Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 26

82
new raincoat. It is that sort
of thing that keeps an officer
with his hand in his pocket
the whole time. If I don't look
out I'll have no money
to spend when I go on leave
Last night I went over to
see Capt Sabien (the Brigade Major)
after I'd got my papers finished
and stayed yarning to him
until after eleven. He is a
fine fellow and thinks the
world of Ray so we have
a good deal in common.
He wants me to take leave
at the same time as he does
& to visit his home. He has
a bonny little wife, judging
by the photos (not so bonny

 

as mine though.)
This morning we went through
the gas chamber to test our
new box helmets. The room
was filled with lachrymatory
gas and we were shut in
there for three or four minutes,
but not the slightest effect did

it have. It gives you great
confidence in your respirator.
This afternoon we received
sudden orders to move up
into the line. Two battalions
go into the front line, two into
supports, and one (ourselves)
into reserve. The major 
and I rode over to see the
new camp today. It is
much better than this camp.
We move tomorrow some time.
 

84
The 44^th Canadians are in there
at present. I met their C.O.

& Senior Major, both very decent
men. The C.O. is a most
luxurious beggar - a fine
eiderdown quilt on his bed,
bless you!!
Australian mail in today
sweetheart. One from
mother, one from Norman
and none from you,
you scallywag, I'll get 
a new wife if you don't
write soon.
Thursday, Sept^r. 21^st Murrumbigee Camp.
How do you like the name?
It's my choice. The place is
full of camps with Canadian
names, so when we came along
today and found a camp

 

without a name I thought a little
bit of Australia wouldn't do any
harm. The name is Australian
enough, anyhow. We are just
near the village of La Clytte,
and about two to three miles
back from the firing line. The
Germans put a few shells over
here occasionally, but nothing
worth mentioning. Except for
machine gun fire and bombs the
whole front here is very quiet.
We did not come over yesterday
afternoon after all. Instead we
had to turn out at 5 o'clock
this morning, so as to be here
by seven. We are nicely
settled down now, and my 
little hut is quite a picture
inside. I'd like to show it
 

86
to you. In fact, I'd like you
to share it with me.
Sunday. Sept 24^th 1916
Dear old Darling, I've just
received your cable asking me
to advise you whether to come
to England or not. You bet  I
cabled 'yes' right away, and
now I can hardly wait for
the necessary days to elapse
before your cable comes to
say the boat and date of
departure. It seems too
good to be true. If you
come right away kiddie I 

should see you before December.
Won't it be bonny! Do come

sweetheart. I'm longing to see
your darling face again,
and the kiddies.

 

Yesterday I had a very enjoyable
day. I went to St. Omer. I had
a nine mile ride (horseback) to
Bailleul station: got there just
in time to miss the train: met
a Canadian officer who was
going through to Hazebrouck by
motor so went with him
intending to catch the through
train from there. Missed that
one too, so he took me all 
the way to St. Omer, a
distance of from forty to fifty
miles. It was a bonny day
too; sunny, with just a nip
of frost in the air. I had
about two hours in St Omer,
bought a waterproof, a cap,
gloves, and several other little
necessaries from Ordnance, and
 

88
then caught the afternoon
train back to Bailleul, arriving
there about 7 pm. Perry met
me with the horses and we
rode back to camp; arriving
about 8.30 pm. Altogether
a most enjoyable day.
Kiddie dear, I do hope
you decide to come. I'll
try and arrange to meet

you and take you up to
Uncle Arthur's & have a few
days with you. Jove,
it's fine, isn't it.
Wednesday 27^th 1916. Front Line
We moved up here yesterday
afternoon, relieving, 46^th Bn.
Things are very different here to
what they were at Pozieres

 

It reminds me very much

of the old Gallipoli days, after
the August attack. A few shells
and "rum jars" and "sausages"
come over, but nothing to
write home about. The 46^th
didn't have a casualty the
whole time they were in here.
We have had two already,
but both were nice "blighties"
One chap got his just as he
was coming in. A couple
of our planes were flying
very low over the German
lines, and as usual the 
enemy opened on them with
machine guns. Of course
the bullets which went up
into the air had to come
down again somewhere, and 
one of them caught this chap
 

90
on the arm in its downward
flight. The other man
stopped a stray in the
neck while he was carelessly
exposing himself over the
parapet. Our aeroplanes
are fine. They swoop
right down over the Huns

and turn their machine guns
on them right along the
trench, and drop bombs
on them. Its marvellous

how they don't get brought
down. Yesterday one of 
them got caught with a
machine gun. The pilot got 
two in the leg, the observer
one in the head, and the 
petrol tank one in its stomach.

But they managed to get

 

the plane back behind our 
lines before they came down.
Today four of our planes
circled round and round
an enemy balloon, dropping
bombs on it. They are

just like big birds of prey.
In the end they set the 
balloon on fire and destroyed
it. Ray came back

yesterday. He has had a 
glorious time he says. He
didn't live out of London 
No where at all, so of
course didn't visit Bradford.
Friday 29^th Sept.
Everything very quiet down this
way.  I went round the lines
with the CO. this morning at 'Stand
to". Best part of the way
 

92
along the communication trench
a man of average height is

exposed from the chest up,
and within less than 200 yds

of the Germans. Jove, if it
had been the old Turk opposite

he would have had every man
who so much as exposed his tin hat.
I think those blighters are so
busy keeping their own heads
down that they don't see us.
The 46^th Bn is to make a raid
on the part opposite us, tonight.

