Diary of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1917 - 31 July 1918 - Part 6 of 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Part of Quest:
Apcar Leslie De Vine Diaries
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000333
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

feel geett ter fav been werhy dan & law ctet will be leaving eagon the warring for cue tekram deteratia 12/4/18 Marched at 2 am to the St Rock station, all beroge et have been minice in neacliner. Walted in the Pulaeed new the stotta ato 2.20 as thans were not ovartble spenk the mighting workin about nner, the flace is obsoluted denrtia may of the hauses munerful dys have be bombed or her I hal fie forman aery long acting commersed umediaty of dgbreck no bamle were desped on the sint extreme of S Berk ot 8 am e left ot gai aanig berg selled all te while renaned in the tear all do fivall ocei of Harebranck at 9p detraine at 11 pr emeedi sar of through strageile to the raads in frert of Meteren, Metaa ten be seen in the aistence en 2.6 kls and; white marchy u thee wee may repryey leaty the distrut a the fypty i all here now He dwech be been bevning vg frien all nytt we dry 3 authl here 1.23 aon yn resieve behidng in the bain day on wich our entrembin too I in a glaryhe field which was
165 prett seft dy hard all night 13/4/18 Dag avedrs in t anlight if beary mist it many we are expcty to be attacbia, no attack devilged on a seeteen, attack on our loft ot bill 40 failed sun rose at 10 amete fay lifter manized tg rlawe steep along a besse evey the mey of first for the night in little betfort we lave lad retly to eat one tea due on the 11th fair annout of shelling frm Firty attense prell quiet. doing the afterwar we occupea a lie Berchy. 200 gds in advance of We are we naw hold Mysto be the prent line. spent the rest of the dy injery truck which was duy by the Br Sovadan sumillies. Wea she truk fard conflite omyk and wry in prent all night Jeh conglitia fthe mornng. an our R are tte bameromin eave t the Try in ferent of us are antiors of dae ageneds sweve from are lining frencel, all nht macin gine cstilley re contram 14/ly/15 Sundey wather y cola tore selogged clangets etc from neyebany famy e made ousilve confortable ay annount of Bur, wure a thargs
to be got from the devertid yarr estamnets ite an fort is naw eneadalte will fixed up form is no war land shelled e levery fuec ot 3 pur rest of the dy quit 15/4/16 vey mist thy mariyg expectid are fon Irity homereer nothy occurred He dy i farf qivel ue ore still solvey ayit if use from the far edate feor yheeres of has hndres of totkle of mine chire itc, 28 pols ald carty. blakets it ite. we are now usy there for anronn confert duy the nist 6 farms are luing reciend us at the same time rapie Day hul quit pear gore must all slight. heavel shellien in and da. Ter attack anon L. Glish tras gove wey ever like relbits but citrice Meteren we could see the uble of the expections be d of the 4 attented advanced soo yos seesfull on our o pak our I flartt i now held a French Parsion th adveveed ob 8.30 pr the fomed up in but oour thee lacked o wll our 1st On folland them ing a supportu ther Bpenk no news of ther svecss oy midny it Leverd were fearrs are new haring mentin &7/4/18 We changed our fositien of Iam teking u the trerks vacated
Dly she conening of the gerche were not ry good of gan a teor benladnent wilh 4 E. Sia we toel everel usualt we were ordered up to the lin to suppe ble inde ver bear shell fere cell dg ot 5 pu one saw w faner odverce e den dent ofos wpat of our cutfest we expected a beort attack which hover r did nt come ot Irity beg cartel tody i at t0 for be were ordered up to the live to reluse CCtek over the grter dug ar cutes all mys ewadowses see thy marning. We nigh nos col ey givt. Weaget vy sameecod 18/4/18 Cnontfut olldy co f mery we took a prow dy rarghdg twerbly cold hav e now at itoually chaig the right Meteren i lunly percy tongt i no bo then l new fire bee state are buny fieed all soyth tt ni inaly tthe eeenty al areund 19/4/14 On outfort all day terly old with pil arow Heary donlardnest earg ty morning beig rothr desclosed on our fort much bity acroplan actunt th maniy deg at mradle
20/1/18 yer enladinec it mrg a Cuch Geemen aeylare dont otherwis nett wet da o for ns theulf cold duy te day. 21/4/48 Sunday Day opened with the usuall benbardmed. our fort wes batedwie lest nill, I mist in eaf haves of the mamus. I buthing cold with a fort. He sun corve out toter cnvened thy up a bit tock o lets of dodg e pet tue ence we lift armiers on the 12th rest of We day Sairly guit 22/4/18 B you with te rell streft a senveral sifle geeonade fyi don't attense guet the fat husbela astnelf in the trocks were edrerted at 10 pm of the 5th Bom had a few cosualty from shellig is ae ince leaving athernire relief OK. marched to Borre Reuling sidny near Caustre whee we billited in the realivey hut arruted han the eg hew of the merry, wenged loyet a gerd teep it 2/e1 Had a general sugh e lush up the fist nok oner I loft conners on the 12th rsited certer in the cleny the village hes been lested desas of liverds of beer starrae of lattle of him, clargent ita
