Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1918-1919 (Vol. 6) - Part 5

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from the Bty and as conditions
might at any time become unhealthy
we decided to move into them Imagine
my chagrin when the Major announced
that I had to go to 58^th Batt H.Q. as
Liaison Officer just as I was thinking
of slipping into bed for a much -
needed sleep. Still there was nothing
else for it so I strapped on my
harness and set out for the location
somewhere in a trench somewhere
beyond Bellicourt. It proved a
difficult matter to find the exact
spot after wading thro ' a maze of
trenches and thro' mud ankle-deep
practically the whole way. but it
was an opportunity to lay down
at least and cold and wet thro'
I was I simply had to fall to sleep
1/10/18. I was up at 6 to witness
the barrage which the Artillery
was putting down to get further
high ground beyond the Le Catelet-
Nauroy System and so pave the
way for the ultimate capture of the
Beaurevoir System the last of 

40
the Hindenburg defences. It was a good
opportunity of heralding in the new
month and I thought as I saw a
magnificent barrage go down that perhaps
the next month will have a different
tale to tell. By 6.30 the 58 Battn
had passed its objective without a Casualty
so the C.O. decided to push on across
the Railway and the Quentin Tunnel
and establish his HQs near Cabaret
Farm which was in the objective
gained only an hour before. We
reached the trench after passing
thro' rather a heavy barrage obviously
put down for our benefit as we
could easily be seen crossing the
ridge by the Huns over on our
left. It was by no means a
favored spot as all day Shells
flew on all sides but we were all
able to take refuge in some Hun
dugouts well under ground. The
Infantry Brigadier General Elliott
was well satisfied with the morning's
success but decided to exploit it
still further especially as reports 

41
were coming in that Estrees was
evacuated and the Huns were falling
back on their Beaurevoir system
and by night the whole Bge was
well established on the road running
from Estrees to Grand Court a
splendid start for the capture of
the final bar. to the Meuse. The
58^th Batt. at least was in a bad
way all they could muster was
111 men out of a total of 400
who went into the line on Sunday
so it was decided to relieve them
and the 2^nd Division Infantry to
take over. I will probably be
returning to my Bty in the morning
and glad too because being so
close to the front line it is inadvisable
to remove even your boots
and mine had been wet thro'
since Sunday. I anticipated a
restless night as all I had was
my greatcoat and it promised to
be very cold and then who knew
the Boche may at any time Counterattack
but chances are slight. 

42
2/10/18. I'm quite satisfied liaison
in the front line isn't the choicest
occupation there is. It was impossible
to sleep owing to the cold and rations
were scarce owing to the difficulty of

bringing them up Still it's a short
duration & I lost very little time
packing up what little I had and
setting out for the Bty. The Battn
had been already relieved and this
morning move into the Templeux
Area to recuperate. I found the Bty
still in the same place and still O.K.
and the first thing I did was
to have a wash and shave
after being without either for two
days and that's where one appreciates
the Artillery it's always possible to
get water enough to drink and
the wherewithal to wash. The decree
had gone forth that we were to
go right out now that we have
completed our deal and we commenced
making arrangements with that end in
view During the night the relieving
artillery had taken up positions 

43
in advance with the object of breaking
thro' the final obstacle the Beaurevoir
Line and then if we can put enough
men into the field there should be
no trouble whatever pushing the Hun
over the open Country. One can readily
understand why the Hun decided to
make a stand in this particular part
as the physical features of the country
are peculiarly adaptable for defensive
purposes. The Hindenburg System
just here consists of 4 lines. First
the outpost line a system of trenches
protected by Barb wire running along
the high ridge then follows the
Hindenburg Line more trenches
with 3 belts of wire quite 50 yards
wide then the Le Catelet-Nauroy
Line and Beaurevoir Line both
very strong but more in the nature
of Switch Lines The St Quentin Canal
runs immediately rear of the Hindenburg
Line thro' Bellicourt at one
part merely an open Canal but
Northwards it consists of a trench
originally constructed by Napoleon 

