Arthur Lindsay’s 1917 Diary
27315 Private Arthur Kitchener Lindsay, 1 Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Foreword
Arthur Lindsay
Arthur Kitchener Lindsay, a baker, enlisted on 30 May 1916. He embarked for Europe on 25 September 1916 on HMNZT 64 Devon with the 17th Reinforcements J Company, Canterbury Infantry Regiment. He arrived at Sling Camp on Salisbury Plain in southern England, on 23 November 1916. From 1 January 1917 Arthur wrote this personal record. He never missed a day.
Arthur’s diary from his year in France is held in safe-keeping by his grandson Darryl Lindsay. The diary was transcribed by Dorothy Ibrahim, with help from members of He Ara Pukerua Heritage Group. There are terms used particular to the time and situation that we have included in a glossary where possible.
June 2025
Click the buttons to go to different months, the glossary and biography
1 JANUARY MONDAY
Sling Camp. Still here. Arrived on 23rd Nov 1916 from N.Z. The weather has been a good bit warmer these last few days. I had four days leave from Friday to today but did not go away very far from the camp as I had been in London for three clays previously, had one day at Bulford and another at Amesbury. Got the photos from Salisbury today but do not think very much of them.
2 JANUARY TUESDAY
Another pretty mild day. Had a fairly easy day. A bit of drill in providing and digging trenches in afternoon. Went for a route march from 4 pm till 6 pm but it wasn’t so solid as the last one we had on Boxing Day. Got a cake today from N.Z. from ?? Had a letter today from Mrs Bell, 68 St Georges Avenue, Tufnell Park W, London.
3 JANUARY WEDNESDAY
Not a bad day. Not doing very much. Doing rifle exercise and drill all day. Went to P. Office in evening and drew 1 pound. Went to No 2 camp in evening and saw Ted Carney and the two Dicks, Terry Jones. Wrote to Liz and Mother.
4 JANUARY THURSDAY
Another pretty decent day but a cold wind. In the morning No 1 platoon was digging trenches and in the afternoon we were digging the plots between the huts. We went for a route march from 4 pm till 6 pm but it was not too solid although my knees were pretty dicky at the finish. I had a letter from Micky tonight from France. Had a feet inspection in the hut at night.
5 JANUARY FRIDAY
Frosty but fine morning. Wet in afternoon. We were on extended order in morning and had some good lectures by Lieut Kedell from France. A decent sort of chap. In the afternoon we were on fatigue digging the plots between the 2nd Canterbury huts. Went to reading room in evening with Rudd and Dossett. Still out.
6 JANUARY SATURDAY
Frosty but not a bad day. I was one of a party marking on the D range for the 18th in their shooting. Was marking all day and at 5 pm, No.1 Platoon, that is the remainder of the 17th and some Codford men, were called up for medical inspection. We finished that at about 6 pm then had tea. At night I met a few of the 18th boys in the canteen.
7 JANUARY SUNDAY
Showery sort of day. Had inspection and lecture by Gen. Braithwaite in morning. Getting ready all day to depart at night. Had to walk to Bulford in afternoon with kits. Left pocket wallet with Lawford to send home. Did some writing in afternoon and had a bit of a night at the Canteen with the Timaru 18ths. Had a hot supper at 10 pm and left for Bulford station at 12 pm.
8 JANUARY MONDAY
Left Bulford siding at 12.30 am and arrived at quarter to 7 am and walked about a mile to some billets and had a bit of scran there (Folkestone). Rested there and had some lunch then walked down to jetty and sailed for Calais at 2.50 pm arriving at 4 pm. It was raining very solid and we had a good hour’s walk to some tents near the railway station where we waited till the train left for Étaples. We arrived at station at Étaples at 12.30 am and walked about a mile to the camp. We were put 12 men in a bell tent then had a drink of tea and got to bed about 3 am; a very rough bed, no mattress and three blankets.
9 JANUARY TUESDAY
A dirty cold day, snowing and raining all day. Drew rifles and bayonet in morning and had a medical inspection in afternoon. That was all we did for the day. We are sleeping 12 in a tent and it is very cramped and wet. The tucker is pretty rough too. It is getting very much like the real thing now and will be more so in about a fortnight.
10 JANUARY WEDNESDAY
Still snowing and raining all day. Did nothing but had kit inspection. Shifted tents and got back with all my mates. The tucker here is pretty rough but we always have a good appetite and enjoy it. We are not treated so much like children as we were at Sling Camp. We all went to bed early at night. The tents and blankets are very wet but we are pretty well used to these conditions and they don’t affect us much.
11 JANUARY THURSDAY
We fell in at 6.15 am and marched down to a place near the Étaples Railway Station and did our washing and then put it in the drying room. After we had breakfast we cleaned the tents out and had gas helmets issued to us, also bolt covers for our rifles, then we cleaned our rifles. It is snowing pretty steadily today. In the afternoon we had our first introduction to the famous Bull Ring and got back after five. Did a good bit of writing at night: Mack, Nancy, Helen, Phil, Mother, Simpy.
12 JANUARY FRIDAY
A cold showery day. Paraded for the Bull Ring at 8 am. Had lectures and bayonet fighting and trench lectures most of day. Smoko from 11.30 till 12.00 each morning. Left Bull Ring at 2 pm. Had dinner about 3, then had tea at 4 pm and paraded again for the Bull Ring for night operations. Practising trench warfare till 8.30 pm. then came back to camp and got back about 9.15 p.m. Got orders not to parade till 11 am tomorrow.
13 JANUARY SATURDAY
Dull day but not much rain. Paraded at 10 am and went to range and fired fifteen rounds of ammunition. Got back to camp and had dinner about 2 p.m. and off for rest of day. Had three packets of cigarettes issued in the afternoon but they are pretty rough. Better than none. Did some writing in evening: L. Columbus & F Friel. Sling: W.G Clarke & R McAuliffe.
14 JANUARY SUNDAY
A very cold day with some more snow. Had church parade in the morning and off for the rest of the day. Did some writing in afternoon and then went for a walk down to Paddy’s Market. A great place with women selling all sorts of sweets & things. A very cold night. Went to bed early.
15 JANUARY MONDAY
A clear frosty day. The best since we arrived here. At the Bull Ring till 2 pm, when we left for camp and had dinner at 3 pm, then off for the day. Got boots changed in afternoon for marching, started drilling in different squad. This morning met Jack McWilliams. Did some writing in evening. Ted Carney Sling and Louie Hill. Got Auckland Weekly Sept 28th from Grays and photos from Micky.
16 JANUARY TUESDAY
A fine day. Big day in Bull Ring. Met A. Dawson at night and had a good yarn. Got parcel of lollies, cigarettes & handkerchiefs from Helen and B Ellis. Got a cake and some of the —boys brought a couple of bottles of wine from Étaples so we had a big night in the huts. The grub here is pretty scanty: Breakfast 3 tins of stew, 3 beans, 1tin jam, 2 bread, tea, 16 men. Dinner: 1 small joint of meat, 1 tin jam, 2 loaves, tea, 16 men. Tea, 4 tins bully, 1 tin jam, 2 bread, 16. There is never anything left. Jam, 1lb bread, 2 lb. loaves.
17 JANUARY WEDNESDAY
Dirty day. Snowing all day. Went to Bull Ring as usual. Got home and had dinner over by three o’clock. Had a yarn to Bert Taylor in afternoon and got a lot of news also a Piston Buster. Wrote to Helen + Jess McG in evening and went to bed early.
18 JANUARY THURSDAY
Cold showery day. Did our washing in morning and some went on fatigue. The rest of us went on a route march in afternoon. I went down with Bert Taylor for tea at night and went to the pictures after tea. They were very good too. We were at the second sitting and were very much amused at a little kid who was hiding under the seat. He came out and sat beside us and smoked a cigarette and when the pictures were over he disappeared like a rat down a crack.
19 JANUARY FRIDAY
Cold raw day. In Bull Ring all day. Got home for dinner at 3. Had tea at 1/4 to 4 and went to Étaples on picket. Called for cooks so I put my name in but don’t know what will come of it. Was on picket at Railway crossing Étaples, a very cold spot and very quiet. Came home about half past eight.
20 JANUARY SATURDAY
A very cold raw day. Freezing all day. Bull Ring all day. Got home for dinner at three. Met George Withey in afternoon. Saw Bert Taylor for a few minutes and went up to see A. Dawson after tea, sat beside the fire for a while and had a yarn and brought a tin of bully, 1 loaf, 1 bottle pickles home to the boys in the tent for supper.
21 JANUARY SUNDAY
A very cold raw day. Church parade in morning. Met Dooley in Canteen after sitting beside him for a while, both of us got a great surprise. We had a day together, had tea at the S. Army, a royal feed of fried eggs and fried bread and finished up the night in the canteen.
22 JANUARY MONDAY
Dull day but not so cold. Bull Ring all day. Got back to dinner about three. Paid after dinner. My pay only came to 15 francs. Met Bill McDonald after dinner and had a yam for a while. Did some writing after tea and went over to see Dooley. A lot of the boys got a big mail but I didn’t get any.
23 JANUARY TUESDAY
A bitterly cold day although the sun was out. Got back from B. Ring and had dinner about 3. A very poor meal, curry and rice, just a speck, 1 biscuit, tea and one tin of jam for 16 men. Went up to the mess room in evening and sat at fire with A. Dawson for a while. Came home with some supper, bully, pickles, jam, cheese, bread. Then R Young got a parcel of cake. This was considered one of the coldest days since 1885. I think it must have been right too.
24 JANUARY WEDNESDAY
Another bitterly cold day. Had a good officer in charge of our class for the Ring today doing mostly bayonet fighting. Got back for dinner at three and had dinner then went up to the S. Army Hall and had a yarn to Bill McDonald. After tea, I went over to Dooley’s tent for a while and had a yarn and came home to bed early.
25 JANUARY THURSDAY
Very cold day again. Had washing parade after breakfast. The clothes were frozen stiff a few minutes after they were washed. In the afternoon we went for a good route march and were finished for the day. After tea I went over to Dooley’s tent and we went to a very funny concert in the S. Army by some men from the 24th Gen. Hosp. Came home and had a nice piece of C. Talbot’s Christmas Cake.
26 JANUARY FRIDAY
Still very cold weather. Our tent was on quartermaster’s fatigue all day. We did not have a very hard day. Finished about three in afternoon. Had a decent tea tonight: bully, jam, bread, scones and dates. Went to bed shortly after tea: the only place one can keep a bit warm.
27 JANUARY SATURDAY
Still very cold. Went on march through Étaples in morning and in afternoon we all went on a big march away up hill through a village and back through Bull Ring. Played 500 at night. E. Kelland got another cake. Got notice that a draft is going on Monday and we will probably be going with it.
28 JANUARY SUNDAY
Still bitterly cold. Went on church parade in morning and spent most of afternoon in bed writing to E Carney and Bert Rowan, then playing cards. Had a better dinner and tea today. Tucker seems to be a little better lately. Am not going with the draft; only five out of our tent going. Went up to see A. Dawson in evening.
29 JANUARY MONDAY
Still very cold. Went on a route march from 9 am to 1 pm with full pack up. It was a decent march through Étaples and through three or four small villages; it was all fresh country for us, so we enjoyed it. Got a big mail in afternoon: 15 letters. Did some writing after tea. Went over at night and had a yarn to Dooley for a while.
30 JANUARY TUESDAY
Very cold again; looks like snow. Went on another route march with full packs up. Went a fresh track today round through France and back down through the little village on the hill; the pace was pretty solid coming home and a fairly heavy snow storm was on. Got home & had dinner at 1 pm then off for day. Went to bed early and had a read for a while.
31 JANUARY WEDNESDAY
Still very cold. Good fall of snow. Went on a route march with full packs up from 9 am till 11 am. Went through village and back through Bull Ring. Whole camp had medical inspection in afternoon. Got letter from Helen Withers, W. McGill, parcel mother.
