Diary of Herbert Vincent Reynolds, 1917-1918 - Part 1

PAPETERIE 

YVERT & TELLIER

AMIENS   

LSME - 2 2l

January 1917

Monday 1^st

Came off duty at 8am &

turned in for the day after having a very

easy night. Went on duty at 8pm.

Tuesday 2^nd

Came off duty at 8 am & spent 

the day in bed till tea time. I did

not have a trip to the railway with

wounded during the night. The enemy fired

over, a number of heavy shells in our vicinity

during the day, no damage was done by

them. A band played several selections

in the engineers camp which is about 300

yds from us, during the afternoon, it

helped to cheer things up considerably.

Went on duty at 8pm as usual.

Wednesday 3^rd

Nothing of any notice

occurred.

Thursday 4^th

Come off duty at 8am & 

spent the day in bed. I had one trip

to the railway at Quarry siding with a

truck load of wounded during the night

we were able to use the new truck line & 

take the wounded to the receiving station

door, then saving us the trouble of carrying

them a distance of about 400 yds as we have

hither to been doing. Went on duty at 8pm

Friday 5^th

     Turned in after coming off duty

at 8am, there was very few cases came in 

during the night. I did not have a trip

Enemy aircraft have been over here during

the day. I went on duty at 8 pm as usual

At about 10.30 pm an enemy gun of very

high velocity & large calibre began to fire

over shells which exploded in our vicinity

& caused a deal of anxiety as we had a fair

number of patients waiting for the light

train which leaves the crossing at 11.45 pm.

& the shells were exploding very near the line.

Saturday 6^th

At about midnight the train

arrived with only 4 trucks that would only

carry two stretcher cases each, & the

7^th Fld Amb had enough patients to load

them with, so the train had to return for

our patients. It returned at about 1 am

& we loaded up 9 streatcher cases & half

a doz walking patients. The enemy gun

kept firing at intervals till about 7 30 am

then ceased firing. I went down to 

the Quarry siding with the trucks &

unloaded them, we got our streatchers & 
blankets & were brought half way back
by the train, we then had to carry our gear

back to the dressing station. Snow comenced

to fall when we were returning & continued

for an hour or more. Came off duty at 8 am

& packed up my kit & left the Bernafay

dressing station with three other chaps in a 

motor ambulance to returned to our unit

headquarters at the Anzac Rest Station at

Burre. We left about 9 am & after having a bit

of trouble with the motor, & getting a tow up a

hill by a motor wagon, we reached Turer Mill

at Meaulte, where we waited for about an hour

while the car went into Albert. At about

2 pm we reached Burre & found quarters in 

a tent in B lines.

Sunday 7^th

I spent a very cold night, we

are camped in large marquees & they are not near

as warm as the huts. The day has been rather fine

following a heavy frost. I spent the morning

cleaning up A lines. All of the bearers who

were at the Bernafay dressing station attached

to the 3^rd Fld Amb returned to the unit today.

Monday 8^th

The day has been extremely cold.

Spent the morning cleaning up A lines, & this

afternoon putting things strait around the

Quarter Masters Store. I met H Elliot this evening

his batt billeted in the village near us.

Tuesday 9^th

A terrific bombardment has been

in progress all night in the direction of Thebval.

& has continued throughout the day. I spent the

day helping to lay duck board tracks in the

camp. A party of us spent a very pleasant 

evening at a concert in Merricourt. The 

Australian Comforts Fund is running the

show & I can safely say that the programme 
Anzac Cover Concert party

is the best that I have seen in France yet 

Wednesday 10^th

The bombardment has been going

several days now, & has been continuous & very

intense at times. I reported at sick parade

at 9 am& was put off duty for the day. For some

time now my voice has been affected by a heavy

cold which I have had for a couple of mths now.

Thursday 11^th

I am getting steam inhalations

of Benz Co three time a day for my cold, & no duty.

Friday 12^th

 xxxx  Reported again on sick parade

& was instructed to continue the treatment.

was put on light duty as tent orderlie for a 

few days.

Sunday 14^th

A mate & I went for a walk

to the village of Heilly about 4 miles away

this afternoon. After tea a few mates & I went

across to Ribermont & bought a few articals

at the ACF canteen there, we got a 

good supply of Quaker oats which we make

for breakfast of a morning. Received a

parcel from Mr Key this morning.

Monday 15^th

My cold is getting a bit

easier & my voice is improving. A party

of us spent the evening at a concert in

the village of Merricourt, it was nothing

near as good as the last we were at.

