Diary of David Bernard Harford, 1916-1917 - Part 2

(7) A.I.F. 
all over the Ship for a while. Sunday 5 A.M. 
arrived in Plymouth Harbour England, 
pretty place with high cliffs , crowned 
with green grass and trees. Later 9 A.M. we 
have Disembarked on lighters, been landed 
and am now in train rushing onward 
toward Salsbury plains our Destination 
200 miles away Later, (Noon the cuntry we 
are passing through is very pretty with 
high green hedges and fields and Homesteads 
nestling in this green Valley amid the 
trees with a lazy curl of smoke coming from 
the chimneys Country Hilly, Mayor and 
Mayoress of Exter, last town we passed 
through gave each soldier a currant roll 
with a welcome card on behalf of themselves 
and the citizens of Exter. Later 8.30.p.m. 
arrived at Amesbury siding we now have 
a four mile before us to the camp. Later 10.30 
arrived in camp and been alloted to huts 
but have to go supperless to bed. the huts 
are built for warmth with their wool lining 
and a little stove in the middle of each hut 
as this is a cold climate. it is Summer here 
now and is as cold as our Winter in Western 
Australia. I dont Know how we will get on 
if we have to spend the winter in -

(8) A.I.F. 
-this part of the World.) July 1^st, went to see 
Stonehenge old Druid Temple Built in the year 
1700. as you look at it you marvel how the 
hugh blocks of stone were put position. 
July. Departure from Rolistone camp Salisbury 
Plain for Waterloo Station. long midnight 
walk 15 miles to Tidworth station where we 
took train for Waterloo Station. (London). 80 miles fro (Salisbury 
Later 11.a.m. arrived at Waterloo Station) 
1 Hour spell waiting for Troop train 1p.m. took 
Troop train for Folkestone, 2 ½ hours spell journey 
for refreshments. where we are to Embark 
for France. 5.45 Embarked for France every 
man wearing lifebelts. Later arrived at 
Bologne two miles march to camp. 
July 23^rd 9.30 a.m. took train for Base. 18 miles) Country 
very pretty orchards everywhere. Later 2. p.m. 
Comfortably installed in tents with 11 others. 
24^th (Sunday) church parade. 26th Interudction 
to Bull Ring a kind of Amphthertre about four 
miles from camp where we undergo all kind of 
training and tests, including the gaschamber which we 
call the chamber of Horrors we look like Devils in Hades 
with our gas Helmets on no wonder the germans run 
away from us at the foot of a long hill about a mile from 
camp on a board nailed to a tree bearing the Legend 
Malingerers rest) and there is not a man in camp 
who is game enough to fall out for a spell there 
on the return journey from the Bull ring

(9) A.I.F. 
we will not be kept long as reinforcements are badly 
wanted at the firing line. this is the final Training 
camp. before being sent into the trenches. from 
here we can plainly hear the thunder of the distant 
guns. August 1^st. Rifle shooting. 10^th. went on early 
morning sick parade. Later 10.a.m. sent into 
Isolation Hospital with mumps. Later Noon) have 
got to remain in bed for 8 days, which is a nuisance 
as I am quite well bar a fair sized swelling on 
either side of my neck. Plenty of mates in 
Hospital with me we play cards in bed on a box 
placed between two Beds. the red cross Nurses are 
very kind. our diet while in bed is light. consisting 
of Bread and Broth. eggs custard fruit cocoa tea 
coffee. Sept 1^st, Discharged from Hospital (Later 
Interviewed by Battalion Doctor, reported fit 
for Duty. Later 3.p.m. Back to Lines all my old 
mates gone to firing line. I have to go through 
Bull ring training again. Infernal nuisance. 
Sunday 24 Sept. Entrained for firing line at 3.A.m. 
off to the trenches at last. I dont know whether 
to be glad or sorry. Regained (Battalion) Later 2.P.m. 
Regained Battalion. Aglinsjarot. Village Belgium. 
at Billet about six miles from firing line. we will not go 
into the trenches for a fortnight I hear. I am back with my 
old mates again. (Wednesday Oct. 1^st. sentenced to three days 
imprisonment in Drill punishment compound for being 
caught out after Tatts, 9.P.M. Later 2.P.m entry 
into compound. wet afternoon, playing cards

