WAR DIARY of AA Laporte Payne 16 January 1917

Extracted from

Brigade Diary, Personal Diary, Operation Orders, Note Books, Memoranda

Correspondence

—————–

January 16, 1917.

We are getting along alright. The Colonel has been fairly sweet tempered, I am glad to say.  In this comparative comfort existence is not so bad, but I feel rather a brute when our fellows are having such a rotten time in the trenches.  But I suppose this will not last long for me.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 16 January 1917

France.

January 16^th 19167

You perfect little darling! So that was the secret.  Thank you so very very much for it.  it is beautiful.  I was more than delighted to get it as you may guess.  I like the colouring very much indeed.  Your lips look very kissable in the picture.  I wish I could have the original all to myself.  I am afraid though you would have a very rotten time.  I am sure you would hate to be made untidy and ruffled.  Wouldn’t you?  I shall have to be careful.  But an intoxicated person is hardly responsible for his actions.

I am so very sorry to hear about Mrs. Cross’ accident. I do hope it did not upset her very much.  Thank heaven you weren’t there.  You seem to be very lucky in getting out of these accidents.  I am glad I was not in the carriage for it would have been doubtful whether I was not the sort of person to bring bad luck.  I hope Mrs. Cross has recovered from the effects.

So you are staying the night with the Gardners – oh!  I hope they are well and that you enjoyed your visit.  Thank you for finding time to write to me from there.  (That is unkind isn’t it.  well I can’t help it sometimes).  You don’t mention Humphrey but I suppose he was there.  I am getting on quite alright.  The Colonel has been behaving himself very nicely, I am glad to say.  In this comparative comfort existance is not so bad, but I feel a brute when our fellows are having such a rotten time in the trenches – but I suppose this won’t last very long.

Please forgive this short note but I must get one off by this post to thank you for what you have sent.

Au revoir,darling.

With love and kisses

Yours

Archie.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 14 January 1917

France.

January 14^th 1917

Darling,

How the time goes and nothing to shew for it except piles of papers. There has been plenty going on to keep one busy but I am afraid my thoughts and my interest are elsewhere – with a girl who has been ‘silly’ enough to thinks she is in love with me.  Don’t you think she is very silly, but I love her all the more – if that is possible –for being silly in that way.  Heaven only knows why she did it for I am sure I never made love to her – simply because I thought it an impossibility and there was no reason why I should not love her without her knowing it – and apparently she did not – until I was weak enough to tell her so.  Don’t you think it was very weak of me?  But then you see I had spent a delightful week, seeing her every day and on the last night when I had to come back to this and its many possibilities she looked so infinitely adorable and kissable and not being other than human I – well you know the rest.  She really was a witch that night.  What do you think were my thoughts on that taxi ride home from town that evening?  I am afraid it was then that I made up my mind – wasn’t I wicked?  Given the least chance I determined then.  She lay back in the taxi with her hat on the floor and her hair delightfully ruffled, looking flushed and disconcerted I thought.  I wonder if she were.  It was a good thing for her that she had a chaperone then.

I wonder if she remembers the morning she went to Waterloo and was left alone in the house with me by her ‘unwise’ mother (bless her) and how reluctant I was to leave.  I was very near misbehaving myself then; but you see it was daylight – and after all one’s first kiss should be in the evening; preferably in a cosy room by a fire after dinner,but a beggar can’t be a choser.  There were many other occasions – some perhaps she can’t remember but others no doubt she can – among them the halfpenny incident.  I often wonder what would have happened if there had been no war.  Would she have been the same?

I am so sorry that you have had the hump lately.  I do hope you are better.  Do you often get that complaint?  I hope not.  I suffer very badly.

So my note smelt of scent. I certainly do not use any unless the beastly barber puts some on me – but that is only in England.  It did not leave here smelling of anything except perhaps tobacco.  I can only put it down to your lady postman.  Was it very strong and cheap?  I rather like a faint suspicion as long as it is good.

Are you keeping alright dear? No colds I hope.  The weather is truly awful.

With my best love and a long long kiss

Always yours

Archie.

212 Vicarage Rd

Leyton

12.1.17

Dear Ted & Mary

Please find enclosed 10/- for insurance.  I think this brings me up to date at least.  I think I have paid 10/- per year since 1902 that is for 15 years ago.  £- 10 – 0 and ** the amount payable about £4.  It seems to me that has not been a paying spec has it?

