Diary transcript of Reginald Harriman Heywood, 1917 -1918 - Part 13

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I wonder if we'll ever get to a quiet place again -this
much travelled Div. has been well within range of the guns since
Dec.5th. The constant rumble of the guns breaking into pandemonium
at times, the hardly less constant buzz of 'planes and
notable the never forgetable drone of Fritz's double engines,
the constant clatter of motor and other traffic on the roads, to
say nothing of the whining whistle of shells and their ultimate
explosion, the bursting of bombs and clatter of machine guns,
and last but not least the weird and unholy trumpetings of the
donks all combine to make condition very trying now and then.
How anyone who has been in it will settle down again
when its over is hard to understand. Think I'll have to
acquire a small portion of the landscape and devote my energies
to raising hens or growing passion-fruit - that's the fruit
that never goes rotten and falls off the trees, which never need
pruning and may be gathered at your leisure. Renewed my
acquaintance with the 4th Bde. to-day and found poor little
Johnnie (Winger) has gone West.
7.5.18. Amongst other disturbances during the night was the
advent of an Arab mare belonging to Major Brownsworth and which
Jimmie is very anxious to save for him. She didn't arrive till
1.30 a.m. and by candle light in the mud and steady rain an ugly
wound round the coronet didn't look too promising. By daylight
it doesn't look too bad tho' and if we don't get tetamus or
anything interesting like that she'll do alright.
It seems there is something doing as I remarked yesterday,
but Fritz appears to be going to do it. They expected him to
attack down here again, in fact all the way from Arras to Amiens. 
According to his revised time-table he's to have Amiens on the
10th inst. and from all accounts he's to start the ball rolling
tonight at midnight or thereabouts.
The diet still continues markedly vegetarian, and now vast
quantities of rhubarb, which I used to loathe, are appearing.
Still the war makes marked changes in our tastes; I used to
despise marmalade once and lately I must have eaten a crate of
oranges in that form.
8.5.18. The pandemonium started well before the advertised time-
I think we must have been getting on early and lasted thro' out
most of the night. Fritz made a feint down here and came over
near Albert where the 3rd Div. tore into him. Intelligence got
wind of the move and the Boch made a gastronomical landing;
alighted on his stomach or in the words of the poet, came a gutser.
Rode over to Div. who have moved to Cagny and are living
in tents out in the muck. The road leads thro' suburbs of Amiens
and is fraught with danger but wonderfully pretty - it's more
than pretty, it's lovely, but how sad and deserted and torn about.
I wonder what old Goldsmith would have said if he could have
seen/

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seen Amiens. You don't cry exactly tho' you may experience
the symptoms of lachrymation, neither does your heart bleed - 

it's incapable of that now - you just say things about the
Boch and our own politicians. You feel them and you mean them.
Darkie compounded a jam tart to-day. The flour he obtained
by grinding up army biscuits, as to the rest of the materials,
ask me something easy!

The diggers have just salvaged a tommy who had floated on 

the river for some days and are now having a violent discussion

outside my window as to the respective merits of dead men lying

on the battlefield compared with this equally dead specimen in

question.

9.5.18. To-day has been a gorgeous day and as the Boch was very

quiet the boating and bathing and the vegetables have been

much enjoyed.

As far as our own Div. is concerned we are having a very

slack time, at least 75% of the horses evacuated from here are

from Tommy units. That reminds me that yesterday I got instructions

from Corps to attend to the 135th army troops and

after spending the morning in vain searching for them I returned

home to find a further note from Corps informing me that

they had moved and my attentions would be regarded as unwelcome

or words to that effect. I was hot on their scent too.

Inspired by his barbarous efforts of yesterday, to-day Darkie

built a rhubarb-pie, and there are the gravest reasons to point

to the fact that he has schemes even more ambitious. I hesitate

to contemplate on the heights to which his culinary aspirations

may sore soar

10.5.18. I wonder if ever those dizzy geniuses of Whitehall realize

that more bombs are unloaded round here in one night probably

than have fallen in London altogether, and bombs are only a

minor consideration.

The weekly conference of V.Os. was held here this morn:

(instead of over at Div:) and at the expense of my cigarettes.

Tho' these conferences usually develop into a keen criticism of

the mild atrocities and monumental stupidity of the powers that

be I think they are altogether worth while and enable us to

achieve some measure of uniformity.

There is still comparative quiet on all the fronts but there

is the uncomfortable sensation of living on the edge of a cloud.

11.5.18. There isn't much to a spell now-a-days, the 2nd Div. who

came out the day we come here have relieved the 3rd Div. and

the 4th Bde. who came out on the night of the 9th are to go back

tomorrow or the next day.