1 FEBRUARY THURSDAY
Cold day still snowing a bit. Yesterday we had issued steel helmet, leather gloves, goggles for gas, iodine and tin of rifle oil. Big draft getting ready for up line. Had kit inspection in afternoon and were told we would not be going up the line for a day or two, although we are all ready to go. Can’t understand the delay. Got orders in evening for 4.30 am breakfast as we are going up the line in morning. Wrote a few lines to Mother, saw Dooley for a while, went to see A. Dawson but could not find him.
2 FEBRUARY FRIDAY
Cold frosty morning. We all got up at 4 am and packed kits. Had breakfast at 5.45 then marched to Étaples R.’way Station and got aboard train but did not leave till about 11 am. This is a very big draft of N.Z.ers, Tommies & Scotties & a big draft of Australians is moving too. 790 N.Z. boys on train. Boulogne, Calais Siding, St Omer we stopped at and several other small places, we got to our destination at 1/4 to 5 on Sat morning. It wasn’t very far but my God the train was slow and it was very cold. We had two or three biscuits + 1/2 tin bully for 26 hours ration.
3 FEBRUARY SATURDAY
Fine day but frosty. Walked from station to the camp and met Wattle Howie, scored a nip of rum and it was a godsend. Had gas respirators issued in morning and gas lecture and trial of helmets in afternoon. This is a starvation camp -Sailly, a billet place. Met Wattie Howie here and we went and had a bit of a night out. We have struck a very rotten billet. I saw a fine church in Sailly that had been burned by the Germans. Today we saw a lot of big guns firing at aeroplanes. The big guns are going all day.
4 FEBRUARY SUNDAY
Not a bad day but very frosty. We had the morning off and went to Sailly and had a feed of eggs and chips. Our boots and top blankets were frozen this morning when we woke up. Met Jim McKinney this morning at the bridge near Sailly. Had a gas lecture in afternoon and after tea we shifted into billets in centre of Sailly, much better than the ones we were in. We are upstairs above a pub, the ones we left were very rough, too much fresh air for the wintertime.
5 FEBRUARY MONDAY
Cold morning but not a bad day. Left billets and came over to the Reinforcement Camp and had breakfast, hung about and had dinner and left for the billets behind the lines. I have joined the 2nd Canterbury Coy and am in No 8 Platoon; they seem a very decent crowd of chaps. S. Bell, H. Dossett, C. Talbot and self are together; this place is Erquinghem. All our mates are scattered all over the place now. We are camped in a village upstairs in a rough old shanty, plenty of fresh air (and plenty of smoke from the fires the boys are trying to make.) Met George McLaren at Reinf Camp; going to Blighty on leave.
6 FEBRUARY TUESDAY
Still very frosty but not a bad day. Had a decent bunk last night, some straw under me. Went on bathing parade in morning and got clean underclothing. Saw Duncan McGregor but was not speaking to him, also D. Harvie. Met Ted Fairbrother and Charlie Munro at dinner time. In afternoon we paraded to chiropodist: I have to go back and get my feet attended to. Heard last night that America had declared war on Germany. Had a good yarn with Charlie & Ted Fairbrother in Cafe.
7 FEBRUARY WEDNESDAY
Not a bad day. Went on bathing parade again and had a good bath. In the afternoon we were out on a route march and got paid 20 francs when we came home. Went round to see Charlie and Fairy after tea and had a good yarn and a drink of beer in a nice little billet and had a good fire.
8 FEBRUARY THURSDAY
Cold wind today. Was one of a party to go up to the trenches on fatigue; was fixing a bivy with a sapper. A pretty quiet day at the trenches. Got home about three in afternoon. After tea went round and had a yarn with Charlie, Ted, Scotty and Frank Harold in their billet – they have got a good room and a fire. Arranged to go to Armentières tomorrow night.
9 FEBRUARY FRIDAY
Still very frosty and cold. In the morning we were doing physical jerks and drill and in afternoon we went on a route march. We had the band with us and the time was rotten so we were pretty tired when we came home. Had a touch of diarrhoea all day today. Did not go to Armentières with the boys. Charlie, Fairy and Scotty went. I stopped at fire with F. Harold and wrote to Mother, Helen and Jack McG. I have to go on guard from 2 am to 4 am in morning.
10 FEBRUARY SATURDAY
Not a bad day but still cold. Was on guard from 2 am till 4 am this morning. Not too good today; had a touch of bile during night and diarrhoea. Went up to trenches today on fatigue; was filling sand bags in the front line. Otago lines got home about 2 pm and had rest of day off. Went round to the room at night and had a yarn to Charlie, Ted and lads. Not feeling too bright tonight.
11 FEBRUARY SUNDAY
Rather a good day, not quite so cold. Church parade in morning and in afternoon getting packed up to go into the trenches at Bois Grenier. Still feeling a bit off colour. Got a N.Z. mail this afternoon – seven letters. We had tea about half past three and left for the trenches about 5 pm and took over about 7 pm. I was one of a party told off for carrying rations up to the trenches at night. But after we messed about in the dark for a couple of hours we found that they had gone up so we came back and went to bed. S. F. Bell, Dossett and I are in a dugout together.
12 FEBRUARY MONDAY
A dull day and snowing a bit. There was a very solid barrage on for a couple of hours during night. Our guns put a lot of shells into old Fritz. We are doing nothing this morning. Did some writing in afternoon, had tea early and went out on a fatigue party carrying rations up the trenches. We got home shortly after eight and had an issue of rum before we went to bed. This place Bois Grenier has been a very pretty little village but all the houses are blown down now with artillery fire.
13 FEBRUARY TUESDAY
A mild sort of a day, the frost is thawing a bit today and it is getting a bit muddy. Warmed some water in morning and washed some handkerchiefs then went over to the Y.M.C.A. and had a cup of tea and biscuits. Went out again after tea carrying rations up the trenches. A good bit of artillery firing this afternoon. Did three trips up the trenches tonight. Had rum when we came home.
14 FEBRUARY WEDNESDAY
Sharp frost not a bad day. Got some papers from home: Otago Times and P’ston Buster. Went over to Y.M. and had a cup of coffee in morning and brought home a dixie of water and made some soup for dinner. On a fatigue party in afternoon fixing a bivvy. Went out after tea and did two trips up Shaftesbury Avenue with rations. Came home and had our rum then went to bed. All our platoon was called out at 10 pm to take stuff up to White City: steel jackets, bombs, bridges etc getting ready for a raid. We got home about 1.30 a.m.
15 FEBRUARY THURSDAY
Frosty but a fine day. The sun is getting a bit stronger now. Dos and I are Mess Orderlies today. Did a little fatigue in afternoon at the Officers’ Bivvy and at night had our usual fatigue carrying rations up Shaftesbury Avenue. Did two trips up. The rations are cut down a bit: 1 small loaf for four men per day. I got back from Shaftesbury Avenue in time to have a cup of cocoa at Y.M.C.A. and our usual tot of rum before going to bed.
16 FEBRUARY FRIDAY
Hard frost but not a bad day. Doing nothing all day. Wrote to W Diach. Went up to Shaftesbury Avenue after tea and had two trips up with rations. Got home and had a cup of cocoa at Y.M.C.A. then an issue of rum. The Artillery started a solid bombardment at 8 pm and kept it up till 8.30 pm. Old Fritz sent a good few back. He started a few minutes after our guns and kept going a bit longer than ours. Things were very lively while it lasted but there wasn’t many of Fritz’s shells came our way; most of them landed about the supports.
17 FEBRUARY SATURDAY
A dull sort of a day, getting very muddy. A pretty quiet day, nothing much doing anywhere. Night out at night as usual and did two trips with rations and made cocoa when we came home also had an issue of rum. It started to drizzle a bit before we came home. A pretty quiet night.
18 FEBRUARY SUNDAY
A drizzly sort of a day, not doing much all day. Went out as usual at night and did two trips with rations but got no rum when we came home, but got the fire going and had a good drink of cocoa. There seemed to be a solid artillery barrage going on up about Armentières during the night.
19 FEBRUARY MONDAY
A dull sort of a day. Had orders in the morning to pack kits up as we were going to be relieved tonight but it is cancelled. A Tommy Officer and a Scotty Officer along with one or two of our boys were captured by the Germans last night while on patrol. I was one of a party called out in afternoon to go up to front line at Jocks Joy and shift a lot of duffs. The line was very badly knocked about. Went out at night again as usual and carried two lots of rations up Shaftesbury Avenue and had issue of rum when we came home.
20 FEBRUARY TUESDAY
Wet day. Were relieved in trenches about 2 pm and came back to the same billets at Erquinghem.
21 FEBRUARY WEDNESDAY
Dull foggy day. Had kit, rifle, bayonet and gas mask inspection in morning and in afternoon had a route march. In evening had a night out with Corp Mick Dunn and Underwood and Sam Paul then finished up with coffee and biscuit.
22 FEBRUARY THURSDAY
A drizzly wet sort of day. Was up at trenches on fatigue today. Saw Micky on way home and had a yarn for a while. Pay day; drew 15 francs. Had a cruise around at night with M Dunn and some of boys. Wrote to W J Clarke, J Moody and Mother in evening and sent a small handkerchief to Mother. Some of 18th Reinf arrived tonight at Erquinghem.
23 FEBRUARY FRIDAY
Dull sort of day. In morning had foot inspections. Sharpening bayonets and inspection of equipment. In afternoon a route march but I was having my feet attended to. In evening I got an identification disc for wrist and sent a card to Mrs McAuliffe, Phil and Helen and wrote to Pat McAuliffe, Liz, Helen, Louie Hill.
24 FEBRUARY SATURDAY
A dull sort of day. Went up to Otago front line on fatigue. A lot of Tommies arrived today and started to take over our lines. We will probably be shifting elsewhere tomorrow. Got home from the lines at lunch time and had the afternoon off. Spent most of evening in coffee shop at the fire. Got a rotten cold coming on.
25 FEBRUARY SUNDAY
A pretty decent sort of day. Packed up in morning and left Erquinghem for Estaires. Sent our blankets in limber so that made our packs a bit lighter. Left at 12 pm, reached Estaires at about 3.30 pm. Estaires is a good-sized place, the biggest town we have been billeted in yet but I am afraid it will be a short stay. Some of us bought some pork and sausages and had a feed with eggs and chips for tea. Got a parcel from Phil.
26 FEBRUARY MONDAY
A nice day. Left Estaires shortly after nine o’clock and marched to Nieppe where we arrived about 1.30 pm and went into billets again, a place something similar to Erquinghem. In the afternoon Mick Dunn and I walked as far as Pont de Nieppe. Met Bob Gillespie and had a yarn for a few minutes. Had a yarn to D. Brown in evening and he gave me 10 francs he owed me. Had a look around the town in evening.
27 FEBRUARY TUESDAY
A dull sort of day. Went to Pont de Nieppe in morning and had a bath and change of clothing. Colonel condemned our room so they got another room for sector: 1C next door and we had the afternoon off cleaning it out. It was in an awful mess but was alright once we got it cleaned. Went for stroll to Pont de Nieppe in evening.
28 FEBRUARY WEDNESDAY
A very dull day and pretty cold. I started this morning on a three days’ course of training at the Stokes 3 inch light Mortar School. It is a very simple but effective gun. I have got a very rotten sort of a cough. In evening I went to the Picture and Pierrot Vaudeville show and it was not too bad; they have got a decent orchestra there.
1 MARCH THURSDAY
Rather a nice day. Went to the Mortar School again. Saw Alick and Andy Craig for a few minutes at dinner time. There was a lot of aeroplanes at work in afternoon and some of Fritz’s were out; one came over and had a go at our balloon and got away again safely. Fritz sent a couple of shells over near the town in afternoon. Had a few letters from N.Z. in evening – latest 1st Jan. Got a very rotten cough.
