Diary transcript of Reginald Harriman Heywood, 1918-1919 - Part 3

[*20*]
10.9.18. What a day! we left Frise in the pouring rain and had a 
terrible job pulling up on to the main road out of the Somme
valley - the horses kept coming down it was so slippery.
We went thro' Herbecourt, Flanucourt and Barluex and
reached our destination near Eterpigny at midday to find our
camp jumped by 4th Army Hqrs. Then followed arguments with 
12th Bde. and 5th Div. units till well into the evening when
we got into an old Fritz stables and camp on the outskirts of
the remains of Barleux - all fearfully dirty. A 12th Bde.
officer and a 5th D.A.C. man turned up and disputed our right
but I was very rude and by this time I would have taken a deal
of moving. I got into the remains of a cellar, one end having 
been blown in and even then the disputes did not cease as the
mice and rats were particularly offensive, but it was shelter
for the night.
11.9.18. Continued arguments with 5th Div. people, so I hastened
over to see Maj. McKenna - Hqrs. were just pulling into some
huts in a wood at Catelet. We discovered that I am in the
5th Div. area, but its no good moving forward to our own area 
as it will be too far to evacuate to the V.E.S. away back near
Mericourt. Accordingly I am to endeavour to hang on near
Barleux till the V.E.S. move forward which they are expected to 
do in a few days, probably to Peronne. 
Called in and saw Grant (5th Mobile) who is camped only
a few hundred yards away in the afternoon and in him found a
sympathetic listener.
12.9.18. Rode to Hqrs. to meet Mac and pick a place for an advanced
post of the Mobile and got well wet thro' before I got there, so
after seeing Mac, gave it up as a bad job and returned to my
cellar to dry off.
Tom Tucker arrived in time for lunch and remained to jabber
for a couple of hours. He wasn't so primed with news as usual,
probably on account of having left the A.S.C. and taken up his
abode with the S.A.A. Sect. for the time.
Grant came over in the evening and he and I took on Tas
and Geoff Madden at bridge, which if not of the highest order
passed the evening away splendidly.
Talking of which reminds me that I'm glad I wasn't with 
Fritz/

[*21*]
Fritz when he retreated across the Somme just down the road.
Its a narrow winding engineers effort, and about six or seven
hundred yards long. The marshes on either side have been literally 
churned up with shells and bombs and the splintered debris
dead horses and ditto Fritzes bear eloquent testimony of their
effectiveness.
13.9.18. Again endeavoured to meet Mac to choose that advanced
post but when I arrived at the bridge found someone had put a
dent in it so had to go back and thro' Peronne. Poor old Peronne
such a picturesque place it must have been. By the time I 
arrived at Hqrs. it was 11.45. and Mac had given me up, but I met
him on the road and we decided on a spot just outside St. Cren.
Returned to H.Q. and tackled Col. Dowse about another allotment for
Australia - with some success and Shadow Walsh is to go tomorrow.
Arrived home just in time to run into Col. Matson
(A.D.V.S. Corps) and some giddy little general (D.D.V.S. 4th Army)
Matson chewed me up properly and said it was the worst mobile
he'd seen to-day. Felt inclined to tell him that was probably 
largely on account of my not having heard about his coming as the
other mobiles did, but remained dumb on account of the general 
who wasn't a bad little chap.
14.9.18. Took Jack Austin and Alan Kelly up to St. Cren and established
our forward post there as there seems to be no immediate
prospect of the V.E.S. coming up here. Then went on to Hqrs. to
fix things up with Mac and returned home to send Shadow Walsh and
farrier Stevenson off for Australia. Had a deuce of a job to 
write their names as the pen seemed bent on writing Heywood R.H.
I believe they are to go via Italy.
Old Tas Morgan has evidently sickened of the rough life
of the Mobile and has gone back to Train H.Q.
Had the extreme pleasure last night of seeing two big
bombers go West. Falling 7,000 feet in flames and hitting the
ground at the business end of the journey with a ton of bombs
aboard is some sight. I couldn't help smiling at the Diggers.
When the lights picked Fritz up every A.A. battery in the district
opened up and the Diggers for miles around were shouting "Go it
the British". "Go it the British".
Their unconscious humour wins.
15.9.18 Rode up to the Advanced Post to see if they were all
right/

