Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 19

146

the tower, and one through

the roof, while everywhere

here were signs of a vigorous

shrapnel fire. But most of

the furniture had been left.

There was a table grand piano

in the Salon, as well as

a long oak table and beautiful

carved chairs. Upstairs

was a magnificent mahogany

sideboard worth at least

£200, and a beautiful old

wooden bedstead in cherry

maple. It must have 

been a lovely home at one

time. During the morning

I went into matters of organisation

& routine with the Adjutant,

and also had a look round

the village of Houplines. You

could never conceive the extent

of the damage. Not a house

is left whole, the majority

are simply a heap of tumbled

down ruins. The rooms are

all left as though the occupants

had hurriedly evacuated, leaving

everything behind them - even

the family photos are left 

hanging on the walls. Of course

most of the stuff has been 

looted by the Germans (I don't

think anything was left for our 

fellows). The only things that

look just the same - or almost 

so - are the gardens. There you

find the flowers blooming, the

young grapes forming, the currants

reddening, and the air filled

with the fragrance of roses just as

148

it was before the devastating

horrors of battle came to

transform a peaceful little

village into a deserted ruins.

Of the church, all that is 

left is a portion of the outside

walls and the clock & belfry

tower. This latter is almost

falling to pieces so battered

with battle is it. I climbed

the rickety old staircase up

into the belfry to get a view

of the country beyond the

trenches, but I did not stay 

long because all towers and 

chimneys are shelled on account

of them being vantage points for

artillery observers. In fact several

shells fell round the tower

during that day. After lunch

we went up to the trenches, about

3/4 mile away. I had previously

heard that the trenches here

could not compare with those

we constructed at Gallipoli,

and I can quite understand

the remark of the English Officer

who was visiting our trenches

at Gallipoli. He had been

impressed with their excellence all

along the line, but when he

came to our tunnel trenches

at Silt Spur where only the

school sentry positions were

exposed to the weather and to the

enemy's fire he looked round

him and exclaimed "By jove,

stained glass windows; what!"

The trenches up here are the

old open trench exposed to

150

weather and bombs and

artillery fire and anything 

else that likes to blow along

and drop in. And I think

one good solid bombardment

would knock the whole place

to blazes. Fortunately - or

unfortunately - that has not

yet taken place at that

particular position. While

we were in the trenches the

enemy opened up a heavy 

bombardment on a place known

as Hobbs Farm, a thousand 

rounds or so to our left; and

they also heavily shelled the

3rd Division trenches on our right.

Very few shells fell in our

particular vicinity. Part of 

the trenches which the New Zealanders

are now occupying run through

the centre of a cemetery, and

there are tombstones and crosses

all round. Very gruesome

don't you think. The aeroplanes

rather active while we were

there, spotting for the artillery.

At one time there were eight

up at one time. The anti aircraft

guns were shelling them the

whole time, but no hits were

scored. They are very different

targets. We go back 

to the chateau in time for

dinner about 7 pm.

We slept that night at

the chateau - or tried to.

We had not bothered about

taking blankets and consequently 

only had our greatcoats; and

152

the night was very cold. However

morning came at last and

after a shave and a wash

and a good breakfast we

felt as fit as ever. We

went back to Armentieres that

morning, and witnessed some

excellent shooting by the

Germans on the way back.

One of our batteries was firing

from a certain building within

a few feet of where we were

standing, but by a clever

ruse (which I cannot explain

here) they made the German

observers believe that the gun

was situated among some

other buildings about 150 yards

away. And the Germans

were putting shell after shell

into this place - high explosive

that sent up great volumes

of smoke and debris high 

into the air. One shell

struck a great poplar tree

and it fell like a stalk

of wheat before the scythe.

Arrived at Armentieres we

found that our bus would

not be returning until 6 pm

so we has look round the 

town. A very decent sized

town too, with some quite

good shops. There are still

a lot of woman folk in Armentieres,

and some very nice

ones too (I hope we get 

billetted in Armentieres some 

fine day, don't you? Oh

but of course you don't)

154

It's marvellous how the women

folk stick to the place, when

every day it is badly shelled.

We had some lunch, did 

some purchasing, and then

hunted for somewhere to get

a bath. But nobody seems

to run hot baths in this country.

They must do all their bathing

in a wash bowl. Eventually

I prevailed on a nice old lady

to give us a tub in her kitchen.

After the bath we felt 

muchly refreshed and continued

our peregrinations (what!).

There is fine cathedral in

Armentieres and we put in a 

pleasant half hour there.

Like every other church

within the war zone, it

bore the stamp of the Huns in

the shape of great gaping 

holes in the roof and walls.

Eventually we came home.

Saturday June 24th 1916

Our horses came on Thursday, 

so you bet we haven't left

them in the stables too much.

Yesterday we went for a 

ride and got caught in a 

very heavy rain storm.

The horses are very fresh and

skittish after their long spell,

and the country seems to agree

with them very well. It is

great to have them again.

Capt. Bardwell came back

from the trenches yesterday.