2 MARCH FRIDAY
A cold raw day. The Company went to Bailleul for a route march but I went to the Mortar School. Feeling very rotten all day with the cold. R. Massey came along to see me at night and we went to Pont de Nieppe for a stroll. I was on guard from 7.30 pm to 8.45 pm.
3 MARCH SATURDAY
A cold foggy day. My last day at the Mortar School. Fired a few shells in the afternoon. Still got a very bad cold. I think I will go on sick parade in the morning.
4 MARCH SUNDAY
A nice day but very cold wind. Went on sick parade this morning but only got M.D., very bad cold in chest. Did nothing all day. Missed church parade and went to see 5 and 6 platoons playing football in the afternoon. In the evening I smuggled a bottle to D.D.B. in clink and had some hot wine with Mick Dunn to try and relieve the cold. Cannot speak a bit.
5 MARCH MONDAY
A very snowy day. The ground covered again, The Company left on a march to Bailleul shortly after 8 am but as it was snowing very heavy we marched till about 10 am and returned home again, arriving at billets about 11.15 am, everybody fairly wet. In the afternoon we had kit inspections and they took our shortages again. Still got bad cold and unable to speak.
6 MARCH TUESDAY
A clear day but pretty cold. In the morning our section went up to Pont de Nieppe for baths and a change of clothing. In the afternoon we were out having games etc. Still got very bad cold. Did not go out in evening; went to bed early and did some writing. I am on guard about 1.30 am in the morning. A very steady bombardment on all day.
7 MARCH WEDNESDAY
A very cold day. I went on sick parade this morning as my cough was no better and got some pills to take and one day L. D. (light duties) which consisted of carrying water for the cooks in morning and in the afternoon I dodged it and had a lie down in bed for a while, Got some letters: 2 home, 1 Helen, 1 Phil, 1 Liz and one Jim Weir, Brockenhurst Hosp. Went to bed early at night and did a little writing.
8 MARCH THURSDAY
A cold snowy day. We were supposed to go to Bailleul today but did not go and spent the morning learning about a dozen different ways to pack our kits. In the afternoon we went for a route march and got home about 2.30 pm, then had games for the rest of the afternoon. Charlie Munro and Fairy came along in evening. Still got a bad cold and cannot speak.
9 MARCH FRIDAY
Another cold day with a little snow falling. I went on sick parade again this morning and got L D. Was cleaning the billets in the morning and in the afternoon I carried some water for the cooks. General Godley and some more of the heads were here today inspecting the troops so they all had a busy time polishing up for the inspection. We are busy polishing up tonight again for another inspection tomorrow. Got a Witness and P’ston Buster from home today. Went to bed early and cleaned buttons etc.
10 MARCH SATURDAY
A dull day. Paraded at 8.15 am and were inspected by Officers and Sergeants, then marched to a small paddock where General Braithwaite inspected all of the 1st Battalion. He had a good look at each man and found fault with some of the packs, all the limbers, cookers and everybody attached to Battalion were on parade. In the afternoon we were fooling about having games. Cold not too good yet. Went to bed early and read some new papers of Jan.
11 MARCH SUNDAY
A nice mild day. Went to Dr in morning and got some med for cold, so had L.D. and did not do very much. There was great excitement about 1.15 pm. A Fritz machine came over and had a go at our Observation balloon. The two men soon got into the parachute and came down amid a hail of bullets from Fritz and he managed to set fire to the balloon, which was soon a mass of flames. It looked great as it was so high up in the air. In about a couple of minutes it was burned out. One of our machines had a go at Fritz but he got between two of their machines and did some fancy turning and got out of it so Fritz got home safely.
12 MARCH MONDAY
A mild day; a lot of rain during night and a good bit this afternoon. We packed up this morning and crossed over into Belgium, got to foot of hill near (The Shrine) Hill 63, and had dinner in the trees and waited there and had tea then shifted down the road a bit in evening and stopped in a stable, not a bad show but a bit wet. Fritz sent a lot of shells and shrapnel over to our left in afternoon and our guns sent about three times as much back. We were right under the nose of two or three of our guns. I was on the baggage guard coming up. Corp Johnson I have discovered is one of the Johnsons that used to live at Shag Point.
13 MARCH TUESDAY
A dull sort of a day. Our officer Lieut Hayden warned us today that they were training us for a raiding party. We spent most of day bayonet fighting etc so they are starting to get us fit. We are billeted in a sort of barn at Leeuwek Farm between Romarin and the Red Lodge. In the next building to us they have the pigs. Fritz put a few over to our right tonight but a lot of them were duds. I was on gas guard tonight from 6 pm to 8 pm. Some of Fritz’s shells were tear gas tonight.
14 MARCH WEDNESDAY
Dull day after a wet night and our shanty was leaking a good bit. In the morning we had bayonet fighting etc and in the afternoon we had a route march and when we came home we had a game of football. We are all pretty stiff tonight as this training is a bit solid for the tucker we get. Fritz sent a few over to our right in the afternoon. There was a very solid barrage on during night. Saw Mick going up the line tonight, also K McKay and J O’Dowd and J Robertson in a draft of 18ths going up to join 1st Battalion.
15 MARCH THURSDAY
Not a bad sort of day. I did not go on parade today. Lieut Hayden put me on stamping identification discs as I had a bad cold. We were playing football at dinner time and Fritz sent a few H. E. and shrapnel around us so we had to take shelter for a while. In the afternoon a few aeroplanes were about. In the evening I saw Mick Friel for a while, also met Selbie Dale. Cold is still a bit treacly and can’t speak too well yet. Things are going to be a bit lively here shortly I believe. M Sullivan, our CSM, got a smack today. Got a Witness and a P’ston Buster tonight.
16 MARCH FRIDAY
A fine morning but turned out a dull day. Our guns put up a solid bombardment for a while between one or two this morning. I was one of a party of six taken to the Battalion stores this morning to get our boots repaired. In the afternoon we did Company drill and I was practising bomb throwing with the bombers then we played football from 3.30 till 4.30 pm. In the evening I strolled up the road and met Mick Friel, also met Bob Massey on the road with his van. Cold a bit better but can’t speak too well yet.
17 MARCH SATURDAY
A decent clear day although the wind was a bit keen. We went to baths about Neuve Église and had bath and good change of underclothing and got home about 7.30 pm. After dinner we had some gas drill then football. I met Bill McKean at the baths and had a yarn for about half an hour. Met Jack Divan in the evening going down with his limber from the Shrine. Cold getting better. A lot of machines in the air today, Fritz’s and our own but no damage done.
18 MARCH SUNDAY
Not a bad day. Drilling etc all day. Colonel Young was round in afternoon and told us that the British were three miles past Bapaume. Cigarette smoking is again cut out between the hours of 8.30 am and 4 pm. A Fritz plane was flying over us for a while in the afternoon until our anti-aircraft guns chased him away and one of our machines drove him home. Walked up the road in the evening and saw M. J. Friel. Had good issue of rum tonight. Still got bit of cold.
19 MARCH MONDAY
A cold windy day. Some of the platoon went to line on fatigue. The billet guard is changed now, they mount 3 men and Corporal per billet and gas guard for 24 hours stretch. I was one of billet guard today. Did some writing today. W G Clarke, P Don and a green envelope to father. Started to rain in evening and was leaking a good bit in billets. Bread is getting very scarce now – some days we don’t get any, hard biscuits instead.
20 MARCH TUESDAY
A cold wet day. Some men went to line on fatigue and others went to baths. I was detailed for baths but as my cold was not better I did not go, so Mr Hayden put me on stamping identification discs and I was on that all day. We are getting good news every day of the British advance on the Somme and elsewhere. I hear they caught a German spy down this way the other night. We got no rum tonight. Cold not too good yet, can’t speak very well yet.
21 MARCH WEDNESDAY
A cold showery day. All of us went up to the trenches on fatigue today. The trenches in this sector seem to be in a pretty bad state and there will be a lot of fatigue work there for some time. I was one of a party cutting out sort of bays and Fritz must have spotted us as he sent a good few shells very close to us until our guns opened up and quietened him. Fritz is on a hill and looks right down on our trenches in places. We got home about 3 pm. Saw Duncan McGregor passing in the evening.
22 MARCH THURSDAY
A cold snowy day. Our bunks were pretty wet in the afternoon when we came home. We were on fatigue at the trenches. I was one of a party cleaning out a sap and it was a very wet and muddy job. Got home about 3.30 pm. Had snow and sleet showers all evening. D McGregor was to come up tonight but did not come. S Bell and Ken McKay came down in the evening and we went and had some coffee and cakes. A very cold night and everything very sloppy. Pay night – drew 20 francs. General Braithwaite passed tonight again.
23 MARCH FRIDAY
A very cold day. Went to trenches again this morning and was on a dirty job, pulling up old duck-boards and putting down new ones. Got home about 3 pm. Fritz sent a lot of shells over to us this morning again and caught a working party, killing Sgt Fitzpatrick and wounding a few privates of 2nd Coy, 2nd Brigade. Still got a rotten cold and can’t speak properly yet. It is rumoured that Fritz raided the Dinks on our right last night and got a bad reception.
24 MARCH SATURDAY
A fine day but very cold. Things are getting very lively about here now. Fritz raided on our left this morning and got sallied up. They had a few killed and wounded in the Otago Coy. He shelled our billets this morning a few minutes after we left for the trenches on fatigue. Although he smashed things up we had no casualties. He sent a lot of very heavy stuff over and smashed the coffee shop next door also. We shifted over to a but next to the anti-aircraft gun in the evening. Some of our things were blown up and one of the farmer’s cows killed.
25 MARCH SUNDAY
Not a bad sort of a day. Nice and mild. Fritz opened up this morning again and shelled all round our billets but didn’t get any of them, although he got one or two gun pits and wounded a few artillery chaps. He was putting them in all day. The clock was put on an hour last night, started the daylight saving bill now. Went up on fatigue as usual to the lines today and did not feel too good this morning but was better when I came home. A lot of air-craft about today; our planes had a good look at Fritz’s lines.
26 MARCH MONDAY
A cold wet day. We did not go on fatigue to the line today. We were at home most of day cleaning rifles etc. Fritz did not send anything over our way today. Got a Sydney Referee today by the mail. I think it must have been from Louie Hill. The raid we were training for has evidently fallen through.
27 MARCH TUESDAY
A showery sort of day. Only five men went on fatigue this morning. The rest of us went to Neuve Église for baths and change of clothing. When we came home we got packed up ready to relieve in the trenches. We left Leeuwerk Farm about 5.30 pm and went to the Shrine and camped in the huts for the night. Went to the canteen at night and bought a few things to take to the trenches. Fritz sent a lot of shells over to left of Leeuwerk Farm today.
28 MARCH WEDNESDAY
A frosty morning. Changed over in the line this morning. I went with Corp. T. Johnson and five others on guard at Fort Marshall. I was appointed cook so I am doing no guard. We have got a very rough bivvy, like a big brick drain with a roof on it and a bit of a fireplace inside where I do the cooking. We sent down to Canteen in afternoon and bought flour, milk, cornflour, sultanas and baking powder so we are going to live up to it. Fritz sent 3 shells in here yesterday and blew up the sentry box.
29 MARCH THURSDAY
A showery day. Had Welsh Rarebit, blancmange and stewed apricots for dinner and curry and rice for tea: paid 3.5 francs for 7 lbs flour, 2 francs for about 1 lb of apricots and 2 francs for a few sultanas; things are very dear. Fritz has been very active all day. He sent a good few over our way. He must be after some of these batteries about here. He seems to have plenty of shells and some big guns on this front. Still got a bad cold and voice very thick yet.
30 MARCH FRIDAY
A breezy sort of a day with a few odd showers. We are still living well today: porridge, rissoles and bacon for breakfast, plum pudding and rum sauce for dinner and beefsteak pudding and griddle scones for tea, pikelets for dinner too. Fritz is still slinging a lot of shells about this place. We are living in a place like a manure pit with a roof on it and my god the smoke from the fire is very thick, also plenty of rats about.