By the bye how many hundreds are you putting in the War Loan?  Unfortunately my assets are not very liquid and I shall have to look on.  Last week end Billy Humphries was over on leave this being his first.  He is in the 9^th Division among the Jocks.  Isn’t that Fred’s Division?  We told him to look out for Sapper Hammond.  If Fred is in the 9^th you might ask him to look up Serg Humphrey of the Special Gas Sec (92) Q Co 4^th Special Batt RE.

Incidentally he left Con an engagement ring so I suppose we may say she’s engaged.  She has not yet been out of doors but she is making steady progress.  Still it may be quite another month before she can venture back to business.  I heard they were serving the troops round Colchester with gas helmets. Surely the Huns are not coming to drop tear shells amongst us.  The Zeppelin scare has practically died out altho one or two rounds will keep up the patrol.  What sort of a time did you have.  Ours passed over quietly but apart from the weather, which was vile, quite enjoyably.

The talk of Victory is not quite so confident. I should imagine the Huns will feel that the peace door has been banged to when they read our terms as sent on to President Wilson.  And yet one feels that anything less will not be a sufficient lesson to teach our enemies that those who take by the sword must fall by the sword.

Well trusting you are all in the pink.

With kindest wishes from all

Will

Please acknowledge receipt of 10/-

Cover to Mrs E. Hammond, 9, Countess Street Stockport, postmarked 11.15 AM

13 Jan 17

10.1.17

Dear F & M

Just a short line to say I’m gogging along OK in 1917.  I received your last letter a few days ago and suppose you received one from me about the same time.  Any how if my letter got astray I would like to say the parcels etc arrived here OK.  There is really nothing to relate.  Just jogging along quietly.  Our Boys played a football match against a neighbouring Divn and we had quite a good afternoon.  How are things at home, heard from Geo lately?  Suppose everyone is in the army by now.  Suppose Gladys has settled down to her studies again.

I am trying to turn into a pipe smoker since I received the pipe & pouch.

Well I think this is about all at present.  Hoping you are all well

Yours Gus

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 8 January 1917

France.

January 8th 19167.

Dearest,

Ever so many thanks for your delightful letter which I was most glad to get. It is a very precious one for me as it was written on New Year’s Eve and you really let yourself go a bit for once.  You can’t imagine what a difference such a letter makes to me I am now longing for your next letter – I wonder what it will be like this time.

I am sorry you don’t like ‘where love is’. It is a very true book through a bit exaggerated.  What a lot of reading you have been doing lately!  Do you know what I should like very much.  I should like a book you read which you have marked and scribbled thoughts in –one which you don’t want to keep or one I could return to you.  It would be most interesting to me.  What a lot I am always asking you to do!  My advice to you is don’t do it.  It is not easy to read and mark a book as if for yourself when someone else is going to read it afterwards.

As the time goes on I realise more & more how much I long to see you and talk to you & kiss you again – if it is possible for my longings to increase more than they are at present. Oh! I am fed up with this war; it is worse than being in prison.  It does not look as if it would ever end.  But there what would peace bring for me?  Don’t forget that.  I might be able to see you more often or perhaps not – and in either case I might for some reason be more miserable than ever.  Further an absent creature in Khaki like myself may be alright when away or in small doses at long intervals, back from that, to you, mysterious place – the front, which is not exactly a school of refinement.  But after all why should I always look for the worst and not take what the gods have graciously given me at any rate for the present.

You will be surprised to hear that there has been another change for me. I have left the battery.  A man who has been Staff Captain has been posted to the battery over my head as of course he is much senior.  Then the Colonel posted in orders that I had been appointed Brigade Signalling Officer and I am now on headquarters – my address in future will be 175^th Brigade R.F.A. Headquarters.  Orders have to be obeyed I suppose – so here I am.  I get out of all O.P. and trench work and live in a gorgeous chateau with a large bedroom and an office to myself, which perhaps compensate in one way while there is no real fighting going on; but I hope to be back in the line for the next ‘bit’.

The Colonel has been most decent to me so far – but he has a hell of a temper. When he gets nasty I shall not take any notice of him.

There seem to be a lot of changes in the Brigade. Out of the whole lot which came out here – only one battery commander and four subalterns remain.

We are still very busy here as no doubt you can realise by the papers, so I won’t enlarge. All I care about now is to hear from you –and to think about you – and to live for the next time I can see you – and tell you all I want to tell you.  Are you keeping well?  No colds or anything?  I am glad to hear you are getting some riding.  I had a long walk this afternoon with the Doctor as I had to go somewhere on business.  It did me a lot of good.

