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

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • ANZAC
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000335
Difficulty:
3

Page 1 / 9

249 would give us the least shelter from wind or weather has been burnt, the whole county side is burning no shetter of an kind being left fr either men or horses. We fix oveselvies up the best way we can for a little shetter, usin the Not Treet iren from the ruined huts. During the ofternoon. walked over to Alt St Quentin which commands a very fine view of all the county arround, this vy unjatant vsition was stermede token by one of our Dnesions onf a few days ago, with er light losses. The eor surrender of this jesition will mean a lot to Fritz who not puttry up much of a fight let it go cheapy. Aerglancs paid us several visits during the night, bembing Covrcelles e Heronne some fall close to us, as we are not using the old positions of his comys no tembs took efect as we were not where he experted to find us even the village of Courcelles is not occupied. The benber behind the lines new erly night is the worst feature of this pont, erlay of plaves follow each other ot interal of olont an hour each deon their load on ther selected spts e return herre, we are doing the same, whole fleets of planes being used fr this perse alone, all night we hear the drone of planes pssing one way or other, we can easity distinguish the ferman taken eranes which is a signal to take cover. As all troops, hoeses, itc are Ancouacked outside villages in the fields for sofety our cosualtes from bembing are reduced to a minimum. Order issued for is to leave temerin 9/9/18 Fell in 830am e marched through Jincourt to Roisel we approached the town from the outifirts, hoving marched acress the country and RIA
230 enterin the town at the lazge dump on the railway line, which had been fired. bisse the Gormans were compelled to evaciate the district. Thishie dump which extends over a mile& a half doy the line is burning fiecel from end to end as we much through it, being comselled to murch through the centre, fortunatel a sairg wide read runs through the dump from end to end which gives us a clear passage through the burning mass on either side of us. Everythey affarealf is being consumed consistry of all kinds of Army stores enjineering motiral, huge stacks of timber, tene of amunition e shells, derelants etc, the fire with preball continue to burn for seveesl days yet, no attempt being made on our part to put it out a to salvage anything. We occu dry outs e shelters a little distance from the dlmp which duing the efternoon was under heary astitley fice, the geemars keeping this bowbardment up in order to prerent ae frem solvaging anothenr of volue, & to keep the fire gaing fish outhreaks have new occured. The from tine is only 3 miles away. The town of Caisel is continually being shelled all day, in the hepe of catching some of our treaps there, all troops howener yors around the town fo sofety, leaving Fiity to tenberd the ruins only. 10/9/18 General Shewers of rain during the day, the ground is now getting very muddy, intermittant shelling all day of the town of Rossel e the dump which is still blaying finrely behind us. Orders aerived during the day for us to leave here at 8 pm for the front une. Left camp at 8e marched to the line
251 to relive a loy of the 40th Bn. Porin the night orders seccold that we are to advance 1000 yds edy in, at deybreck next marning. The night is vey quiet, all shills passing over us. We are now holding a part of the old French oreginal prent line bery part of the prent they held at the end of the by Somme effensive in 1917 11/9/18 Advance commenced at deybreak, under a very week artitley suport, we met no opposition until we gained our objective, which was a ridge of gound just in pent of the village of Templeux a small village in prent of the Minderberg Line. On this side of the villageeon the ridge itself Buls had constructed several gunken outjorts commandry a good view of the flat county in front e peotecting the village. We had no idea of the existance of these fosts, e did not find them out until we were right up to them, when we fund rifle & mashine gun fire spitting at us at vey close range pomall directions Kley was very badly cut uep, as the pre frem a machine gun jost was withheld until we were right on to it, then the opened on us at 100 12 yds range, my pletoon being in pent was nearly wifed out, the officer being wounded earlies, had fallen out in the advance e left me in chagge of nearf half the Cor, so had to caly on as best I could with the men that were left. The oly they to do vei so dose to the jost was to rush it Was fatinate in getteng right up to the past epurzed in while lapl Johnstone leavered up the sheet iren roof to deep a Mills lomb inside e deive the occugants out white we who had actually junsed
252 into the jest was waiting to catch them at the door, severalof them came out in a rugh but did not guerender as we thought the would, had put up a good resistance, as there were ony 30r4 of us we got a sevear handling, Finall I was the onl unwounded man remaining, the others hoving been sniped pon another jost on hihe ground earcclocking the one we were in. White dealing with one or two fermans still left one of them get behind me unobsaried e shot me though the vack. The jort new was pill of wounded Had fermars e our men I did not notice one man of either side unwounded. Most of our logg seemed to be seriously hit e could do ve little as I was rather secious myself. Fertrendy I was unhurt about the legg e realised I could not lie in ther outfort as it was still not taken as all the attacking parts were now either villed or badly wounded in the attengt to toke a hold it, the goerson being too mane their peotection too strong. Eft Johnstone while trym to bemb them into surrendering was shot though the thigh e lay on the offosite side of the jost to me, I did but see him again, exentually with a few others he was taken prisoner Fertunalef I manyed to crawl out of the jost a fell into a shill holl some little distance away, hoping that another loy would eventuall toke the jost e find e, unfortunate thing well too not just here, a no further attempt was made, it would have been hopeless to gain the jest pem the prent as their machine gung swept the ground all around, with the jost on the left giving extra secuity, being on hyher gound
