April 1916

April 1916

1 APR SATURDAY

A huge mine exploded on our right and then ‘C’ battery were shelled.

I saw one of our planes brought down today, by a sort of shrapnel shell that the Germans are using against the airplanes. It makes it all very dangerous for us, as we are liable to be hit by falling bits, but not as dangerous as it is for the airman, he was killed.

Met Fat Almond from ‘C’ battery, he said that most of their equipment had been destroyed and that they had taken a lot of casualties.

2 APR SUNDAY

Went to my first church parade for quite a few weeks today, the service was held in the ruins of what had once been a school. There were rather a lot of troops packed into the building. We had grand weather for the service, which was just as well, as there wasn’t much left of the school’s roof. The bright sunlight shone through what was left of the roof, where the remains of the broken rafters, cast strange eerie shadows over the congregation and floor.

There was lots of artillery activity throughout the day, movements as well as firing, probably replacements coming in for the stuff destroyed in Fat Almond’s battery yesterday. There was also plenty of airplane activity all day.

Just as last week, we were relived of our billets by the 11th Northumberland Fusiliers, and then we marched up to the trenches and relived the 12th, same people, same trenches only difference being the billets we were in.

Tonight, I’ve just finished reading a letter from Aunt Rose and I am not feeling too good, I think that I may have a touch of influenza coming on.

3 APR MONDAY

Well we’re back in the trenches again but at least the weather is grand and its been fairly quiet on the whole.

Jim Robinson and a couple of the others went out on patrol with the captain tonight and came back with a prisoner, a Bosche Captain none the less. I didn’t get chance to speak to him (Jim that is not the German), as I was sent out on a working party.

Still not feeling very well.

4 APR TUESDAY

Managed to get a minute with Jim this afternoon, to ask him about last night. It seem that their patrol had been sent out to find out what they could about the Germans who were in, and to take a prisoner, if it was possible. They had made there way over to the enemy front line under cover of the new moon and whatever other shelter there was in no man’s land. They managed to slip into a trench supplying a lookout sap and came up into the sap behind the German lookouts. As they rushed into the sap the presence of a German officer in there was a quite unexpected bonus for them. In the dark and the confusion that followed they managed to “silence the lookouts” (Jim’s words not mine) and make off with the officer, who they promptly marched back to our trenches, while there were no lookouts to spot them.

Poor Jim had the wind up tonight, luckily for him, tonight’s bombing party was off. Bit windy myself and still not very well but still out on a working party as the previous night anyway, its also rather cold tonight.

Something big seems to be on up Loos way.

5 APR WEDNESDAY

Between stand to and stand down today, there was quiet a bit of activity behind the German lines, their working parties seemed to be digging another new trench or doing alterations the old ones. So every time they got a little bit careless and stuck a head up for too long, we took a few pot shots at them, this helped to slow down their work rate. It also made up for all of the sniping that has been going on against us whenever we try to do any work. I had several attempts myself and eventual managed to pop one, this quietened them down for a while. It also strangely made me feel better for a while.

No bombing parties on tonight, I am glad as I still feel out of sorts and its rather cold.

Its on again over Loos way.

6 APR THURSDAY

Had a few shells over this morning at about 6 o’clock, they certainly like to make sure that you’re awake. I was glad that it was our last day in as I am very, very tired, there is not much chance to get any rest at all. Relived by the 12th at 3 o’clock this afternoon, not much banter between us, I think that the pressure is starting to get to us all.

Took over billets in Calonne, still not very well, and completely knackered. After a wash and some hot food tonight, some of the lads had a good singsong that helped liven me up a little. The mail as also arrived although sadly there is none for me this time.

We were told that three of ‘C’ company had been killed today and that two of them had been Corporals.

7 APR FRIDAY

Still not very well, was sick this morning and went to see the MD, he said that there is nothing much wrong (if your not actually dead or pumping blood all over the place, then there is nothing much wrong with you).

On guard duty this afternoon, had a good look around Brigade Command, it seems to me that its all Sergeants and Corporals running the place.

Out on the usual type of working party tonight under sergeant Fawcett, good man Fawcett.

Feeling worse tonight, I’ll be glad to get to my bed.

