Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1918 (Vol. 5) - Part 3

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mostly for wagon lines tho'

one corner is reserved for a

large "Heavy" Ammunition Dump

and another portion for a

race course.  The Chateau is a

fine building one of the largest

around here and now used as

a Divisional H.Qs.  St. Gratien is

a pretty village some 3 miles from

Frechencourt and where our

D.A. is at present.  I saw Capt.

Frecid and found him looking

splendid.  I hadn't seen him

since I wished him "Goodbye"

on the Spencer St. Station quite

18 months ago.  When I Returned

the Major greeted me with the alarming

news that he was off to "Blighty"

in the morning on 14 days leave

and that we were to carry on as

we were meanwhile Then Still

more startling news Came thro'

that we were to move into the

line again in the morning.  We

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anticipate I will be into the position

we selected some days ago. Ellis

has gone to B.H.Q. for instructions 

so we shall hear more in the

morning.

26/7/18 Our prediction Came true

we go into action in the vicinity

of Ribecourt but much to our

regret learnt that the position

selected had been "jumped" so 

Ellis and I set out early to select

a new position and the detachments

were to follow to start digging in

immediately.  Our position just

midway between Ribecourt and

Treux had been taken and the

Gun-Pits were in Course of Construction

but the Bty taking over had

decided to go elsewhere so we

fell "into our own".  We Commenced

immediately on improving the

pits and digging shelter in the

bank for the Aucre River runs

just below and if the weather

would clear up would be an

ideal position.  As it happened

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it rained most of the day and
the place was soon a Quagmire,
French mud again We had to

walk some three miles to select

an O.P.  and at the same time a

suitable datum point to run out

our zero Line.  The first Consideration

I elected to remain in the position

in preference to going back to Complete

our dugout and give the men a 

hand if necessary while Ellis

went back to bring the Guns up.

I had dinner with the 42nd Btn in

Mericourt for I found that 2

old friends  in Lipscombe and 
Jacobs were there and we opened

a bottle of Benedictine that

had been unearthed in Treux

that day by another of their officers.

We got the guns in and

ammunition unloaded in a

succession of violent downpours

so that naturally we Crawled

into bed on the first opportunity 

27/7/18   It's only Saturday why we

didn't move in Sunday I don't

know as that is the usual day

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for us perhaps we'll move again
tomorrow who knows. We laid

out our lines of fire this morning

and Reposted 3 of the guns during

the afternoon between the showers

but if was little encouragement

enough.  Still the work had to be 

pushed on as it is Rumored

that the "Stunt" is to take place

tomorrow night or Monday morning.

Whether on an extensive scale

or not I don't know but as only 

250 rounds of ammunition are

required. I'm inclined to think not.

From the infantryman's point of

view the position is very unsatisfactory

as the Huns hold the hill just

in front and almost look down

on our front line making it

almost untenable so evidently 

a bid is being made for this high

ground. I had a visit from

a Cousin who is a sergeant

in the 29th Battn.  and whom I

haven't seen for well nigh 3 years

in fact he came in early when I

was sleeping most peacefully

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and remained for breakfast to

help us eat portion of a kid we

had captured and slaughtered.

28/7/18   We received all orders

this morning relating to the

attack that is to be carried out

by the 8th Brigade and has in 

short as its object. the Capturing

of the hill over looking Morlancourt

which will will Cause the enemy 

to evacuate the Ruined town

and give us a much more Commanding

position.  One of our new officers

was anxious to Come up to the Bty.

so I had to Return to 2agon

Lines much tho I would have

Preferred the former in view of

the fireworks in the morning

I would have Preferred a much

bigger "bite" but of course its

in keeping with the  General

Army's policies the Continual

harassing of the enemy all along

the line.  While such a Successful

attack is being made at Rheims

there seems no reason why the

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same should not be carried out

here as well. However the powers

that be have their allotted tasks to

fulfil.  It's very comforting the

prospect of a Good nights sleep

under Quiet and pleasant surroundings 

29/7/18   I didn't wake up until 8

o'clock and the first thing I noticed

was one of my Sergeant's just arriving

from the Bty. and from him we

found out that everything was

going well.  The attack was a 

success tho. he wasn't able to

find out what our Casualties

were still the barrage went down

in good order. I'd like to have

been in the Sergeant's shoes for

he went off on leave to England

and had only received notification 

early this morning.  We didn't

have a very Strenuous day as

nothing but. harness duty

horses have to be looked after.

We were under the impression

that we would be "pulling out"

 

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but so far no orders have come

thro to that effect.  It may be we

are remaining in for a still

further advance I hope its a

good one.

30/7/18  I made a firm Resolution that

I would Get up for early morning

parade but I slept so soundly

that I didn't even hear Reveille.

I'm down here for a Rest and it

looks as if I'm destined to live

within the Spirit of it.  Being Extremely 

close to the end of the month we

had to draw pay so I set out

for St. Gratien some 6 kilos away

to visit the Paymaster.  The ride

is a pleasant one in so much

as its mostly thro' long avenues

of trees and part of the way along

the valley of the Hellue a

tributary of the Somme.  Both

Frechencourt and St. Gratien are

still free from Hun destruction.

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and from the latest reports have

a good chance of remaining so.  It was

a beautiful summer's day just one

we would have appreciated the day

we 'dug in'.  We have a large

Railway dump just nearby the

Wagon Lines and all night long

trains were discharging light rails

and sleepers either in anticipation 

of the winter or a swift advance

31/7/18. Another very fine day but

unless one is fully occupied its

very easy to develop a languid

attitude towards everything.  We

heard rumours that we would

be moving out in a few days &

Whether to Go into another part of the

line eg.  Villers Bretonneux or 

out to continue our Rest it's difficult

to say anyway in anticipation 

of the latter we had the  men

putting on some extra work on

the harness and making the

wagons look presentable tho I

expect there will be more ammunition

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to be taken up to the Bty. before we

eventually do Withdraw.  Already one

"Tommy" Bge. has moved in taking

the place of the 6th Army Bge. and

we hear the 18th Division is on 

the March to Relieve the 5th so that

Gives Credence to the Rumours We've

heard.  I intended to Go out Riding

but was the only officer left here

and as it was necessary to Get

on with the work in hand I

had to Remain.  It was a Good

opportunity to Get off old Scores

in the shape of letters for I

wrote diligently all the afternoon.

1/8/18  The month dawned with

a fine flourish of trumpets 

in the shape of at least 30

bombs in the immediate vicinity 

of over wagon lines.  The moon-

light night being the attraction

at first one plane Ventured over

and unloaded the Consignment 

mostly in the vicinity of the main

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road to Pont Mozelle.  Hardly an

hour had elapsed when a large

Number of tanks commenced to

move in the same direction and

as they passed a succession of

loud Reports were heard Gradually

Getting closer then one Terrific

report followed by two of a Similar

nature not 100 yards away and

as far as I could make out in

the immediate vicinity of a large

Railway dump it seemed impossible

to miss the long line of tanks

and so it transpired for this

morning we learnt that one had

been badly knocked and the officer

and 2 O.R. almost Cut to pieces.

The two succeeding bombs had

between them uprooted the

Railway line and it was from

them that we received one

Quota of earth and stones it

was quite close enough to be

unpleasant but the Remarkable

thing is that we didn't lose some