253 would have to be taken first the whole business has been badly bungled we horse cained nothing and have nearl lost a half ly of men. Fartuatel for me I lay in a shell holl eso escaped the shote which passed over, will he compelled to stay here all day. Te fermans brought up other treops e counterattacked about fam e made a little proness, as only a few isotated men are now left; with some wounded who could offer very little resistance. A few personees were taken, including some of the wounded with Epl Johnstone, fortunately for me they did not advance for enough, e so missed the shell hole I was ling in, as it was under obscrvation from our old cutjests thus flacing them open to our fire from D Cox in sufferts; who already had taken the eppertunity of picking many of them off a this, giving there wounded in the advance some protection. The day drayed on vy wearily, all day shells wre falling intermittantly a the ground is swept by machine gung. Bei wounded in the lack I could not drees the nound so had to be pot on m back a peess the sides toether with my wight, this helped to step the paw of blood a good deal, morg hese seens to deend on me being found by one of our patrals at night e carried in. svrig the or there were two light showees of rain that pashened te up a bit, asI was begining to feel ver weak from the loss of blood a the want of something to eat At 5pm the fermans counter attacked again, could hear them appeaching e tolkey in ferman, so I descided to mae a dock for ove ontost lines if I had sufficient stength left e drageed onself over the side of the shell holl elay autsice ready for the find effort. I could see them advancing in geu order to occupy the ridge for the night, so rast no time in tryin to get away
2654 from what would soon be their own outjost One or two of them as soon as I struggled to my knee had another shot, one vey nearl get me as he trocked my shropnell helmet off tnceked me to the ground again, patunetel I was not hurt as on the helmet was hit. The must hore thought the had got me, as efter a ryghort rot I got into m knee again a exertuall on to my less, instinctively turned in the right direction stumbled foreward eventually heard sememne celling me, without even knowin where I actuall was, had struck one of te leys josts e was taken in by one of the orserers, where I was deessed for the first time e token bock to the support line e corried to the R.AP.e exacuated by motor ambulance to the advanced dresging station, remainin there for obeut 12 hour to be iroculated againt lock jaw followin a diety wound. Ofterwards gassed on Canother moter ambulance to a central dressing station the 1AFA who in their turn passed me on to the 53.CC.S autside Veronne where I remained for the night 12/9/18 Operoted on this ofternion, the bullet entered the back on the A side of the spine, witht teriching it, a travelliy upwords cutting through the miscles of the back a leaving o the I sholder blade breathn a loge fat of it abry, He whole course of the bullet was efered up e cleaned, the wound being about 14 long, feel ver sicke weak from loss of blood itc 13/9/18 Faley pretty bad all day, very week
255 Exject to be evacuated during the day, took 14/9/18 food, the first since the 10th shllvy weak a little 15/9/18 Sunday Not exacuated untill 3 pr, the railway not very considered safe. We ore the first hospital train to leave Peronne since its recapture fracelled all through the night, reaching La kovre at daykeck 16/9/18 Accived at oor General Hospital ot La House at dawn, will wait here for a short while for a possital ship. e occupied the hospital new of the end of the peor where we are redrssed. Left at upm on the Guildford Castle, we did not leave the jort untill dlockness had get in 17/9/18 Arrived off the Isle of White at day break readn the wharf at Southampton at middey when we tred up edischarged, the ship it full of wounded. I was a stretcher case e had to tre on the wharf untill ypm when we were placed on a Hospital Train for Cardiff S Wales arring there at gu etoken ly mator ambelance to Ninion Pock Hospital. A 5 Word 18/9/18 Had a vey rettees night, withut permission got up the first time pr 7 days 19/4/18 Back vey painfull, edicharging very much been deessed with hot feements & times a day. Dhew a hospital kit today 20/9/18 Visited lardiff this oftenion pr chant 3 hours weare to be tramsfered remolraw
256 21/9/18 Tranfered to a U.H.D. Rid Cross Mar at Barry Docks. Left Cardiff 2 pm aird Barry 4 pr 22/9/18 Sunday Out all day, visited the sea beach wound is much casion now, being dressed there times or doy 23/9/18 Found vey easy naw, everythin noemal the disshaye being now under contral, am new out of danger 24/9/18 To 18/1/18 Hospital at Baery On the 11/11/18 word arrveed that an armutic hhad been alraed to operate pan 119e am On the receipt of this news the whole town went made wild with excitement which was best up fr 20r3 days. On the evenin of the 11t a by terchlight jarade took place in which all soloties, sailoes, nurses, scouts etc teck jait everlady beig wild with dilipt to think that the wor is over at last 18/1/18 Left Bary for aewfort e sent to the lavaly Barracks 19/11/18 Possed Der as fit to travell 20/11/18 Orders received that all member of the A.I.F. are to leave this morning for London caught the 9.20 am, arrived London 1.30 pm. Went to tesefory Ad our Heudquarters, those fit went on 14 days leave. Pr sent me to No3 Aust Anxilray Hospital. Doctford. Kent
257 21/1/18 Fo 18/12/18 At Partford Hospital left today on 14 days leave 18/2/18 To 2/1/19 On 14 days leave in VK. To 22/6/19 Leave in Paris 2/1/19 After overstaging leave in Pacis, returned to Monte Vided bamg at Weymouth for demobitisation tinal 14 days leave granted in London before emborkation 2/7/19 75 17/7/19 Small left Enland on the Ormonde aren homee discharged Oct 6. 1919 Gerrice Abroad 4 years 290 days Conlett Sanice 54" 5