8 APR SATURDAY

Still feeling a bit seedy all day and hearing the J H Merryman was killed this morning hasn’t helped. A letter from Jane cheered me a little, with all the news of the children and family.

9 APR SUNDAY

No church parade, out on working party instead, then on Guard again this afternoon.

My health is not getting any better. Got a parcel from Plymouth, things like this parcel and the letters from home, are the only things keeping me going at the moment.

10 APR MONDAY

Big stuff on somewhere, we can hear that from here.

Some smoke bombs came over later (the word had gone out that it was only smoke and not gas, so there was no panic). Not many casualties in the division. N J about the worst.

The whole company out on a working party tonight assisting the Northumberland Fusiliers.

11 APR TUESDAY

Much quieter today, relived in the billets by the Northumberland Fusiliers and took over in the trenches from the 12th, nothing much new there then.

12 APR WEDNESDAY

Fritz has been fairly quiet today, there seems to be a new lot in over there, probably still finding their feet.

Still felling a bit seedy, its over a week now since I first started to feel unwell, I am still managing to do all of my duties though.

13 APR THURSDAY

Second day in, Fritz has sent a few over today, they must be getting settled in. One of the shells hit just to the right of me, about 50 yards down the trench. A Nicholl was killed by the explosion, what a mess, there wasn’t much left of him, and two of the other lads were buried and had to be dug out, thankfully they are all right but they are both shocked to hell. We all worked very hard to get the repairs done to the trench walls.

My health is not much better, have been doing a lot of digging and carrying, and I am also very depressed. Bob Simmons was close to today’s incident and is suffering badly from shell shock, I hope he snaps out of it soon, also the two lads who were buried are not quite with it yet. Said a pray for all of them tonight.

14 APR FRIDAY

Reported sick this morning, with pains in my side, I was in agony walking. Still on duty though, Fritz has been quit again today, which is just as well as I can’t move about to well at all.

15 APR SATURDAY

Eventually relived by the 12th tonight, about time too. Moved out to billets in Bully but only with the help of the lads, as I am still in a lot of pain trying to walk. I must have looked like one of the wounded coming in.

In the same billets as last time we were here in Bully. I am properly warn out after this latest tour in the trenches, I have been ill the whole time in, tonight I am so tired that a can’t even be bothered to go for something to eat. All I want is a good nights sleep.

16 APR SUNDAY

Palm Sunday, had a church parade in the same ruined school as last time, I wonder what has happened to all of the children that once used it. We still see kids about from time to time but not many. Said many prays today, and added a new one, for the children of this war, there are going to be an awful lot of kids without dads after this is all over. Here in France, there will also be a lot of orphans, I suppose that it is going the be same for the Germans as well.

Wrote a letter to Jane after church, asking her especially about the children.

Feeling slightly better than yesterday, managing to get about a little bit better, that is without help, although it is sill painful. Not much doing today in regards to the fritzies, although I did see a couple of shrapnel shells burst about two miles away, nasty things.

17 APR MONDAY

Was permitted to miss out on the working parties today, thankfully and was allowed to have a rest.

Got a new uniform.

18 APR TUESDAY

Feeling better today after my rest, which is a good job, as we were up early, packed up and moved out to Coupigny by 6am. Went straight onto a working party of about 60 men at Coupigny station and worked straight through to 4.30pm in the drizzly rain. We’ve been filling in holes and fixing up the tracks (at one time we used to be infantry men but now it seem, that for the majority of the time, that we are now engineers). Got to our billets in wooden huts at about 5pm.

Took over a Orderly Sergeant again tonight.

19 APR WEDNESDAY

Weather unsettled today, stayed in the huts most of the time, there is plenty of room in here for a change and I have one all to myself. My hut isn’t very comfortable so I’ve been trying to improve things a little, I’ve got the fire going and I’ve got some candles to light the place up.

This afternoon I got a letter from Jane, the family are all well.

Ginger got back from his leave tonight, he arrived wringing wet, got him dried and changed before he caught his death of cold. Ginger warmed himself up by the fire, while I made him a cup of tea and heated up some stew, left over from supper. Ginger stayed in my hut last night, we’ll find him somewhere tomorrow, anyway I wanted to know all about his leave.