31 MARCH SATURDAY
Not a bad sort of a day. Had some N.Z. mail last night, a letter from Simpy, M.McG, Helen, 2 Phil, 1 mother and dad, 1 Louie Hill and 1 Aunt Isa. Sent down today to canteen for more flour and milk. Still living well in our dugout. We get our issue of rum in the mornings here. We have been lucky so far as Fritz has been shelling at both sides of us but hasn’t sent any over our way yet. I did some writing tonight, Helen, Phil, Mater and J.McG and made some cocoa for the boys’ supper.
1 APRIL SUNDAY
A mixed showery sort of a day. Fritz was very quiet today. This place is a mass of shell holes now. Fritz has sent an awful lot of stuff over here since we took over this front. We had rissoles for breakfast, blancmange for dinner and pancakes, and for tea we had soup, boiled beef and ham. The artillery are preparing for a big attack here. Fritz has a big advantage over us here as he is on a hill and can get a good view of us. A good issue of rum tonight.
2 APRIL MONDAY
The ground had a good coating of snow this morning and a very cold day to follow with a heavy fall of snow in the evening again. Had rissoles for breakfast, plumb(sic) pudding and rum sauce for dinner and a nice little stew and griddle scones for tea. We could see Fritz shelling Batt headqrs this afternoon. It is not very far from us. He put one over our way also one shrapnel bursting just outside the bivvy but he did no damage here. Cold a good bit better at last and can speak fairly well again.
3 APRIL TUESDAY
It snowed most of night and a good part of morning. Ground had a good coating but it soon thawed. Gave the forefinger of left hand a rotten gash opening a tin of McConachies this afternoon. Had boiled rice for dinner and fried chops for tea. Fritz sent a few along our way this afternoon but didn’t get anybody. A lot of our planes were over his lines in evening. A very solid bombardment was on in evening on our left, Ypres way and right, about Armentières – Arras location.
4 APRIL WEDNESDAY
A dull day. My birthday, 28 today. Had rissoles for breakfast, blancmange and fried scones for dinner and curry and rice and hare for tea. Things pretty quiet during day but our guns were sending a bit of stuff over in evening. Another big bombardment on around Arras way tonight. There are a few hares and partridge about here and some of the boys have been trying hard to shoot some. One of them shot a hare last night and we had it for tea tonight. It seems a bit queer shooting hares and big guns going off all around us and Fritz is looking right down on us here – must be able to see us all day.
5 APRIL THURSDAY
A pretty decent day today. We are supposed to be relieved today but are not going out till tomorrow. We were back on army rations today as we used all our stuff up yesterday thinking we were going out today. They were giving Fritz a bit of a sally up tonight on our left, otherwise it has been a very quiet day. This must have been a beautiful country about here before the war but it is a mass of shell holes and ruined houses now. Had some more N.Z. mail tonight; got letters from Phil, Helen, Mum, Dad, J Moody, John P Donald and W McGill.
6 APRIL FRIDAY
A showery day. Our guns opened a very solid bombardment last night for over an hour and it was a fine sight watching the bursting shells and Fritz sending up flares of all colours by the hundred. He sent a bit of stuff back but none of it came near our bivvy. I believe two 17th boys were killed. We were relieved at Fort Marshall by Auck Batt, 1st Brigade and came back to Nieppe to billets. There are all sort of rumours about where we are going but I think we are taking part in a push here. I went for a stroll tonight with Ted Fairbrother, J. Lynch and some more of the boys. Cold practically better at last.
7 APRIL SATURDAY
A cold raw sort of a day. In the morning we had interior economy, cleaning our rifles, ammunition etc. In the afternoon we went for a route march and were paid when we came home. I drew 20 francs. Tonight I saw about twenty of our planes up and eight of them went towards the enemy lines, a little later they had a go with some of Fritz’s machines and ours came down in flames. It was not very far and I could see it very plainly. I can hear a solid bombardment going on at the line tonight. It is daylight now till 8 pm at night.
8 APRIL SUNDAY
A beautiful sunny day. We went up to Divisional stores this morning on fatigue, working on the light railway that is being built. We were doing a bit of pick and shovel work and knocked off at 1 pm. We got back to Nieppe about two and after I had a clean-up I went for a stroll with C Munro, Ted Fairbrother and J Lynch. We tried to get through to Armentières but were blocked so we went round to the D A C Pont de Nieppe lines and saw Willie Emmerson. He is just the same. Armentières is just a nice walk from here. A fairly busy day in the air today; both sides had a lot of balloons up observing.
9 APRIL MONDAY
A cold showery day today. We went on fatigue again today to the railway and got back home again about the same time. We could hear a very solid bombardment going on down Arras way this morning as we were going up on fatigue. In the evening I went up the Bailleul Road to see Charlie Grant from Timaru but he had been transferred to Neuve Église today so I missed him and came home again and had a yarn with Sandy Collins. Snowing very heavy tonight.
10 APRIL TUESDAY
A very cold day with a few cold snow storms. We went up to the railway line on fatigue as usual but didn’t do a great deal of work. I stopped at home in the evening and we had a bit of a fire and did some writing. I wrote to Pat McAuliffe and a green envelope letter to Liz. We had a bit of a supper tonight: dried herring, boiled eggs and some tinned pineapple. We are still getting good news of the advance down Arras way.
11 APRIL WEDNESDAY
A cold morning and rain set in after dinner and finished up with a good fall of snow. We went up to railway again today on fatigue and had to work a bit longer, from 9 am – 12 and from 1 pm – 4 pm but as it rained pretty heavy we left for home about 2.30. A big crowd of Tommies fresh from England were working on the railway today. They have only been in khaki a few days. They are the Queens. Lieut McQueen said he wouldn’t give 10/- for the lot after he saw them go past. We were pretty wet when we got home so they issued rum and we had a fire and dried some of our clothes.
12 APRIL THURSDAY
Another cold day and some snow in the morning. We had breakfast about 5.30am and went on fatigue building gun positions near the line at Neuve Église, a good two hours’ march from Nieppe. We worked till about 12 and got home a little before 2 pm. The walk is the worst of the job. It is quite evident that a big push is being prepared here, by the numerous gun positions that are being got ready and they are just a light cover for guns in advance. Neuve Église is like all the other villages about here, well broken up with the Huns’ bombardment, especially the church.
13 APRIL FRIDAY
A pretty decent day. Had breakfast about 5 am and went back to same job. Worked from 8 am-12 and 1 pm to 2 pm and got home about 4 pm, a pretty solid day as the rations are very light. These jobs have to be finished about the 15th, hence the extra hours we are working. Fritz was sending a few shells around today, but none of them came near us. One of his planes had a good look around as we were going to work this morning. Dossett went to hospital. Did gas guard tonight from 8 – 10 pm.
14 APRIL SATURDAY
A decent day again. We went on fatigue again to Neuve Église building gun pits as asked. We got home about 4 pm and I was one of six for Battalion Guard so I had to get busy polishing up buttons etc as we were posted at a quarter to 6 pm. Fritz shelled Ration farm today and a lot of plumb (sic) duffs were there and exploded, killing five and wounding about fifteen. There was a great explosion and it gave us a great fright. We were working fairly close to it. I got a bundle of Auckland Weeklies today from Grays.
15 APRIL SUNDAY
A showery day. Did guard from 4 am – 5 am, 10 am-12 and 4 pm – 6 pm. We went for a bath to Pont de Nieppe in the morning. We have got five prisoners to guard here. We are polishing up our gear today as we leave on a three days’ march tomorrow to St Omer. 8 pm. There is a very solid bombardment going on about Ploegsteert 8, the sector that we were in. We were relieved from Battalion Guard at 6 pm.
16 APRIL MONDAY
A fine morning but got cold and dull in afternoon. We left Nieppe about 9 am and passed through Bailleul and two or three other villages. We did 20 kilos today and stopped the night in a farm shed. Five of us were up in a sort of loft amongst some straw: a bit drafty but we are used to that now. Bailleul is a good sized place and there are some decent shops there compared to the shops in the villages we have been billeted in lately. We are away from the war area now and we passed through some very nice country.
17 APRIL TUESDAY
A dirty showery day. Marched to Walton-Cappel today passing through several small villages and Hazebrouck, a good sized town and a big railway centre. It wasn’t a very big march and tonight we are camped in a barn at a farm, a good warm place; we had a good bunk last night also. We passed through some good farming country today again. It is a treat to be away from shell holes and ruined villages, the country here is beautiful.
18 APRIL WEDNESDAY
8 am. It is snowing heavily this morning and we are packed up ready to start for St Omer. We left about 9 am and it rained the whole way. We passed through several small villages again. Arques was the biggest, a good sized town. We stopped for lunch between Arques and St Omer, had an hour’s spell and pushed along. We did not pass through St Omer, went round the side of the town and went to Tatinghem about 5 kilos from St Omer making 21 kilos today. We are billeted in a big building like a schoolroom. This is only a small village with about half a dozen estaminets. We passed big lots of troops going up as we came down.
19 APRIL THURSDAY
We had no blankets last night and slept in our overcoats; it was pretty cold too and our clothes wet after the march. Today was wet most of the day. We had breakfast about 6.30 am and left for the training ground about 8 am. Colonel Young gave us a lecture. He said he was very proud of the way we did the march and told us we were training to take Messines ridge. We know it pretty well as we have been in the trenches opposite for a month. It got pretty wet in the afternoon so they brought us home about 2.30 pm.
20 APRIL FRIDAY
Rather a nice day but a thin wind. Ten of us had breakfast at 3.15 am this morning and went out to the rifle range, about 1.5 hours walk, to guard the roads while some of the men were doing shooting. Joe Tutty and I were on a road near a small village. We had good shelter behind a stack of wheaten sheaves and went down to an estaminet and got coffee and some boiled eggs for lunch. There are some lovely farms around here, very much like the downs around Timaru. The shooting finished about 6 pm and we got home about 7.30 pm. Pay night drew 20 francs.
21 APRIL SATURDAY
A fairly decent day. Gun Coy went to range shooting today and I was told off for guide for the cooks so I didn’t go up till dinner time. After dinnertime we marched to parade ground and were practising going over the top, preparing to take Messines Hill. Had some N.Z. mail and papers in the evening. Sgt Storey, our platoon sgt, is trying to get me in the Coy Machine gunners, and I don’t want to go, so Sgt McMahon and Corp Johnson are trying to keep me in the section.
22 APRIL SUNDAY
A decent day. We had church parade in the morning on parade ground and in afternoon had leave to St Omer. It is a good sized city, so we had a look around and got back home about 9 pm. It was a treat to get into a decent sized town again for a few hours and see some decent civilians. We saw a bit of Paris style knocking around the streets.
23 APRIL MONDAY
Another fine day. In the morning we marched to a paddock a couple of miles from the village and were put under gas. They had five cylinders of gas there. In the afternoon we went through the taking of Messines Ridge, each Coy in its right place and each man in his right line. They have the distance to the yard from our front line to Fritz’s front line, also his second and third lines. I am transferred to the Machine Gunners, so I go over in the second line with eight platoon. They have arranged it 5 and 6 Plats and 7 and 8 platoons next, so if it comes off I am for his second trench.
24 APRIL TUESDAY
A beautiful sunny day. The whole battalion paraded today at 8 am and went to St Omer. We camped in the grounds of the ruined church and went for a bath to the baths and put most of the day in drilling etc. Then in the afternoon we marched home through the square. It was a decent day’s work, I mean an easy day. When we came home I had to go to Orderly Room as escort for some men that were up on different charges.
25 APRIL WEDNESDAY
A fine day but pretty chilly. We were out for a run before breakfast and then paraded about 8.15 and marched out past parade ground to the road and went through the Messines Ridge stunt again. It was much the same as the other day. General Braithwaite and Gen. Russell and two other heads were there watching it. In the afternoon I went to the Miniature Range with the Machine Gunners and had some practice shooting with the Lewis Machine Gun.
