Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 20

115
for nothing. Last night I
went out to A Coys post. There
was some pretty heavy shelling
but no casualties. One man
yesterday was nearly a
casualty. A shell burst
right near where he was
standing, but he escaped
uninjured. He's gone back
with shell shock though
another man in D Coy got
a bullet clean through the
heart. We buried him last
night. Today the
aeroplanes of both sides are
vey active, and the
sky - beautiful and blue
for its a glorious day -
is filled with tiny shrapnel
clouds. This morning
Clarie Fairlie and I rode our
bikes to Armentieres, about
four miles away. It bears
evidence of some very heavy
shelling since I was last
there.
Wednesday July 12^th 1916
Back in the old home again. We
left Fleurbaix at 2 am yesterday
and arrived at Sailly at about 4 30 a.m.
I was up again at 7 o'clock to
make arrangements for moving again,
and at 4 pm we left Sailly,
arriving here about 6.30 pm
(Saw Lance Mc Lean en route ; he's
terribly fat and well - fed looking)
We found that the 4^th Pioneer Bn
had usurped our Headqrs
billet ; and the old lady was
very upset to think we could not

117
stay with her. However, we soon
fixed it, and here we are in
the same little spot. It's a very
short stay, though, for we move
again on Friday morning. Tomorrow
I must cut down my [[?]]
more and send back everything
other than what I absolutely must
have. I'm very tired
kiddie, so will go to bed early.
Friday July 14^th 1916
In the train once again. Had
a very busy day yesterday. Did
not wake until after 8 o'clock, so
lost no time in shaving and having
my breakfast. After breakfast got
busy, when at about half past
nine I got an urgent wire from
Brigade "Your battalion due at
Divisional Baths at 6 am not yet
here. aaa. please explain. " That
knocked me kite high. I had
never heard of any bathing parade.
I at once conjectured that Brigade
had failed to send me the orders
and was just beginning a wire
to that efffect when it occured to
me that perhaps the wire orders had
come during the night and the
sergeant had forgotten to give
them to me. (He did that once
before but I did not think he
would do it a second time.)
So I went out and asked him
if he had received any orders,
and he said "yes, about midnight".
I began to work up some righteous
indignation and demanded why
he had not brought them to me.
He took the wind out of my sails

119
by stating that he had given them
to me. I told him to come
off and not try those tricks
so early in the morning, but
he stuck to his guns. He says
that when he wakened me he
said "I'm sorry to have to disturb
you, sir" and that I replied
"I'm sorry you had to get up,
sergeant." But I haven't the
faintest recollection of it.
However, I hunted through
my bed clothes and there,
sure enough, were the papers
inderneath my valise. And
then I breathed again! The
orders stated that the 47^th Bn
would bathe at 6 am and
the 48^th at 10 am. It was
then after half past nine.
I jumped on a bike and cut
down to the nearest company,
got the O.C. Coy to get his men
together quickly, and send them
of  post haste in time to reach
the baths by quarter past ten.

And then I went back

and dispatched a wire to Brigade
in my most 'injured innocenct'
tone, protecting against the
charge of neglect of orders.
We were up at  4 this morning
and breakfasted at 4.30 am.
A five mile march to the station,
entrained at 9.30, and here we
are, bound for a place called
Doullens, which we expect to
reach about 3 pm today.
Saturday, July 15^th 1916
we reached Doullens to time