20 APR THURSDAY

Weathers A bit finer today, at least its stopped raining. Nothing much doing during the day but there's a big working party out tonight, all of the sergeants are out ,except the Orderly Sergeant and the Division Orderly Sergeant. Aren’t I lucky, It gives me another chance for a rest to allow me to get back on my feet properly.

This evening I got a letter from my sister Meg.

21 APR FRIDAY

Good Friday, the company are all resting today. Bath parade this afternoon followed by pay after tea.

Raining tonight, Ginger was in with me again, I got a parcel from Jane and lots of newspapers. The parcel contained stuff for Easter, me and Ginger had a hard-boiled egg each followed by an orange each, all washed down with some brandy, that Ginger had brought in with him. Then we had another brandy while we read and discussed the papers.

22 APR SATURDAY

Weather still wet and everything is getting damp, so I’ve got the fire going tonight, to try and dry out some of my thing. Some new officers came in today, all look clean, young, smart, and keen. J Archer and Corporal Campion also rejoined the Company today,

23 APR SUNDAY

Not much of an Easter Sunday and no church parade, instead a working party of 100 men went out today in buses. Still Orderly Sergeant, so I missed out again. The weather is much better, today and its started to dry up at last.

There is lots of airplane activity going on again, it must be caused by the improvement in the weather, that makes the airplanes very much like the insects that they so resemble.

Out on a march later this afternoon, we almost marched though an area were machine-gun practice was going on, the young officer in charge of the march got a real good roasting.

I am feeling much better tonight, the rest and the warm billet over the last couple of days has helped no end.

24 APR MONDAY

Not much of a bank holiday, we out on another big working party, in buses again. Not lucky enough to miss out again today, there were about 65 of us this time. The buses almost shake you to bits but its still better that marching. The railway station had been shelled early this morning and was in a mess. We had only just got the station back to normal on the 17th, it took all day to get the repairs done again.

There were lots of airplanes over today mostly ours, one or two brave (or lost) enemy ones went by as well.

A new draft arrived this evening, not all new boys although there was one old hand among them.

25 APR TUESDAY

The railway station was shelled again today, the transport system is in chaos, there are working parties out at the station but fortunately, not us for a change.

The weather is much warmer and the airplane activity has increased, in what appears to be proportional to the weather, finer weather more airplanes. There are more of them up there than I imagined we ever had, they are like frantic wasps darting about here and there, up and down, to-an-fro, they’re all over the sky.

Ginger asked if l wanted to go to the pictures with him tonight but I didn’t fancy it, I stayed in the hut and had a bit of crack with Fat Almond, who reckons, we’ll be on the move again soon.

26 APR WEDNESDAY

Early this morning was spent preparing to leave Coupigny, not a bad guess by Fatty. We marched up to the staging huts at Barlin, where we boarded the train, for Pernes (presumably the station at Coupigny must be still out of commission). We passed through Bruay about 4.30pm but it was about another two hours before we arrived at Pernes. Got to our billets in some barns about 7pm, the barns turned out to be quite comfortable.

27 APR THURSDAY

Out this morning on another 100 man working party, doing all sorts of jobs, mainly digging.

Relieved of Orderly Sergeant by Corporal Campion at 4pm and went straight onto bomb guard with the rest of ‘B’ company.

Tonight I went to the cinema with Ginger, looked for Jim, to see if he wanted to come with us but he was out on a working party. We went for a couple of drinks afterwards, just to help us get to sleep, as if we needed any help sleeping.

28 APR FRIDAY

Got inoculated by the doctor this afternoon, not very painful.

Had to go over to ‘C’ company for an enquiry about an incident that happened while I was Orderly Sergeant, there may by a more formal enquiry later. W Calvert rejoined us today but Corporal Craddock has gone AWOL.

Cinema tonight with Ginger, Ginger loves his pictures and he would go every night if he could, drink again afterwards.

29 APR SATURDAY

Resting today after inoculation, not a bad day but no mail though.

30 APR SUNDAY

No church parade yet again. Managed to miss out on the working parties again and overall things are fairly quiet at the moment.

Got a letter and papers from Jane today. On Easter Sunday the Sinn Feiners seized the post office in Dublin, don’t they know that there is a war on and we can try to sort their problems out once we have seen off the Germans, together.