16/5/15
Pte. E.J. Byrne
No. 8 Platoon
“B” Company
15th Batt C of L Regt
140th Brigade
47th Division
B.E.F.
Dear Dada & Mickie,
In the first place I must acknowledge the receipt of registered letter containing 20/-. Thanks very much. It will be greatly needed after this action is over. Am glad to hear that Mick has done so well in his exam.
I suppose you know all about the move made last Sunday (9th). The attack began again very early this morning & is going on splendidly. Am writing this in ruined house just in front of our field guns (about 3 batteries) which have been firing ever since dawn. Shrapnel is bursting all around & a few of us have had slight wounds but nothing serious, although up at the breastworks we have had several casualties. I had better start at the beginning & tell you what has happened. In the 1st place the French made their great attack just on our right & advanced several miles on the 8th. At 3 a.m. on the Sunday morning we occupied some reserve trenches to a part of the firing line to be held while our troops advanced on our left & took the G. trenches. During this our artillery bombarded the G trenches with great gusto & made the earth shake all over. Of course we had our ears plugged up with cotton wool as the terrific noise if ears are unprotected, causes them to bleed. We had only four or five shells over. The next day we occupied some redoubts (like very small sandbag forts) which are to be held at all costs. From then till last night have not had more than 3 hrs sleep, so you will not be surprised to hear that we slept through the bombardment this morning until we were woke up to stand by & be prepared to move any moment, at 7 a.m. The most exciting time was last Thursday when about 7 p.m. we had orders to yell cheer & fire rapid into the G. trenches. No doubt we scared the Huns out of their lives with this noise and fusillade of bullets. Just as we started the din our troops on the right about 900 yds away exploded a mine & blew part of a G. trench sky high. The debris went about 40 feet in the air. During the last three days I have fired at least 350 rounds, as each day we let them have rapid. Have burnt my left hand where I touched Val’s barrel after ceasing rapid. During the day we fire only through loop holes but at night over the parapet. We know where to fire as a rifle flash is very distinct, as is that of a field gun. While we were up at the breastworks we had dozens of “Fiz-bangs” come over. They are about 6 pounders & did not do very much damage beyond 2 or 3 wounds, parapet blown in, in three places & plonking some dirt & small pieces of shell in two mess-tins of tea Val & I had just made. I counted the paces to the shell hole & made it 24. It was convenient for burying our rubbish.
You cannot imagine what a beautiful sight is a night in the trenches. Flares going up every minute & lighting up the whole country round. There are too many things to describe, & although all of us are looking forward to the end of the war, most of us are glad that we have seen what we have. Having been at the trenches since last Sunday we have been living on Bully, biscuits & jam. We got our water by digging a well managed to get “the post”. Our mess of four fellows was lucky as two of them had parcels, which helped us through. The most desirable things are cocoa & milk (combined – like you sent some time ago) and chocolate. The newspaper idea is very good & they will be jolly welcome. We are now in a zone that is all ruins so that we cannot purchase anything even bread. That reminds me the other day we made some tea with water served out by the Quarter Master. We drank the tea & all remarked that it was a rotten taste & afterwards found it was a solution of bicarbonate of soda used for soaking our respirators which we all carry. It did not do any harm.
I don’t think I have told you that we have an order to grow moustaches.
Have just seen a batch of G. prisoners go by.
Must close now
Yr loving son
Eddie
P.T.O.
To look at the dirty back I presume. E.B.
The Bay Museum & Research Facility 