26 APRIL THURSDAY
Cold morning but fine in afternoon. Today the whole brigade rehearsed the attack on Messines Hill out on some country much similar to the real place. We went through it in the morning and the afternoon also. They had light trenches dug for our lines and Fritz’s also and old roads were put in going up to the Messines Hill and the trenches were the exact distance apart, everything was as near as possible to the real thing. The 2nd Batt went over after us and they had the stretcher bearers carrying wounded men back to the dressing stations and the doctor went through the performance of dressing their supposed wounds.
27 APRIL FRIDAY
Still keeping dry but a bit chilly. This morning we rehearsed the attack again, also in the afternoon. It was much the same as yesterday. After we went over in the afternoon we were lined up in a sort of natural arena, about three thousand men altogether and got a lecture from Gen Braithwaite and also a lecture from a Staff Captain about bayonet fighting. I saw Willie McGregor at the lecture but only had time to call out and catch his eye. I will try and dig him out one of these nights.
28 APRIL SATURDAY
A lovely day. We left about 9 am this morning and went out past the parade ground and did a cross country stunt supposed to be an advance on a retreating enemy. The whole Brigade took part in it and Otago were supporting us on our right and left. It took most of the day to carry it out and we got home about 4.30 pm. Tomorrow we are going to be in the front line at daybreak to go through the Messines stunt again.
29 APRIL SUNDAY
A beautiful sunny day. We had breakfast about 2.30 am this morning and went out and went through an attack at daybreak getting home about 10 am and had the rest of the day off then. After dinner I went and dug Willie McGregor up and he and George Scott and I spent the afternoon at a football match between Otago and Canterbury, the latter winning. We had a good yarn about the forthcoming stunt and a lot about old times.
30 APRIL MONDAY
Another beautiful warm day. We did our final rehearsal of the Messines stunt today and it was witnessed by General Plumer, Gen Godley, Gen Braithwaite and some more of the heads. The only fault they could find with it was too much talking while going over. But they said that was common amongst N.Z. troops and put it down to keenness. We got home about 3 pm and are leaving tomorrow for some place at present unknown to us. Got a parcel from Phil today.
1 MAY TUESDAY
Another splendid day but a bit too warm for marching. We left Tatinghem about 9 am. and came around the outskirts of St Omer through Argues and marched as far as Wallon-Cappel reaching there about 3.30 pm. When we got there we had a good wash, face and feet, and felt alright after it. Some of the boys had a dip in a pond in the paddock when we were here ten days ago. It was snowing a treat so the weather has changed very suddenly.
2 MAY WEDNESDAY
Another very warm day. We left Wallon-Cappel about 10am and only marched till 1pm, stopping at the same place as the first night coming down. We saw a lot of German prisoners today working on a railway. The country is starting to look very pretty and green now. The warm weather has come in very suddenly.
We can hear the big guns going very solid tonight and tomorrow night we will be up amongst them again.
3 MAY THURSDAY
Another beautiful day. we had breakfast at 5.30 am and set off at 7.30 am stopping for dinner before we got to Bailleul about 10 am. After we had lunch we marched on through Bailleul and when passing through the square we marched to attention and Gen. Godley took the salute. After we passed Bailleul we had a similar performance with Gen. Plumer. We reached the Bulford Camp Neuve Église about 1 pm and I think everybody was pretty tired as it was very warm marching. We passed a lorry with a captured German plane with the iron cross painted on the tail.
4 MAY FRIDAY
Another beautiful warm day. In the morning the whole Battalion had medical inspection except a few who went to the line on fatigue. One 1st Coy chap was wounded while on fatigue. Our boys went up on fatigue tonight at 8 pm but I did not go. I started cooking for the Sergeants’ Mess today. They are running a Battalion Sergeants’ Mess here so I got put on as Cook after a bit of bother, as it was hard to get me out of the Machine Gunners, but some of the sergeants went to the O.C. and arranged it.
5 MAY SATURDAY
A very warm day but got cold in evening. Our guns were putting up a terrific bombardment early this morning. We had a big day getting things fixed up in the Sergts’ Mess. We have 60 men to cook for, two waiters, a barman and myself and mate. Our boys went up on fatigue last night and got back at daybreak this morning, so I am missing these little trips to the trenches.
6 MAY SUNDAY
A cold windy day after an exciting night. Fritz started shelling us about 9 pm in the evening. Most of us rose and put our clothes on and some cleared. I went to bed again and about midnight they started coming very close again; bits of dirt and stuff were landing on the huts so I cleared too. He finished up by killing one chap here and wounded a few including the Adjutant Lieut Merton. He killed and wounded a lot of horses and killed and wounded a good few men at the Otago camp near us.
7 MAY MONDAY
Not a bad day. Fritz had us galloping about the paddocks dodging his shells again last night and this morning also. He killed one and wounded two or three here. The Frenchies about here have been busy shifting their things today and yesterday also. I think we are shifting to some trenches nearby as it is safer than these wooden huts. The boys still go to the trenches at night on fatigue – they are safer up there than they are here.
8 MAY TUESDAY
A wet morning but fine in afternoon. Last night we slept in open trenches and I woke about 3 am after a good sleep. It was raining so I went back to the hut. Our guns gave Fritz a lively time last night about here and there was a terrific bombardment on down the line further. He didn’t send any down this way but got on to the front line and caught some of our boys who were up on fatigue. Captain Louden, our 2nd in Command, and Bob Cooper were badly wounded and Jim Gordon, Rod Douglas and Sergt Story were also smacked. A lot of the 1st Coy Otago Boys and some of the Rifle Brigade got it too, some being killed.
9 MAY WEDNESDAY
A beautiful day. Fritz left us alone last night but about 11 pm there was a big bombardment on. We are shifting to Red Lodge tomorrow morning. It is sudden news -we were expecting to be here for a few days longer.
10 MAY THURSDAY
Another lovely day, very warm. We were supposed to go to Red Lodge today but went to Nieppe instead. The boys are doing fatigue as usual up to the front line, a very good walk from here. They are continuing the Sergeants’ Mess at Nieppe so I had a busy day fixing things up and getting another start. The fruit trees are in blossom and the country looks so nice and green.
11 MAY FRIDAY
A very warm day. We have got the Sergeants’ Mess going again so I suppose the next thing will be another shift now that we are nicely settled down again. There are no night parties going up the line on fatigue tonight – a lot of them were on sick parade this morning.
12 MAY SATURDAY
Another very warm day. A lively day in the air. Three of Fritz’s machines were brought down around here today. One crashed through a house at Pont de Nieppe. It was brought down by one of our anti-aircraft guns.
13 MAY SUNDAY
Still very warm. The boys are doing day fatigues now, building gun pits all over the country. Fritz sent a few 12 inch shells over to Steenwerck today. We could hear them whistling over our heads. It is a long time since he sent any past Nieppe. In the evening he sent some shrapnel down this way.
14 MAY MONDAY
The weather is still warm. This morning I went up to Pont de Nieppe with Bob Massey in his cart and had a bath at the baths and a change of clothing. Fritz has sent a lot of shells around the baths since I was up there last. I met Chappie Taylor today in a book shop. He is coming in again to see me. We had a shower this morning and you can almost see things growing now.
15 MAY TUESDAY
Another good day but a bit cooler. Fritz sent a few shells over near the village last night but I was sleeping well and didn’t hear them. I got a great surprise tonight when I blew into Bill Stafford. He is a Cook in the A.S.C. and is camped quite close to us.
16 MAY WEDNESDAY
It rained during the night and most of the morning. Nothing much doing about here today but Fritz was sending a good bit of stuff over up towards the line. Micky came down in the evening and also R Massey and we went out and had a bit of a gossip; after eight I went up to the Dink transport lines and saw Billy Weir and E Murfitt.
17 MAY THURSDAY
A good bit cooler today. Charlie Munro called in to see me this morning and Micky was in for a while in the afternoon. In the evening Will Stafford was along also Archie Craig. Archie is cooking for the band in the Dinks.
18 MAY FRIDAY
A fine day again but a bit windy and it doesn’t suit our old cookshop – she is very smoky today. We had a bit of excitement tonight about 5.30 when a Fritz plane rushed out of the clouds and tried to get the balloon here at the village. The two men soon hopped out in their parachutes and Fritz missed the balloon. They put up a barrage of shells all round him, but he lost no time in getting back to his lines and looked very much as if he was hit. Had a N.Z. mail tonight; got 8 letters.
19 MAY SATURDAY
A decent warm day. Things were pretty lively at the line today. Our boys sent over a lot of plumb duffs and Stokes and Fritz’s front line is just a mass of rubbish, also his wire entanglements, so I think the stunt will soon be starting. One of Fritz’s shells landed in an Officers’ Mess close to where some of our boys were building gun pits. Lunch was on at the time and some Australian and Tommy Officers were very badly knocked about.
20 MAY SUNDAY
A very warm day. There was a big air battle over Messines this morning; about thirty machines taking part in it but we couldn’t tell which were ours. It is rumoured that two of ours and three of Fritz’s came down behind Fritz’s line. He was sending a good few shells along today, most of them landing between here and Pont de Nieppe. Pont de Nieppe is about 3/4 of a mile from Nieppe and it is about three miles from here to Armentières. I. Humphries was badly wounded a night or two ago.
21 MAY MONDAY
A decent day. This is to be our last day of the Sergeants’ Mess for a while again. we shift tomorrow but don’t know yet where we are shifting to. Today we got a new application put on our Box: gas respirators as Fritz is using a new gas, also in case we get into any of our own gas as some Huns had been found dead with their gas helmets on after we put the gas over to them. Pay night: I drew 35 francs. Joe Nordstrum, A. C. Gadd, Corp W Johnstone and I went up to the show on the Bailleul Rd for the evening and got home about 11 pm.
22 MAY TUESDAY
A wet day, very warm. No. 8 Platoon went on fatigue this morning so I joined No. 7 and marched to Red Lodge with them. We are camped in tents on side of Hill 63 and they have bits of dug-outs to get into when Fritz strafes us. Coming up we could see lots of huge guns and an awful quantity of big shells getting ready for the push everybody seems to think is coming off very soon. The bombardment is going to be terrific according to the guns and shells that we are bringing up. Saw Willie McGregor tonight going out on fatigue.
23 MAY WEDNESDAY
This morning we went out and gathered up a lot of shovels and pickets and had the afternoon off. We are going out tonight on a working party to the trenches. The guns all around us are starting to make things pretty lively now. Fritz brought one of our planes down near his front line this afternoon. Just as I started to write this Fritz got on to one of our ammunition dumps back a bit and blew it up making a great report and shaking everything about here: he can’t help getting one occasionally. I met Jacob Turina tonight.
24 MAY THURSDAY
Another fine day. We went out last night on a working party and were filling sand bags and building a bivvy. It wasn’t a bad job only Fritz had a machine gun on us a few times. We got home about 1.50 am and went out at quarter to one again this afternoon and were up in the front line filling sand bags till 4.00 pm. They gave Fritz a great strafing this afternoon. They put hundreds of plumb duffs into his trenches. We were looking over the parapet and could see them blowing up timbers and sand bags galore. The big guns were going strong on some of his strong points. He only sent a few pineapples and some shrapnel back, wounding two or three.
25 MAY FRIDAY
Another beautiful day. Didn’t get much sleep last night. Our guns opened out from Ploegesteert to Ypres and gave Fritz a good sally up. He kept sending big stuff over all night and got an ammunition dump. This morning I was with Billy McGregor for an hour or two. Our guns were practising a barrage this morning and it was witnessed by all the heads. I went up on a working party at 12 o’clock filling sand bags. Our guns are again strafing Fritz this afternoon and we had to knock off work and keep down to dodge pieces of the pineapples he is sending over. I am writing this as A. Gadd and I are huddled up behind some sand bags. We finished at 6.30 pm.