Mrs/

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Mrs. Larking sent me a parcel including some sweets embodying

the good old "starboard light". Pretty well set now aren't I?

what with Darkie's pieces-de-resistance, that excellent Muscat

which is holding out well and then a "Gold flake" and creme-de-menthe - 

no coupons required so there you are.

Clarke called on me to-day and we talked double for quite a

while. He's blossomed right out, in fact he's gone further he's

bloomed and swears and smokes in the most approved manner. I

haven't seen him since we were in at the death of that Fritz who

fell up at Halifax Camp early in Oct. and he's now with 5th Divnl.

Hqrs.

Between you and me, I wish Darkie's superfluous energy wouldn't

find a vocal outlet so consistently. His efforts in this direction

are hardly as good a I've heard, tho' when one remembers that he

spends most of his time over an open coal fire they may be said to

be fairly creditable even if his quavering soprano does make the

composer's intentions hardly evident.

12.5.18. Another Sunday and I improved the shining hour by having a look

round No. 3 Section D.A.C. for Major McKenna, then we effected a

useful exchange giving away that useless brute Herbert for a nice

sort of a horse, said to be somewhat of an outlaw. "Tracker"

Trounsen soon had him looking silly and wound up by hopping him

over a couple of fences in fine style. He looks like doing us

nicely.

Later Tom Tucker arrived on the scene and then Jimmie blew in

so with the good things hitherto enumerated we had a regular little

luncheon de luxe. Took Tom boating later.
12 Calendar months to-day since I left the only place we have

got any time for. It seems more like a dream than anything with a

strong dash of nightmare added for the last 8 weeks. How long oh

Lord, how long?

13.5.18. Rode up and saw 4th Bde. over whose wagon lines there is a long

naval gun firing goes off with a bit of a rush too. Every time she

speaks every horse and most of the more phlegmatic donks jump about

3 feet in the air making a rather imposing scene.

After lunch Fritz opened up with a rubber gun and pooped a

couple of shells dangerously close. When after a long interval and

I thought he'd finished for the day I went outside to have a look

round I was greeted at the door with a bang, broken glass and

pieces of horse and was lucky it was nothing worse.

We found poor old Shadow's horse who had just come in blown 

literally to ribbons, and a couple of others knocked. As is always

the case there were some marvellous escapes. One of "the Bears" was

grazing and Geoff Madden's pony was within 20 yards of Shadow's

horse and Stevenson the farrier was examining his shoe not one

minute/

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minute previously.

I thought it wise to move while our luck was in and so

in well under 2 hours we were in a new camp nearly a mile

away, after having packed and unpacked.
The new camp is round a deserted estaminet on the Albert-

Amiens Rd. and was in a state of the utmost filth squalor and

confusion when we came in. However 20 odd diggers soon alter

that.

14.5.18. Spent the day further cleaning up and burning rubbish, so

that by night time the old place was more presentable than it's

been for years, tho' it still smells strongly of booze and onions.

It didn't take long for them to find our new location and

to-day I had to send off two parties to the V.E.S. As usual,

most of the horses were Tommies' and in a shocking state of

poverty and mange.

It appears that the Corps is now attached to the French

Army operating on the left of the French line. The 4th Div. and

the Foreign Legion seem to have become boon companions. 

My ears are still ringing from that shell, the blessed

thing seemed to burst right in my face.

15.5.18. What a small place the world is. At the 4th Bde. this

morn: I was introduced to a tommy V.O. Capt. Willett who asked

me did I know Lt. Mylrea - who doesn't know Mylrea of Wunsaweek

fame? He took over Capt. Willett's job at Salonika.

Later in the day a very tired man stopper here and asked

could he get a drink. Campbell was his name and he had just come

out of hospital at Trouville (Le Havre) where he had run into

Sr. Cave.

We have evacuated 70 horses since midday yesterday about

99% of them tommies. As illustrations of debility they win,

goodness knows how they get them into such a state.

Saw 2 Boch balloons come to earth and from all accounts

we saw only 2 of 5 that were brought down in a bunch. Later in

the evening a Gotha bit the dust but it was a very lively night.

16.5.18. The latest thing is the formation of an Aust. Corps Vet.

Evacuation Station to handle animals from our own mobiles. This

means cutting down our present strength by 6 men and as I can't

see how it's to lessen our work it's going to give us plenty to do.

Major Fletcher is to be in charge of the V.E.S. and Bill

MacGregor is taking the 2nd Mobile in his place. Snowy Reynolds

is going to the 6th A.F.A. Bde. in Bill's place and Tuck

from/

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from supernumerary is taken on the 5th Divn. establishment.