(10) A.I.F: 
in tent. There are 13 of us in here. 5^th. Oct. Fatigue work of 
vaiorus sorts. digging drains round cookhouse tents, e.t.c 
with armed gaurd over us. 7 oct, Back to Battalion. 
8^th, early morning) preparing to leave for trenches. Later 2.p.m. 
entry into trenches. Later 9.P.m. Machine gun Activity 
and a bit of night sniping. 9^th Oct. sniping all day 
long. have been picked for permenent company 
Sniper. 10^th. Oct Huns bombarding our trenches with 
trench mortars. Bombardment lasted half hour damage 
to trenches considerable, but there were no causalities. 
this is the Yves front that we are fighting in (Belgium) 
11th Oct. 3 till 4p.m. Bombarding our trenches with 
shrapnell from long range. Fairly quiet during day at 6 oclock 
this morning I shot a Hun, or observer, at 400 yards I happened 
to spot him with a pair of field glasses I had borrowed.he 
was all alone, looking through a pair of field glasses, with 
his head and shoulders above the parapet) (foolish fellow) My loophole 
was well hidden, a plate of steel(or iron). I am not certain which 
about three eights of an inch thick let into the parapet, with a hole 
just big enough to put the rifle through. there was a big bush 
of giant nettles growing round the loophole which added to its 
invisibility, took careful but quick aim and pulled the trigger 
He spread his arms out and fell backwards throwing his glasses 
in the air as he fell. when i saw him fall a queer thrill shot 
through me, it was a different feeling to that which I had 
when I shot my first kangaroo when I was a boy. For an 
instant I felt sick and faint, but the feeling soon passed, 
and I was my normal self again, and looking for more 
Huns which I did not get that day, I have a snipers rifle 
with telescopic sights and plenty of ammunition I have the 
range of all likely places around here, we fire at anything 
wherever we think a sniper may be concealed, if there is 
a burst of fire from the enemy. we turn our machine gun fire on 
his parapet. the Lewis machine gun is a splendid invention an 
Australian invention) very light and handy compared with the 
cumbersome Maxim or Vichess, with its awkward tripod. you 
aim the Lewis off your shoulder, like a rifle. 
 

(11) A.I.F. 
Later, night sentry alone with my thoughts 
I have just begun to notice that there are very few 
of my old mates, of the old 9^th 28^th) that I came over from 
West Australia with) left in the Battalion now, they have 
all been killed or wounded in the Great push on the Somme 
At my right elbow, and every dozen yards or so is an 
empty box generaly an ammunition box. set into the 
wall of the trench, and filled with bombs; to be ready 
in cas of an enemy attack. every now and then one side 
or the other will send what is called a star shell but 
what is realy a rocket. and is fired from a big pistol 
they go up about 200 feet and burst liberating 
a great white star. which lights up the landscape 
in the immidiate vicinity like day. they burn 
sometimes until they reach the ground. and are 
generaly fired at an angle so as to fall over the 
enemy trench and show whether he has any 
working parties out. reparing their barbed wire 
entanglements or digging Saps . as I stand here 
Keeping a lookout and thinking away, to the 
west I can see the flashes of the big guns like 
sheet lighting on the horizon. while the sound of 
the shots came to my ears like the faint rumble 
of distant thunder. there is a battle in progress 
in some distant part of the line. sudenlly 
as I stand here waiting to be relieved my ears 
are filled with the intermittent crackel of our 
rifle, and the sharp scatts of our machine gun, fire 
this is what we call quiet times. 13^th wet huns 
bombarded our trench for a quarter of an hour 
with their trench mortars. at 11 A.m. without 
doing much damage most of the shell bursting 
above the parapet and making plenty of 
 

(12) A.I.F. 
noise and a hole in the earth, but that is all 
there is one kind of trench motar shell which 
behaves in a queer way, it is fired up at a high angle, and 
comes tumbling down out of the sky turning end over 
end like a big german sausage dropped from a Zeppelin 
airplane. the projectile weghs about 60 pounds and the 
do a bit of damage if they burst in the trench we have 
nicknamed them rum' jars'', by the way we are issued with 
a ration of rum in the front line every evening 
14 ^th 8Am Quiet just a bit of sniping. 1 pm enemy 
sent a few trench motar-shells over. later 5 p.m . 
terrific bombardment by enemy batteries . as bombardment 
increases in intensity we retire into our dugouts not that they 
afford much protection as they are shallow and the roof is thin 
but they are some protection from flying splinters. we lie flat 
on the floor of our dug=outs, most of which are only built for one 
man, and listen to the awful bombardment. which is rapidly 
merging into a contious roar. the ground trembles beneth me. 
and the air is charged with the acrid reek of high explosive fumes 
in all this overcharged horror there comes as by a merciful 
despensation of nature a certain insensibility to all fears, quite 
simple thoughts pass through ones mind, so it is to end here: 
Here in this dark mildewed hole in the earth, I am to go out 
I look round me at my damp rat-hole the sides and roof of which are 
lined with sand-bags which by the way are not filled with sand but 
clay; and the brown and black soil of the cuntry. the lower bags 
are green with mildew and the upper ones up near the sun and 
air are sprouting grass. half way up in the corner a cluster of 
poison mushrooms or toadstools, peer down at me. the center one 
a little taller than the rest, seems to nod at me as it sways and 
trembles to the concussions from the terrible bombardments we 
simply notes these things, fear of death having left one: 
and one prays only that least IT may prove one well placed 
shell. a crash of thunder and a lightning flash. to beet hurt