44
towards the end of the 18^th Century.
It has been alleged that in the trench
there is a boiling down plant for
German corpses but tho' an examination
there is slight evidence of something
of the kind to the readily imaginative
mind but personally I think it
was really a Cookhouse and the
bodies of the men lying about were
either taken there for some reason
or else they have died from Gas
or some other accident. However
the whole thing Seems to be shrouded
in mystery and there may be
some Glowing accounts of the real
solution from budding War
Correspondents as Several were
present when I was there. Much
of the country has been torn up
beyond recognition but now that
we have reached the undulating
Country beyond mobile warfare
should be the order of the day. We
had more information as the day
progressed as to what we were to do
viz to just stand fast and sleep 

45
peacefully tonight.
3/10/18  We did have a peaceful night
strange to say and the first intimation
of a move came at 11 and to our
regret it was to move forward again
still following up the Infantry. We
naturally were looking forward to a
rest especially as the men and
horses have had a hard time
the last week and a definite promise
was given that we would force the
Hindenburg Line and other Divisions
would follow thro'. We spent an
interesting afternoon watching
Hun Prisoners coming thro' and the
Cavalry going up to take up the
running mostly our 13^th A.L.H. and
how long have they waited for the
opportunity Surely here is their
chance. We unfortunately suffered
5 casualties at the Guns two
enterprising Gunners got a Boche
machine gun into working order
and whilst firing into and old
shell hole must have dislodged an
unexploded shell for there was a 

46
sudden explosion and all received
severe wounds in the head and
shoulders. It was regrettable after
coming thro' a severe test in the last
offensive. At 4.30 we were summoned
to B.H.Q's. to receive instructions
to make a reconnaissance for a
new position forward and set off
instanter with that end in view.
However on arriving there definite
information had come thro' that the
Hun was still being forced back
and we were to wait until morning
to see how the line stood before
moving. Another nights' sleep we
all thought and if its coming to
mobile warfare we will need
all we can get.
4/10/18.  All the morning we waited
in a sort of hopeless expectation for
orders from Br. Evidently the exact
position of the Front Line was obscured
and it was necessary to define it
before moving the Batteries forward
We didn't have to wait long however
for by 1 we were following the C.O. 

47
out onto the high road for Montbrehain
which had been taken by the 32^nd
Division but owing to insecure flanks
had had to fall back on Ramicourt

So we were to assist in its recapture
and the high ground immediately behind
We soon had a position fixed but
whilst laying out the lines the Hun
put down a small area strafe
which included the Bty Position and
the village of Joncourt immediately
in front so that we had to quickly
take refuse in a friendly trench
Imagine my surprise when a little
later four French civilians dashed
out of the village seeking shelter
from the shells followed by an
interpreter. Evidently the Villages
in this vicinity are still inhabited
by the Civil Population and what a
great relief it must be for these
unfortunate inhabitants who have
been in virtual captivity for more than
four years to see their deliverers
arrive. A few more most old
men and women from Ramicourt 

48
we were also able to collect and sent
them back on our ammunition
wagons. We had the Bty brought
up just at dusk and 1200 Rounds
of ammunition to put down the
barrage in the morning for the purpose
of recapturing Montbrehain. Even
then we couldn't think of turning in
because our valises and rations had
not arrived and the night promised
to be a bitterly cold one 10 oclock
came and still no sign of our Cook's
Cart so at 11 grew desperate and
taking a gunner with me set off
on foot to find out the reason for
the delay concluding that the driver
had lost his way in the inky darkness.
After much difficulty we located the
wagon lines and found that what we
surmised had actually happened
So I was able to guide him back
again. It was a relief to turn
in and we were expecting the
barrage for 6 Am at the latest
so there wasn't much chance of
getting a full night's sleep.