With all my love, darling

Ever yours

Archie.

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 4 January 1917.

B.E.F.

France.

January 4th 19167.

My own,

Thank you so much for your letter just arrived. I am back at the battery and I must send you a note before I go to the trenches, which I shall have to do in ten minutes time, so I can’t say much.  I had the joy this morning of discovering a Boche battery and I was instrumental in giving them rather a bad time this afternoon.

The weather is finer but colder so I have just been issuing some rum to the men for tea. I have not heard the secret yet.  When am I going to be enlightened?  I have never been so curious before – but then you see you are concerned.  I can’t write this afternoon my hands are so cold –please forgive the scribble.

So you guessed who sent the watch. Was it a bow at a venture or did you really guess?  You must have so many admirers.

I suppose it’s no use denying as I want to say change it if you don’t like it. I received this from the silly people “We much regret that the selection from our catalogue is not in stock at the moment, but we have sent a somewhat similar watch.”  So please change it for anything else you want.  That is the worst of living in exile.  You are at the mercy of these people.

I must reluctantly close now.

With my fondest love, darling, and many kisses.

Ever yours

Archie.

No 27521

Pte. A. Smith

3^rd Essex Regt

Att 27^th Training Reserve

“G” Company

Parkeston Harwich

Jan 4^th 17

Dear Father

Thank you very much for the parcel received to-day.  You are certainly an expert at choosing things they are all very nice; & nothing you buy seems to come up from what one receives from home.  Think of me to-night having supper I have such a variety I hardly know which to choose but I think I it will be bread & butter &jelly & I shall have to finish up with one of Ethel’s’ mince pies.  The pot of jam will be very nice.  I sometimes have fish & chips for supper it goes down alright for a change.

I am sorry you have all had colds but I am glad you are better again.

How did you enjoy your Xmas. I hope Uncle William was well it is a long time since I have seen him.

I have been very lucky for parcels this week. I had a piece of Xmas pudding & some mince pies from Mrs. Pat yesterday they are all gone now good things do not last long with me.

Well I know you do not like long letters so I think I must finish now. Short & sweet.

Have you heard from Southend I have not had a letter lately?

Well Au revoir

With much love from

Your devoted

Son

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 3 January 1917

B.E.F.

Jan 3 1917

My dearest,

Never again think that I am annoyed with you if you don’t hear from me for a few days please. I will soon let you know if ever I am which is not at all likely.  Do you really think I could be so horrid as that?  It is only the real impossibility of finding time that would ever prevent you hearing from me.  Sometimes for whole days and more I am away from the battery and it is the same now.  I am with two guns away from ‘home’.  We are frightfully busy and expect to be more so for some time now.  I can’t explain further, dear, so please forgive.

Thank you so much for your letter. All I live for is to hear from you.  You must forgive hastily scribbled note in pencil.  It is all I can find at present.  When I get back to the battery I hope to find something from the ‘only one’, which will cheer me up – and I need it at present.

I do hope you are keeping well and the other members of the family. I am still alive and well.

I see Vyvyan Pearse has got the Military Cross. I am very glad.  He at least deserves it.  He went through Loos & the Somme.  One of our Battery Commanders got one.  He was the only one in our Brigade.  He is an excellent fellow and thoroughly deserved it.

It is getting dark now and I must be off for the trenches where I have to spend the night.

When oh! When shall I be able to get to England and you again.  It seems ages since I saw you last.  You will have to be firm when I do get a chance.

All my best love, darling

Ever yours

Archie.

CONFIDENTIAL

WAR DIARY 9^th CANADIAN ARTILLERY BRIGADE

For Month of DECEMBER 1916

PLACE

G.9.b.3.8.

Near ARRAS

1-12-16         9.00 p.m.           Weather has been foggy all day.  Registration of our brigade zone was therefore impossible.

2-12-16         9 p.m.                Visibility still poor owing to fog.  Enemy Trench Mortars fired ineffectually at our front line from time to time during the day.  Our Mortars retaliated with good effect.  Machine gun and rifle fire in evening was slight.  Despite adverse weather conditions considerable registration was carried out by us.

