Mac Morrison Had a
great time and spent
a lot of money but
dont regret  a penny
of it. A wonderful
 

gather ourselves into about
half our usual size.
Yesterday we bombarded
Fritz fairly heavily and
today he is replying. We
have had three casualties
so far one severely wounded
but the majority of the shells
have be going over us to
the rear where our guns
are - or rather where
Fritz thinks they are
At present our guns
are "strafing" and
the roar is continuous
There is one gun of ours
some miles in rear which
must be a big naval
gun. It seems to tear
everything when it goes
off. At present, there is
not a quiet minute
and the earth is
shaking slightly

July 21^st  moved down from
Englebelmer to Henencourt
and from Henencourt
to Bray at short
notice. Still training
but I believe we move
north on the 25^th or 26^th
to do our stunt
whatever it might be.
The usual camp
life is all that has
to be spoken of and
that is nothing.

July 26'  Moving from Meaulte
to St Marie Cappel which
is not far from Hazebrouck.
We entrain tonight
and leave the Somme
area which has cost
us so much hard
work on the last 9 mos,
to go to another one in
which we will have to
go pretty hard
 

Being fine, numerous
planes. Planes are up
observing. I counted no
fewer than 40 in the air
above us. Far away in
the distance are a few
German planes. Right in
rear of us are 18 observation
balloons.
If the fine weather keeps up
I should not be at all
surprised if there were
something doing. I hope
I am not in it anyhow
as I am not searching for
glory. It if does come
I suppose I'll be capable
of doing my bit or at
any rate I hope so.
I have seen about
six "Ranks" all of
which are either permanently
or temporarily disabled
They seem to have done

Jun 21^st  At Englebelmer
having moved from
Mailly Maillet where
we have had a most
strenuous week training
Came up here for three
days training first
and this three days
has extended to 10
"no bon"
H Sole's address
Ravensbourne
Poppleton Rd
Leytonstone S.W.

M. Kirshaw
12 Haycroft Rd.
Brixton
London S.W. 
 

fine work although the
mud will I think prove
too much for them.

Nov 3^rd  The last few days have
been fine although the mud
is still frightful.
The day before yesterday
the Scottish attacked away
on our right and were
I believe successful. The
artillery fire was terrific,
and lasted three hours.
Was on an unpleasant
job last night. Went up
with a fatigue party to
within 200 yds of the line.
Shells landed near us but
we had no casualties
Expect to go up the line tonight
into something big.
Fritz has just put some
shells very close to us.

June 14^th Have just returned
from leave in London
and am now hard
at work with the
Bⁿ Rigg has gone
on leave and I have
a fair amount to do
We are still at
Henencourt and
according to the Brig.
we will not be moving
for another fortnight
except for 3 days. Brig.
training at Mailly
Maillat
Caughey & Burke
have rejoined.
Great doings up north
& Bn H.Q. seem to be
very pleased with
results wild talk about
peace in two months
but that is of course
the usual rumour
which floats around.
 

Nov 4^th  Still in the same
position but I expect that
we will move tonight.
Had charg Went on another
trip to the dump last
night, Samson having
charge of the party.
There had been some sort
of demonstration on our
right where the Scottish
had advanced two days
previously and Fritz
had his balloons up and
was letting a good
deal of our front have
it. We started off too
early for when the heavily
laden fatigue party of
100 men got over the last
rise about 300 yds from
our objective, he got to
work on us, throwing
some big stuff very
close to us. I was in

Pikes address :-
Carlyle Club
211 Piccadilly
London W.

May 22^nd At Henencourt
camped in huts right
on the edge of a beautiful
wood which has just
taken on its spring
clothing. Moved from Biefvillers
to Ovillers yesterday &
from Ovillers to Henencourt
today a total advance
of 18 miles.
Feel very stiff after the
ride.
The country is glorious.
Perhaps it is the contrast
that impresses one.
Am going on leave on
29^th inst
 

the lead and so decided to
take the party along an
old trench which was
knee deep in mud in
preference to moving
across the open. While
in the trench several
5.9's landed within ten
yards of us but fortunately
did no damage.
One boy, 18 yrs old finished
up the trip suffering
from shell shock and
what seemed to worry
him greatly was the
fact that others might
think him a coward.
I sent him to the dressing
station.
The rear of the party
had been left behind
somehow so I sent
a corporal back to
pick them up  He arrived

field which is beautifully
green. The weather
has been glorious and
we are revelling in it
I expect to get away
very soon to Blighty
although it will be difficult
to find somebody to
take over my job.
Rumour has it that
we are going north. I
shouldn't be surprised
for we are a strong
B^de now and Australians
are certainly in demand
after their work in the
past 8 months, although
heaven knows we are
entitled to a spell.
 

