Diary of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 25 May - 31 December 1916 - Part 2 of 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000332
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

5/7/19 Anether Veyquet day theire stone of ren at 3 ame which mode the teach ry m ae net relived itill the w have of the next maring of the 44 Bn 6/7/16 Rebered at 2 am te 46 Bm whoweny latei by up left traty gest beore stand ter (3 am) ruched thugh He cal mony to saiy fto on do villets in the flavs will, where we had notty to do pteret of the day 7/9/16 Mysice drite 6.15- 665 m pead i nony g -1 raule mrch 4 you wert to estarry 1ORI pn though setal ste of ran on the ug did nt glt be wet is se all cerninany naterpor sheit was w Leymudd 8/4/14 Physica dill early marning man farall 9 Rante march steimiesk in afteroon war day no is off tomorrow oving for con inkrain destination 1/7/16 Sundery Sept Scull tod murched feell nereby order to Buillen statia g an carrived at ane delination at I pie welt worm day marshing wet into Baillent i every return to bith at 9 p
thri di op Genm d n shert rante march 24 tell duey much that we anto go to the senie ralle for in etei note torow we i Beallene in eery 1/4/14 Revelle at 3 an wof pected dun, full marchy crder; maded far bille ot 7 am eeteared of Beytlend ofter lad tran wup thent ugin tran left at gain, we disertioned Franvellers lardres (sene) of 0e marched to St Oueno mly way cened at billet wp intued dist fority emacl no raw a clust a tied that you tonarow our dstucted 12/7/16 Received order endday riakfor to get packed u marched avy ly gai, only had to much ta the next villge alont 5 mily off acued the eillitiof Ian the vielge of Nigoacourt, got settled down then it wa found out that we wre in the veery billd had to march aud gan ded nowgo far goon got settled dawn, wey off ya proball tomarrar 13/4/14 Paradl ear wany tyna Isuescise, jacde ordeed forga gest o we were dont to makg crdes came through frrom the Bega to mae off fill machy add ly 12 o had a little dinone raed of 12gee victed
forid thagh sevral villger staded at elewille for the wht bwovacky i anclaie wherfer the night ianoee Amien in the distance 14/4/14 Pesad gan lwaity ender wet for st mach fat to be searguted to seal an now sohce; s claa time, detailen pert. BH.A grard wanted at 5.30 pr pid 80 p L 2. 17. 4 414 On guise iside eoB.H.A. boy Ag guer not cocled out me MOR 16/7/16 Sundey Tell in full marihing arder at 12 ar ready to move off, left alent y need to Warky - Baillon olent 3 miles, where we went ito billets for the nitt 17/4/14 larg any peracle, peracle y ar lytt nadh cidiy, prccte 2 pn went to the dunsent leity rained all the aptenio wads ty mudd, witch an tooy 18/7/16 backed up full neachy order wrttent blenbut o cin wenity crder to nase of at a mimeity notic ardi od late in evening that we are not Corry tonight
19/4/16 Eay they parked up ready to to mose at a monerts natice, Imy rary orucout a vatupeof ha neled bandeloc fortun eveytly reai fir Wettle order to nne off dd caring sti heaf; io lusanty 2 estre bendas 2 borls, 2 sand bu lottle witer, & gis hibrets, carried in homsact, fell in full werchy des for injection at 3 pou after lavy our jucks at the Pn stores in the vulge fell wne wedled off ot 5m merched though senvial Tilleeearned or Atbert or $30, tawn casiderol Becked say by thei fire, marched though the ton fone the Church which had te satue weeked adeway e begi it eypt ale aa e pesenest bnd hed not follen to the ground be left the for obaut on hour & botte in a bield, we jered gutced rginet be relived for the firy le tht whole tam ewas m sucked with treaps ofter an ew hild in wes on to st to trench feny theeyheve old cus on the genay weste for the nigse in an old gerin trevel a beny was behind his cudpry li, slyt in gemen track for the lart to ver tert shells all nibt meagi wget Llisblesly thet novre Tust is thery oman tairnnaty o tear Will whle cer i ther with the mell of the
AUS awalan, alsoluten sleep duing niht, the whole earth trembling with the Combardment, we are i t Welr lie et La Bursselle. 20/7/16 Wey ar bervidnet al Inight ho By heart gu ued which stook the earth, due wany har a good lick oer the reptied psition, truches adryonts m lown to piecy, ro leved une left evll i o awfull state of i entee with man ferman Ginveliont sone digants 2o 30 fet duy t will constrruction the whol lacea tage shambles, with necctaze g all tcougha scottered around, shih ryle, bents, itc lying i all direction saw a pate enain of ou IXI 1ORIA terestary it afterwr, the Toker marged to bey ove flave dom tther one le at 5.30 st every anatter fiftt occured between if ou fith aregls and a ter thy time the tenbe fell + was mmaded up wer lug beeg cstandnct all night, ig ditle seep The prtien i Ovillers 21/7/14 Vey beer tenledweit centinued Ill night doy dyy went our the mne td coneof she genneer dicot vey dclerde, funed l thelin with fixe oterave 2 ane frther dewn, may of our dead loy dlant, I may firna 10