[*22*]
right there, and then on to Hqrs. 4th Bde. whom I haven't seen
since they were at Coisy over a week ago. Sgt. Smith reported 
all well, and indeed things must be very quiet as we've only 
sent on animal away from our own division since leaving Rivenry.
The Bde. are up around Bouvincourt - where they have run up an
aerodrome already (and which was shelled last night).
Called at D.H.Q. on the way home and made a round trip 
of it - about 15 miles. Mac had gone down to Corps to try and
stir the V.E.S. up.
Met the genial Tom Tucker on the road and he assured 
me that my better-half-to-be was leaving Melb: for England in 
Sept. I seem to be the only one that knows nothing about it.
Papers are still scarce but it appears that the Yanks
have opened up a large account on their own hook and have taken
some 20,000 prisoners down below Verdun. All Fritz can show now
against his 1,200,000 expenditure of men it the "Chemin-des-Dames"
the Messines Ridge and one or two other rapidly narrowing strips
in my opinion he's going to lose the above also, before winter
sets in, and next spring the American army will be larger than
the British and French together. Oh Fritzie, there is something
coming to you in the spring.
16.9.18. It seems that that Gott of Bills has turned round and
backed the other horse at last - at all events he let him down for
Aug. 8th and it looks as tho' he's going to repeat the performance.
Tomorrow there is to be a big attack - at least 3
armies are going to hop in. The preparations should be well
complete now and the weather which has been very dirty has 
cleared beautifully. Looks as tho' they're going to push him
right over the Hindenburg Line.
This is the Harvest Mon too, so Fritzie will have something
to say at night, but "San fairy ann", it'll be nothing to
what he'll get. I saw a whining letter from one old boch complaining
that the "beggars had dropped 300 bombs on Peronne".
Did another round trip of 25 miles round the 4th Bde.
group - have been trotting up the mileage lately.
17.9.18. Experienced a storm last night that I've never seen
anything else to come within 50 lengths of. When I first 
awakened/

[*23*]
awakened with a cascade coming down the cellar steps, I 
drowsily consoled myself by thinking that if we were flooded
out, at least the mice would be drowned.
Then the most continuous lightning made me think it was
some new kind of offensive Fritz was putting up, and I expected
a whiz-bang down the stairs any old time. However I woke up then
and rescued my boots and several odds and ends which were floating
round on the floor. It stopped just as suddenly as it
started.
Did a little jaunt to Hqrs. which brings the mileage up
to 50 for the past 3 days, so I'll be well over the average for
the week.
Old Bill Boreham's mentor Gen. Blinkensop, D.G.V.S., will
be round to inspect tomorrow - fortunately I am warned this time.
8.9.18. Spent the day waiting for old Beeswing who failed to 
put in an appearance, much to my disgust. We had any amount of 
eyewash going, and it will be a terrible strain keeping it up
for another day.
They winged four more Fritzs last night, so he'll be
getting windy about coming over at night even, if this continues.
Our night scouts seem to do the business.
The punch opened again this morning but all the meagre
details say is that the Australians (1st and 4th Divns) got all
their objectives and a number of prisoners. Afraid the casualties 
were heavy tho'.
Grant came over in the evening and Geoff and I took him
and Darkie on at bridge. Geoff and I also ran.
[[?]].9.18.
The Big Noise, the Hub of the Veterinary Universe, the
Director General of Veterinary Services didn't turn up but sent
a message that he regretted that time didn't permit him to visit
us, so that's that. Col. Matson came with the glad news and
brought Billie Hindmarsh who is relieving Major Fletcher at the

V.E.S. with him. They were prospecting round Doignt for a location
for the V.E.S.
It seems that last night Fritz was massing for a counter
attack and we went over without a barrage and captured the whole
issue - 5,000 prisoners to date which is a very large total for 
2 divisions.
Geoff and I took on Darkie and Dodds at Bridge Ce Soir
and met with more success than we did last night.
[[?]]0.9.18.
Glad/

