All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
15th Oct. 1916. Bethune about 3 a.m., the mess cart was waiting & took me to our transport lines where I had breakfast and saw Beale & Williams who were just off on leave. I also heard we were to make a raid.
On the opposite page is a sketch map of the area.
After breakfast I went into the trenches “Rue de Bois left” they were sandbagged parapets, very wet in places and requiring much repair. There was only one practicable communication trench to the front in the sector namely “Pioneer” and the last 800 yds half the body showed over the parapet. The O.B.L. was in a poor state of repair but fairly dry “Richmond” was ditto, “Cover” was very wet and with no shelters for the men. It did not go through to “Shetland.” There was practically no wire in front, the posts 14 to 32 were sandbagged parapets holding half a dozen men by night and observation posts by day. “Shetland” was impassable.
The most pressing work was to improve Pioneer Shetland and Cover and put out wire also to build shelters for Officers & men.
Sniping posts had to be built and a defence system organised.
We were to be four days in the line and four days in support alternating with the 16th Warwicks. I made a point of going round once by day and once by night. It took 3½ hrs. the 2nd in Command & the Adj went round at intermediate times. We had constant visitors in the shape of Gunners, Bde & Divisional Staff, Engineers, and oddments like heavy & light trench mortar, machine gunners & Pioneers, while many reports had to be sent in so life was not dull even tho’ the enemy were quiet.