m d under cdu to get red for e an ine one ar onjecte to advace e mn exeh getered erwe ol in the cug ixcree not man intill 22/7/16. Evy day toddy wthy ter do attiller by active, anes wsid enthy crent our advance, tomana gertion ot te Baisalle at y 20 frdo tobe ix own places for the charge while as on way to the fary line AA duly anyfhe hearaf shelled werth with Ht lage mamber of devt and wounded lyin about who could not be attended to org to the beviy A Gineliterner and constant shell fire mmanged get through it all eight althaugh laryly a stovell and alox of 1 di Combs acruted at our pesition, opsite to our objective which is to copture the village of fozueres, which is to be done by the 1st Bizade supperted of the ret of te 1st Duniin ur ReL park each held gan Enlish Dusion, te fort te o berts, operte to us are to be taken b We 1st e2nd Bns the 3rd to chere the second line o the 4 Bn to jush on to the outitut of te villge where we aretody i Ourartilley he been jowy n a n boy fire cll day which grew vy where at medight, bfen the catitles lifted to the second line, mantill the prt lieas succnfuly coxtied oftera th while the atitley byan lipted
Wpert Hevellage, and the second him wis crayced, the 4th Bn Man advanced over the two captured toeuh and pressed on to the villege, where thy dun te wllae wis egted the nt deam. Aley diy te communcition truch back from the villge to the expaced advane thench Ar 23c egat viti mane 23/7/19. Sunday Carly pent of mony tercuud in ratt out the fermen from their dy and ecellars of upon e wre a vy cusulaatle mnt i tanten a lot of wourded then insuledal the prition ryt the te willing, tha weemay dun ebyout alit fihedas t wa at willers e convictia if 10R1 inteed sap may senti th belvess, ledge ite also the lgte efore of the Busi fuard Rginest, He vills is castall inder anapll shall the uball of the la which hes mate the villae c abfull wreck not oe sle home remy stardiy, adou crtilly prejuidion ns so colite the gens in the vellze with the whle vellee it are alsdlety blar off the my, the wedge camaf last the faran will eam is anfull, sed fam e lylehtening ore gerole the run engutere the Exlegt sene tum erteed the villye, but eaet time dae pted to hold it bod to retire bery filesy de Gizclant t run ulgupire we heldy on atthough the 1
sall fie is anfull a cers he met truch duiy te efteran He fame attengted in ottack dy theafterion it cinecov lift tat tn clant logds wut were reguled aretied to words, reoccuped py we &por os me nce eexccty an atte tood too all night, intetly die not attenct 24/7/64 Vey bear caladment of the vielge all day, much tentir injotad moe git te been days aye of the Gne baye wate fHt er ofall clot whch nended e tuned agard may of ane men, but thei artilly did not shift in spen any psition in the ctrdnht we taken in to the pot teerch to relete Dc got let chant the eiso te vitlage, so hed to went a lo time to shill ple wtile we sead and oer forther may thuy deel und dny the nigh oy go oce qaty tel sigte Meveare no use siture to but upwith it. suy the night one to flak conected it with the Elish Dunsia, the ndi Sh cleg te conty note at the year of the treaby we overy cutrde the village caeed with tyleh dead. due to de fact that the were tiue egulsed in tegn to toke the genteen, te fytty
he been certainus so there tor been no time to collecti ten thei some of Wemere in i terke condoti a the pritin is fer fitt ser inherlty 25/9/14 et 3 am ve were token from the pinl line and paied i the left of the rullege w An eadegure held G ate 2 pened to tae dant 1000 gct ans lefteso nn the 2 up one sore flot court with an Enlish Prunner we ty den a law raye of bill on the left of te ircl prition thy we did with ye fim comet te the leay were repised Hile bowgst ecity morning rain coffee, which a bey lod i glivee, it sheved little fight emerdued ao desin my goed and of the trle non aver cond tenac their truety, some hd in sill tales which persic excellent taety from wae gun a goedlit of siiging may fema nerelemned eropetie other trech fullof diad, leterondun stedy theeartitly we tiled in to iy Age is a pett bece time, the dally was syhar a cortino we can see finas oing c the cerity in pat of big makin a dash fo thr tt
him ther mincary hidy glaies in stell tebe ion be been sanal wock lne all t Io We seny dene whn before the cvene, we will tlat of sheasell on them gett ay duire He every we my taladed with gester intiy ton e lnd we shill told th to the tick atlegh he trach o cndnelf Heten dar & were fat coylated t pottered ont day te ne a reconcrlanpted fiid out tht the wowich we lodny repution of atrench in pal of ito ae left, gel gid wlt, wich no attact, exerty to beadvsed tomt 34/7/14 Thy beng e iuse cectno i teach it interally dinyateda, at 5p it grewgredn bor rtonng tll ad lurny may if whe may gt hit of the left ellem with ah muter hil on tr gerount ar still held a te bu giter desutecomlti retred poncy of the tnt lajuely to the perhan ona relievedstent or 7/l East in the may be odeed gest lapde fde2 Bn 2nd Denna left te tred aeeiy on of te 22nd whichi