26 MAY SATURDAY
A very warm day again. Our guns are hammering away at Fritz night and day and he keeps sending a little back. There are so many men working about the trenches and on the side of this Hill 63 that he is always catching a few. Some of the 19ths joined us up last night. I am going out at 2 pm this afternoon on fatigue. The 2 pm party was cancelled so I went up with a party at 8 pm to front line filling sand bags and did two trips carrying iron girders for Headquarters bivvie. We had to go over top with them and it was very rough walking through shell holes and over trenches. Fritz put a machine gun on us too but didn’t get any of us. He also sent out some whiz-bangs.
27 MAY SUNDAY
We got home about 3 am this morning and were only a few minutes in bed when there was a gas alarm and we had to have our helmets ready. It seems that Fritz was putting gas over, up about Armentières, but none of it came our way. He put a good few shells over this way this morning and there were pieces flying everywhere. He caught a small ammunition dump again. I was asleep and got up in a hurry when a piece of a shell landed a foot off my head. Our airmen are doing great work. They fly over the Huns’ lines very low and don’t seem a bit afraid of being shot down. If Fritz flies over our way he is always so high that he can hardly be seen.
28 MAY MONDAY
Still very hot weather. I went out on a working party last night at 8 pm and we had an exciting night. We were filling sand-bags and building at the front line. Fritz was strafing us all night with whiz-bangs and caught some Auckland boys working near us, also some 1st and 12th Coy boys. We left the front line at 2 am and just as we were leaving our guns opened up all along the line in a terrific bombardment which lasted about 1.5 hours. As we were coming down the sap from the front line the shells were dropping everywhere. Fritz sent a lot of gas shells away back and after we got home we had a gas alarm about 4 am but the wind was keeping it away from our tents. Saw two of our dumps go up.
29 MAY TUESDAY
Very warm again today. I did not go out last night as I started a four days course on the machine guns today. Was with Billy McGregor tonight. Jim Wren, one of our boys, was pretty badly wounded this morning while up at the trenches on fatigue. There are big crowds working there day and night and every day some of them get knocked out, also a few about the camp here. The big guns are going day and night now. In the early morning they generally all open up and it is hard to get much sleep with so many guns barking around us. Every day they are bringing up more big guns.
30 MAY WEDNESDAY
Much cooler today. I had a day off today as Sgt Vance, our instructor, was away. This morning the Australians again raided the Huns and there was a very heavy bombardment on again. We haven’t heard the result of the raid but I believe they are going over three times tonight: Aus, Otago and Royal Irish, so we will have a sort of sleepless night again. Saw Billy McGregor again tonight. We got orders tonight to pack up by 8 am in the morning and go to trenches, our platoon No. 8 going in front line.
31 MAY THURSDAY
Still beautiful weather. Saw Billy Blackwood and Micky this morning. We left for trenches about 8 am and our gun team is on the right wing of our sector joining the Australians. Fritz was a bit nasty about lunch time sending a lot of whiz-bangs around us and after dinner he sent a good bit of big stuff. He didn’t get any of our boys but got some others near us. Fritz’s line is only about a hundred yards away from us here so this is about the closest front about here. I met Jack Vance tonight here in the front line.
1 JUNE FRIDAY
Another fine day. Our guns were very quiet during night but Fritz got a bit excited about 2 am this morning and strafed. I believe it was on account of the Australians on our right having a silent raid. He sent a lot of stuff around here but it all missed us although pretty close at times. There are only six of us in this gun team at present and we are all on duty from 9 pm till 4 am, half an hour at a time looking over the parapet and during the day we have two on at a time. Fritz strafed us several times again during afternoon and evening and had us galloping out of the reach of his shells. Luckily he didn’t hit anybody although Corp Keay got a smack with a lump of shell on the arm and only left a big lump. We saw Fritz fire the balloon at Nieppe tonight again but we were dodging his shells in the trenches at the time and didn’t see the full performance.
2 JUNE SATURDAY
Another lovely day. Fritz was shelling our front line most of night and God knows how he didn’t get some of us. We had some wonderful escapes. He hit the parapet of our bay twice and when we shifted to another bay he lobbed two more on the parapet just above our heads. Two of the Rifle Brigade were killed while working near us. The Australians were raiding again on our right about
1.30 am this morning. Our men strafed him this morning and afternoon too with plumb duffs and pigs and just as we finished tea tonight the guns on left started a very solid barrage. I think we are in for a lively night again. We just snatch little sleep when we get a chance during day. Payton, one of the machine gun team, got wounded in hand this afternoon.
3 JUNE SUNDAY
A very warm day again. Church parade in morning and in the afternoon we went to Pont de Nieppe for baths. In the evening I went down the road and saw Charlie Grant from Oamaru. I have jumped a day somewhere this last week. However we were relieved in trenches on Sat morning by Otago after three very strenuous days. We came down to Canteen Corner and are supposed to be having a rest. The Colonel said we had worked very hard lately so we were to have a good rest for a day or two. Practically the whole of the N.Z. troops are
camped about here at present getting ready for the big push which is due any day. We have enormous quantities of shells and big guns about here now.
4 JUNE MONDAY
Still lovely weather. We hadn’t long gone to bed last night when Fritz sent some big shells round about the camp. Everybody was out and running for their life. I went down the road with a few others and slept in a straw-stack till morning. He was evidently after a big naval gun that we have here and has been doing him a lot of damage this last few days. In the afternoon Micky and I went to the 4th Brigades Camp and saw our old officer Lieut Gardiner. We talked with him for an hour or two then went round the lines and saw Frank Friel and some more boys we knew of and coming home I met Ronnie Allan.
5 JUNE TUESDAY
A very warm day. We slept out again last night and are moving today so this is my last entry into this book until after the push…..
Here I am again with my Diary taking copy from a small book I had in my pocket as we were not allowed to take diaries with us in case of the Huns getting any and obtaining information. We had all fighting equipment issued today, a lecture from the Generals and left for Red Lodge in the evening. Had a big N.Z. Mail tonight after we reached Red Lodge.
6 JUNE WEDNESDAY
We were not allowed to sleep in the tents as before as Fritz has been shelling this hill a good bit, so we were crammed into the tunnels, packed in like sardines and only came out for our meals. As we were out having tea in the evening, Fritz sent a shell into one of the tents, killing four and wounding about seven – one of them, Sergt Bob Murdock has since died. I was one of a party told off to bury the four men. It was a horrible job. We left the tunnels at 9.00pm in full fighting order and went up to our own front line ready for the fray.
7 JUNE THURSDAY
We were all in our places by about 1.00am. At 3 am we got the order to fix bayonets, five past the machine guns started and at 10 past three up went the mine and we hopped over and across no-mans-land. With the smoke and the noise of our barrage in front of us we could see very little and hear no orders but we pushed on up the hill, a few getting killed and a good few wounded. It was daybreak when we reached our objective past the Huns’ second line and started to dig in for our lives as Fritz was shelling us very heavily. The second Battalion passed through us and mopped up the village of Messines. Our casualties are fairly heavy but most of them were only light wounds. About 2 pm in the afternoon the Australians passed us with the intentions of taking another line further on. We got dug in fairly deep about 10 am and were all pretty tired. Fritz is starting to send a lot of big shells about us and he is always catching a few men as there are so many working about the hill. The Huns that weren’t killed were running about with their hands up crying “Kamerad” and squealing like pigs.
8 JUNE FRIDAY
We are still sticking our ground. We struck water after we dug down about four feet and are now standing in water and mud up to our knees. Poor Stan Bell and Bob Findlay and two others of our platoon were killed early this morning just a few yards away from us by a big shell. A big shell landed in our bay today and buried four of our gun team. Two of them went to hospital after we got them out and the other two were alright. The only officer our Coy has left is the C.O. Capt A Callaghan, all the others being wounded and some of the Sergeants also.
9 JUNE SATURDAY
Fritz counter-attacked during night and got badly smacked up. We got some boards last night so were up out of the water for a change. We have all got very bad feet; I had to cut my socks off this morning; some of the boys have gone to hospital with trench feet. We were salvaging dead and wounded men’s gear today. We are all very pleased that we stuck to Messines as the Canadians were betting 10 to 1 that we couldn’t hold it. They took it once but failed to hold it. We were relieved in afternoon and went away back to Bulford camp. My feet were very bad and it took me till 8 pm to reach the camp; we had been standing for 48 hours in water.
10 JUNE SUNDAY
We are having a good rest today. The Colonel came round our tents today before we were up and was giving us great praise for our work. Major Stitt, who led us over, is also giving us great praise. He says that we will be into it again in a few days. They paid us today and I went down the Bailleul road and saw Frank. My word, it is lovely to be out from the shell fire again, but a lot of familiar faces were missing at the roll call.
11 JUNE MONDAY
Today we had inspection of fighting kits also inspection of feet. The men went to Pont de Nieppe for baths but I didn’t go as my feet are very sore and swollen. In the evening I went across to the 2nd Battalion and saw Charlie Munro and Micky Friel. A lot of our 17th reinf mates in the 2nd Batt have been killed and wounded, also a lot of the 1st Batt.
12 JUNE TUESDAY
A very hot day. In the morning I met Alick (Pat) McLeod. He is in the 4th Brigade. We were supposed to leave in afternoon but did not go till evening. We went up to the Catacombs on the right of Red Lodge. The whole division is about here and they tell us that we are going to take a place called Sunken Farm near Warneton. We are all living in big tunnels in the hill: they have bunks in them also electric light.
13 JUNE WEDNESDAY
A very warm day. We have been doing nothing all day, expecting to be called away any minute. Charlie Munro was killed today. The 2nd Batt tried to take the strong point near Warneton without our artillery barrage and had a good few casualties.
14 JUNE THURSDAY
Very hot day. We were warned to be ready to leave for trenches at half an hour’s notice but did not go till 11.30 pm. It appears that the 2nd Battalion took that place this evening and we are going up to relieve them and hold it. About fifty Hun prisoners passed down the road tonight. They are a part of the prisoners taken in this stunt.
15 JUNE FRIDAY
We reached this place about 3 am after a very rough trip through shell-fire and we were all about knocked up with the big loads of ammunition etc we were carrying. There are about 18 of us out here in a bit of a trench and the Huns are only about 100 yards away from us. We can’t dig in any more till night as we don’t want them to know we are here.
16 JUNE SATURDAY
We did a little digging during night and improved our positions a little. The Fritz planes are very active all day and we have to keep very quiet as we will soon get shelled out if they know we are here. We do what digging we can at night as it is their intention to connect up with the Otagos on our left and the Rifle Brigade on our right. We dig most of night and during the day we have one hour on sentry and two hours off.
17 JUNE SUNDAY
We are expecting to be relieved tonight. This is a very strenuous affair we have got on. We discovered in the afternoon that the Huns have retired a good bit so we are up to within a few hundred yards of Warneton now. He is sending a lot of shells back about his old lines but so far he has missed us, but we don’t know the minute that he will get on to us. He brought one of our battle-planes down today. He has got a good few of these lately: they are a bit too slow for the Fritz machines.
18 JUNE MONDAY
We are to be relieved tonight after four solid days of it. They told us when we came in that it was only for 48 hours. A big lot of us were out hunting for souvenirs this morning. I got a lot of things including 2 revolvers, a bugle, field glasses and lots of photos etc but gave a lot of them away as I could not carry them. About tea time Fritz got after us and shelled all around our trench right up till about midnight when we were relieved. I don’t know how he missed us and after Wellington relieved us we had to pass through a hail of shells on our way out.