Tuesday 16^th.

My duties were changed today

& I spent the day constructing racks in

the new pack store for the patients kits

Wednesday 17th.

The ground was two ins deep in 

snow when we turned out this morning

I had leave to visit Amiens today & a

mate (W Johnson) & I caught the train at

Merricourt Ribermont station at 8 am & reached

Amiens about 10 am the fare was

3 ½^d. There is very little to do in the town &

time hangs on your hands, the picture shows

are only open on Tues Thurs & Sat, all the

public buildings are closed till after the war.

We seen the exterior of the hipodrome, the 

library & museum & other important places

We had two fairly decent meals, brought

a few articals & came home, we got on a 

tram & came from the city as far as the Albert

road, we walked to the barrier & got on a 

passing motor wagon, that brought us to Burre

We were through the cathedral & seen what

there was to be seen, the most important

parts are protected, against bombs etc. by

sandbags. Early this morning a very heavy

bombardment was in progress in the direction

of Thebval.

Thursday 18^th

The ground has been covered

with snow all day again & fine snow has

been falling near all day I have been fitting

up rifle racks etc in the new pack store today

During the diner hours we went out over the

fields & made a hare drive, we seen a

dozen or more hares but only got one.

Friday 19^th

We had a heavy frost this

morning, the country is still covered with

snow I finished up the job in the pack

store today Received 6 letters from Aust.

& one from Mr Key.

Saturday 20^th.

We experienced another heavy

frost this morning & the ground is now

frozen as hard as a brick & is still white

I have been helping to lay duck board

tracks in the camp & it has been a very

cold job, the day has been fine but the 

wind has been extremely cold.

Sunday 21^st

I spent the morning laying

duck board tracks in the camp & this 

afternoon loading up No 1, 3 & 5 g s wagons

with a B & C section hospital equipment

ready for morning off. The day has been very

cold, the ground is still covered with

frozen snow. Received letter from home & Adi

Monday 22^nd.

We have been buisy getting

things ready for moving off tomorrow, striking 

& packing up bell-tents & loading G S wagons

A party of the 14^th Fld Amb arrived here this

afternoon & occupied our tents & we moved into

others in A line. I spent the evening at 

a concert in Merricourt it was a pretty fair

show an exhibition of ju jutsue wrestling was

given by a 23 Bn chap.

Tuesday 23^rd.

Spent a very cold night. The

frost this morning is the most severe that we

have had this winter. We packed up after

breakfast & completed the job of loading up the

g s wagons, the job of packing up the bell tents

was a most difficult one as they were frozen

hard. We marched off at 10 am carrying our

packs & blankets & arrived at the school in

Albert where we are billited, at about 11.30 am

The enemys aircraft has been extremely active

the day has been fine & fairly clear, though it

has been freezing all day, the water in our

bottles comenced to freeze while we were on the

march. At about 4 pm an observation balloon

that had broken away drifted over here. I 

went for a stroll through the partly wrecked

town this afternoon with a few mates. Our billet

is a spacious two story brick building situated

in the centre of the town only about 300 yds

from the cathedral, it has been damaged

slightly by a shell but is in a pretty

good condition considering its situation.

Wednesday 24^th

 Spent another extremely 

cold night, was well repaid for the little

discomfort of carrying three blankets in my

pack yesterday instead of the usual two.

We paraded at 9 am for a muster parade &

again at 10 am for a gass helmet inspection.

Half a dozen large enemy shells exploded in

the town today about midday. Enemy aircraft

were extremely active especially during the 

latter part of the morning. The day has been

the same as yesterday clear & freezing.

Thursday 25^th

We turned out at about 9 am

& imediately packed up ready for moving

off. Our packs were loaded on a g s wagon 

& at about 9.30 am B & C sections marched

off, we were left to clean up the billits & moved 

off at about 11 am. The day has been very 

clear & fine but has been freezing as usual

Enemy aircraft have ben very active during

the early part of the day. We marched 
through Albert & along the Bapamne Rd Hill

reaching the Contalmaison road, where we

turned off & marched over the ground that

has been stamped on our memory for good

& all, as the scene of Australia's greatest

undertaking in the present war. How the 

scene has changed since we last seen it, is 

very hard to describe. Looking over the ground

the scene of Posieres battle, the scene was strange

quiet, almost unearthly, not a shell was to be

seen exploding on the whole scene, hardly

a human being was to be seen on the whole

extent of that battle field, over the white 

mantle of snow that covered everything, a 

strange silence prevailed, one could hardly

realize that the scene, peace full as it

appeared today, was one regular inferno when

we seen it last. We marched past Casualty

corner, which has been transformed from the

shambles that it was, when we first seen it

to an ordinary country road. After passing

through the edge of Contalmasson village

we reached Bazintin where we found billets

in canvas huts at the dressing station at

about 2 pm. After having a little lunch four

mates & I went for a walk to Posieres ^ to locate 
the graves of our mates who fell there, 
back at about 6pm. We had a hot tea at 7 pm

& afterwards had a musical evening amongst

ourselves in the hut.