[*24*]
[[?]]0.09.18. Glad news to-day - the 4th Div. or part of it
including the Mobile are going back and are entraining in a
few days' time at Peronne for Picquigny.
Jimmie came back to-day but I haven't seen him yet.
I am going to leave here at 7.30 in the morn. in an endeavour
to see him before he departs in the car to find a place for us.
Had quite a field day to-day as I despatched a mule and a
horse, amputated a shattered tail and took the most extraordinary 
collection of hardware out of a mule. I think it must 
have been ironwork off the harness.
Saw the official (Army) account of the stunt. One
thing about Rawlinson he gives the Diggers their due. The 1st
and 4th Divs. made the deepest advance, had the lightest casualties
and captured nearly 5,000 prisoners. Seven divisions of 
tommies and some French divisions captured another 5,000 
prisoners.
[[?]]1.9.18. Got over to Hqrs, about 8.30 a.m. and found Jimmie not
yet up, but looking well, and he had a good time. His bosom pal
Jo Tuckett has also returned after about a month's leave.
Seems to me they change their ideas about this move
about every ¾ of an hour. The main thing however is that we 
are still to go, tho' the latest report is that the transport
is to go by road. We ought to make Picquigny in a couple of
days tho'.
Grant has gone forward with his section, but has an 
idea that they aren't in for long, which would point to the 
fact that our whole corps is to come out.
They brought down a couple more Fritzes last night.
Said Fritz doesn't like it altogether either, and this is the
quietest full moon even I remember.
[[?]]2.9.18. Had a busy day to-day, as usual we got a lot of float
and other severe cases: we always do about moving day. There
were numerous other worries on the board, so called at Hqrs.
but found Jimmie was away at Picquigny. This move will be
rather awkward, as the 14th Coy. are not moving we won't have
the use of their G.S. wagon which generally carries half our
gear.
It looks as tho' there is going to be a big stunt 
again shortly - with plenty of Americans in it. Probably the 
last/

[*25*]

last affair was only preparatory and with the object of giving  
us a good hopping off ground. Some of the official optimists 
go so far as to say that one of the objectives is German 
soil. Perhaps this is the beginning of Foch's grand offensive.  
I know some of our specials like old Brig. Brand and the redoubtable
Tweedie are being attached to the Yanks.

23.9.18.  Once more made the trip over to H.Q. and this time met 
with a measure of success as I went early and found Jimmie 
dressing. Jimmie gave me the movement order and we are to 
proceed via Bray to Corbie - Daours tomorrow, a good long trip.  
Came home and squared up the float cases &c., sent away a 
string of 22 and then went over to Biaches and saw the 4th Bde. 
who moved in there this morn.

After this stunt Tweedie is returning to Aust. as his 
only brother is among the casualties.

The war is getting along pretty Jakes - the Bulgars 
are getting it in the neck and old Allenby is stirring up the 
Turks to the tune of 18,000 prisoners to date. 

24.9.18.  Pulled out from Barleux at 7.30 a.m. an hour ahead 
of time so that we could get on in front of the 4th Bde. column 
behind which we were supposed to travel. Travelling at the 
rear of a big column is always attended by numerous vexations, 
including exasperating stoppages, which to-day we skilfully 
avoided, and had a really good and fast trip. The road was 
thro' Flancourt, Herbecourt, Cappy, Bray, Corbie, and into our 
old camp at La Neuville about 35 kilos by 3.30 p.m.  We 
followed the high road North of the Somme and where we halted
for lunch could plainly see away to the right poor old Albert 
and closer at hand Dernancourt and Morlancourt.

Otherwise the trip was rather uninteresting tho' 
the delightful weather made it an enjoyable one.

I had to go round thro' Biaches to see about some 
surplus baggage and a loading party we left, as the A.S.C. 
companies are not coming back with us at present, so altogether 
rode well on 50 kilos.

25.9.18. Moved out from La Neuville at 7.45 a.m. in showery 
weather but it cleared later and we made a fast and good trip. 
Came thro' Daours, Amiens, Longpre, Argoeuvres, St. Saveur, La 
Chausee and Picquigny, where we put up alongside the canal 
and railway in the camp where the IX Corps V.E.S. was. Good 
stables and good billets. Saw Fedora at Argoeuvres and she  
assured/

[*26*]

assured me the war will be over this year. The last part of 
the journey was thro' very pretty country and we arrived at 
12.30 p.m. 65 kilos since yesterday morning which is good 
going.

