This is an extract from Arthur Linfoot’s own transcription of his diary, written in 1976.
Bazentin Wood “searched” by German shells from end to end. About one o’clock a shell struck the edge of our trench and blew it in about 6′1 from us burying Denham and Hughes (machine guns played over us.) Bascombe and I dug them out with our hands and electric torch. A nightmare. Got them into the big dugout. (German – one corner almost down to the ground – been hit by a 15” shell.) Spent a short time there. Glad to get out. Rather be hit by splinter than buried alive. Breakfast tea and biscuits at 8 o’clock. Resumed carrying from aid post to Bazentin Wood to East Lancs post behind it. Mortally wounded Sergeant on stretcher left out to die. Beyond doctor’s aid and unconscious. Took string of walking wounded down. One couldn’t keep pace. I carried him. Tremendous heavy bombardment by our guns. Noise deafening. Some hideous sights in Wood both British and German.
6′ – 6 feet; a little under 2 metres. ↩