Gor clant eour lys are torin ageed time leare of burcre tn roled enteled to te c. the are three exweries on the taw slrged leddy eadvan clage at nitt Teit vesti us with be acrglare in the raid on the reiling shals we we sy dny be mond our buts each time settled daw for a little sher ofter He fi 2a/1 In cancledg Pard 20k 14/8 Olert of excitement durry te night Tart made three berli eaid on ar cam with artillie bewlirdment. few cosmcetiy 25/6/18 Anae den Vercd to de dolutty othy deiy no yout ar even a deink edgey vy tane 26/6/18 Benlordmet gered on the len et 3 am. not much damee done woke the cam up atterise everyled quite uncencened mounted Be St et a pu. wnite batt i the cenp get a chare of ruptpeletty. etc 27/4/15 B.O. St. cllda– Amountia with the riard at 4 an ver gquil day few shill nn hambs today 28/4/18 Sundays Vey quit deg in conp g little dilling undee adie
10S7 to releeve the 12th on in the resuve lies in fat of Meteron left Borre leavy ot 7.30 pn ereached are trenbs at 10 pr not much ghellyn as we relieved by here bonladnent in one left toward Henell severe from bruldy lvery in fat of us suliuely a whole vrage 29/4/18 Day gord with a lolacdre of te not much daneye done verlenet on our ver wher remaind under corg on our trenches all do at nybt the Notion was detailed for buildiy diont it o the Beyode further behind the lies rept deg drck but guiet 30/4/18 Yery quiet dy her any shilling at all day ofened by oneivery swet but leter on it cleered up dysiy fatine at Begode at andnyht 11518 Satyre left Beyade for aver trenche at 3 am accited fove in time for leckfort it 3.30 et of dy regquet on our sector on the tty are tenlarding vr heavig 2/5/18. All lazandyging fatyne in pert of our resure lives bey dork nest reft fr ptyve at 1230 am lask of 3 an fr beckfort a few shell fell new as but did no damage to anylerly deg quet da left at 815 pn yor dyping e selayiing fatiue at Brigade
3/5/8 Back from plyne at Beyodl at R30 am rest of day very quiet warned that we are bvven for the support lug tomt, left at 10.15 in eadieved Bcy of te 3r our BceDl are n the line. We prition here a pet gut if you beep indergoud dvey the day lift we are new in parly Netern 4/5/18 Farl guet de et nyti. ale We dete co anwles cag god cori beed were itto Cccntn seerd shills fell near an as w mcon las at 3 an which caught a farm on fiere gil o an were prog it 5/5/18 Sunday Hear Stellydaeiy the esteron arkind in that did not bit us bargy get it ngtt to tly culjests. vey guet night 6/5/18 Qmit day ver little Shelling detailed with 10 mer e wrin pearty in frend of B cas trenchy stated mry of I am 715118 Chaned dey be eorf hoves of the marnig while we were eery in port of Ble culst cc hee i out I dobreck continueed to re all the morning. All dieral watte et wae ssel. Wew Crladnet en cdey on our I. Bn Hoges affort to us shilled during the aftercer 2
direct but on at Atemore fard quest day. hege to get ecould Thusky night 875/18 Trm in frent of the outfors afem the Metiren road, returned to our dugonty just befe day ligt the day was dey guill harely a shell fell near us all day, out my gain tonight 9/5/18 back to aue trenshy just before deglight. rest of the day exceptionely guet everthy packed up read to beaduned Lonyte 6/5/18-relieved at 12 30am b the 15th Don of the Mr Jert Bg. The seeds tols. we muched na broix Ange to Casstre. where in found meter busse werting for us oirt 1 mile autrale the vallog we were all given a denk of cocoa by the Yell C.A. Rurssdrepped us at Walle bell where we macded clan 3 Biles to a cam of teit neve servu left in comp the rst of the dy diring the eving went it seress a vey gust valley all estamid are now eened until 9 pr said $40 - £19.4 175718 ode pe injection d q. 3oan sid of day fee 12 /5/16 Sunday Bryall chuirct prate d w an dven te gentice it conneced to nev so we came home cert sat of
AU57 the day it cleed up 1375718 Vey wil all dg. com a hie mudarec deteiled as BO.St mounted with guard. rowed vey hearil all night 16/578 Sun shinng tode camp daying up dimented B.C.S of 4pm Sey guet day 1576718 Narll d 9 12 sit in te aftero 4 Sur shigell da of het we were usitid alrestery it nigh several lends were drapped in serius now in He camp 1/5/18 Ty mrmday ald Eg dad the noiy on the ryle range on the ofterein were held the 1st Brzi srt which latic theret of the da 17/5718 A Beyae prelle day chai the noring the beynde wrred out an attack in the oftercon we were to th lasty fra btte a daye 187578 Till in bttle adee with 20 steel a blenket a marchc off o 9.30 tawrd the lim we arewed at 1230 at billety not outsole Najellroke by I tody on the werck, we relaved the 11th O

