Handwritten transcript of diaries of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1915 - 6 October 1918, Part 21 of 26

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26/10/17 In our huts, rained continously all day, ground

in a very swampy state

 

27/10/17  Rained nearly all day, making everything very muddy

& miserable. At night the camp was bombed, causing

many casualties in the tents of the 2nd Bn, who are

quite close to us making one large camp. Fifteen of their

men were killed & many others wounded. bombs also

fell in our Bn transport lines, killing several horses

one falling in our lines but failed to explode. We

escaped damage as we are in huts under the trees

& not easily seen from the air

 

28/10/17 Sunday No parades today,  all the camp now

waking after yesterdays casualties, making the huts

bomb splinter proof with sand bags & mounds of

earth built up as a low wall around each hut,

this should have been done long before yesterdays

disaster has just wake somebody up to the unprotected

state of the camp. We hope that others using this camp

after us will reap the benefit.

 

29/10/17 Usual parades today. Ground much drier,

we will move nearer to the line tomorrow

 

30/10/17 Revelle 6am fall in 8am, marched through

the conjested traffic single file to Ypres, which is now

much more damaged than when we were here last

owing to the contineous bombardment & bombing the old

Cloth Hall & Cathedral are in a much more ruinous

state. We passed right through the town leaving it

by the Menin Gate, camping on some high ground

just outside the walls on the E side across the Canal

All the Coy on fatigue for the rest of the day fixing

200

up dugouts & shelters to sleep in

 

31/10/17 Sun shining all day, much warmer. during the

afternoon had a good ramble over the ruins of Ypres

which is now in a terrible state of wreckage. Camp

bombed at night fortunately without any damage to us 

All the bombs falling wide of the mark, this sector

of the front is the worst for bombing, raids taking

place every night without fail, over the ruins of the

town & the camps surrounding it on the off chance

of hitting something, thousands of men & horses are

 scattered over the whole area, which is now a

very tempting target. All this makes it very

uncomfortable for us but after a few visits you

take no notice. Although the town of Ypres

itself is practically deserted there are many

amunition dumps, batteries etc located round

about all offering good targets

 

1/11/17 Warned for B O Sgt all day. During day

orders arrived for us to move up to Westhoek Ridge

Left camp at 1.30 pm arriving on the Ridge at 4.30

pm where we relieved the 10^th Bn in reserve

We were shelled while coming up causing us a

few casualties

 

2/11/17 In dugouts on Westhoek Ridge all day. heavily

shelled compelling us to leave our dugouts & Coy shelters

& take refuge in the "Pill boxes" this shelling

caused us many casualties, also plenty of HE shrapnell

flying about & SOS shells

 

3/11/17 On Westhoek Ridge all day, heavy shelling at intervalls

causing more casualties

 201

4/11/17 Sunday On Westhoek Ridge all day, untill

4 pm, when I left with Mr Hawk for the front line

to find our Coy sector when we relieve the 12^th Bn

probably tomorrow night. We went on patrol with

the 12Bn at 10 pm, patrol consisted of 12 men, 2 NCO^s

& 2 officers, we carefully reconoitered the ground in

front as tomorrow night we will have to take out

our own patrol. Carefully patrolled about 1000 to

1200 yds in front of our outposts, passing through

Bury Wood, Birma, & Rhine Copse, this country is very

low lying & swampy and we are frequently

bogged up to our hips in the soft mud & water. It

is not possible to hold an outpost in this sort of

country, nevertheless the whole ground is thoroughly

patrolled by both sides. We are equipped as lightly as

possible carrying only our rifle, 15 rounds & 1 bomb

Several times we were fired on by an enemy patrol

but could not locate them as they were too well

hidden & protected by their outposts behind them

We were out for 2½ hours, all managed to rejoin our

lines safely, on our return each man is given a big nip

of rum to warm us up as we were terribly cold &

wet through

 

5/11/17 Good deal of heavy shelling during the day, with

plenty of gas thrown over. The Coy relieved their sector

during the afternoon. At night on patrol with Mr Hawk at 10.30

patrolled Bury Wood. Birma & Rhine Copse, but did not

find the enemy patrol, the ground is still very swampy

returned to our outpost at 2am. We have now relieved

the 12^th Bn on Paschendale Ridge East of Zonnebeke

 

6/11/17 Easy day, no fatigues, no patrol tonight, handed it

over to B Coy. Heavy shelling all day, one shell falling

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into the officers dugout wounding Mr Hawke & Mr Balcombe