3-12-16           9 p.m.               Observation still poor and visibility beyond enemy front line impossible.  Our F.O.Os report new and strong wire entanglements put up by the enemy.  At 9.00 a.m. this morning the 32^nd Battery fired at enemy seen in a crater; a number of the rounds were seen to fall directly in the target.  The 36^th Howitzer Battery engaged an enemy Trench Mortar which had been active all morning.  It soon became so hot for him that the enemy mortar was forced to cease fire. In the afternoon he had the audacity to again open fire whereupon our battery (How.) again fired upon and effectually silenced him.

4-12-16           9 p.m.              Observation on the whole poor.  Despite the lack of good visibility registration was carried out.

5-12-16            9 p.m.             Visibility fair.  Our F.O.Os reported considerable new work done by enemy.  Several working parties observed were fired upon and dispersed.

6-12-16           9 p.m.               Enemy Trench Mortars active.  Upon our firing in retaliation enemy sent up a rocket bursting into green stars.  Immediately upon this signal being given their mortars ceased fire.  We carried on with registration throughout the day.  At 7.15 p.m. one of our F.O.Os reported cheering in German lines.  An hour later cheers were heard again.  (This was doubtless due to receipt of news of German victories in RUMANIA)

7-12-16           9 p.m.              Observation very poor.  Enemy artillery was unusually passive.

8-12-16           9 p.m.              Owing to heavy mist visibility was indifferent throughout the day.  During the afternoon and evening enemy snipers were quite active.

9-12-16           9 p.m.              Observation still poor.  Enemy trench mortars were quite active during the forenoon but their effect was to a great extent nullified by our prompt and effective retaliation.

10-12-16         9 p.m.               Visibility only fair.  Our 18-pdrs fired upon and dispersed several working parties.  Enemy artillery unusually passive.

11-12-16         9 p.m.              Considerable enemy aeroplane activity during forenoon.  One of the German planes succeeded in getting as far back as ARRAS but was driven off by our own machines and A.A. guns.  In the afternoon our heavy and medium trench mortars carried on a successful bombardment of enemy lines.

12-12-16          9 p.m.              Visibility very poor.  Enemy artillery fire below normal.

13-12-16         9 p.m.               Enemy artillery very active throughout day.  We dispersed several working parties and retaliated.

14-12-16          9 p.m.              Visibility indifferent.  Considerable shelling by the enemy.

15-12-16         9 p.m.              Hostile shelling has been below normal today.  A German shell which exploded over our lines today burst in cloud of white smoke from which issued a shell or bomb to which was attached a small rod of steel.  Upon reaching the ground it exploded with a noise similar to a STOKES bomb.

For five minutes early this evening the enemy heavily bombarded our front line. At the end of that length of time it was shifted to the zone on our left.

16-12-16          9 p.m.              Visibility indifferent.  Considerable aeroplane activity both German and British.  We carried out a successful shoot with aeroplane co-operation this morning.  Several important points were then registered.

Operation ordered No 45 was issued tonight. This operation consists of two attacks; the Main Attack is composed of three raiding parties- Right, Centre and Left.  These parties are to be in the German trenches for one and a half hours.  The Secondary attack is to take place one hour, 45 minutes after the commencement of the Main one.  In preparation the Right Group is allotted the following tasks:-

(a) A Preparatory bombardment of tender spots in the enemy’s lines with 4.5” Howitzers.

(b) One hundred yards of wire cutting by 18-pdrs in conjunction with Trench Mortars.

(c) A Preliminary Bombardment commencing one hour and 45 minutes before the main attack and lasting 35 minutes.

(d) Barrages for Main and Secondary Attacks.

17-12-16         9 p.m.              Weather very foggy and visibility has been poor all day.  Enemy shelling has been below normal.  Despite the adverse conditions our batteries carried on with registration.

18-12-16         9 p.m.               Carrying out O.O. 45 our 18-pdrs and T.Ms have been wire cutting throughout day.  Owing to the wire being on knife rests and also being very thick, it has not yet been all cleared away.

19-12-16         9 p.m.              Having been granted an additional ammunition allotment we had one 18-pdr battery on wire cutting all day.  A report from the Infantry says that they are satisfied with the work done but would like the 4.5 Hows put on the wire.  Orders have therefore been given for the two Howitzer batteries to carry on with the wire cutting tomorrow morning.

At 10.30 a.m. the enemy heavily shelled our front line trenches with 77 m.m. and 4.1s. This bombardment lasted 15 minutes.  We vigorously retaliated doing considerable damage.