5/7/16 Another vey quet day.  
heavy showers of ran at 3am  
which made the trench vy muddy 
we were not relieved untill the eary 
hous of the next morng by the 46 Bn 
  
6/7/16 Relieved at 2 am by the 
46 Bn who were vy late in 
comg up, left trenches just before 
"Stand too" (3 am) marched 
through the eary morng to Sailly 
to our old billets in the flour  
mill, where we had nothg to do 
the rest of the day 
  
7/7/16 Physical drill 6.15 - 6.45 
Am, parade in morng 9-11 
am, route march in afteroon 
2-4 pm went to Estaires 
passed through several short showers 
of rain on the wy, did not 
get vy wet as we all carried our 
waterproof sheets, roads were not 
vey muddy 
  
8/7/16 Physical drill early morning 
mornig parade 9 - 11  Route march to 
Steenwerk in afternoon.  warm day, movig 
off tomorrow morng for an unknown 
destination 
  
9/7/16 Sunday  Left Sailly tody 
marched full marchg order to 
Bailleul started 9 am & arrived 
at our destination at 2 pm, 
prety warm day marchig, went 
into Bailleul in eveng returng to bille 
at 9 pm 

 

10/7/16 Eary morng physical drill 
parade 9-11, an  short route 
march 2 - 4 told durg march that we 
are to go to the Somme Vally for an 
unknown destination tomorow, went to 
Bailleul in evenig 
  
11/7/16 Revelle at 3 am every packed 
up, full marchig order, marched from 
billet at 7 am & entraned at Bailleul 
after loadg train with transport riggers 
then left at 9 am, we desentrained 
at Fromellers - Candras (Somme) at 
2.30 & marched to St Ouen. 9 
miles awy. Arrved at billets by 
9 pm vy tired & dirty, fine dy 
for marchg no rain or dust.  Vy 
tired.  Leavg again tomorrow for 
our destination. 
  
12/7/16 Received orders suddeny durig 
breakfast to get packed up, marched 
awy by 9 am, only had to march to  
the next villge about 5 miles off 
arrived there & billeted by 11 am in 
the villge of Vignacourt, got settled  
down then it was found out that we 
were in the wrong billets, had to  
march out again, did not go far 
soon got settled down, moving off gan 
probaby tomorrow. 
  
13/7/16  Parade eary morng, physical 
exercise, parade ordered for 9 am 
just as we were about to move off 
orders came through from the Brgade 
to move off full marchg order 
by 12 o/c, had a little dinner,  
moved off 12 o/c & marched 10 mils 

 

passed through several villages 
stopped at Allonville for the  
night, bivouackg in some large  
stables for the night. can see 
Amiens in the distance 
  
14/7/16  Parade 9 am  light marchg 
order went for 2 hours march 
had to be ready packed up to 
moove at an hours notice, may 
leave at any time, detailed for  
B.H.Q. guard, mounted at 5.30 pm 
paid 80 Fr = £ 2.17.4 
  
15/7/16 On guard all day at B.H.Q . 
easy dy. Guard not called out 
once.  
  
