Diary for George Lush Finlay, 1915-1918 - Part 15

Mick's address
No 1 Anzac Mtd troops
1^st Aust. Div. 
 

enemy bursting shells
was deafening, six & seven
shells landed in an area
of a couple of hundred square
yards at the same time
The air was still with
the result that the dust
and smoke hung about
the gully and for a
distance of about 2 miles
there was a heavy cloud
through which one could
hardly see.
In front of us curtins
of dust & smoke hung
and as each shell landed
the cloud thickened.
After the barrage had
lifted we proceeded on an
& reached a certain

Nov 10^th Recd several letters
yesterday including one
dated Oct 16^th 1915 from
Auntie. Pretty rich
all. Recd. some more back
letters including one
from Ric. who has been
nabbed for staff work in
Perham Downs.
Wrote to Rob (3)
                  Muriel 2.
12^th  Marched from Bernafay
Wood to Dernancourt a distance
of about 10 miles. Arrived here
damned tired & were billeted
in an old schoolroom which had
no floor and was very dirty
move again about 3 miles further
on this afternoon to a
town where we stay for about
a week or so. 
Arrived Ribemont this
afternoon and are comparatively

May 7-14 On May the 7th
we relieved the 4^th and 9^th
Bⁿ in O.G.1^o (in the first
system of the Hindenburg
between Bullecourt &
Quéant, one battalion
taking over from two
both of which were so
depleted that their strength
was not nearly the strength
of ours.
We moved up from Vaulx
The Colonel Doctor & myself
going about two hours
before the rest of the battalion
and on our way up
had to wait for ½ hour
to allow a barrage
which Fritz was putting 
across our track to
left. A gully on our
right which was 
chock full of our 
guns was being pasted
and the crash of the

comfortably situated. A village
on a par with Dernancourt but
apparently a little bit busier

Nov16^th Still a Ribemont where
we are staying for four
more days. Had a bath
at Heilly yesterday. Good oh
Drew some money yesterday
and was inveigled into a
Banker school. At one
time I was winning about
750 Frs. Finished up about
350 Frs to the good.
Absurd nonsense these
stakes are. 
C.O. has got to hear of the
gambling and it's got
to stop.

May 7/8^th Relieved 4^th & 9^th Bn.
in O.G.1 Bullecourt sector.
Relief moved out of billets
Vaulx at 2100. Relief
complete at 0225. Left
behind percentage of officers
and NCOs & men. In all
about 200 men.

May 8^th Counter attack delivered on
the left of 8^th Bⁿ.  Bⁿ standing
to   C Coy ready to reinforce
left. Time 24 2140 
1 prisoner taken of 9^th. G Gds
by D Coy, laying wires
Capt Griffiths M.B killed
Lieut Taylor )
Capt Moore ) wounded


Nov 19^th Moved from Ribemont
yesterday to Vignacourt
a fair sized village about
12 miles from Amiens.
Came by motor busses
which were at one time
the busses used in Paris.
Have got a nice little
room with a beautifully
comfortable bed in it
which has nice clean
sheets. It is so comfortable
that I feel like staying
in bed all day as
I would if I were at
home on Sunday. Today
is Sunday and is
a very wet & miserable
day. Yesterday, we
had snow at Ribemont
only about 2 inches
but enough to make
us shudder when
we think of the trenches

of his wire.
Three of our planes brought
down by some of Fritzs
red-bodies. Ugly looking
thinks and as fast as
the devil

May 3^rd This morning the second
Div attacked the Hindenburg
Line and partially succeeded
in their attempt though only
with heavy casualties.
The barrage was extremely
heavy.
Tonight either a counter
attack or a further
attack by us. The guns
near have stopped but
for a time things were
very busy and we are
hoping that it was our
attack and that we have 
been successful.

There was farx too much
cheap champagne available
at Ribemont. C. got tight
every night we were there
and the night before last
4 of us polished off two
bottles apiece. I was alright
but Makin & C were both
well shot, Makin being 
especially drunk & very 
funny. 
Wrote to Maie     2
   "         "   Auntie 4
   "         "    Ric       2
   "         "    Mrs Read
Nov 21. The place where where
we have our meals has
been let to us by an
old French dame who has
a sister and a husband
who are the filthiest
creatures imaginable
It was only with difficulty
that I got a room at all

down and foolishly landed
very close. He ran in to a
bank and tipped on to
the nose and about three
minutes after Fritz
started to shell both
After ¾ hr shooting
he set ours on fire and
a quarter of an hour
after that set his own
on fire. But he must 
have sent over at least
350 shells of all calibre
Wrote to Jessie
                  Fred
                  Elise
 

Apr 20^th. Still in the line
We sent gas over a couple
of nights ago. Throwing
it over in long cylinders
What the effect was we
don't know. Tonight we
are going to blow up some
 
otherwise I would not have
taken this. We had the
pleasure of seeing them
"partake" of their evening
"repast" last night and
it was a disgusting
sight. They never seem
to wash their fingers
and faces being filthy.
Their clothes likewise.
The dame in my billet
seems to be a little bit
better.
Wrote to Alice (1)
                  Jim
                  Mollie
 

Nov 23^rd Still at Vignacourt
Nothing doing.

