Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1918 (Vol. 4) - Part 7

59
registration was carried out.
right in front. I was wondering
and with much concern exactly
what it meant when down came
a 5.9 not 15 yards away. I made
sure it had [[ace?]] and unconsciously
slipped to the bottom of the dugout
out of the way of splinters at least.
Three more in quick succession
followed. all just over and I
discreetly remained below until
it was over. From another burst
of fire 15 minutes later it was
obvious that the valley running
alongside and used by Infantry
in reserve was the target and
our 5.9 friends were just short.
We had information that "Storm"
Divisions were relieving the
troops then in the line during
the day and as that couldn't take
place until dusk I was on the
lookout for targets. "Revenge is
sweet so I redoubled my vigilance
in spite of the gathering gloom
 

60
I first of all saw 6 Transport waggons
worth for the Heavies and later on
a host of Infantrymen in single file
passing one of our "registrations"
so had the Bty: on in no time
the shooting was good and must
have scored. It was then 10.30
so I deemed it quite late enough
to return home. It was a long
day 24 hours practically and
little or no sleep since 10 that
morning before. Great precautions
were taken in view of the possibility

of an attack so some good information

must have been supplied. It's

marvellous the information that is

gleaned by the Intelligence Section

talk about the German Spy System

it may be well near perfection

but ours takes some beating.

16/6/18. As identification was decided

to ascertain whether new Divisions

had been put into the line to confirm

the Intelligence reports a raid by

our 4^th Bge was projected for

61
11.30 last night and we had to put

down a barrage 175 yards beyond the

post to be raided. Its rather a ticklish

proposition at any time and the utmost

care must be taken in working out the

shoot. Naturally the Major wont let a

mere Subaltern do that particular work

released this morning that the raid

was a successful one 66 men being

accounted for as the report stated.

"We captured 16 men & 4 machine guns

35 were killed and 25 showed a disinclination 
to be taken prisoners: As it

happened the post raided was one of 

my particular targets. We had a visit

from the "most effective" 11^" the shell

falling just below our dugouts.

but quite clear. Still the very

sound of it rather scares one.

Just at 7 we witnessed a balloon

coming down in flames over Amiens

apparently caused by an anti aircraft

shell and simultaneously an

ammunition dump over beyond

Heilly these however are fortunes of war

62
We definitely learnt that we move out

to rest on the 21/22 inst. but much

to our regret have to leave our guns

behind. A fortnights rest is something

worth looking forward to.

17/6/16. I was oblivious of everything

until 1 PM tho' I didn't turn in

until 4 A.M. before which nothing

of importance happened except

the usual quota of Hun shells

into the Auere Valley in search

of our Heavies. It was very quiet

for the rest of the day. tho the

usual movement has Continued

in rear of the Hun lines. The 
Huns have inaugurated a system

of putting in bursts of fire at

odd intervals at noted assembly 

places and Heilly Comes in for

more than its fair share as a 

result. The wind has not been

favorable for gas and that's why we

havent been bothered with any for

any considerable time.

63

18/6/18. I was up as usual at 3AM

and settling down to the ordinary

day's vigil at the O.P. by 4 just as

dawn was breaking. We didnt have

to run the gauntlet as sometimes

happens and as a precaution had

taken a different track leading

past the much-harassed village of

Vaux. There is a small cemetery

just on the outskirts where most of

our Infantry who have fallen while

in the line are buried and since

I've been here the number of graves

has increased from 4 to 30. tho

of course there have been several 

fairly important raids in that time

and on our particular front. I

had a very quiet day as far as

Hun shells were concerned but

as it was my last day there I

thought I'd expend a little more

ammunition than usual and in

that I was materially assisted by

the activity of the enemy particularly

64

in one rather important trench

much used by the reliefs so I spent

quite an hour speeding these unfortunate 
infantry men with 3 rounds

of shrapnel each time any presented

themselves.

19/6/18 The date of our departure

from the line draws appreciably

nearer. we now have information

that two sections pull out tomorrow

night and the remaining which

happens to be mine the following

night. It's rather a relief certainly

to go out back for a fortnights

rest away from the din of battle

but when one considers that we

might very easily have to return

to a front much more lively than

this and with all the trouble

of moving out its questionable

whether its worthwhile. We propose

to go to Abbeville and in addition

to a little training hope to indulge

in sports and other things ceremonial

65

I suppose I'm fortunate to get a

rest so soon after coming to the Bty

a matter of almost 2 months and

3 months with the exception of a fortnight

after Littray France. I have been

Orderly Officer for the day and tomorrow

set out for Battalion H.Q’s on

Liaison duty just for a day a 

day's holiday anyway, unless

there's great work on foot. It

rained most of the day the first

time seriously for several weeks

and France in wet weather is not

choice owing to the nature of the

soil.

20/6/18. We've just got rid of two

of our sections and the remainder 

will pull out tomorrow it’s

my section too so I've been

let in for introducing the new

officers to our front and to 

the last and not least the O.P.

so that I have to be up at 3 AM.

tomorrow and point out our

66

targets to one of the new officers

It was actually my day off but

I found plenty to do to get ready

for our move out tomorrow. The

first sections left at 9 o'clock

and the newcomers were settled

down at 10 and indulging in the

usual light shoot commencing

at 10.30. Several of my old

fellows happened to be with

Bty and I was glad to see them

again. Lipocomte and Crozier

also happened to be in the same

Brigade the 11^th. and they both

came along.

21/6/18 The Major absolutely

refused to allowance to do the

night's shooting and did it himself

just because I had to go to O.P.

at 3. It was raining all night

and consequently had to walk

to our favorite station thro

the wet grass and crops now

almost waist high. I was back

 67

again at 7 and well asleep

soon after I was Orderly Officer

and everything else continued

during the day but with the dual

control had plenty of assistance

We spent most of the afternoon

completing arrangements for handing

over and as it commenced to rain

early we looked forward to a wet

ride to our starting point at

Renancourt a suburb of Amiens

It was raining when our

last Section cleared the position and

the Major and I set out for the wagon

lines the rendezvous for the night

march just at 10. Everything there

was in readiness to move out as 

soon as we arrived and just as

we were going thro' Querrieu of

course a few Hun shells must

fall in our wake just by way of

a parting gift. Still everybody was

in a good mood a few weeks out

at rest is a great attraction.

68
22/6/18. I must commence with an
account of our night march thro
the soaking rain.  We came along the
main Albert- Amiens Road a magnificent
highway perfectly straight

and lined with trees.  It was just
1 AM. as we reached the outskirts of
Amiens but we were not allowed to
pass thro' the main part of the City
much tho! I'd have enjoyed it so
we circled round it passing over
the Canal and the Railway Line
just as the sun was getting up. We
were just about wet thro' too but
soon had the horses picketed and
the men billeted. Renancourt is
only a small village and still
inhabited being out of the way of
shells altho Amiens has received
more than a fair share. We spent
the afternoon getting things ship
shape for the morrows inspection
by the General tho we were greatly