249
would give us the least shelter from wind or
weather has been burnt, the whole county side
is burning no shelter of any kind being left for
either men or horses. We fix ourselves up the best
way we can for a little shelter, using the hot sheet
iron from the ruined huts. During the afternoon I
walked over to Mt St Quentin which commands
a very fine view of all the county around, this
very important position was stormed & token
by one of our Divisions only a few days ago, with
very light losses. The easy surrender of this position
will mean a lot to Fritz who not putting up much
of a fight let it go cheaply. Aeroplanes paid us several
visits during the night, bombing Courcelles & Peronne.
Some fall close to us, as we are not using the old positions
of his camps no bombs took effect as we were not
where he expected to find us even the village of
Courcelles is not occupied. The bombing behind the
lines now every night is the worst feature of this
front, relays of planes follow each other at intervals
of about an hour each drop their load on their
selected spots & return home, we are doing the
same, whole fleets of planes being used for this
purpose alone, all night we hear the drone of
planes passing one way or other, we can easily
distinguish the German Foker engines which is
a signal to take cover. As all troops, horses, etc
are bivouacked outside villages in the fields
for safety our casualties from bombing are reduced
to a minimum. Orders issued for us to leave tomorrow

9/9/18 Fell in 8.30am & marched through Tincourt
to Raisel we approached the town from the
outskirts, having marched across the country and

 

250
entering the town at the large dump on the
railway line, which had been fired before the
Germans were compelled to evacuate the district.
This huge dump which extends over a mile & a half
along the line is burning fiercely from end to end
as we march through it, being compelled to
march through the centre, fortunately a fairly wide
road runs through the dump from end to end
which gives us a clear passage through the burning
mass on either side of us. Everything apparently is being
consumed consisting of all kinds of Army stores,
engineering material, huge stacks of timber, tens
of amunition & shells, aeroplanes etc, the fire
will probably continue to burn for several
days yet, no attempt being made on our part to
put it out or to salvage anything. We occupy
dry outs & shelters a little distance from the
dump which during the afternoon was under heavy
artillery fire, the Germans keeping this bombardment
up in order to prevent us from salvaging
anything of value, & to keep the fire going. fresh
outbreaks have now occured. The front line
is only 3 miles away. The town of Raisel is
continually being shelled all day, in the hope of
catching some of our troops there, all troops however
pass around the town for safety, leaving Fritz to
bombard the ruins only.

