Thursday, May 22, 2014

May 1915


[We were] still in same position. The hostile shelling never ceases, day or night.
 We fire mostly by aeroplane wireless – attacks and counter attacks twice daily.
    
Batteries on our left seem to get it jolly hot, but in spite of the gases and their preponderance of artillery, we are informed that we have stopped the march on CALAIS.
    
[We] were ordered to move with Lahore Division, (which was now sadly depleted in numbers) to move on [the] night of [the] 4th.
    
I was billeting and Mr Donahue and I left about 5 pm, and eventually, after a hard ride, found billets some 1.5 miles from Ypres in a village I never knew the name of. I left at midnight to conduct the Battery.
   
 It was raining all night and I tied my horse to the railings of a churchyard, determined to get a drink somewhere and something to eat. After a while I came on an establishment and vigorously knocked, which was opened by a Staff Officer. I told him I wanted something to eat and drink. He was very good and took me inside and fixed me up.

 I left refreshed, [While it was] still raining and cold; I eventually met the Battery about 6 o’clock.
    
I got some breakfast from the Officer’s cooks of the Ammunition Column and then had a sleep about 10 am.

May 5th

Was awakened after a couple of hours and went on again as billeting party with Mr Woods, in [the] direction of ESTAIRS. [Due to] a long ride, [we] could not fix up billets before about 7 pm. Had a little trouble with a farmer, but after a threat and help of [an] interpreter, managed to secure [a] place I had selected for [the] Battery.
   
 [I] was very tired and went in a barn, after fixing up the old charger, and dropped just as I was, sound asleep.
    
The Battery arrived at dawn, and after fixing this up, was informed that the Battery was to take up the old position at CROIX BARBETTE that night for an attack in the region of FESTABERT.

May 6th

Was a beautiful [day], which I spent mostly in much needed sleep; I was elated to find my mattress still there. 

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