19 JUNE TUESDAY
We reached Bulford camp this morning at daybreak, all done up. What a treat to get away from the smell of dead Huns that were lying by the hundreds all around our trenches. We were unable to bury them as we had to keep low in the daytime and work digging ourselves in by night. We had a good sleep here: blankets again and a treat to get our clothes off in the afternoon. Some of us went to Pont de Nieppe for a bath. He has shelled all the people out of that place since I was there last. I stopped at Nieppe for tea and saw Billy McDonald.
20 JUNE WEDNESDAY
We are polishing up today getting ready for an inspection by Gen. Godley tomorrow. I was very sorry to hear last night that my old friend C.V. Munro of 2nd Batt was killed in the Warneton stunt, but I hear that Micky came through safely again. Our Batt got some more reinforcements today so we are up to full strength again and ready for another go. Fritz came over tonight and got two of our balloons.
21 JUNE THURSDAY
A warm, dull day. General Godley was here inspecting us today and giving great praise for our work lately. He also said that he would probably want us again shortly. They are starting a Battalion Sergeants’ Mess here again so I have been getting things ready for it today. Out of the five of us that were working in it last time two have been killed and one wounded. In the evening I went down and spent a few hours with Bill McKean.
22 JUNE FRIDAY
A dull, showery day. Things pretty quiet about here. Everybody busy cleaning up for an inspection by Gen. Russell tomorrow, but I am hoping I won’t have to go on it. Wrote to mother in a green envelope and sent some Hun photographs.
23 JUNE SATURDAY
A nice day. General Russell inspected the Battalion this morning but I did not go on parade. Five or six Fritz machines came over this afternoon and fired three of our balloons. We got one of his later, also two of his machines, the anti-aircraft guns, bringing one down on the Steenwerck road.
24 JUNE SUNDAY
A nice day. Fritz was shelling all around our camp this morning with that rotten naval gun and he landed one right in the middle of a church as the people were holding service. About twelve women and children were killed and several wounded. He also came over and fired our balloon again about 11 am. He doesn’t like these balloons a bit: he is always after them.
25 JUNE MONDAY
A quiet day after a lively night. About 10.30 pm Fritz started shelling about the camp again with that naval gun and at the same time some of his planes were hovering over us dropping bombs everywhere. There was a great scatter of men making for shelter. I went to an old gun pit in a paddock and slept there till 5 am. He didn’t drop any in our camp but some were very close. Two landed in an Australian camp not far from us and a lot about the Bailleul Rd. They started fatigue parties again today to the trenches.
26 JUNE TUESDAY
A fine day. The men went out on fatigue again today but I am missing all this again working in the Sergeants’ Mess. Fritz didn’t bother us much today.
27 JUNE WEDNESDAY
Fine day. Things going on as usual. Some Fritz planes paid us a visit during night and early this morning but didn’t do any damage. Did some writing tonight. Sent G. E. with P Cards to Mates.
28 JUNE THURSDAY
A dull cool day. We were under orders to shift camp all day but did not get away till the evening; we crossed over to the Aldershot camp. Billy McDonald (late Manager of Ben Ohau) came up to see me and I walked down towards Nieppe with him. Coming home we had some heavy thunder storms, the lightning cutting a balloon in half. I did not get home till late so stopped at the Bulford camp for night.
29 JUNE FRIDAY
A fine day after rain. Shifted all my gear over to the Aldershot camp in the morning and spent rest of day fixing up a Sergeants’ Mess. The men are doing fatigue work to the trenches as usual.
30 JUNE SATURDAY
A cold, dull day. Men still doing fatigue to trenches. Fritz seems to be doing a lot of bombarding around this sector this last few days. Our guns are pretty quiet. He hasn’t sent any around our camp for a few days.
1 JULY SUNDAY
Still pretty cold. Only one small party went out on fatigue today. We have got the Sergts’ Mess going alright again and I have a decent mate with me which makes the work a lot easier. 5 francs from Mess; 25 due owing.
2 JULY MONDAY
A nice warm day. Working parties out as usual and some men to Baths. An issue of new clothing today; I got a pair of trousers out of it, the first since I left Trentham. Did some writing at night. All of us that are working in the Mess have a nice quiet but to sleep in away from the rest of the camp.
3 JULY TUESDAY
A nice day. Had letter from Micky from Blighty. He is very lucky getting over there.
4 JULY WEDNESDAY
Another fine day. The King went up the road today to the Messines Ridge and a good crowd went along to the road to see him.
5 JULY THURSDAY
Another nice day. not much doing around here at present. The men are all having a pretty good time.
6 JULY FRIDAY
Still fine weather. Pay day today but I didn’t draw any. I started tonight to raffle my Hun revolver as I can’t see my way clear to get it sent home.
7 JULY SATURDAY
Lovely day. Fritz was over during night dropping bombs all around the country. Busy today getting entries for the raffle of my Hun revolver. Got big mail tonight including a letter from Aunt Isa and Dossett in Blighty. Sergt Vance paid me 48 francs tonight being wages to date from the Sergts’ Mess.
8 JULY SUNDAY
A fairly cold day after a very wet night. A lot of men away today at Divisional sports. Raffled the Hun revolver tonight and got close on 168 francs out of it. Callaghan 12th Nelson won it. Things are very quiet on this sector today: no artillery at work. The air is full of all sorts of wild rumours these days and everybody is anxious to know what our next move will be.
9 JULY MONDAY
A showery sort of day. Still very quiet all day. In evening I went down to Canteen Corner and met Ted Fairbrother 2nd C.I.B. and we went for a stroll to Romarin. Coming home I met Charlie Grant and he walked along the road with me to near Canteen Corner. There was a very solid bombardment going on up Messines and Ploegsteert way lasting for a few hours. Fritz was sending one or two over this way at night also. Lent Corp Rudd 10 francs.
10 JULY TUESDAY
A fairly cool day. In the evening I went down to the D.A.C. lines with Ted Fairbrother and Andy and we spent the evening with Bill Emmerson. Fritz was sending some big stuff around in the evening. A woman at Neuve Église was killed by a shell.
11 JULY WEDNESDAY
A decent day. We are supposed to be leaving here tomorrow but nobody knows where we are going. Pd 16 francs for eggs for S. Mess.
12 JULY THURSDAY
A lovely day but far too warm for marching. We left Aldershot camp about 8.30 am and arrived at billets past Doulieu about 12. There is no Sergeants’ Mess here, that is Batt. Mess as the companies are too scattered but our coy is running a mess on its own and I am cooking for them.We are in an estaminet and the people are very nice and obliging, quite different from the people up the line near the trenches who are always trying to beat you. Sergt Vance pd me 15 francs from mess.
13 JULY FRIDAY
A lovely day. This place would do us for the duration. We are having a good time here. Vegetables and fruit are much cheaper here and we are not troubled with aeroplanes dropping bombs around us or shells either. Jack Divan was up to see me in the evening.
14 JULY SATURDAY
A very warm showery day. In the afternoon I went down to Doulieu and bought a few things for the Mess. Lent Bert Leckler 2 pounds to go to England. J. R. McDonald 10 francs.
15 JULY SUNDAY
Lovely day. The boys at church parade etc. Me doing very little, just a little cooking for the sergeants. I am afraid our lovely holiday is nearing an end as there are great rumours of going back to the trenches. Spent the evening with Sergt. Hampson over the way.
16 JULY MONDAY
A lovely warm day. In the afternoon I went down to Doulieu for a few things for the Sergt. Mess. In the evening I went for a stroll with Sergt. Hampson and unexpectedly blew into an estaminet and saw Madoline Deloval.
17 JULY TUESDAY
A lovely day. From all accounts we are leaving here tomorrow for the trenches at Ploegsteert, a place we all detest as we have had some very warm times up there. The Battalion sports were held this afternoon but I did not go along. In the evening George Hampson and I went down to M. Deloval’s place and had a good evening getting home about 10.30.
18 JULY WEDNESDAY
A showery day. Breakfast at 5.30 am and left shortly after 8. We had lunch at Romarin at 11.30 and then went on to the Catacombs at Hyde Park corner reaching there at 2 pm. It was showery all the way and very hot. We were all sorry to leave this morning: it was so quiet and peaceful out there and the people were all so nice and obliging to us. Madam where I was stopping was very sorry I was going and wants me to go back again at the first opportunity.
19 JULY THURSDAY
A fine day. I saw Duncan McGregor yesterday as we were coming up from our rest and was talking to him for a few minutes. We slept in the Catacombs last night and moved up to the subsid. lines this afternoon. 12th Coy are in the front line. It has been quiet enough here this afternoon but by the look of the surroundings, it has been very heavily shelled lately. There is a big bombardment going on about Armentières way. A good bit of N.Z. mail arrived tonight but I didn’t get any. We are in the Ploegsteert sector here.
20 JULY FRIDAY
A lovely day. I was on gas guard from 3-5 this morning. Fritz was sending shells around us all night and some of them were very close to us, throwing dirt and branches of trees about our bivvies. Some of our platoon went away today to go through a musketry course. I believe every man has to have a course of this training, I did a lot of writing in the afternoon. Had some mail from N.Z. at night.
21 JULY SATURDAY
A fair day after a very rotten night. Fritz sent hundreds of gas shells besides
H.E. around us pretty well all through the night. I was on gas guard part of night and had to rouse the men to put their gas helmets on. He is using a new kind of gas which is very hard to detect and it doesn’t take effect for about 24 hours. Some of the boys are bad today: very bad eyes and sick. One or two of our boys were wounded during night also.
22 JULY SUNDAY
A very warm day. A lot of the boys went to Hospital yesterday afternoon suffering from effects of gas and the few of us that are left are feeling a bit on the sick side. These gas shells contain oil of mustard and if you get any of it on hands it brings blisters. This is the first time it has been used about here so we will know it next time. He didn’t give us any gas shells last night but there is a steady stream of H.E. shells coming over night and day. He is evidently after these batteries about the woods. Got parcel from Jean tonight.
23 JULY MONDAY
Still getting fine weather. We got a few gas shells during night, also plenty of heavy stuff. He has been sending them over all day also. I am not doing any fatigues – on gas guard during night and we have to stand to from 8.45 – 9.45 at nights and 3 – 4 in the mornings. Lieut Highett sent me out with five men this morning to bury two mules that were killed the other night by a shell. Had a letter from England from H. C. Dossett. He is going back to N.Z. passed as unfit.
24 JULY TUESDAY
Another fine day. Gas guard during night and stand to in morning. Nothing much doing today. Fritz sending a lot of stuff over night and day as usual but more during night than daytime. Wrote to mother, a big letter in G. envelope. Sent note to M. Deloval.
25 JULY WEDNESDAY
Had a good shower of rain this morning. Things much the same during daytime but just after tea Fritz seemed to shorten his range a good bit and started plonking them all around our bivvies, so we cleared away to the left and they seemed to follow us. One man was wounded (Bill Eager) and one went away with a shell shock (F. Foreman). He quietened down again about eight o’clock and the boys went out on fatigue, except the three of us who were on gas guard: we came back to our bivvies.
26 JULY THURSDAY
A warm dull day. He kept pelting away at us during night, but we stopped in our bivvies although some of them landed very close. He has to get practically a direct hit before he can harm us and if you start running away you are liable to be hit with some of the pieces that fly about. Foreman came back today but he is absolutely useless here as he is just a bundle of nerves. He got buried when he was with us at Messines and hasn’t been right since. Six of us were sent up the line tonight with a L. [Lewis] Gun. There is going to be a bit of a stunt in the morning.
27 JULY FRIDAY
A lovely warm day. About 2 am this morning our guns opened up all around here and on our front the 12th and 18th Coys drove the Huns off from this side of the canal and dug in. We haven’t heard much about the result of the raid yet, only that they succeeded on our sector and that the Wellington and Auckland boys on our left did not do too good. Fritz has been strafing us pretty constantly since the raid but hasn’t managed to hit our bay so far although some have been pretty close. A very heavy artillery bombardment has been going on up Ypres way all night and most of the morning. Wellington had 7 killed, 30 wounded and 16 missing.