What a war this is! every night a perfect flock of

balloons that goes up over Amiens about dusk has caused us much

wonderment. It turns out that they suspend a maze of wires and

net works and have already raked in a couple of Fritz's Netting

Gothas, how's that for a sport!

I noticed that last night the Boch seemed rather shy of

Amiens, tho' they dropped plenty of bombs. One dropped 14 bombs

all of a heap having been hit with an Archie shell - some fireworks. 

The sad part was that they killed Ellis, Waring's batman.

17.5.18. Conference day again and the V.Os bar Tas Morgan who

evidently has not recovered from the Div. Train sports yesterday

assembled here at the expense of my Three Castles this time too.

Many weighty matters were successfully dealt with but the chief

trouble at present is the amount of shuffling and other more or

less illegal traffic going on.

Clarke who still has a bad habit of indulging in a mournful

humouring at frequent intervals honoured me with a visit in the

afternoon. He is going to the 13th A.F.A. Bde. vice Jack Reynolds.

Was most astonished to receive a little note from Antoinette

address Captain Heywood A.A.V.C. A.I.F. and from an

indecipherable address somewhere in France apparently as she

mentions having passed thro' Calais, Rouen and Paris. She seems

well and happy but does not mention Madam.

18.5.18. I see by to-day's rag that we are undergoing a heat wave

in France. I must say it has been fine, and heat wave included

it'll do the troops. Suppose they'll be complaining of the 

drought next.

For the time being we have settled down to the old peaceful

kind of warfare but there's a very explosive smell about.

It's only at night that things are particularly merry and even at

that Fritz seems a bit windy about coming too near Amiens, but

I've abandoned the idea of trying to sleep at night and snatch

what I can during the day. There have been a vast number of searchlights

around this area all the time and yesterday some enterprising 

Yanks put in 6 more, with another to-day - torchlights

as they call them.

Up forward you'd wonder where there's room to put any

more guns but most of to-day they've been dragging them in behind

horses, lorries and caterpillars - 6 in. navel, 60 pounders, 9.2s

and others. What a game. Tuck, on whom has fallen much extra

work vice Clarke, dropped in and nibbled a crust at lunch.

19.5.18. Letters from home, which as usual leave me very anxious

and very homesick. That's about the only sickness I ever had

and/

125

and it doesn't get one as far as the C.C.S. even, tho' its far

more painful than many diseases that mean a much longer journey.
Fritz has been slinging a lot of muck about to-day mostly
wooly-bears about this way, and some big stuff that looked as tho'
it were meant for Allonville.
I am at present reading a book called "the Bubble Moon" - I
wish the author would come and stay just about here about now for
a few nights. It would be safe to bet on a new title for the book.
The 4th Bde. Pierrots showed in Riveny last night but poor
old Dinks was missing again - this time for good I expect as he's
in hospital with trench fever.
One of our 'planes landed in the paddock alongside us just
now. The pilot had a nasty wound thro' the knee and was getting
pretty weak. Another landed further over with both occupants
Austns. wounded - one fatally I'm afraid.
20.5.18. I've known a good many lively nights but think last night
would just about get there: what a constant stream of 'planes
both ours and the Boche's, bombs anti-aircraft and machine guns,
Fritz's lively and humerous harrassing fire, to say nothing of
our own, and a little affair inaugurated by the French on our
right, it was a hell of a night. Wonder what it would be like to
go to a place where there's a little peace and quiet for a while,
we've been in a forward area since Dec.5th now don't forget.
I see Trotsky or Lemin or whoever runs things in Russia
has addressed a sharp note to Germany in which he says unless the
recent treaty is observed it will be necessary for him to continue
to do nothing.
The "heat-wave" is still raging furiously, must have been

about 80^o in the shade to-day, and troops are in their element.
I might add that the O.C. goes about in his pants and a singlet.
4th Div. are coming out of the line tomorrow being relieved
by the 3rd.
21.5.18. Poor old Blob, I haven't had a line from him and his
Division the 30th was at St. Quentin when the push commenced. In
fact I saw where the Manchesters fought to a finish and I have 
been afraid to inquire. This evening Bill Tyree called in and
told me that Mr. Blob was reported missing and later officially
reported unwounded and prisoner of war which is far better news
than I dared to hope for.
Roy.Gibbons cabled to Uncle Phil, and I have written to
Leslie MacP. to see if we can get in touch with Boy.
The heat wave continues - likewise the bombs. Suppose
they'll

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they'll be praying for rain very shortly now.