10/9/18 Several showers of rain during the day, the
ground is now getting very muddy, intermittant shelling
all day of the town of Raisel & the dump which is
still blazing fiercely behind us. Orders arrived during
the day for us to leave here at 8 pm for the
front line. Left camp at 8 & marched to the line 

 

251
to relieve a Coy of the 40th Bn. During the night
orders received that we are to advance 1000 yds
& dig in, at daybreak next morning. The night is
very quiet, all shells passing over us. We are now
holding a part of the old French original front line
being part of the front thy held at the end of the
big Somme offensive in 1917

11/9/18 Advance commenced at daybreak, under a
very week artillery support, we met no opposition
until we gained our objective, which was a ridge
of ground just in front of the village of Templeux
a small village in front of the Hindenberg Line.
On this side of the village & on the ridge itself
Fritz had constructed several sunken outposts
commanding a good view of the flat county
in front & protecting the village. We had no
idea of the existance of these posts, & did not
find them out until we were right up to
them, when we found rifle & machine gunfire
spitting at us at very close range from all directions
A Coy was very badly cut up, as the fire from
a machine gun post was withheld until we were
right on to it, then they opened on us at 10 or 12 yds
range, my platoon being in front was nearly wiped
out, the officer being wounded earlier, had fallen
out in the advance & left me in charge of nearly
half the Coy, so had to carry on as best I could
with the men that were left. The only thing to
do being so dose to the post was to rush it
Was fortunate in getting right up to the post & jumped
in while Cpl Johnstone leavered up the sheet iron
roof to drop a Mills bomb inside & drive the
occupants out while we who had actually jumped 

 

252
into the post was waiting to catch them at the
door, several of them came out in a rush but
did not surrender as we thought they would, but
put up a good resistance, as there were only
3 or 4 of us we got a sevear handling, Finally
I was the only unwounded man remaining, the
others having been sniped from another post on higher
ground & overlooking the one we were in. While
dealing with one or two Germans still left one of
them got behind me unobserved & shot me though
the back. The post now was full of wounded &
dead Germans & our men I did not notice one
man of either side unwounded. Most of our boys
seemed to be seriously hit & could do very little
as I was rather serious myself. fortunately I was
unhurt about the legs & realised I could not
lie in their outpost as it was still not taken
as all the attacking party were now either
killed or badly wounded in the attempt to
take & hold it, the garrison being too many &
their protection too strong. Cpl Johnstone while
trying to bomb them into surrendering was shot
through the thigh & lay on the opposite side of
the post to me, I did not see him again, eventually
with a few others he was taken prisoner.
Fortunately I managed to crawl out of the post
& fell into a shell hole some little distance
away, hoping that another Coy would eventually
take the post & find me, unfortunately things
were too hot just here, & no further attempt
was made, it would have been hopeless to gain
the post from the front as their machine guns
swept the ground all around, with the post on
the left giving extra security, being on higher ground

 

253
would have to be taken first, the whole business
has been badly bungled we have gained nothing
and have nearly lost a half Coy of men. Fortunately
for me I lay in a shell hole  & so escaped the
shots which passed over, was  be compelled to stay
here all day. The Germans brought up other
troops & counterattacked about 8am & made a
little progress, as only a few isolated men are now
left; with some wounded who could offer very
little resistance. A few prisoners were taken, including
some of the wounded with Cpl Johnstone. fortunately for
me they did not advance far enough, & so missed the
shell hole I was lying in, as it was under observation
from our old outposts thus placing them open to our fire
from D Coy in supports; who already had taken the
opportunity of picking many of them off & thus, giving
those wounded in the advance some protection.
The day dragged on very wearily, all day shells are falling
intermittantly & the ground is swept by machine guns.
Being wounded in the back I could not dress the wound
so had to lie flat on my back & press the sides together
with my weight, this helped to stop the flow of blood a
good deal, my only hope seems to depend on me being found
by one of our patrols at night & carried in. During the
day there were two light showers of rain that freshened
me up a bit, as I was begining to feel very weak from
the loss of blood & the want of something to eat
At 5pm the Germans counter attacked again, could hear
them approaching & talking in German, so I decided to
make a dash for our outpost lines if I had sufficient
strength left & dragged myself over the side of the shell
hole & lay outside ready for the final effort. I could
see them advancing in open order to occupy the ridge
for the night, so lost no time in trying to get away