I heard we may be here only a couple of days so rode to 
H.Q. at Cavillon but Jimmie says he thinks we will be here for 
at least 3 weeks - I hope so, these people are extremely nice, 
and there are 6 girls who all speak English.

26.9.18. Quite settled down and hope to remain so for the duration, 
these people can't do enough for us. What wonderful people 
they are - originally from La Bassee they lived out in front 
of Bethune, 5 kilos from the Boch until March 22 last. Amongst 
other interesting experiences they were buried in a cellar for 
3 weeks with the tommies poking bully and biscuits down a 
little pop hole. Marie the eldest spent 2 months in clink as 
a suspected spy.

Received an urgent call from the Area Commandant at Belloy 
to destroy a horse which I found belonged to the local brewer. 
The deed accomplished they treated me to about 3 pints of champagne 
- very nice people, but Brownie behaved most eccentrically 
on the way home. Wish I got 3 pints for every horse I destroyed.

Its lovely weather and this is like a glorified picnic - 
don't want to go to London a bit. You can't imagine what a 
relief it is to be away from the noise, shell holes, wire and 
filth. The 1st Div. are also evidently to have a spell as 
train after train of them all in great spirits have been going 
past all day.

27.9.18. Rode round the Bde. to-day and confirmed my previous good 
impression of the district. The battalions are pretty well 
scattered about, so Sgt. Smith and I had an enjoyable ride. 
By the way, I've taken a great fancy to Sgt. Smith, he's a 
great fellow and comes from out back in N.S.W. but is a '14 
man so we'll be losing him soon.

Madeline - grand girl - is giving me French lessons and as 
she speaks English perfectly I'm coming on, tho' its rather 
hard to concentrate one's attention on the lesson.

28.9.18. Had a great day to-day. Some brain in the investigation 
department has found that on Aug. 23 our ration strength 
(fodder)/

[*27*]

(fodder) was 37, and we indented for 80. This passed by 
devious routes thro' Army &c. to me with a curt request for 
an explanation.

Rationing the mobile is always difficult with our 
floating population: we are supposed to have always 48 hours 
ahead of the game too and we never know for 24 hours ahead 
whether we will have none or 100 animals on the strength.

Another difficulty is that rations indented for to-day 
are for consumption on the 4th day after - consequently we have 
often to over-draw but any surplus is always accounted for later 
by under-drawing. The whole query seemed to me to display the 
gross ignorance possessed by those at the base of conditions 
in the field, but I have sent an explanation which may be 
accepted. If it isn't, they can have figures, tho' these 
would have to be over the whole month, a pretty big job.

29.9.18. As heretofore mentioned, the girls can't do enough for 
us, nor can Mama and Papa do us for enough. Of course they run
a sideshow estaminet and drinks all round runs into a tidy sum - 
fill them up! its like pouring them into a sink. Mama is off 
the tip of the sirloin - one eye on business and the other on 
the 6 girls, but she's very good to me. Being here is the first 
genuine pleasure I've had since March 17 and there's been a 
lot that wasn't pleasure at all sandwiched in - whatever the 
price may be, its cheap.

Was in at the death of another Froggie horse to-day, 
well behind schedule tho' and could only display my rather unique 
capabilities by performing a post mortem. This was in aid of a 
little lady up the village with a fine cellar of Muscat and an 
eye on 600,F. damages from the reputed assassin of the animal in 
question.

[[?]]0.9.18. Think papa ought to be mentioned in despatches. For 
all the dawdling minuteness of inherited sloth he wins a canter. 
His long suit is fishing in the canal and at this he displays an 
almost vivid patience - sometimes returning with quite a piscatorial 
collection. He sets the family to work cleaning and then 
himself devours the whole assortment meanwhile referring pithily 
to mama's culinary short-coming.

His only other strenuous occupation besides handling 
the family finances which Mama and the girls rake in with both 
hands is to light my fire in the morning with all the available 
kindling wood: this is to ensure a steady supply of tobacco from 
the/

[*28*]

the Q.M. - then he fades and leaves the family to keep the 
home fires burning from their meagre stocks. They've only got 
a handful of fuel to last over winter, so the result is I've 
had to lug home every spare post for miles around.