22.5.18. To other excitements is now added that of an occasional

nocturnal chat hunt - those old French abodes are none to

clean and lately there has been an abundance of fleas, bugs

and chats. I have no rooted objection to the gymnastic and

other eccentricities of the ubiquitous flea which is after all

a well meaning individual, but the advent of both the chat

and the bug present a more serious aspect and call for earnest

endeavour and stern measures. Hqrs. have moved back to Allonville, 4th Bde. are at Cardonette, 12th at Riveny, 13th Querrien

and the artillery as usual remain in.

The weather continues to be beautiful and it is only the

nights that one can take exception to; which reminds me that

Fritz put in the week end with one or two mild atrocities in 

the shape of inflicting 200 casualties on London and getting

on to a W.A.A.C. Camp at Abbeville.
23.5.18. The memorable heat wave has passed and to-day is cloudy

with quite a cold breeze.

Tom Tucker lunched with me but 'pon my word he's getting

as gloomy as the day after a prediction of "continued fine"

by the government meteorologist.
Went over to Hqrs. and saw Major Brownsworth on Snowy's

behalf, he is very keen on getting into the R.A.F. Brownie has

promised to do his best but its very hard to get in as there

are such a lot of applications. I sent Snowy's first application

recommended by Acting Brig. McSharry on to Hqrs. in Jan. 

No! Darkie isn't singing to-day, he used up nearly all the

language there is before I got up this morn: and has been

wearing that watchamacallit air, that I so much object to ever

since. The scene which I hesitate to refer to arose over

"Jinnie", the regimental mascot. Jinnie is a dear affectionate

little thing (to me) but possesses many of her honoured sexes

little weaknesses and peculiarities. This morn: she endeavoured

to come in to see me but being thwarted by the every-watchful

Darkie promptly threw down a bottle of Enos on the stone-floor.

Considerable mess and the aforesaid language ensued

and I of course took the lady's part - hence the mournful and

mincing mien all day. I am not sure that I wouldn't have

preferred the discord.

24.5.18. Conference day and to-day Tas Morgan did put in an

appearance: there were evidently no Div. Train sports yesterday.

The main topic was the blind and beautiful idiocy of

those who issue full particulars of how to win the war from

comfy: offices down at the bases. The possibility of leaves

re-opening on June 1 was also discussed.

We / 

127

We admitted a few Yankee discards to-day for the first

time, by the look of things they have got the culls of the

English and French armies. They are a bit of a nuisance too as

we have to show all U.S. animals stores &c. on separate rolls

etc.

The drought has broken to-day being wet and wintry, and

yesterday we handed in our extra blankets and horse rugs. No

matter the Boch won't be over tonight.

The Soul of the Anzac has left us and is to command the 4th

Army while Jack Monash is getting the Austn. Corps. If Sir John

gets as good a spin for the Austn. Corps as he always did for the

3rd Div. he won't miss old Birdwood too much. There can be no 

question as to Gen. Monash's competency etc. 

Talking of Birdie reminds me of the day I encountered tho' 

somewhat of a haze perhaps, the huge oil paining of him in

Victoria St. with his sieda hat and all complete. It was with

difficulty that I refrained from saluting.

25.5.18. Fine again with a beautiful breeze, but id doesn't take the

lorries &c. long to raise the dust along the main roads. I s'pose

on an average 60 lorries in addition to other traffic pass here

per hour during most of the 24 hours.

Accompanied by Snowy on "the Worm" I rode 17 kilos to the

fist Aust. Vety. Evacuation Station at Olincourt Chateau, but

as the O.C. Maj. Fletcher M.C. had not yet arrived we rode on

another couple of kilos to Vignacourt and lunched there. We

passed thro' No.20 C.C.S., the tents and marquees of which must

cover the best part of 640 acres giving one some idea of the

numbers of wounded that must go thro'. By the Fritz is now

specializing in bombing hospitals and red cross outfits in

general. On our return to the Chateau found Maj. Fletcher

fixing things up, and Col. Matson (A.D.V.S.) giving the troops a

stirring address. I arranged with Maj. Fletcher to get Geoff

Madden back to this section and gave him Jim Ure. Geoff was

very sore at leaving and wrote to me about coming back. Then

Jo and I returned pretty tired. The A.A.VC. has been in the 

war lately, Capt. "Banjo" Paterson has lost a leg, Capt. Talbot

in Blighty with a broken leg, one of the 1st Div. V.Os, a broken

shoulder, Bill bound for Aust. I believe, and Sgt. Williams

wounded. Our last two rfects: Steele Rudd and Phil. Kelynack are

over here - Rudd with the 1st Div. and Phil 2nd Div. living

with Bill McGregor.