While Mr Hawke was being carried away by the stretcher

bearers, another shell fell on him blowing him to pieces

without touching the bearers who were carrying him

to the Brigade Station Mr Balcombe got through

 

7/11/17 Easy day today, no patrol tonight. Heavy

shelling all around our Coy area during the day

All HE shells today, no gas

 

8/11/17 Much aerial activity this morning with

several fights over our lines. We were relieved by the

1^st Bn at 1pm much to our surprise, as we did not

expect relief untill darkness & as a result we were

not packed up. Later we occupied the support

line on Anzac ridge, just below our previous

position on Westhoek Ridge. Heavy shelling all

around our camp during the afternoon with

many gas shells

 

9/11/17 Whole Coy on duck board fatigue, making

an approach to our camp, which is an old

disused trench off the main duckboard road

Heavy shelling all around us during the day

causing us some casualties. There were three gas

alarms during the night, our casualties due to

gas this time in the line have been rather heavy

making us much under strength, there are not

many of us left by now. fortunately the gas has not

had any effect on me, the effect differs on different

men in different ways, some loose their speech

others get vy sore eyes, others take it on the lungs

etc etc. Have taken few precautions seldome wearing

my helmet. feel OK notwithstanding

203

 

10/11/17 Rained heavily all day, making the mud too

thick to walk about in. Shelling much less today but

general conditions are much worse

 

11/11/17 Sunday The 1^st Brigade are relieved today

We were relieved by the 2/6^th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

relieved early at 8 am marching to Ypres, entering

the town by the Menin Gate marching through to

Poperinghe & on to Vancouver Camp near Ouderdoum

Managed to get a bath at the camp, this is the first

wash for 10 days

 

12/11/17 In Vancouver Camp all day, probably marching

off tomorrow, issued with a complete change of

underclothes today

 

13/11/17 Packed up full marching order, told before

we moove off that we are to march about 80 miles

to the coast for a good rest, the march to take

about 6 days. Left camp at 9 am & marched 8 miles

to Berthen arriving there 2pm

 

14/11/17 Left Berthen 9 am, marched 15 miles to

Zuytpeene & were billeted in the same farm we

occupied on our last visit here several months back

 

15/11/17 Left Zuytpeene 9 am marched 10 miles to

Wardrecques

 

16/11/17 Left Wardrecques 9 am marched 12 miles to

Remilly-Wirquin

 

17/11/17 Rested here all day

204

18/11/17 Sunday Left Remilly-Wirquin 9 am

marched 12 miles to Bléquin

 

19/11/17 Left Bléquin 9am marched the last

stage of our journey through the town of Samer

where the Brigade Hd Qrs are situated to

a small village 2½ kilometres on the other side

finally halting at Tingry. We have marched 14

miles today and 75-80 since leaving the front line

I have not felt any ill effects of the march, although

very many fell out with sore feet etc. Feel very

fit & not in the least foot sore or tired

 

20/11/17 We are billeted here in a large private

house Nos 1.2.& 3 platoons being together, spent

today in a general clean up, taking shortages

etc

 

21/11/17 Easy day, Sports etc no parades. Visited

Samer in evening

 

22/11/17 All day leave granted to Boulogne returned

9.30 pm

 

23/11/17 Short parade today, having an easy time

all this week training recommences again next

week

 

24/11/17 Detailed as Coy O Sgt for the week

relieving Cpl Goldwater

 

25/11/17 Sunday Did not attend the Church Parade

which was the last one conducted by Chaplin Mc

Kenzie as he is leaving us for Australia very soon

205

He has been contineously with us since 1914, and is the

only chaplain in the 1^st Brigade, if not in the whole

Division, that has remained with his Bn since its

formation. After Church parade 5 photographs were taken

by a special photographer from Bologne 1. Full Bn

2. Original members of the Bn since 1914. 3. Gallipoli men

4. A Coy group. 5. A Coy NCO^s

 

26/11/17 To 6/12/17 At Tingry. Co Ord Sgt attended

no parades

 

6/12/17 To 14/12/17 Leave granted to visit Paris

 

14/12/17 Left Paris. Garde du Nord 7.30 pm travelling

all night to Boulogne, arriving 5.30 am next day

 

15/12/17 Arrd Boulogne 5.30 am. Leaving for Calais 9.15 am

changed there for Hazebrouck & Caestre arrived 6.30 pm

 