20-12-16         9 p.m.               MAIN ATTACK Our Heavies from 1.30 p.m. until the opening of the main attack carried on a successful bombardment of the enemy’s lines.  Our barrage was started sharp on time and was reported by the infantry as being excellent.  Our infantry two minutes after the artillery opened left their trenches and proceeded in good formation and as an observer said – leisurely.  Upon entering the enemy trenches they despatched a large number by bayoneting.  Other parties proceeded to dugouts and by dropping Ammonal tubes down them effected a large number of casualties.  A great majority of the dugouts thus treated caught fire, thus any who were fortunate enough to escape death from Ammonal were burnt to death.  Part of the attackers while advancing close under our barrage were unexpectedly held up by 15 of the enemy hidden in enemy Sap 19.  They, the Germans, were promptly taken prisoners.

Total number of prisoners taken, 1 Officer and 56 O.Rs

Killed & wounded – not yet ascertained.

Our casualties – (as far as yet known) 1 officer & 12 other ranks.

SECONDARY ATTACK Our infantry in the Secondary Attack did not reach their objective. The enemy concentrated all his fire in repulsing this attack; heavy barrage of 77 m.m. 4.2s 5.9s and a particularly heavy machine gun barrage stopped our Infantry shortly after leaving their trenches.  Our own barrage was reported as being most satisfactory.

Capt. D.C. Dick, Liaison Officer to the Right Battalion reported that the Infantry were delighted with the barrage put up by this Unit and also that the wire had been satisfactorily cut.

Lieut. L. St. J. Haskell, Liaison Officer with the Secondary Attacking party left the jumping off trench with the Infantry reeling out wire as they proceeded. He reported that our barrage was satisfactory but that the attack failed owing to the heavy concentrated barrage of 77s, 4.1s, 5.9s, machine gun and Trench Mortars put up by the enemy.

It is evident that the enemy placed greater importance upon the Secondary Attach than they did upon the Main one as all their fire was concentrated on that point.

21-12-16           9 p.m.             Our Operations yesterday completely battered down the enemy’ defences.  Smoke from burnt dugouts can still be seen today.  The Infantry report that the enemy has been slowly reoccupying his front line since early this morning.

22-12-16           9 p.m.             Visibility fair.  A very quiet day.  We dispersed several working parties.

23-12-16          9 p.m.              A quiet day.  Some new work observed and fired upon.

24-12-16         9 p.m.              One  of our planes flew over enemy front line and fired upon enemy with M.Gs.  Several small material dumps were located and registered today.

25-12-16         9 p.m.              Visibility has been good throughout the day.  Enemy activity has been below normal – practically no hostile fire of any sort.  Our artillery fired upon and dispersed several working parties.

26-12-16         9 p.m.              A very quiet day.  Our F.O.Os reported the placing of new wire in front of enemy’s front line trenches; also new work in trenches.

27-12-16         9 p.m.              A number of tender spots such as O.Ps Dumps and new work were fired upon by our batteries with good effect.

28-12-16         9 p.m.               Observation very poor.  Our Stokes guns actively bombarded enemy front line throughout day.  Four of our planes early in the forenoon flew over enemy lines.  They were ineffectually engaged by Machine and A.A. guns.

29-12-16       9 p.m.                Visibility fair.  During both morning and afternoon our heavy artillery carried on a systematic bombardment of tender spots in the enemy’s lines.  Our 36^th Howitzer Battery fired upon and demolished a house in THELUS (A.12.b.1/2.3.) which from movement in vicinity has been suspected of being a Headquarters or billets.

30-12-16     9 p.m.                  A great deal of movement in enemy’s back country throughout day.  From the large number of men with full kits coming in and leaving the trenches it is suspected that a relief is taking place.  A number of parties were fired on and in two instances casualties resulted.  The heavy rain of last night has evidently played havoc with the enemy trenches as his men are going overland wherever possible.

31-12-16         9 p.m.               Visibility fair.  Enemy artillery was very active this morning; considerable shelling of our support lines and back country taking place.  The suspected relief of yesterday has been confirmed.  The enemy is still exposing himself for fire by going overland; doubtless this is due to the extremely muddy condition of the trenches.  Our 35^th Howitzer Battery blew up a section of an important trench tramway this morning.  For several hours this morning the enemy shelled the town of ECURIE (A.27.b)

Lieut. Col.

Comdg 9^th Brigade C.F.A.