All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.

Book 2

This book commences Night 15 – 16 Feb 1915 and is obviously a continuation of an earlier volume, not part of this series.

miles deep at least in the firing line trenches.  The two supports were in places knee deep and only constant pumping kept the water down.  The men had no shelter from the weather and the firing line trenches suffered much from enfilade fire.  There was an apology of a wire entanglement to our front but the chief safeguard against attack was the swampy nature of the ground.  The Germans were very much top dog in sniping by day anything showing above the parapet attracted fire.  It was impossible to get from our trench to the other or back to the supports until dark.  The trenches on our left held by D Coy were even worse and the gum boots available had all been given to them.  Our predecessors had evidently given up all idea of improving the trenches and passed the hours they were there in abject hopeless misery.  On an average they had asked for 100 sandbags a night to replace those shot away.

16^th Feb. 1915.         I demanded 2000 nightly and had the parapets thickened, traverses and shelters built after the surface slush had been removed and many hundred empty sandbags which had rotted away where they had been first thrown down, had been cleared away, we came upon a lot of floor boards.  Pulling up these and digging through about two feet of evil smelling rubbish we came to the original soil.  After making small channels leading to sump pits which could be easily drained out the boards were replaced.  From that time on the men were dry-shod in the trenches.  Our example infected by degrees the rest of the Bde and soon the trenches became fairly good.  A number of sniping posts were also constructed and we began to stop the Germans having it all their own way.  I arranged that the men should be in three reliefs by night No 1 lookout, No 2 waiting man No 3 working party.  This prevented any chance of surprise and ensured a third of the men working all night.

On the opposite page is a sketch map showing the position near Wulverghem.

They got what sleep they could during the day.  Close to the barbed wire in the intervals between the parapets listening posts were dug in.  They were relieved every three hours during the night and withdrawn by day.  Landon was killed the previous day in 13 trench while glancing over the parapet about 3 p.m.  I was holding 10 B, 11 A, 11 B and the two support trenches.  I arrived with a cold in the head but by getting wet up to my waist and remaining wet for 3 days the cold was driven away.  There was a good bit of shelling by the Germans during the day and the trenches on our left caught it.  Two English aeroplanes tried to chase off a German but it was like two owls after a swallow.  The German darted too & fro where she liked.

17^th Feb. 1915.         Work was continued throughout the night I noticed that about three seconds after every German flare there was a rapid burst of fire.  Arguing that to fire the Germans must be exposing themselves I ordered all the lookout men to fire a round in the direction of every flare sent up and then take cover before the German bullets could reach them.  It seemed to have a good effect.  They shelled my group of trenches during the morning.  One shell burst right in my right hand trench but caused no casualties.

On the opposite page a Bainsfather cartoon “The Innocent Abroad” of a shelter.  It has been annotated “Just like my shelter.”

18^th Feb. 1915.         We were ordered to stay a third night in the trenches.  I proposed changing round the men who had been in the worst trenches with others but Sg^t. Newsome asked if he might be allowed to stay on as he hoped with another 24 hrs work to make his trench quite habitable.  Once let our men understand what requires doing and they are splendid.  Cp^l. Puddifoot with 3 men crawled out in the dark to try & round up some snipers.  Cp^l. Dunton found our wire had been cut and repaired it.  Going my rounds at night I got stuck in one trench sinking in up to my thighs.  My orderly was able to help me out.  We walked about with long poles to feel for Jack Johnson holes.  There were generally a good many loose bullets about and as we were on the crest of a slight ridge we must have shown up against the skyline.  It is extraordinary how little sleep one can do with.  After 3 nights without any I found a two hours doze quite sufficient.  No rations arrived for us on the 3^rd day and then we heard that there would be no relief again.  It had been raining for 48 hrs on end.

