Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1918 (Vol. 4) - Part 1

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PRO1698/4
53 Bty
LRowme
4^th Volume
 

1 
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1
6/5/18. I hardly know how to
express my thoughts on the entertainment 
I was afforded on my
first night at the Battery. Sleeping
quarters are very limited so I
unfolded my valise at the head
of the mess and decided to get
what sleep I could. Anyway I
was no sooner  asleep when our
whole six guns right overhead
almost blazed forth. That wasnt
the only time however for there
were 4 other operation orders
to fulfil at various intervals
all of which tended to disturb
my sleep I had to get up at 4
so that I could get to our o.g.
before daylight as it happens to
be in full view of the Hun
and necessitated a walk of two
miles at least. It turned out to
be one of the most interesting days
 

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Ive ever experienced. The O.P is
an excellent one giving a flank view
of the whole of the Zone allotted to us
as well as a great deal more I
spent 16 hours there observing
and directing shoots on anything
of a suspicious nature. I was very
amusing to see the Huns walking
about quite unconcernedly where
they considered themselves under
cover as a matter of fact they
didn't count on our being so far
round. Anyway we’ve put a
Heavy Battery on to them, and
my hopes run  high. Our guns
were pouring shells into the
Zone all day tho the Hun did
very little in return except
thow over some 5.9’s about
100yds over the O. G. I witnessed
a Hun plane coming down
in flames as the result of
a determined Attack by one
of ours. I was quite thrilling to
 

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witness in spite of the awful.
death of the [[?]]. We didn't
get back until 9.30 feellng very
much like enjoying dinner. As
I got very little I steep last night 
I went to bed very early tonight
7/5/18 Strange to relate I slept
thro’ two heavy bombardments by
our guns and was awakened
by my batman announcing that
my breakfast was ready. Who
ever dreamt I’d be having
it in bed on a job like this
but it’s’ evidently the Custom
and I enjoyed the relaxation
immensely. It gave me an
opportunity too of looking over
the Bty. position and finding
how the Bty. is run. In the afternoon 
I went out on a foraging
expedition for lumber and
other necessities for building
dugouts  & much to my relief
I received a packet of letters
 

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from the Bank my collection
for a month and 21 in all.
I had no time to read them but
saw an excellent chance on
the morrow as Ill be at the
O.P. from 5 till 9.Pm.
8/5/18. My day commenced very
early I was awake at 2.30
calmly listening to a salvo from
our Bty. and had to be out at
4. Visibility was bad all the
morning so I saw no aeroplane
fights and only one or two
Huns and they evidently were
under the impression they couldn’t 
be seen. So I read my letters
which took we at least 3 hours
and at the same time keeping
my weather eye open for advancing
Huns as H.Qs suspected a
shafe this morning. I had
great opportunities this afternoon 
and twice scattered wandering 
 

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Boches.The whole Division opened
out on Vane wood where it 
was suspectd the enemy were
working on gun emplacements
at 4 and again at 8 the
latter being the most exciting
as the flashes were plainly
visible thro' the trees. I didn’t
get back until 10 feeling famished
and much in need of bed.
Guess I’ll sleep like a top.
9/5/18. I was orderly officer today
my first time as such and
it means General Supervision
of the whole Battery and when
theres a stunt on keeping in
close touch with the Guns regardless 
of falling shells. I spent most
of the day improving the pits
in anticipation of a supreme
effort on the part of the enemy
to break thro’ on Our particular
front. I’ll have to learn a host
 

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of stuff before I can safely say I’m
an old hand. I had to work out two
shoots for the officer at the O.P.
and secured 3 direct hits on
a suspected HQs out of 4 but
the Guns do Great work and have
been carefully calibrated and we
have some fine Gunners Yesterday
working under cover of a mist we
put in an old 15 Pdr. on the
reverse slope of a hill overlooking
 the whole our zone
to be used as an anti tank
gun in case of a raid and
if the raid is successful then
it will be blown up and the
Crew go for their lives I was
very nearly being put in
charge of it  but one of our
officers wanted a rest so he
secured the enviable post. The
more I see of our Major who
 

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by the way is a young Dunoon
College chap the more I admire 
his many qualities really we’re
a very happy famly. Tonight
and much to my regret word
came thro’ that the Germans
were attacking in the morning 
We had had a visit from Gen.
Sir Wm Birdwood during the
morning and it was he who
first announced the fact
afterwards confirmed by our
Intelligence report. I commenced
the usual nights shoots at
different intervals with much
trepidation tho I had strict
instructions to wake the Major
should the warning go up either
by an intense bombardment
or by rockets fired from
our front line. These attacks
as a rule commence just at
dawn and I can tell you I
 

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 sniffed the air with some sort
of perturbation many times
between 3.30 and 4 a.m. We
had our last shoot at 3.45 and
after it was over I walked across 
the hill to see whether Icould
detect anything unusual as
it was just getting light. Many
hostile planes  were up and
they were attacking Arilly some
mile or so away with much
vim but they came not our
way. It was a huge relief to
go to bed feeling that at
any rate we are free for
another day. During the last
bombardment the vicinity 
of the Battery was one falling
mass of shells and thats
not a choice prospect by any
means I went to sleep anyway
and had not the slightest intention 
of worrying more until at
least midday that day.