feel pretty tired have been
marching about 8 hours all told
will be leaving early in the
morning for our unknown destination 

12/4/18 Marched at 2 am to the
St Roch station, all bridges etc
have been mined in readiness.  Halted
in the Bouleverd near the station
at 3.30 as trains were not available
spent the morning walking about
Armiens, the place is absolutely  
deserted many of the houses &
municipal  buildings have been
bombed or hit by shell fire
German aeroplane activity, 
commenced immedialy at dybreak
no bombs were dropped on this visit 
entrance at St Roch at 8am  
& left at 9am  Armiens being shelled 
all the while.  remained in the  
 train all day finally arriving at 
Hazebrouck at 9 pm.  detrained 
at 11 pm & marched straight off 
through Strazeele to the cross  
roads in front of Meteren,  Meteren 
can be seen in the distance only 3.6 kils 
away, while marching up there were 
many refugees leaving the district  
as the fighting is all here now 
The church has been burning vy 
fiercely  all night.  we dug 3 
outposts here 1.2.3 platoons and 
4 in reserve  behind us in the barn 
dug in with our entrenching tools 
in a ploughed field which was  

 

pretty soft. dug hard all night 
  
13/4/18 Dug ourselves in by 
daylight .  Vy heavy mist this 
morning, we are expecting to be  
attacked, no attack developed on  
our section , attack on our left  
at hill 40 failed.  Sun rose at  
10 am & the fog lifted, managed 
to get 2 hours sleep along a hedge  
during the morning my first for two  
nights, & a little breakfast  
we have had nothing to eat since  
tea time on the 11th.  Fair  
amount of shelling from "Fritz" 
otherwise pretty quiet.  during the  
afternoon we occupied a line  
of trenches  200 yards in advance of   
the one we now hold.  this is to 
be the front line.  Spent the rest  
of the day improving trench which 
was dug by the 3rd Canadian Cy
Tunnellers.  had the trench fairly   
complete by night.  out wiring in  
front all night Job completed 
by the morning.  on our R are the  
5th Cameronians & our L the Queens 
in front of us are outposts of these 
regiments  several farms are burning 
fiercely all night.  machine gun &  
artilley fire continuous  
  
14/4/18 Sunday   Weather vy cold have  
salvaged blankets etc from neighbouring 
farms & made ourselves comfortable  
any amount of Beer, wine & champagne

 

to be got from the deserted  
farms, estaminets, etc, our position 
is now consolidable & all barb  
wire fixed up.  Farm in 'no mans  
land' shelled & burning fiercely at 
3 pm. rest of the day quiet. 
  
