Diary of Percy Lay, 1914-1918 - Part 8

March 17.^th A. Coy played B. Football.

but we beat them badly. Had a
good. evening 18^th Parades as
usual and C. and D. played
Football. but C. Coy won easily
14^th Went for Route March in morning
The Final of the Football between A 
and C Had to be put off. 20^th
Church Parade in morning - and we
held Battn Sports in Afternoon
A Coy. winning nearly all the

prizes 21^st Moved from our Camp
into Buire and we put a New Mess
Hut in evening 22^nd Lieut Ersey
returned from leave we were out doing
the New Attack Formation by Companies
Parade Hour's being from 9. to 12.
and. 2. till 4 Oclock. 23^rd Our Coy
went - down to the Bath's and then
we had to go out and do Coy. drills
24^th Battn in Attack and General Walker
and our Brigadier out watching the
operations 25^th Out doing Company
in Attack and marching along a
road and coming on the Enemy Suddenly
and then opening out to the Attack
26.^th Parade as usual in morning
and in Afternoon we played the final
of the Football but C. Coy beat us badly.
27^th After Church Parade we went for
a five mile route. march Played
football again but won this game.
28^th had to go to a Bayonet Fighting
School. in morning and then we
had the Afternoon off. 29^th Battn
Sports were to be held but all outdoor
sport had to be put off.
but we had some good Boxing Contests
30^th Brigade Sports. but weather tooo
wet so we held more boxing Contests.

31^st Moved out of Camp at nine and
had a long March to La Bosselle
when we stayed the night. April 1^st
Had a long march to Bapume and
same evening we had a good look
over the ruins 2^nd Started on
Railway Construction and we
soon had a line down.  Fritz
shelled station very heavy at times
3^rd Started to snow heavily and
that day Fritz Shelled Bapume.
4^th Still on the railway job and
that day. they gave us a extra lot
of work to do. Met B. Rarpoint and Barry
5^th A heavy bombardment on our left
and a lot of prisoners came through
Bapume. 6^th Went to the pictures
in Bapume in evening and
they were very amusing 7^th Snowed
heavily all day and it made our
job a very dirty one.
8^th Out on Railway Job again and we
had a good stretch of line down 9^th
Heard that the British and French
were doing extra good work. B.O Sgt.
that day.  10^th Got word to say we
were to shift Camp next day; A lot
of Reinforcements joined us. 11^th
Moved out of Camp and went as far
as Ovilliers De. Flos. where we
had to pitch tents for a Camp.
12^th Three Companies out on Road
work.  Snowed vey heavily. A Coy.
duty Company 13^th Col Coulter went
to England to take Command of a
training Battn over there.  Major
Mitchell took command of our Battn.
14^th Captain Kirsch got 2^nd in Command
and Lieut Evans got posted to
A Coy to Command.  15^th Fritzs
Planes very busy but our Areoplanes
made things unpleasant for them. 

April 16^th Went for a look round and
on all sides you could see where they
had cut down Fruit trees. blew up
Cross Roads and wrecked Houses.
before they evacauted. 17^th Had to start
early in the morning as we heard that
Fritz had broken through at Lagnicourt
and we moved up to Support. and
had to stay in a section road at Morchie
Our chaps had got Fritz back or
what was left of them. Saw a
terrible lot of German Prisoner's
coming in. 18^th We put out a couple
of Strong Posts out in Front of our
Position and we were to hold
there at all costs if he had another
try to get through 19^th Moved up and
relieved the twentieth in the
outpost position. Had a awful trip
up. as it was pitch dark and wet
and to make matters worse our Guide
lost us. but we got there at the Finish
Wet to the Skin 20^th We had to lay
low during the day. and that
evening we improved our position
and also went out on Patrol. 21^st
Six of us went out a long way
in Front that night on Patrol and
when we about 600 yards out we
met a large. patrol of Huns and
we had a go at them and got at
least six of them. We had the best
of it as we seen them first and got
a bit of cover. and they came to
within fifteen yards of us. and
we opened on them. They tried to
surround us. but we got away
not, one of the six of us got hit
22^nd Rather Quiet all day. And
that night our Scouts went