He says they put two more

shells into the Cathedral at

106

Armentieres, while that belfry

tower that I climbed at Houp

lines was knocked kite

high. I'm glad they

didn't decide to hit it up

the day I was there.

I had a letter from Uncle

Arthur yesterday, also one 

from you dated April 10th.

I wonder where it has been

this long time. I'm glad

you bought yourself that

sealskin jacket, sweetheart. I 

like to think you are not

neglecting your darn self too

much. Tonight I got

a parcel of cakes and

pastries, from Perry, so

what oh! for a good supper

tonight. Tomorrow's Sunday

so it doesn't matter if I lie in

Monday June 26th 1916

More rain today. We were

going for a battalion route

march but had to put it off.

Yesterday was a rather

fine day. We had Church

Parade in the morning, and

I had three Court Martials

in the afternoon. I saw

sixteen allied aeroplanes

up together yesterday.  That's

a fair number of those big

birds to be flying round at once.

I'm going to try and

write to you and mother to-

night Kiddie. I've been too 

busy until now.

Ray had a copy of 

'The Sentimental Bloke' sent

108

him by this mail, and

he's roaring with laughter,

and reading out extracts here

and there.

Thursday June 27th 1916

Perry came back yesterday

with a letter and a parcel for

us from Aunt Agnes. The parcel

contained chocs and a fine

big almond cake. Another

party of leave men were to

have gone this morning, but

late last night we got orders

that all leave is cancelled,

as we are evidently going

to make another move.

Things have been fairly quiet

along the front during these

past few days and nights.

The calm before the storm, I expect.
Monday, July 3^rd - Sailly

The moves' on! Yesterday 

afternoon at 4 pm we got our

orders to march by 6  pm! We

did it, but it was a -

of a march. We marched as

far as this place and

then billetted  for the night

in the farms round about.

This morning Ray and I

rode on to Fleurbaix (about

5 mins further on) to make

arrangements about relieving the

out going battalion (the 3rd Bn)

We are to be in support for 

a week or so. Fleurbaix

is about a mile in rear

of the actual firing line, but

it gets shelled pretty badly.

Last night a 6" shell landed

109

in the street right in front

of the house that is used as

Battalion Headqrs. It killed

7 men and wounded 6 others.

Sounds interesting, doesn't it.

And that's where I'm going

to live. Would you care 

to be living with me?

The big push has

already commenced, and

our fellows are doing well.

Already about two miles

of trenches have been taken 

down La Bassi way. You

should have heard the 

bombardment. It was 

tremendous.

Today I received a 

letter from Aunt Agnes. It was

dated June 29th, Pretty poor

service, isn't it? Don't you

wish you were as near as 

that? I do, by jove.

It would be great if you 

could get each other's letters

within three or four days

of them being written.

Well chicken, I must get busy. We move again

in half an hour.

Thursday July 6th 1916 11 pm.

Well, we are in at last.

We moved out here xxxx Monday_∧ night

and got shelled with shrapnel

as soon as we arrived. Fortunately,

there were no casualties. By

2 am. the change over was

complete, and we went to bed.

Two companies are in the 

support trenches,  and two are

111

reserve. These two companies

(the reserve) are working day

and night fatigues.

Tuesday we got some more 

shrapnel, also several shells

Wednesday. Then last 

night at about 11.15 the gas

alarm was given, and  for

half an hour we were sitting

round with masks over our heads

looking like xxx a page from

the days of the Spanish Inquisition.

However, the gas only touched

us very slightly, so we had

no cases. But the guns

and star shells and search 

lights all had a mad half

hour. Today the huns

have been shelling us with

high explosive. Over a

hundred shells have burst in

the village this afternoon, all

within a radius of 500 yds of

our house. There is a church

right along side this place and

I think they were trying to

bring down the tower. Three or

four shells burst right in the

church, on knocked a house

right opposite all to pieces

several more hit various

houses all round, but not

one damaged us, although

they soiled over the top and

burst in the field in rear.

We had three slight casualties

and the 47th had three a 

little more serious, but I don't 

think anyone else suffered.

Considering the damage that

113

one high explosive shell does,

it is marvellous how so few

casualties occur in a little

village like this crowded with

men. The womenfolk

all got down the cellar

under our billet, and I

could _∧ hear them saying their prayers

for all they were worth.

It is marvellous how this house

has escaped so long. It is

the biggest house in the village,

having been the home of the

Mayor prior to the war.

Strafe them ,there they go 

again. Mostly our guns

this time though. They're rocking 

in big ones too. I expect the

Germ ___ Damn! There goes the

gas alarm now.

Later

I've been to the billets round

about and _∧ have] seen that everyone is

awake & ready. Last night I

endured partial suffocation for

half an hour all for nothing,

as I thought I'm not going to

put my helmet on until

I can actually smell the 

stuff.

Midnight - Nothing so far. I 

wish they'd give the all clear

signal so we could go to bed.

Sunday July 9th 1916

More moves. On Tuesday

we go back to Sailly, stay

there one day, then on to

moves for another day or 

two; and then, I believe, 

to the Somme.

The alarm last night was all