with the party in due
course - minus Samson
who says that he lost us.
This I find hard to believe
and anyhow if he did
lose us he is a damn
rotten officer. The men
seem to think as I do.
The second trip was
accomplished all right,
Samson coming along
this time. He had gone
back to our starting
point. I reckon it was
a rotten thing to do.
He is not much chop
having been promoted
from the ranks. He
can't speak English
and the way he eats
is the limit!  He may
have done good work
previously but he seems
to have the "wind up" at present

line (OG 2) in front of
us their left flank being
in the air. We were in
touch with the Devons on
the left.
Every night Fritz used
to launch counter attacks
on a small scale
as regards actual & as
big scale as regards
skills. and after two
xx days of almost
continual shelling every
bodys nerves were more
or less ajar.
We were fortunate in
having only 90 casualties
for the two days the
9^th Bn having had 100.
No time was wasted
in getting out, the
Colonel and myself running
nearly all the way.
We are at Biefvillers
now camped in an open
 

A "heavy" just burst
close to us and a piece
landed about 3 feet from
me.
Have a bit of a cold
at present. I trust it
doesn't develop into anything
worse. I want to come
through this stunt as
I feel I will.
This day last year
I joined up with the
fifth at Lemnos. It doesn't
seem a year ago.

Nov 5th  We move out of here
tonight to the reserve
lines  I think taking
the place of the 8^th who are
changing over with us.
So we are not going to hop
over this time after all
not very sorry.
Spent a rather rotten

and as it was partially
dark it was difficult
to avoid treading on
them. For Fritz had
started again by that
time and we did
a good run for our
money. Sentiment, therefore
had to go by the board
with the result that
dead bodies were not
considered.
The trench we took
over was merely a trench
in name for it had
been pounded by both
our own and German
artillery with the result
that there was a ditch
only which was about
15 feet wide

Fortunately there was
a few German dugouts
and these protected us.
The eighth  were holding a
 

night last night. Water
came into the dugout which
is a rotten one and so I
spent all night with my left
side very damp.
The 1^st & 3^rd B^ns. hopped out
last night and were I believe
successful.  The 18 prs put
up a barrage and their
fire was so great that their
reports came together
as regularly almost as
the reports of a machine
gun.

Nov 7^th  Have moved to a
camp near Bernafay
Wood after having spent
a night in a reserve
trench. We left Pioneer
trench on the night of
the 5^th and got to our
trench without losing
ourselves.  Subjected to

to our relief that Fritz
was just finishing.
After a half an hours
rain we moved forward
again to find Bⁿ HQ
which was situated
in an old German dugout
in O.G.1 and this time
had to moved along a
sap which was out as
the foot of a bank which
was about 4 feet high
The sap was no more
than 3' deep and then
was no longer bit than
10 yards that had not been
touched by a shell.
It was about 1000y in
length and I suppose
there were 200^dead men lying
in or on the vicinity of
it, some half buried
others decaying and others
just freshly killed. There
were numerous bodies right
in our trench
 

a good deal of heavy shell
fire in the morning, before
we left for Bernafay Wood
The trench we occupied
was an old German trench
and the dug outs were
all very deep and all
wooded.
Last night at about 10pm
a Zepp or a plane passed
over us and dropped a bomb
which landed about 2 yds
from my head. Nothing
happened to the five of us
but the tent got two or
three pieces through it.
Fritz apparently did
some damage in rear for
we saw great clouds
of smoke. We were lucky
that the bomb didn't hit
us.
Capt. Carter is at present
O.C. A Coy.

Phil's address
Coulter Hospital
5 Grosvenor Square
London

Doris Fuller
c/o C. E. Bartholemew
Balwyn.
Kidderpore Gardens
Hampstead
London.
———
 

sunken road near Noreuil
where we asked directions
to B^de Hqrs. A guide
took us along a trench
to a spot where we could
look across ^a gully and said
to us "There's bde sir:
In the middle that
smoke and dust!
Thanks we said and
pushed on to find much
 

Nov 8th   Still at Bernafay wood
expecting to move in three or
four days - back to billets
I hope. Had another rotten
fatigue last night marching
or moving - to B^de  HQrs & from
there to Bull Trench with
200 men   Rained like hell
and arrived home wet through
Fortunately my valise had
arrived so I spent a
comfortable night. Received
some mail this morning

Wrote to Phil
    "        "      Eric N^o 3.
    "         "     Jessie  No 4.
   "           "    Muriel No 3,
    "          "    Ric.