19^th Feb.1915.          However about midnight a Coy of the Dorsets came to take over and we marched back to the little farm house we had been in on the 12^th & 13^th where the shelling occurred.  The 25^th British Indian Division at Ypres had been badly mauled and they wanted to bring them down to our part of the world where it was comparatively peaceful and send us up to take their place.  This required a certain amount of management – thus instead of a rest of 8 days – we were kept on 3 days over our time and then had 3 days rest at Dranoutre before returning for a spell of five days.  In Dranoutre we were to be ready to move off always in ½ an hour but a canvas bath had come out for me and I was able to get a good wash.

20^th Feb. 1915.         We remained on in the little farm house making up for arrears of sleep and that evening marched to Dranouter or rather some very dirty farm houses beyond it.  Our mess was in an Estaminet, the meals being cooked in the room we fed in, on a small stove.

21^st & 22^nd     We remained there the next two days and then marched back to R.E. farm, close behind the firing line, by 8 p.m. 

23^rd Feb. 1915.         D Coy was in “Burnt farm” close by.  A and B in the firing line. 

24^th Feb 1915.           We stayed there the next day and the following evening took over 11A, 11B and the two supports.  Half the company had been in a redoubt behind the line on the two previous days so they not much rest.  Had the Germans rushed our front trenches they might have been on us within five minutes.  I had agitated at once to have the farm prepared for defence.  This was now being done by the R.E.  Just as we were marching off Cap^t. Ratcliffe was brought in.  Shot in the stomach (he recovered).  No work had been done to the trenches since we were last there except that the wooden cases of the ammⁿ boxes we had carried up had been burnt for firewood thus exposing the cartridges to the weather.  I sent in a report.  The trenches were filthy tho’ we had left them clean.  I arranged for a certain proportion of hand grenades to be prepared for use only leaving the safety pin to be drawn.  Previously it had been the custom to have a box of them somewhere, the detonators (probably the wrong size) somewhere else and nobody told off in charge.  If there had been a German attack none of them could have been used.

25^th Feb. 1915.         During the night there was a full moon and a sharp frost.  It seemed as light as day and going from trench to trench in the open to see how the work was progressing was no fun.  The Germans were about 300 yds off.

On the opposite page is a Bainsfather cartoon cut from Bystander.

26^th Feb. 1915.         I got my feet very wet.  The Germans pitched a couple of shell 25 & 50 yard from the trench I was in, otherwise all was quiet. 

27^th Feb. 1915.         During the night my listening patrols reported the Germans working in the open.  All the men were lined up ready and then I made a succession of flares burst right over them.  The men opened rapid fire and the Germans ran for cover.  During the day I was sitting in my bomb proof trying to warm my toes with a charcoal brazier when – bang – bang bang – a rapid succession of rifle shots sounded inside my bomb proof.  It was not easy to extract myself as the opening was very narrow but I muscled and pulled away the barrier.  An old battered ammunition tin was propping it up and this on examination proved to contain between 200 & 300 rounds a fortunate escape.  The following evening we were relieved and marched back to Bailleul.  I intended marching the whole way for exercise and to get rid of an attack of dysentery but after 3 miles I nearly fainted.  Luckily my horse was there and I managed to mount.  Arriving at Bailleul I could not stand and had to be taken into the nearest billet.  Here the D^r. gave me some medicine and next morning I was nearly all right again.

28^th Feb. 1915.         My toes were a little frost bitten but in the course of a few weeks that wore off.  It is curious how all the inhabitants seem to be wearing army clothing.  My landlady tells me there is a large sale of mens’ boots.  A man issued with a new pair will sell them and go on wearing his old ones.  I personally saw every article issued to my men and made certain the discarded clothing was worn out and returned any surplus to the Q^r Master.  The best boots were handed over to the Shoemaker Sg^t for repair.  The next time the Bⁿ went to the trenches.  He of course had his hands full while in Billets.  By this many hundred boots which would otherwise have been thrown away were saved.  Instead of going into the Grapperies again the men were put into dirty lofts.  The proprietor of the hothouses was claiming several hundred thousand francs indemnification if our men were to be kept there any longer as he wanted to start the vines in heat.  The French always billeted their men in schools & private houses, we never allowed men into private houses.  Major Roche went off on leave & I became Senior Major.