Diary of Herbert Vincent Reynolds, 1918 - Part 1

Brown front cover of a notebook - blank

Bill     3   20

Cliff   2                                                        66    8     8

H       2    20                                                        14    8

                                                                     67     3    4

£69     7     0

     1     11     0

           14.                                                      71     12

   71     12   .0                                                67      3     4 

                                                                        4     8     8

H Long (5f?)
W Lightfody  Jf  11 Sept

Admidst the bloom of Golden wattle,

Where my thoughts will ever be,

May you get this letter safely,

From somewhere beyond the sea.
 

Ive left the old home far behind

And Im feeling kind of blue

Cause Im so lonesome now I find

I dont know what to do

Where ever I may be

That dear old place I see

 

I love that dear old home of ours

I love the simple country time

I seem to hear the old place calling

Calling just come right down

Where the birds sing all day long

& where the sun will be bright

I love the [waving corn where

I was born

I love that clear old home of mine

Monday 6^th May

Everything extremely

quiet. Spent morning making

direction boards for walking wounded

Pay day

Tuesd 7^th

Very severe bombardment

in progress almost all day chiefly on

our right. Rained fairly much during

the morning. Our old billet received

a severe shaking this evening when

several large shells exploded very

close, one fell in the Chateau grounds

& lighted up a tree.

Wed 8^th

Things have been fairly quiet

Have been working on a shelter over the

entrance to the Chateau basement today

Thurs 9^th

Painted shelter at enterance

to Chateau basement this morning fixed a

couple of doors to boxes on limber & ambal

this afternoon. Packed up & marched to

headquarters at La-Kruelat at 6 pm. Our

billet is a large barn & is fairly comfort

A roll call was made at 9 pm

Frid 9^th

Parade at 9 am for roll call

after which we were dismissed for the

day. A party of us formed a party

to represent the div at the funeral of

the French aviator Henri Renault who

was buried at the La Kruel military cemetry

this morning.

Sat 18^th

Morning run before

breakfast. Beautiful day. An

impromptu concert was held tonight

out side our billet. At about 10 pm

enemy aircraft passed overhead in large

numbers shortly afterwards a great

reflection lit up the whole eastern

sky, evidently one of our ammunition dumps

was exploded by bombs from the

enemy planes. another but very much

smaller reflection was to be seen to

the left of the other.

Sund 19^th

Morning run as usual. Have

been doing a little carpentering work

today. The unit has started a canteen

again.

Mond 20^th

Morning run before breakfast

spent morning doing an odd job, or two. Done

some washing & packed up ready to go up

the line after dinner. Left our camp at 7 pm

May

in horse ambulances & went through

Borre & Pradelles almost to Straziele where

we got out & walked to the R A P of 2^nd B

Tuesd 21st

At about midnight the enemy put

over gass shells & continued at short  intervals

till dawn, we had to wear our masks for

a good couple of hours. At about 3 30 am 

a streatcher case came along & we carried him

down to the motor ambulance. Things got

very quiet towards dawn at about 4 am, we
then turned in for a sleep. till midday.

Friday 24^th

Things have been rather quiet

on it, the enemy made no reply to our

gass attack, one of the cylinders fell short 

& gassed one of our outposts, one chap imediately

got out & ran back here, with the result that

the exertion killed him, the remainder 7 in 

number are remaining in the outpost till this

evening when they can be carried out, thus

giving them every possible chance to pull

through. Turned in at 3 30 am till midday.

Three of the gassed patients were brought

down about 10 pm shortly afterward the enemy

comenced to rain gass shells on the vicinity

of our post, the next billet to us had a gass

shell penetrate the wall wounding a R S B

in the hand & gassing another we carried the

gass case down to the loading post, & had to

wear our masks shells were falling thickly

around the vicinity.

Sat 25^th

We spent the most busyest night

of all last night also the hottest. the

enemy soaked the area from here back

to the batteries with gass all night

long we put through 11 streatcher cases

& about 15 others mostly all gassed

turned in at about 7am till 3pm.

Sund 26^th

Rather quiet night, put

through several severely wounded cases

June

Wednesday 19^th

Quiet night.

The day has been showery with fine

intervals during which our our men

& head me rather active At about 6 pm

a squadron of our machines forced

a hun machine to land xxxx in our

lines in the direction of La Mott.

Thurs 20^th

Shortly after midnight our

9^th batt made a bit of a stunt on the

right the objective being 3 outposts held

by the enemy. At about 2.30 am we

went up to the relay & loaded the wounded

on the ambulance there, about 14 streatcher

cases were put through, took a walk up

to the station R A P & assisted to carry

the last case down, things were extremely

quiet. Returned to loading post about

6-30 am had breakfast & after loading

a couple of fritzies turned in for a sleep

till about 2 pm. Two of the posts were 

successfully occupied but one held our

raiding party up, till. just before dawn 

when it was rushed & three of the occupants

killed, the remaining two were wounded

& were the only prisoners taken.

Friday 21^st 

July 4^th Thurs

Spent morning

fixing up a filter hose at abatitor

bench. A couple of mates & I spent

the afternoon at the sports meeting

of 3^rd Fld Amb near Hondeghem

an open air concert was held in

their grounds at 6 30 & was very good

Report from G H Q this morning

giving particulars of Aust success

east of Amiens. This evening our

artillery opened up very strongly at

about 9 pm, the enemy attacked but

was dispersed before reaching our lines.

Friday 5^th

Spent the day laying bricks

around the pump in the yard.

Sat 6^th

Finished the job we were on

yesterday

Sund 7^th

Got a pass & went down to 

headquarters. at La Kreule after dinner

watched part of baseball match between

1^st Btn & our unit with a few Americans

on each side. At about 9 pm we left

Borre & started out for our 8 days in the

lines reached R A P at Strazeale station 
about 10.30 pm.

Mond 8^th

Took a couple of walking patients

down just about midnight last night &

assisted to take a streatcher case down

to the relay post immediately after returning.

the distance we carry is about 400  yards

Tuesd 9^th

Things have been rather quiet

our artillery have been busy but the enemy is

using his very little. Spent the best part of

the day making souvineer identification

discs etc.

Wed 10^th

At about 2 15 pm four streatcher

cases came along giving both squads two trips

each to the relay post, imediately after starting