Friday 26^th

We turned out at 9 am & packed

up, our packs were stored in a marquee & we

marched off at about 10 am. We spent a very

cold night, the inside of the hut was covered 

with frost this morning.  Soon after we left

the Bazintin dressing stn several shells
 

exploded very close to us, one close up the

light railway track which we were walking along

but no one was hit as luck would have it.

All went well till we reached the Turks dump

where we got mixed up with three salvoes of

three shells, which exploded all around us, again

we were very lucky, but one of my mates received 

a rather severe wound in the left shoulder.

(W Flowers), We were very lucky that no more

of us were hit & got out of it very lightly with

only one being wounded. After bandaging the wound

one of the chaps mates, went back with him, we

came on to the advance aid post at Factory

corner where we releived the 50^th Fld Amb at 1 pm

There are two squads of 4 & a cpl here, at about 

5 pm a streatcher case came along & the other

squad took it down to the 1^st relay post. A party

of (of the) 95^th Border Regt snipers are ocoupying this dug

out with us, they were releived by 9 scouts of the

8^th tonight.

Saturday 27^th

Sleeping accomidation is

very restricted in our dug out, there are
18 of us in it & we have to sleep frog
fashion  the dug out is about 12 ft X 8ft wide
& 6ft deep, it is about 20 ft below the 
surface. A medical dugout is next to us.
the two being divided by a blanket, A sheet 
is fitted to the entrance & streatcher cases
can be brought down if the need be. We spent
a fairly warm night but had very little room
to turn over through the night. During the
day two enemy areoplanes were brought down
on this sector. Just after darka mate & I went over
to teh well for water, you cannot go near the
place during the day. The well is a very deep
one & the water is pumped into a tank about 
12 ft above the water level, the tins are filled
there & then hauled up by a rope to a plateau
about 20 ft higher & about 6 ft below the level
of the ground.
Sunday 28^th
Things have been extremely
quiet all day. At about 5.30 pm my squad
carried a streatcher case to the NO1 relay post
& after waiting there about half an hour carried
 

the rations back with us, they are brought from
post to post from Bazentin le petit, by parties
from each post. At 6 30 pm another streatcher case
was taken down by the other squad both were Tomies
Monday 29^th 
Ther was a very heavy frost this
morning again. Things have been very quiet.
At about 6 pm two of the chaps in my squad
took a chap to the next relay post. he was one of 
the 8th & was wounded in the heel by a shell
fragment near Batt H Q. I was just going
with a mate, to get water when 7 shells fell
within a few yards of the well, only the one chap
was wounded, although there were a fairly large
number in the vicinity. At about 11 pm I was

called out with a mate to take a sick chap down
to the replay post. just as we were started out the 
enemy started to shell the track ahead of us
but when we reached the vicinity there they
were exploding, we were much releived , after
waiting a few minutes, at one point, to see the shelling cease
While we were returning an enemy machine gun
was playing on the duck board track near H Q &
also before we reached the sap. The Medical officer
gave us a hot drink of coffee when we returned which
was greatly appreciated.
Tuesday 30^th
After having continuous heavy

frosts for the past fortnight we had a change
this morning when light snow began to fall.
We had orders this morning that one of the two
squads were to return to the 3^rd Relay post, so
we tossed to see who was to go, I won the toss
& decided to stay, so the other squad packed up
at 8 pm & went back to Millers post. At
about 5.30 pm the releiving squad was called on 
to carry a chap to the No 1 relay post & take
two other slightly wounded chaps down they
were all members of the 8^th btn. On returning
to our dug out we set about getting our tea, 
& fried some steak which was thoroughly enjoyed
by us when it was cooked, but we had to 
put up with a great deal of discomfort during
the cooking process. Our fire is generally
a coke or charcoal one but our supply of that
material run out & we had to put up with a