Nov.24^th. The news of the death of
Francis . Joseph came through
yesterday and I have just
been reading the comments
on his life, by the "Makin"
I have never yet seen or read
an article which poured
forth so much scorn and
criticism. Talking to an
old French man on the
subject of the war, I managed
to understand sufficient
of what he was saying
to see how much the
French loved and love the
Germans. He talked
nineteen to the dozen with
his eyes nearly coming
out of his head and it
seemed to be a grievance
with him that England
had not come in on
France's side in 1870
for he was quite sure
that if she had, this war
would never have taken place
He seems to have a great
deal of faith in Englands
power.
Wrote to  Len
                  Gordon
                  Eric.  No 4.
                  Marge.
Nov 23^rd Have just received
a batch of mail, which
includes a letter from
the Royal Bank of Aust.
18 Bishopsgate London EC
advising me of the
transfer of £15-0-0
from Melb. I don't
understand where it
came from unless Uncle
sent it along as a
Christmas present
Have written to Eric
to tell him about it
and also send the cipher
word said Dick - pounds.

of our planes unaware
with a big squadron of
seven or eight which came
through the clouds on top
of our planes.
Our three were driven
down one landing
only 100Y from us.
Fritz saw it land & 
promptly shelled it
until he hit it.
The airman got away
safely.
We will be out I
think in three days
time.

Apr 24^th. Things quiet today.
Fritz has not been so
busy with his planes.
and this afternoon one
of our men brought
one Fritz down about
2000Y on our right rear.
Our man followed him

I have written telling
them to hold it for me
or pay it into the Savings
Bank.
Wrote to the Royal Bank
    "         " L R Stillman
     "        " Thelma
                 (xxx)
                 Muriel (No4)
Nov 28^th Went to Amiens
yesterday. and spent an
enjoyable(?) day there.
There is nothing to be seen
there except a magnificent
13^th century cathedral
which has been protected
in part with sandbags.
The inside is rather
wonder the roof being
at a tremendous height
from the floor. I
We started drinking
far too early in the
morning with the
result that I had

that both hit together
and so deceive onlookers
that a gas shell had 
fallen. The burst of the
H.E. covering the "dud"
like sound of the gas shell.
The gas was lachrymatory
with the result that
our eyes were very
sore and still are
through having our
helmets off.
My eyes are still
a bit sore.
They will be something
doing in our immediate
left in a couple of
nights I think and
we may have to move
forward a little
Yesterday Fritz was 
very active in the
air (and today also)
and he caught three

a terrible head by
nightfall and a strong
feeling that after all
when one expects to
find lilies at the bottom
of a mud heap one 
is very optimistic.
The lily may be
there but it will be
rather withered. Therefore
That anticipation is in
a lot of cases better
than realizations is
the conclusion formed
Therefore, live on the
anticipation.

busy day for both 8^th. and
ourselves for Fritz started
at about 7.30 a.m with
8" stuff and kept it up
until 1 o'clock. He had
our road nicely braked
of with the result that
we had about 70 casualties
through shell fire purely.
The C.O. & myself went
forward to see the 8^th and
found that they were
getting an equally bad time
both at Bⁿ HQrs and
on their front posts & others
the result that we had to
give up a post that
had been captured by
us the night before
Last night he strafed
again and gave us
gas shells as well as
H.E. Putting together
both an H.E. & gas
shell together so timed

Dec 1^st. Arrived at Buire-sur-l'Ancre
yesterday after about 7 hrs
travelling in the train from
Vignacourt and 3 hrs wait 
at V. for the train to come.
Saw Len S. here yesterday
afternoon looking well and
swanking it in a Daimler
Landau. He is attached to
A.I.M's staff (of 5^th. Div.)
Expect to move on again
in about 3 days to the
same place that we were
in last time. This shift
will most likely carry us
over Christmas
One of our men came a
"gutser" yesterday. When
passing some prisoners
he said to a dour looking
Fritz. "Well Fritz who's winning
the war" and received the
reply in good English
"have a look at the bloody
map and you'll see!"

Apr 21^st. Went to Bancourt today
for pay. Had a good ride and
am feeling tired as a
result.
Great calls about the 1st.
Division being taken out
for a rest and although
we have heard this so
often in the past six months
there certainly seems something
in the yarn this time
But I suppose it is preparatory
to taking part in some
stunt further north
It is time we had a 
spell.
Wrote to Auntie

Apr 23^rd. Took over from the
8th. Bn. last night on the road 
in front of us.
Relief was delayed through
lateness of rations.
Yesterday was a very

Dec 3^rd. Received letter from
Ric saying that he had
heard I was in London
wounded in the arm.
It will be rather funny
if this happens especially
since I have always
felt that I was going
to be pipped there.
Had letter from
Jim
Wrote to Kath
    "         "  Auntie Di
    "         "  Morris

Dec 4^th. Moved to Fricourt
today and occupied
huts there. Expect to go
on to the line tomorrow.