He has just come in and remarked that its "No Bon". I 
am in doubt as to what he refers - his lack of success fishing 
the weather, or the fire, they all fill the bill. He's not a 
bad old bird tho' and perhaps living within 5 kilos of the Boch 
for 4 years has made him a bit lackadaisical.

[[?]]1.10.18. Noticed en passant that Foxy Ferdinand's gang have shied 
in their alley. Bulgaria gone to the pack, eh! Abdul, its up 
to you now and the day the British fleet goes thro' the Dardenelles 
Fritzie you can take down your number, you're scratched. 
So be it.

Some 16th Bn. officers have been dropping in rather persistently 
in the evenings and last night arranged to take the girls 
to the Pierrots tonight. I was the woolly lamb and bought the 
tickets and then as the perpetrators didn't arrive in time had to 
march the girls down to the hall, nearly a platoon of them. Did 
the Diggers give me a good reception. Yes. No? and the others 
came in unostentatiously later. Then "Tommy" the ventriloquist's 
stock in trade noticed that Capt. Heywood had brought the whole 
damn family. Oh, oh, oh, its a lovely war.

[[?]].10.18. Jimmie has served me up a roughie - bequeathed me a dozen 
little units mostly 1X Corps fag ends to look after and they're 
spread out over the Flixecourt, Argoeuvres, Belloy front - some 
front too.

Col. Dowse, Maj. Tovell and A.P.M. Jarvie paid me a surprise
visit this morn: and fortunately I was able to invite them in 
to a cosy fire and a cup of coffee. Dickie in spite of his some 
60 summers and the green blinds he wears over his eyes is a gay 
old bird and made me line up the girls and parade them. He 
complimented me on my taste and made other facetious remarks. I 
little knew what was coming to live here was going to let me in for, 
but its worth it.

Another old identity to turn up is J.C. Brown, ex-town-major 
of La Clytte. His job at present is King of the compound next 

door/

[*29*]

door. He's living in a sort of a loft to which he aspires by 
a rickety ladder and for which he left a cosy billet in 
Ailly - poor prisoners.

Old "Steve" Brand blew in unexpectedly and at the 
Pierrots announced that he's going back to Australia - he also 
said the 4th have finished fighting till after Xmas, but we've 
heard that before.

[[?]]3.10.18. Got on to the tracks of a few of these dinky units of 
Jimmie's - Chinese Labor Coys, Purchase Boards, P.O.W. Camps, &c. 
and all in charge of tommy officers. Needless to say I was 
charmed with all I saw - please may I never set eyes on a tommy 
officer again, apres.

Fortunately one of the tracks led past my brewer friend 
in Belloy and he came to light with the goods.

Took the girls to the brilliant revue "By Cupes" "By Cripes" and 
managed much better this time as I had 3 assistants. The show 
has added many improvements since the old days, but there'll 
never be another Dinks Paterson.

[[?]]4.10.19. Thought old Abdul was carrying a bit too much weight - 
there's a report going that he's come down unconditionally. Keep 
your head down Fritzie boy!

Despatched Sgt. Fawcett and Harry Marchant off for Australia 
to-day. Jimmie won't know his old section soon. I've put 
little Doc in charge and now all the N.C.Os are my own making, 
so I ought to be satisfied. Donald McSwain has stepped up into 
Doc's place.

Saw the rest of the burn bum units to-day after riding from 
9.30 till 4.30. Oh how I admire tommies. Nearly all our transport 
men have forgotten more about horses than ever the average 
tommy knew.
[[?]]5.1018. "Foch strikes" "Railway and Police strikes". Looks well, 
don't it and the railway people are holding up our Austn. mail. 
Haven't they got any Lewis guns in England?

There's nothing in the paper to-day about Turkey, but I 
think this is one of the times when we got the dinkum oil before 
the onlookers. Allied ships have blown a place called Durazzo 
off the map - getting very rude, the Allies are.

Rode another. 20 kilos to-day, so I reckon I've pass the 
2500/