16/12/17 Sunday In camp all day Very cold

 

17/12/17 Camp all day. snowed during night, vy cold

 

18/12/17 Snowed all day, vy cold, warned to rejoin Bn

tomorrow

 

19/12/17 Left camp with draft 9 am in motor buses

passed through Fletre & Bailleul to Kemmel where we

marched to Lindenhack Camp where the Bn were billited

 

20/12/17 Heavy frost on the ground this morning with a

very cutting wind. Warned for Bn Guard, mounted at 2 pm

with 15 men. Very cold night with a heavy frost, we have

several prisoners under arrest

206

21/12/17 Heavy frost all day, relieved from guard 12 am

Coy left for the reserve lines, in the front area at 1.30

after detailing 15 men to form a raiding party & to train for

a few days for the raid. I was detailed to remain behind

as one of the Sgts of the party with Mr Gunn & Mr Court.

Men from other companys joined us later making full party

of 35 men

 

22/12/17 Started training for the raid. Training consists

of steady "doubling" first thing in the morning before breakfast

then physical exercises with bayonet fighting, detailed

as 2 M S of the party

 

23/12/17 Sunday Nothing doing all day. resting

 

24/12/17 Training as usuall, heavy fall of snow during

the night, forrage parties out to find a Christmas dinner

 

25/12/17 Christmas Day No training today. ground

covered with snow. the forage parties returned during 

the early hours of the morning with 17 fowls. 7 sacks of

potatoes also a case of rum taken from a rum dump

Each man has also put 1 franc into a fund & I have

bought plenty of oranges, apples, nuts etc, we have

plenty to eat after giving the officers 2 fowls for

their dinner. We made ourselves very warm & happy

for the rest of the day & night with plenty of rum

 

26/12/17 Training as usual, heavy fall of snow during

the early morning, snowed heavily during night

 

27/12/17 Training as usual with a good run to

Nieuve Eglise & back

207

28/12/17 Same as yesterday, we are feeling very fit

 

29/12/17 Training as usual

 

30/12/17 Sunday No training today, heavy fall of snow

 

31/12/17 Received orders to move up towards the line

left our huts at 3pm & marched to Minden Villas

dugouts where we are camped behind Bn Hdqrs

 

1918

 

1/1/18 New Years Day. Very quiet day, hardly any

artillery activity on our front, although there is a

very steady bombardment on our L all day in the

direction of Paschendale Ridge. We are now in the

Mesines sector

 

2/1/18 Everything quiet today. Out on patrol at

night to see the country over which we will cross

when we carry out the raid "No mans land" is

full of frozen shell holes, it has been freezing hard

all day and terribly cold at night. We all dressed in

white suits so that we cannot be seen against the

snow, this effectively hides us, we patroled to an

empty pill box, which we found evacuated, although

it had been held by a German machine gun party

the night previously, tonight it is unoccupied

 

3/1/18 We are compelled to remain in our dugouts all

day, as no movement must take place above ground

during daylight, owing to our exposed position, and

being under direct observation. No patrol tonight

 

208

4/1/18 It has been descided that tonight the

raid is to take place, we were not informed untill

late in the day. A large German outpost has been 

selected, and everything is ready. We are dressed

completely in white, so as to match the surrounding

country which is now thickly covered in snow.

We leave our outpost at 8 pm & started on our

way across "no mans land" after mooving foreward

about 200 yards we heard shots fired & bombs bursting

on our left rear, a 3^rd Bn sentry called out

"Stand too the 4^th!" our outposts then passed the

alarm on, one to another, presently machine & Lewis

guns commenced to sweep the ground around us

fortunately without hitting anybody. Then we

realise that "Fritz" too has a raiding party out

trying to raid our outposts. Both parties have

crossed one another in the darkness without being

seen, his party now being behind us & his trenches

in front, thus placing us in a very difficult position

Things are now commensing to get rather warm &

we are in the dangerous position of being between

two fires, so we decide to remain where we are

for a while & catch Fritz on his way back. We

take up our position in a frozen stream, lying

along the bank flat on the ice which makes us

terribly cold. All the while our machine gun

bullets are sweeping the shell holes in front of us

only just passing over our heads as we lie flat

down on the bank, many of the bullets throw

frozen mud in our face as they strike the ground

just in front of us. We lie a long time like this

untill the firing eases down, but Fritz did not

return our way although every man is watching very

carefully. Two men volunteer to crawl along the