to get a Machine Gun that was annoying
C. Coy but they were seen and we
lost one of best lads. (Jack. Riley) by name
23^rd Two Platoons of D. Coy had to
take a Machine Gun Pony. and
strong Post in Front of C. Coy. they
got it with very few Casualties but
about twelve Fritz Concentrated
his Artillery on to the Position and
blew them out of it.. Wounding
four of our D. Coy Officers and sixty
five other ranks. 24^th Heard we were to be
relieved that night. Relief delayed a
little on account of Fritz sending
over some Gas Shells.. Went back and
camped in a Sunken Road about
a mile. behind the line. 25^th Spent
day in having a General Clean up.
Hostile Planes very busy and we
had to keep well under Cover
26^th Sgt Allen went on leave to England.
and we heard we were to go in on
the following night but a little further
left than were we were before. 27^th
Stored our Packs away and that
evening we relieved the twenty
eight Battn. Had a Splendid Relief
28^th Our Coy was made into three
Groups as it was easy to get the
food and rations to them that way
I had to stay Coy Headquarters to
do all the Patrol work.. 29^th. but
on Patrol that night and also took
the Brigadier around the outpost.
A very quiet Front. 30^th That
night we put over a lot of
Trench Mortar Gas. and I think
it done a lot of harm as there
was hardly a round in his line
but on Patrol. After the Gas Cleared.

May 1^st but Battn got relieved by
the sixth Battn and Lieut Errey
and myself had to stay behind
to go out and examine Fritz
Barb wire and find out the best
places to blow it up. Got back
at four. to where our Battn
was Camped. 2^nd We were Camped
in a Sunken road just behind
Lagnicourt and near a nine point
two Battery. 3^rd Had a Party of
men carting shells to the Battery
as they were bombarding Fritz for
the stunt that the 2^nd Div were to do
4^th Heard that the 2^nd Division were
through the Hidenburgh. line and
that they did not think they
would be able to hold it. Third
and first Brigade moved over to
support them 5^th Carted more
shells to the Battery. and that night we
side stepped over behind Bullecourt to
support. our first and third Brigade
6^th Fritz Counter attacking very strongly
and our lads getting cut up but
holding on for Grim death 7^th Scotty
had a go, at Bullecourt but it was
to solid and their attack failed
but we got a lot of prisoners 8^th
that night we went up and
relieved our other Brigades in
the line it was a hot shop .
right enough. 9^th About eight Oclock
O.C came along and told us that
our Platoon had to take about a
hundred yards of the Hidenburgh
line and we took four bombing
section over. Our French Mortars
that was giving us covering fire
was dropping their Mortars short

and this stopped us for a while and
gave Fritz a chance to get out of his
dugout. When we got the Mortars
right we soon got our trench
right and put a block across
the trench about fifty yards from
where Fritz was and then that
night we had some fun. as Fritz
Counter Attacked us and tried
to Bomb us out, he nearly succeeded
to but when we got going we
gave him hell. and after about
three hours solid fighting he
fell back to his trench leaving
a lot of wounded and dead in
front of us. 10^th About three next
morning he had another go. but
we were ready for him and
soon had him beat. and he
made several more attempts. to
get us out. As we had such
a good position that he. could not
show themselves at all.. In fact we had
some of the best snipping anyone could wish
for that night as they were attacking
us. I was firing a rifle Grenade and
it was a bad Cartridge and just enough
Powder to send the bomb off and I
just managed to get it over the
top when it blew the Rifle to
pieces in my hand and I got a
lump of it in my. hand. We11^th got
a good few prisoners. and that night
we got relieved by the 58^th Battn.
and slept out in open just a
little way behind the line 11^th
Left about nine and marched
to a place near Bapume. General
Birdwood and Brigadier around
told us we had done excellent
work at Bullecourt.