26.5.18. Tuck blew in at lunch time as usual looking hungry and after

disposing of lunch we set out to find Phil. We found the 2nd

Mobile at Pont Noyelles and Phil, ushered us into a room in which

were Bill McGregor and Snowy Reynolds. Later Charlie Kelynack

dropped in so we had quite a family gathering. Phil has had a 

rough introduction to the war as waged in the most up to date

fashion /

128

fashion as they have been both bombed and shelled over there.

Fyans who used to live with the 2nd M.V.S. has changed over with 

Phil. Charlie was with Ronnie ¹/₄ of an hour before he was killed.

What a little world this is! Little till you think how far it is 

to home.

Except for one big shell that meandered over this way we

had a most peaceful night.

27.5.18. Perambulated round the 4th Bde: transport and called in at

Bde. Hqrs. where I found they've ^all been stricken with a species of

fever which they have called "the dog's disease." Waring has been

evacuated. Sgt. Williams is not badly wounded, just a lovely

Blighty right thro' the femoral muscles from a bomb. Fritz has

been very lively to-day and has given Amiens a very full issue,

and we could watch him pasting "Windy Corner" with 16 inch stuff -

last night too, we had bombs q.s.

I see H.R. Seddon and Shew from W'bool have arrived in

Egypt where "the Dook" has diptheria. We must be right down to

bed-rock now for rfcts:

28.5.18. Got a wire late this eve' from the 13th Fld. Amb. to the

effect that they had had 9 casualties from bombs and would I

please visit. With fine medical foresight the O.C. refrained from

stating his whereabouts, so after a short and fruitless search per

push bike and as Tas Morgan is supposed to be looking after the

13th Amb. I sent the wire on to Hqrs.

There is a whisper in fact confidential intimation that

leave is opening, so things must be looking up, but we hear the

French have given a bit of ground between Soissons and Rheims over

a 30 mile front. The Divns. Artillery are going out for a spell

to Abbeville, where the 3rd have been for some time. Bill was

boarded on the 23rd, and is going back to Australia.

13th A.L.H. sports this afternoon produced some pretty fair

sport.

29.5.18. Heard an ancient Froggie calling out "Delly Mell" early

this morn: so went out and secured a copy of the continental

edition of the Daily Mail. About the first thing that caught my

eye was the fact that Grammar had won the Head of the River for

'18. Accordingly I opened my one and much prized bottle of B.L.

and joined the flies.

After that I felt so fit that I went round the couple of

units I had to see on a push bike - war is a great leveller.

In the evening I strolled over to Allonville and saw the

4th Bde. Pierrots - they're pretty good but never the same show

without Dinks.

129

Saw an article in a French newspaper entitled "A

visit to the Anzacs" this morn: and the writer referred to the

said Anzacs as the "elite" of the British army. You can bet he

wasn't referring to their manners either - fighting counts with

the French.

Reminds me of the little watchamacallit tommy officer

who said of us - "good fighters but socially impossible."

30.5.18. Fritz is still going gaily down South and seems to have

got the Chemin des Dames ridge and crossed the Aisne.

The Div. are going into the line again tomorrow, and I 

spent the morn: with the Brig. looking for wagon lines for the

4th Bde. near Bussy. Incidentally I made a fruitless search for

the 4th Pioneers who are always a thorn in the side.

Had a letter from Leslie who made prompt inquiries and

supplied me with the following address: - 

Capt. P.H. Heywood, Offizers Gefangenenlager No.998

Holzwinder, Germany.

Miss Young of 49, Hans Mansions, Knightsbridge, is

looking after Mr. Blob's affairs.

Haven't heard yet whether the Mobile is to move, but this

wouldn't be a bad place to get away from. The trouble is to

find a better place, it seems to be very strenuous anywhere within

Cooee of the river. The Boch has been pelting a terrible lot

of stuff around to-day.

Saw Locky Searle for a few minutes this morn: and later

Wellish of "Benalla" fame: the latter is M.O. to the 5th M.G.

Bn.

31.5.18. The Boch continues his 6 furlong flutter down South and

has both Rheims and Soissons, and looks like getting Paris as far

as I can see, unless as one of the papers suggests the Marne

repeats itself. I hope it does as I can't see who else will

repeat it.

The above was the main topic discussed at the veterinary

Conference this morn: Somebody said something about Yellow Cross

gas, but not much. It was also suggested that if the Boch gets

Paris it will seriously interfere with Paris leave which is now 

open.

Fritz's 11 inch naval gun got on to Alloville last

night, and caused 150 casualties in the 14th Bn. including 40

odd killed - and they are supposed to be out for a rest.

We commandeered a plough this afternoon and with its

aid /