15/4/18  Very misty this morng expected  
a visit from Fritz however nothing  
occurred the day is fairly quiet  
we are still salvaging anything of use from 
the farms & have found 4 barrels of beer 
hundreds of bottles of wine champagne etc, 
28 fowls.  bed clothg, blankets etc etc 
we are now using them for our own  
comfort. during the night 6 farms  
are burning round us at the same  
time 
  
16/4/18 Day fairly quiet. heavy  
fog & mist all night. Heavily shelled  
at mid day .  Heavy attack on our 
L.  English troops gave way & ran 
like rabbits.  Fritz entered Meteren  
we could see the whole of the opperating   
C & D Coy of the 4th attacked & 
advanced 800 yds successfully on our R flank 
our L flank is now held by a French  
Division they advanced at 8.30 pm 
they formed up in front of our lines & 
looked vy well .  our 1st Bn followed  
them up & supported their R flank 
no news of their success by midnight  
several more farms are now burning. 
we changed 
17/4/18 We changed our position at 
1 am taking up the trenches vacated

 

by D Cy, the [[conveniences?]] of their  
trenches were not vy good. at 9am 
a vy heavy bombardment with HE started 
we had several casualty.  we were 
ordered up to the line to support 
C Cy under very heavy shell fire 
all day at 5 pm we saw the [[?Sapers]]  
advance & dig in about 100 yds in front  
of our outposts we expected a heavy  
attack which however did not come  
off  Fritz being content to dig in  
at 10pm we were ordered up to  
the line to relieve C Cy & took  
over their positions dug our outpost  
all night & made ourselves secure  
by the morning.  the night was calm 
& very quiet.  the night very rainy & cold.  
  
18/4/18 On outpost all day long   
this morning we took a prisoner  
Very rough day & terribly cold hail 
& snow at intervals during the night 
Meteren is burning fiercley tonight 
it's no less than 6 new fires have started 
& are burning fiercely all through the 
night. illuminating the county all 
arround 
  
19/4/18 On outpost all day.  terribly 
cold with hail & snow 
Heavy bombardment early this morning  
however nothing developed on our post 
much  "Fritz" aeroplane activity this  
morning.  Vey wet & miserable

 

20/4/18  Heavy bombardment this 
morning & much German  
aeroplanes about  otherwise pretty 
quiet day vy frosty night & 
terribly cold during the day. 
  
21/4/18 Sunday   Day opened with the  
usual bombardment . our post was 
barbed wired last night.   Vy misty in  
early hours of the morning & bitterly  
cold with a frost.  The sun came  
out later & warmed things up 
a bit.  took my boots off today 
the first time since we left 
Armiens on the 12th.  rest of the day 
fairly quiet 
  
22/4/18  Day opened with the usual 
"straff" & several rifle grenades flying
about otherwise quiet. this is my 
first birthday actually in the trenches
were relieved at 10 pm by the 5th Bn 
had a few casualties from shelling as we
were leaving otherwise relief OK. marched 
to Borre Railway Siding near Caestre
where we billited in the railway 
huts arrived here in the early hours
of the morning managed to get a good
sleep etc 

23/4/18 Had a general wash and brush 
up. the first wash since I left
Armiens on the 12th.  Visited Caestre
in the evening. The village has been looted 
dozens of barrels of beer thousands of  
bottles of wine, champagne etc are

 

lying about & our boys are having  
a good time.  barrels of beer are being 
rooled & wheeled to the camp.  there  
are three breweries in the town 
salvaged beddg & a clean change 
at night "Fritz" visited us with  
his aeroplanes in two raids on 
the railway sheds we were vy lucky 
he missed our huts each time  
Settled down for a little sleep after  
the fun 
  
24/4/18  In camp all day.  Paid 
20₣ - 14/8. Plenty of excitement  
during the night Fritz made three  
bombing raids on our camp, with 
artillery bombardment. few 
casualties. 
  
25/4/18 Anzac Day.  Vy quiet to 
day absolutely nothing doing no  
sports or even a drink. everythg vy tame 
  
26/4/18 Bombardment opened on the  
camp at 3am. not much damage 
done. woke the camp up otherwise  
everybody quite unconcerned 
mounted B O Sgt at 4. pm.  visited  
baths in the camp. got a change of  
underclothes etc 
  
27/4/18  B.O. Sgt all day- dismounted 
with the guard at 4pm. vy quiet  
day. few shells no bombs today 
  
28/4/18  Sunday Very quiet day in  
camp vy little shelling under orders

 

to relieve the 12th Bn in the reserve  
lines in front of Meteren.  left Borre 
Camp at 7.30pm & reached our trenches  
at 10 pm  not much shelling as we 
relieved  Vy heavy bombardment on our 
left towards Hemmell. several farm 
buildings burning in front of us including 
a whole village. 
  