12^th May. Col gave me special leave
to England and we spent day
in cleaning up. 13^th Left Camp in
morning and caught a Bus to Albert
where had breakfast and then got
a Car to Amiens and on to a
first class train with Capt Johnston
and got to Boulogne 5 hours sooner
than if we had came with the
others. Had to stay night in Boulogne
as no boat were going over. 14^th
Got the boat at eleven and arrived
at Folkestone at one and then
on to London where we all got
fixed up. Spent the night in
getting a few things and having
a good rest. 15^th Had a jolly good
day in London and that night
we got the train to Scotland
Kept all night in train and
arrived at Edinburgh at seven thirty
next day. 16^th Went and got rooms
then out to have a look round
found it to be a very pretty place
17^th Went out to see the wonderful
Forth Bridge and Queensferry and
had a look over Lord Roseberry Estate.
17^th Went and had a look over
the Castle and it was a fine
Castle. but very ancient. You
could get a good view of Edinburgh
from the Castle 18^th Went out to
Earl of Hopetoun Estate and got
back late that night. spent a
very enjoyable day. 19^th Out to
see some friends of Sgt Allen at the
Edinburgh Fire Station and they gave
me. a great time and showed us
all over the Fire Station 20^th
Went out to Portabello and

had a good time got back very
late. 21^st but around the Edinburgh
gardens again and Endinburgh is
one of the prettiest little places you
could wish to see. 22^nd Met two
or three of my old mates and we
had a great day together.
23^rd Out to the North Meadows
and out to the Back-woods.
Jolly fine place. and very pretty
24^th Had to report back to France
today. but was having to good
of a time so decided to stay a
few days. over. 25^th Spent last
day in Edinburgh and that.
night went back with two of
my mates to London. Arrived there
at half past seven in morning
26^th Had a wash and Breakfast
and then went down to the
Strand and who should we meet.
but three of my Battn. Mates. Sgt.
Casson C.S.M. Foote. and. C.S.M. Littlewood
and we had best of days. but I
had to leave them that night. I
went to see the play called
damaged goods. 26^th Out over
the New Zealand Clubs with
a mate of mine in New Zealand.
Force and we had another good
night 27^th Went out to Hyde Park
and had a good time same
evening went to see Three Cheer's
played. 28^th Made up my mind
to go back to France and we
had a good trip to Folkestone
and on arrival there we heard
that there had been a bombing
raid on the place. 29^th Arrived
at Boulogne Camp and were

to leave next morning but three of
us decided to have a look round
the town but found it nothing
like Edinburgh 30^th Caught the
train in morning and found
the three mates I went in London
on it and we got as far as
Etaples that day. 31^st Had to stay
the day in Etaples so we all
just up crown's" as that was
the only way we could get out"
and went to Parie. Plais. June 1^st
Had to spent another day in
Etaples but it was rather quiet
we had a look round Etaples
June 2^nd Got our train in morning
and had a good journey through
to Mericourt and found our
Battn about five Kilo's away
at a place called Brisle.
June 3^rd Our lads looked well
but I did not go on Parade as my
hand was pretty bad as the bomb
wound had broken out. 4^th Still
off duty and our Battn busy
praticing for the Sports.. Also got
the Military Medal. 5^th Eight of us
were picked out to go for our
Commission to the OT.C. school
but the Brigadier would not let
senior NC.O's go. so we had
to stay back. I had visions
of three months in Blighty
6^th Very hot and our Company
out to the range for shooting
practice 7^th Battn Sports were
held and they were very
good 8^th but Coy was picked
to represent the Battn in
the Brigade and they started

training for the Events. 9^th Some
of the Brigade events were judged
Our Coy doing very well. 10^th
Still off duty with bad hand
and our Brigade Sports were
to be held next day. 11^th
Brigade Sports and our Coy
won the right to represent the
Brigade in the division 12^th
and 13^th Divisional Sports were
held and they were very good
especially the Horse Competitions
14^th Our L.M.G. teams. Bomber's and
Rifle Competiton for division
were held. 15^th Six of us went
into Lahoussye. and spent
a good day. 16^th Went into
Amiens and had a good
time 17^th Got Paid Bert
Rarpoint came over to see us
Very hot. 18^th All the Brigade went
out for a five days training Stunt
A Coy - did not go as the had to
do a seven mile route march and
shooting after it for the divisional
Championship Coy. - 19^th Moved out
of Camp at 6. Oclock in the
morning and marched to where
the rest of Battn was billeted
near Mailly 20^th Battn out
on a Battn Stunt and it
came on to rain and we
pretty near got wet through
21^st Did not go out on
Account of a night Stunt
but when we fell in at
twelve it rained heavily
and we had to pospone it
22^nd Out at five in morning
and went through a Coy in
Attack