It is known as the Hollandschessuer

Salient. It appears to be strongly
built and certainly has a 
few trench mortars and machine
in position there.
Saturday  30^th Sept 10 pm
The artillery preparation for

 

the raid has just commence.

Our batteries are going like fun,
putting them over fast and
furious. Old Fritz is firing up
his white rockets all over the
place. The raiders are leaving
our trenches now and creeping
forward under cover of the artillery

barrage. As soon as it "lifts"
onto the enemy support trenches the 
raiders will rush into the front

line, collar a few prisoners,

kill the rest, search the
dugouts etc. for anything of
value, and then hop back home
again.
10.30 pm.
The raiders are all back again
bar one sergeant who was killed.
They had two more wounded as

94
well, but they got back alright
They only took one prisoner,
and he is badly wounded
and will not be able to give
much information. The raiders
claimed to have killed quite
a lot of Bosches, but that
of course is always a point
of question.
Later. What rotten bad
luck we've got, to be sure.
I've just got word that
while the raiders were 
reassembling after the raid,
a German shell burst right
in one of the bays and
has killed seven and wounded
three. Four of this number
belong to this battalion, and 
the others to the 46^th. Our

 

grenadier officer, Gunner, is among
the killed, and the 46^th also
have an officer killed, Capt Moorhouse.

Sunday October 1^st 1916
What frightful havoc one shell
can do. I saw the remains
of the fellows who were killed
last night. They were too
gruesome to describe. Poor Gunner
had the greater portion of his 
face and head blown off. The
others were equally ghastly.
And now this afternoon we
have had some more casualties.
The Bosch put over about

ten H.E's. into our reserve

positions : a most unusual 

occurence. The very first
shell went right through the
roof of a dugout in which
 

96
were some Lewis Gunners, and 
accounted for six of them.
Three are dead, one will
not live long I am afraid,
and the others are badly
hit. And the battalion
in here previously did not
have a single casualty!
Tomorrow we are to be 
relieved and will then go
into support at a place called
Ridgewood.
Monday October 2^nd 1916
We moved here yesterday
evening. It rained the whole
time too, and the ground
was very slippery and
full of pitfalls. Today
I rode in to Reninghelst to
get the battalion pay, and

 

had a hot bath at the same
time. I needed it too,

considering that I have not
had my clothes off since
we came into the line a 
week ago.
The C.O. told me today

that the Brigadier has sent me 
on for a decoration, and he
thinks I will get a Serbian
decoration. Of course I
shall be very pleased if I
do get it, but I ha'e ma
doots. Anyhow, I think he

could have found someone
who deserves it more. Young

Fairley has been given

a Military Cross for his work
at Pozieres. I am very glad
for the boy thoroughly earned it
 

98
Dear old Ethel will be delighted
too, to think that 'her boy'
as she calls Clarrie, has been

so distinguished.
Ray has also sent me on
for my majority. If I get 
it I will go to a company,
as an adjutant rarely holds
higher rank than Captain.
I wouldn't be altogether sorry, either,
for it has been very hard
work; but still I don't

mind as long as I am helping
Ray.  Lt. Twining, is going to
be the new Adjutant, and I am 
schooling him now. He is a
fine boy, and so wholesome
and clean. I used to be
like that myself once, I believe
before war spoiled me.

 

Thursday, October 6^th 1916

Life here is more or less uneventful
The men put in practically all their
time on fatigue work - carrying
parties, working parties etc, - some
during the day but the most

during the night. Just at present
I am having a very easy time,
for I am training Twining; and 
the best way to train him is 
to let him do the job just as
he would have to if I were 
away. He is doing well, and
just comes to me now and
again for advice on certain points.
Today Fritz put nine shells
over near our camp. We
are training for a raid, and

he must have seen the men
assembled out in the open, for
 

100
he put all the shells very

near them. Nobody was hurt.
Later - Dear old darling,
I have just received two letters
from you. Poor old lad,
I am so sorry the Hancock's
have turned out so rottenly, but
it is an ill wind that blows

no good, and it has apparently 

decided you to come to England.

I am waiting impatiently for
a cable from you to say

what boat and date  you are

leaving. Jove, kid, it seems 
too good to be true.
Sunday October 9^th 1916
Had a letter from Uncle Arthur
today. He says he has cabled

you to come over, so I expect
that will finally decide you.

 

Let's hope it does, anyhow, for I'm
hungering for a sight of you.
Our raid can't come off now as
soon as we expected, owing to
the artillery. Consequently I will
be away when it happens.
Ray advises me strongly to take
my leave while I've got the
chance because it looks as
though we will be back in
the old spot again before
long. I hope I can get away
to meet you,  whatever
Tuesday 10^th
The preparations for the raid proceed
apace. This morning at 4 am
there was a full dress rehearsal,
knobkerries and all. The fellows
are very interested about it all.
I wish it was to take place