Sunda  16/7/16 Sunday  Fell in 
full marchig order at 12 am  ready 
to move off, left about 1 pm, marched 
to Warloy-Baillon about 8 miles, where 
we went into billets for the night 
  
17/7/16  Eary morng parade, parade 9 
am  light marchg order, parade 
2 pm went to the divisional 
baths   rained all the afternoon 
roads vey muddy, watch arrd tody 
  
18/7/16  Packed up full marchg 
order without blankets   by 
9 am waitig ordes to move off 
at a moments notice, orders arrived  
late in evenig that we are not  
leavig tonight 

 

19/7/16 Everythig packed up ready to
move at a move at a moments notice, durg  
morng, overcoat & waterproof sheet rolled 
bandolier fashion, everythg ready for 
battle order to move off by midday 
carryig 2 tins beef, 10 biscuits, 2 extra biscuits 
2 bombs, 2 sand bags, bottle water, & gas 
helmets, carried in haversack, fell in  
full marchg order for inspection at 3  
pm after leavig our packs at the Bn 
stores in the village, fell in & marched 
off at 5 pm, marched through several 
villages & arrived at Albert  at 
8.30, town consideraby knocked about 
by shell fire, marched through the 
town passed the Church which 
had its statue knocked sideways 
& laying at right angles over the  
pavement  but had not fallen 
to the ground, we left the town 
for about an hour & halted in a  
field, we passed several regiments 
beng releaved from the firg line 
the whole town & roads simply 
packed with troops, after an 
hours hold we went on to the 
old trenches, passg through our 
old ones & the Germans  we stopped  
for the night in an old German  
trench a long way behind this 
original firg line, slept in an  
German trench for the first time 
Vey heavy shellg all night, managed 
to get a little sleep through the  
noise.  Fritz is throwg many 
lacrimaty or tear shells & the  
whole air is heavy with the 
smell of the gas & all eyes 

 

were watering, absolutey no sleep durig 
night, the whole earth trembling 
with the bombardment, we are in front  
of the firing line at La Boisselle. 
20/7/16 Very heavy bombardment all 
night some vey heavy guns used  
which shook the earth, durg morng 
had a good look over the captured 
position, trenches & dugouts simpy 
blown to pieces, no barbed wire 
left, everythg in an awfull state of  
wreckage with many German 
dead lying about, some dugouts 
20 - 30 feet deep & very well 
constructed, the whole place is a  
huge shambles , with wreckage of all 
description scattered around, shells 
rifles, bombs, etc lying in all directions X 
saw a Foker engage one of our 
aeroplans this afteroon, the Foker 
managed to bring our plane down 
within our lines at 8.30 this eveng 
another fight occurred between one 
of our fighting aeroplans and a taube 
this time the taube fell & was 
smashed up in our lines.  Heavy  
bombardment all night, vy little 
sleep X This position is Ovillers 
  
21/7/16  Vey heavy bombardment 
continued all night, durg 
dy went over the ruined trenchs 
some of the German dugouts 
vey elaborate; furnished like  
houses with paper on the walls 
and feather beds some 30 ft 
down, may of our dead 
lying about, & may Germans

 

in buried and collapsed dugouts 
under orders to get reay for the 
firing line as we are expected to advance 
in the morng  everythg get ready 
orders arrived later in the evenig 
that we will not move untill 
tomorrow 
  
22/7/16 Easy day tody nothg to do 
artillery very active, ordes issued 
this evenig about our advance, tomorrow 
Left our position at La Boisselle at 9.30 
pm to take up our places for the charge 
while on our way to the firg lines 
and about 1½ miles awy from it 
we were vey heavily shelled mostly 
with H E, large numbers of dead 
and wounded lying about who could 
not be attended to owig to the heavy 
and constant shell fire, at Suicide Corner manged to 
get through it all right although 
carrying a shovell and a box of 1 doz bombs 
arrived at our position, opposite to our  
objective which is to capture the village of 
Pozieres, which is to be done by the 1st Brigade 
supported by the rest of the 1st Division 
our R & L flanks each held by an English 
Division, the first line of trenches, opposite to 
us are to be taken by the 1st & 2nd Bns 
the 3rd to charge the second line & the 
4th Bn to push on to the outskirts of 
the village where we are to dig in. 
Our artilley have been pouring in a vey 
heavy fire all day which grew vey intense 
at midnight, when the artilley lifted 
to the second line, meanwhile the first  
line was successfuly captured after a 
while the artillery again lifted on to

 

Y Trench 

the village, and the second line 
was occupied, the 4th Bn then 
advanced over the two captured trenches 
and pressed on to the village, where 
they dug in the village was captured the 
next mornig.   A Coy dug the communication 
trench back from the village to the 
captured advance trenches. the 2nd brigade 
was in reserve 
  