 

254
from what would soon be their own outpost.
One or two of them as soon as I struggled to my
knees had another shot, one very nearly got me as
he knocked my shrapnell helmet off & knocked me to
the ground again, fortunately I was not hurt as
only the helmet was hit. They must have thought
they had got me, after a very short rest I got
on to my knees again & eventually on to my legs,
instinctively turned in the right direction &
stumbled foreward eventually heard someone calling
me, without even knowing where I actually was, I
had struck one of C Coys posts & was taken in
by one of the observers, where I was dressed for
the first time & taken back to the support
line & carried to the R A P & evacuated by
motor ambulance to the advanced dressing
station, remaining there for about 1/2 hour to be
inoculated against lock jaw following a dirty
wound. Afterwards passed on by another motor
ambulance to a central dressing station the
1.AFA who in their turn passed me on to the
53. CCS outside Peronne where I remained
for the night

12/9/18 Operated on this afternoon, the bullet
entered the back on the R side of the spine, without
touching it, & travelling upwards cutting through the
muscles of the back & leaving by the L sholder blade
breaking a large part of it away, The whole course
of the bullet was opened up & cleaned, the wound
being about 14" long, feel very sick & weak from
loss of blood etc

13/9/18 Feeling pretty bad all day, very weak 

 

255
14/9/18 Expect to be evacuated during the day, took
a little food, the first since the 10th still very weak

15/9/18 Sunday Not evacuated untill 3 pm, the
railway not being considered safe. We are the first
hospital train to leave Peronne since its recapture
Travelled all through the night, reaching La House
at daybreak

16/9/18 Arrived at No 2 General Hospital at La House
at dawn, will wait here for a short while for a
hospital ship. We occupied the hospital now at the
end of the pier where we are redressed. Left at
4pm on the Guildford Castle, we did not leave
the port untill darkness had set in

17/9/18 Arrived off the Isle of White at day break
reaching the wharf at Southampton at midday
when we tied up & discharged, the ship is full
of wounded. I was a stretcher case & had to
lie on the wharf untill 2pm when we were
placed on a Hospital Train for Cardiff S Wales
arriving there at 9pm & taken  by motor ambulance
to Ninion Posk Hospital. A 5 Ward

18/9/18 Had a very restless night, without permission
got up, the first time for 7 days

19/9/18 Back very painfull,  & discharging very
much, being dressed with hot ferments 3 times
a day. Drew a hospital kit today

20/9/18 Visited Cardiff this afternoon for about 3 hours
We are to be transfered tomorrow 

 

256
21/9/18 Transfered to a V. A. D. Red Cross Hosp
at Barry Docks. Left Cardiff 2 pm arrd Barry
4 pm

22/9/18 Sunday Out all day, visited the sea beach
wound is much easier now, being dressed three
times a day

23/9/18 Wound very easy now, everything normal
the discharge being now under control, am
now out of danger

24/9/18 To 18/11/18 Hospital at Barry
On the 11/11/18 word arrived that an armistice
had been arranged to operate from 11o/c am
On the receipt of this news the whole town
went mad & wild with excitement which
was kept up for 2 or 3 days. On the evening of the
11th a big torchlight parade took place in which
all soldiers, sailors, nurses, scouts etc took part
everybody being wild with delight to think that
the war is over at last

18/11/18 Left Barry for Newport & sent to the
Cavalry Barracks

19/11/18 Passed Dr as fit to travell

20/11/18 Orders received that all member of the
A.I.F. are to leave this morning for London
caught the 9.20 am, arrived London 1.30 pm.
Went to Horseferry Rd our Headquarters. those
fit went on 14 days leave. Dr sent me to No 3
Aust Auxiliay Hospital. Dartford. Kent 

 

257
 21/11/18 To 18/12/18 At Dartford Hospital
left today on 14 days leave

18/12/18 To 2/1/19 On 14 days leave in UK.

2/1/19 To 22/6/19 Leave in Paris
After overstaying leave in Paris, returned to Monte
Video Camp at Weymouth for demobilisation
Final 14 days leave granted in London before
embarkation 2/7/19 To 17/7/19

Finally left England on the "Ormonde"
arriving home & discharged Oct 6. 1919

Service Abroad       4 years 290 days
Complete Service     5   "       54     " 

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