Up at 7 o’clock as usual. Walked into Locre at night. Had eggs and tomato at a house. Got back about 9 o’clock.
13 September 1917; Thursday
Up about 7 o’clock. Marched off at 8 o’clock. Commenced with the ironwork on the dugout. Returned at usual time and were sent back to Kemmel1 – Holman, Harvey, Driver and myself. Got there about 8 o’clock.
Fritz2 shelled a lot in the afternoon to our left. Dug up 2 French soldiers and one English soldier.
12 September 1917; Wednesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Marched off as usual. Did usual day’s work. Returned about 5.30 and went down the main road with Harvey and bought some things.
11 September 1917; Tuesday
Up at 7 o’clock. Marched off at 8. Lee reported sick and was sent down the line with trouble in the bowels. Lee.
Did usual day’s work and finished about 4.15. Wrote letter at night.
10 September 1917; Monday
Up about 7 o’clock. Marched off at 8 o’clock. Commenced work at 9. Finished about 4.15. Had a bath at the bath house near. Wrote and read a little.
9 September 1917; Sunday
Up at 6.30. Marched off at 7.30. Arrived at the job about 9 o’clock. Our work is to dig out a dugout which is behind the old German second line and mine craters1. Worked until after 4 o’clock. Very hot work. Fritz2 shelled there a good bit on the sides. Walked over to the Ridge Wood Y M but were too late for the service.
8 September 1917; Saturday
Up at 7 o’clock. Names of men to go up the line called out on parade and mine included. Parade 11 o’clock for pay and parade for departure about 12.45. Arrived Kemmel1 at tea time. Had tea and then moved on to our old dugouts at Vierstraat2. Turned in in good time. Very hot day.
Kemmel (B): 12km E of Boeschepe (A) 9km E. of Berthen, 4km S. of Dikkebus; Michelin square I3. ↩
Vierstraat (now Wijtschate; Flemish) (C): 4km NNE. of Kemmel, 2km SE. of Dikkebus, 5km SW. of Ypres; Michelin square J3. “Old dugouts” would seem to imply that ALL had been here before (possibly in April 1917), although this is the first time that Vierstraat is mentioned by name. ↩
7 September 1917; Friday
Up shortly after 7 o’clock. Parades as usual. Got inspected at 2 o’clock. Digging trench round a tent all morning. Went to Reninghelst at night and saw Ernie. We walked into the village and went to the Snipers1. They were very poor. Left shortly before 8 o’clock and returned about 9. Met a sergeant on the way who spoke of a very big attack fiasco on the coast.
The Snipers: Another revue? ↩
6 September 1917; Thursday
Up at 7 o’clock as usual. Picking hops all day. Warm day. Wrote letter home. Went to see Ernie at night with Holman. Went to find the battalion of his brother. Heavy rain but we escaped it. Ernie supposed to be in bed as he ran a temperature in the morning.
5 September 1917; Wednesday
Up about 7 o’clock. I had washing all day. Did sergeants’ mess kitchen in the afternoon. Went to see Ernie at night and found him much better. Walked up and down a little military cemetery outside the hospital and talked. Left about 8 o’clock as usual.
Bombing raids nearly every night about this time. A fair amount of damage this time.