23/7/16 Sunday Early part of morng 
occupied in rattig out the Germans 
from their dug outs & cellars, of whom 
there were a vey considerable number, 
including a lot of wounded, then
consolidated the position right through 
the village, there were many deep 
dugouts completey furnished as they 
were at Ovillers & connected by 
underground saps, many souvenirs collected 
helmets, badges etc also the bugle of one of the 
Prussian Guard Regiments, the villge 
is constaly under an awfull shell fire 
the whole of the day, which has made 
the village an awfull wreck, not one 
single house remains standig, and our 
artilly preparation was so complete that 
the guns in the village, with the whole 
village etc are completely blown off the 
map, the wreckage caused by both the 
German shells & ours is awfull, dead 
Germans & English Tommies are lyig about 
the ruins evywhere, the English have 
twice entered the village but each 
time have failed to hold it & so 
had to retire leavg piles of dead 
lyig about the ruins eveywhere, we 
are holdig on although the HE

 

shell fire is awfull. A Coy sent to 
the support trench durg the afternoon 
the Germans attempted an attack durig 
the afteroon, they came up on our 
left flank to within about 60 yds 
but were repulsed & retired to 
400 yds, reoccupied the firg line at 
8 pm as we were expectig an attack 
"stood too" all night, but they did 
not attack. 
  
24/7/16 Vey heavy bombardment of 
the village all day, much heavier 
than yesterdy, more guns have been 
brought up by the Germans, large numbers 
of HE shells of all calibers used 
which wounded & buried a great 
many of our men, but their 
artilley did not shift us 
from our position in the villge 
at midnight were taken up to 
the front trench to releave D Coy 
got lost about the ruins of the 
village, so had to wait a log 
time in shell holes, untill we 
found out our position, many 
tear shells used durg the night 
my eyes are smartg terriby. Goggles 
I have are no use so have to 
put up with it. Durig the 
night our L flank connected up 
with the English Division, the Warwicks 
the whole of the county side at the 
rear of the trenches we occupy 
outside the village, covered with 
English dead, due to the fact that 
thy were twice repulsed in trying 
to take this position, the fightig

 

since has been continuous, so there 
has been no time to collect or 
bury them, some of them are in 
a shockg condition, & the position 
is fast gettg vey unhealthy 
  
25/7/16 At 3 am we were taken 
from the front line and placed 
on the left of the village 
held by the 2nd Bn, & orders were 
passed to take about 1000 yds 
on the 2nd Bns left & so link 
up across same flat county with 
an English Division working along 
a low range of hills on the left 
of the whole position, this we 
did with vy few casualties 
the Germans were surprised 
while having their early 
mornig rum & coffee, which 
our boys had in stead, thy showed 
vy little fight & surrendered 
in dozens, may jumped out of 
the trenches & ran across county 
towards their trenches, some hid 
in shell holes, which provided 
excellent targets for our 
machine guns & a good bit of 
sniping, may Germans were bommed 
& bayoneted & their trench was 
full of dead, later on durig 
the dy their artilly was 
turned on to us & gave us 
a prety bad time, the shellg 
was vy heavy & continuous, 
we can see Germans runng about 
the county in front of us & 
makig a dash for their trench

 

from their numerous hidg places 
in shell holes, thy can be seen 
runing alog the sky line all 
dy as the "Tommys" drive them 
before their advance, we used 
plety of shragnell on them gettg 
many, durig the eveng we 
were bombarded with greater 
intensity than ever but we still 
held on to the trench although 
the trench is consideraby knocked 
about & in some parts complety 
x flattened out, durg the night 
a reconoitrng patrol found out 
that the Warwicks are holdg 
a portion of a trench in front of 
us & to our left, prety quiet 
night, with no attacks, expectig to 
be releaved tonight 
  
26/7/16 Vey busy & intense artilly 
action on our trench at 
intervalls durng the dy, at 5pm 
it grew greater in intensity killng 
and burying may of the men, got 
hit on the left elbow with a shell 
splinter but not vy seriously, we 
still hold on to our position 
despite our casualties & have not 
retired from any of the trenches captd 
the previous morng. Expectg to be 
releaved tonight, 
  
27/7/16 Eary in the morng  was 
releaved just before daybreak 
by the 24 Bn 2nd Division, left 
the trenches & proceeded alng the  
road we came upon the night 
of the 22nd which is near

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