29/4/18 Day opened with a bombardment 
of HE not much damage done 
bombardment on our L very intense
remained under cover in our trenches 
all day. at night the platoon was 
detailed for building dugouts etc for
the Brigade further behind the lines
night vy drak but quiet. 
  
30/4/18 Very quiet day hardly any 
shelling at all. day opened vy showery 
& wet but later on it cleared up
digging fatigue at Brigade at midnight 
  
1/5/18 Fatigue left Brigade for our 
trenches at 3 am. arrived here in 
time for breakfast at 3.30. rest of 
day vy quiet on our sector on the L they 
are bombarding vy heavily  
  
2/5/18 All Coy on digging fatigue in 
front of our reserve lines vy dark 
night left for fatigue at 12.30 am back by
3 am for breakfast.  a few shells fell near 
us but did no dammage to anybody 
very quiet day. left at 8.15 pm for 
digging and sandbagging fatigue at Brigade

 

3/5/18 Back from fatigue at Brigade
at 12.30 am, rest of day very 
quiet.  warned that we are leaving 
for the support lines tonight, left 
at 10.15 pm & relieved B Cy of 
the 3rd  our B. C & D Coy are in the 
line. the position here is pretty 
quiet if you keep under ground
during the day light. we are 
now in part of Meteren 

4/5/18 Fairly quiet day at night all 
the platoon on engineers carrying party
carrying barbed wire etc to C Coy outpost
several shells fell near us as we
were coming back at 3 am which
caught a farm on fire just as we
were passing it 
  
5/5/18 Sunday  Heavy shelling during 
the afternoon arround us but did 
not hit us.  Carying party at night to 
C Coys outposts. Very quiet night 
  
6/5/18  Quiet day very little 
shelling. detailed with 10 men for
wiring party in front of B Coys trenches
started wiring at 1 am 
  
7/5/18 Rained during the early hours of 
the morning while we were wiring 
in front of B Coys outposts arrived  
home vy wet. By daybreak continued 
to rain all the morning.  all dugouts, 
& clothes etc wringing wet.  Heavy bombardment  
on all day on our L . Bn Hdqrs opposite 
to us shelled during the afternoon 2

 

direct hits on it.  otherwise fairly  
quiet day.  hope to get relieved  
by Thursday night 
  
8/5/18  Wiring in front of the outposts 
from the Meteren road, returned 
to our dugouts just before day 
light. the day was very quiet  
hardly a shell fell near us all 
day, out wiring again tonight 
  
9/5/18  Back to our trenches just before  
daylight. rest of the day exceptionally  
quiet everything packed up ready to be relieved 
tonight 
  
10/5/18 Relieved at 12.30am by the 15th 
Bn of the W Yorks Bgd.  The Leeds [[?]] 
we marched via Croix Ridge to Caestre 
where we found motor buses waiting 
for us about ½ a mile outside the village 
we were all given a drink of cocoa 
by the Y.M.C.A .  Buses dropped us at 
Wallen Cappel where we marched about  
3 miles to a camp  of tents  near Sercus 
slept in camp  the rest of the day during 
the evening went into Sercus. a very quiet  
village.  all estaminets are now opened  
until 9 pm  Paid ₣40 =  £1.9.4 
  
11/5/18 Parade for inspection at 9.30am 
rest of the day free 
  
12/5/18 Sunday Brigade church parade  
at 10 am during the service it commenced  
to rain so we came home early.  rest of

 

the day it cleared up. 
  
13/5/18 Very wet all day . camp  
a huge mud area.  detailed as BO Sgt 
mounted with guard .  rained very  
heavily all night 
  
14/5/18  Sun shining today .  camp  
drying up dismounted BOS at 4pm  
very quiet day 
  
15/5/18 Parade at 9-12.  Sports in 
the afternoon 2-4  Sun shining all  
day vy hot.  we were visited by 
aereplanes at night several bombs 
were dropped in  Sercus none in 
the camp 
  
16/5/18 Very warm day all day. Coy 
had the morning on the rifle range  
in the afternoon were held the 1st Brigade 
Sports which lasted the rest of the day  
  
17/5/18 A Brigade Field Day during 
the morning the Brigade carried out  
an attack.  in the afternoon we went to  
the baths for a bath & a change 
  
18/5/18 Fell in battle order with 
W P Sheet & blanket & marched off  
at 9.30 towards the line . we arrived 
at 12.30 at billets just outside  
Hazelbrooke. Very hot today. on the 
march, we relieved the 11th Bn  

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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