28 JULY SATURDAY
Another lovely day. At daybreak this morning we got a few gas shells and had to wear our helmets for a while. We had a fairly quiet night. This morning we were told our guns were going to strafe so we took cover in a big Hun concrete bivvy near our bay, but it didn’t come off. The night we came up here W. Ferguson and Con Horgan were killed and Jack Hardy was wounded (J. Hardy died later), also some more gas cases so the remainder of our Coy has withdrawn from the subsid. lines, only a few being left. We have had heavy casualties in our coy this trip. We are attached to 13th Coy and will have to stay up here in the supports for a day or two yet.
29 JULY SUNDAY
A wet thundery day after a very exciting night. About 10 pm last night Fritz put up a very solid artillery barrage a little to our left. We were standing with rifles loaded and bayonets fixed expecting him over. He raided the Wellington sector on our left and took the strong points but was driven out again later. He strafed all around during the night and most of today. We got a slight touch of gas during the night. We are being relieved tonight and we are not sorry to be going out of it. Our Coy. has had very heavy casualties this trip.
30 JULY MONDAY
We were relieved about 11 pm last night and had a very rough trip through the woods. Everything was so slippery and greasy after the rain. we reached the Regius Camp about 2.30 am and had a hot meal when we got there. This is a rotten camp as Fritz shells it at times, in fact he is sending them very close at present. Armentières is getting knocked about very much at present. The sky is red tonight with fires going there. It has been the same way every night lately. He sent the gas over there on Sunday and got a lot of Tommies besides a big crowd of civilians. Started fixing a Sergts’ Mess again.
31 JULY TUESDAY
A dull day. I started the Sergts’ Mess today. There are only 20 of them here at present. All through the night and most of today the guns were going at top from here to the sea so the big push has evidently started in earnest. A lot of prisoners came down the road today taken by our boys and big crowds of wounded were being taken down also. Fritz counter-attacked several times against our boys and didn’t get half-way across either time.
1 AUGUST WEDNESDAY
It has been raining all through the night and all day, a great pity as it will interfere with the big push. I don’t know how long we are going to be here, but we will probably be a day or two yet. Fritz is shelling Hyde Park Corner a treat today. Did some writing tonight.
2 AUGUST THURSDAY
Still dull and wet. Things are fairly quiet on the front today; the bombardment has quietened down. Did a little writing at night.
3 AUGUST FRIDAY
Still a dirty wet day. He threw a few shells around during night but didn’t do any damage here. Got parcel from Liz & kiddies tonight with a half sovereign in it.
4 AUGUST SATURDAY
Some of our Coy went on fatigue tonight, the first they have done since we came out of the trenches. Some details arrived today from Étaples and Lawford Coe was with them. He is attached to 12th Coy.
5 AUGUST SUNDAY
A dull day but weather seems to have cleared. Went to Romarin tonight and met Bill McKean and Wattie Howie. Fritz was shelling very close to the huts when I came home.
6 AUGUST MONDAY
A fine day and the mud clearing up nicely. Finishing up the Mess tonight.
7 AUGUST TUESDAY
Fine day but dull. I finished the Sergts’ Mess at mid-day and going into the trenches tonight. Our turn in front line too. General Johnstone killed today by sniper.
8 AUGUST WEDNESDAY
Had a very rough trip up to the trenches last night. I am with the Coy Cooks as one of their men is away. We are cooking back in our old lines and send the tucker up to the outposts at night time.
9 AUGUST THURSDAY
A fair day after a lot of rain during night. I was up most of night cooking for the men in the front line: we can only send their tucker up at night. Colonel Young wounded today.
10 AUGUST FRIDAY
A lovely warm day. Not much doing here today. A lot of aeroplanes about all day. Had a letter from Micky today, still in hospital in England. Olly Ramsay Coy. Cook came back today from leave to Paris but I will be stopping with them until we go out of the trenches as there has to be somebody on at night cooking for the men in the outposts (front line).
11 AUGUST SATURDAY
A fair day, with a few showers towards evening. Fritz was over bombing behind the lines during night and got about seventy horses at Wellington transports. Our Coy is coming out of front line tonight and going into subsid. lines so the cooks split up in two: S. Shears and I cooking for one platoon and the other two for the other platoon further back in the wood. Fritz is still shelling the road at the back of the wood. We hear them screaming over us day and night.
12 AUGUST SUNDAY
Another mixed sort of day with heavy rain in the evening. Our Coy was relieved in the strong points last night and came down to the subsid. lines at edge of the wood. This place is just a mass of shell holes all full of water. If you walk off the duck-boards you are up to your knees. It is still fairly quiet in this sector; he doesn’t put much stuff about the lines but plenty on our left and behind us.
13 AUGUST MONDAY
A dull day but the rain kept off. L. Corp …… killed last night on ration party to front line. Not much doing today, still shelling behind us. Tonight we had some nice white turnips boiled for tea. Fritz evidently intended stopping here as he had these turnips growing about his trenches that we have lately taken from him.
14 AUGUST TUESDAY
A dull day again with a shower in evening. We were to be relieved by first brigade today but are not going out till Thursday now – always the same with us. We generally get a couple of days extra.
15 AUGUST WEDNESDAY
A dull day with a few showers. Fritz sent a few around us today and wounded four men at the cook-house a bit to our left, the one we shifted from a few days ago, so we were lucky we shifted. Had a letter from Willie McGregor today: he is in hospital in England. The mosquitoes are very bad here, eating us alive. They give me a very rough time; my arms and face are always swelled with them.
16 AUGUST THURSDAY
A nice day, the weather seems to have cleared now. There was a big bombardment on our left; also on the right during night, so it seems that they have started to push Fritz back again. Most of our aeroplanes and anti-aircraft guns are away from this sector at present and Fritz is getting very cheeky. He was over dropping bombs today in the daylight besides dropping them almost every night behind the lines but I think our machines give them a good few at times. A good crowd of ours were over his lines last night.
17 AUGUST FRIDAY
A nice day. We were relieved in the trenches today and he was shelling the wood all afternoon as we came out, but we managed to get through the death trap without being hit. Five men going on leave from the trenches were wounded and five Otago boys at Regina camp were killed today. That is the camp we were in last time out. We are back to Bulford camp again. Had a good big N.Z. mail tonight. I was very sorry to hear that Ted Fairbrother (Sergt) 2nd Coy was killed yesterday. Saw Lieut Harte today going up to trenches.
18 AUGUST SATURDAY
Fine day. Getting Sergts’ Mess fixed up here again. This afternoon some of us went to Bailleul for a bath. The Hun aeroplanes were over bombing about here last night but didn’t drop any near our camp.
19 AUGUST SUNDAY
Fine day. Had very busy day in Sergts’ Mess today for first day. Our guns brought a Fritz plane down today. He was over bombing as usual last night. Did a bit of writing at night. King, 12th Coy, was supposed to be shot at dawn this morning.
20 AUGUST MONDAY
A lovely day. Fritz bombing as usual last night and early this morning. A big crowd of men went out on working party shortly after midnight but came back fairly early owing to gas-shells. We are under orders tonight to move in the morning but nobody yet knows where we are going.
21 AUGUST TUESDAY
A very warm day. We had breakfast at 430 am and left on our march. We passed through Steenwerck, Doulieu and on to some billets near a small town called Neuf Berquin. We are not in very good billets. Some of us are sleeping under the trees in preference to the stinking shed. There is a possibility of us shifting again in a few days. We don’t know if it is a spell we are to have, but some think it is training for another scrap.
22 AUGUST WEDNESDAY
A lovely day. Everybody had to polish equipment etc today. In afternoon they went for a bathing parade at Canal but I did not go as I was fixing up a Coy Sergeants’ Mess. They seem to think that we are going to move on a bit further. In the evening Sergt Hampson and I went down to Neuf Berquin. We have got a Coy Sergeants’ Mess at a farm house here.
23 AUGUST THURSDAY
Not a bad day. A bit of a shower in the afternoon. The men went for route march in the morning and baths in the afternoon. We are shifting on Saturday to the other side of St Omer. Had a letter from Mrs Bell.
24 AUGUST FRIDAY
A cooler day. I think our shift is postponed again as there is no more word of us going away tomorrow. Went up the road tonight as far as the 2nd Batt Camp. Had some more N.Z. mail today including Charlie Gray’s letter from America.
25 AUGUST SATURDAY
A pretty cool day. Today I was on the mat for being out of camp the night we came out of the trenches without a belt on. Went out to get some cigarettes and one of our flash mounted police collared me. I had to go before Capt. Henderson then the C.O. Major Stitt. When the Major heard my version of the affair he promptly dismissed the charge. We were not allowed to leave the camp tonight. It was rumoured that Fritz had attacked at Ploegsteert and we were going back there to the trenches but later in evening it was cancelled.
26 AUGUST SUNDAY
A pretty cool day. Nothing doing today, only church parade in the morning. We must be moving somewhere very soon as the billeting sergeants went away this morning.
27 AUGUST MONDAY
A cold wet day after a very wet night. Our bivvy let in a good bit of water during the night but we had a good sleep. All bivvies and tents had to be pulled down this morning. It is still raining very hard and we move off early in the morning. I have just crawled into an old stable loft to have a bit of a sleep before we move off.
28 AUGUST TUESDAY
We had breakfast about 3 am this morning and took the road. We marched to Circeses about six miles and got a train there and got out at another place about 12 o’clock. We had a drink of tea there then marched to Lumbres, reaching there about 3.30 pm. It rained most of the way. The latter part of the journey was done in drenching rain, everybody was soaked. Then we only had tents to sleep in and they were pretty wet also.
29 AUGUST WEDNESDAY
Another wet day. We left Lumbres today about 9.30 am and marched about six miles to a small village called Coulomby. We are going to do some fresh training here. The whole N.Z. division is out this way, also the Corps Heads, Gens Godley and Russell are living here. We are starting a Battalion Sergts’ Mess out here.
30 AUGUST THURSDAY
A showery day. The men went out to the training ground this morning and came back about 4 pm. I did not go; I will not be doing any training as I am in the Batt Sergts’ Mess again.
31 AUGUST FRIDAY
Too wet for training today. Gens. Braithwaite and Russell inspecting transports.
1 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY
A dirty wet day. Men out training again as usual. They are not training to take any particular place as we did the time before when we trained for Messines. This training is for open warfare. Did a little writing in the evening. Went out with W Bowie after finished writing.
2 SEPTEMBER SUNDAY
Another showery day. Only church parade on today so men are having a day off but I am working as usual in the Mess. The 4th Brigade are coming this way tonight on their way from the trenches. They are apparently going to do some training like us.
3 SEPTEMBER MONDAY
A lovely warm day. The weather seems to have cleared. The 4th Brigade passed through this morning after camping about here last night. We had some of them for tea and breakfast. Gen. Braithwaite and Gen. Russell were inspecting our Batt. today.
4 SEPTEMBER TUESDAY
Another beautiful day. The men are going out to parade ground as usual for training. Things are very quiet about this village. Only a few farm houses and a church.
5 SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY
Fine day again. Pay night tonight. Drew 35 francs.
6 SEPTEMBER THURSDAY
Not a bad day after a wet night with heavy thunder and lightning. The troops were at the parade ground today from 8 am till about 5 pm. Some inspection on again.
7 SEPTEMBER FRIDAY
Fine day again. Built an oven and new fireplace in our cook-house today. Went up to [missing place name] in evening for supper. Wrote to mother in a green envelope.
8 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY
Another nice day.
9 SEPTEMBER SUNDAY
A lovely day. Church parade for troops in morning. Rest of the day off. Sir Thos McKenzie and Gen. Godley were here today inspecting the men. A pretty lively afternoon and evening in the Sergts’ Mess. Two officer visitors.
10 SEPTEMBER MONDAY
Another fine day. Was paid 83 francs for wages at Mess to date.
11 SEPTEMBER TUESDAY
Lovely warm day but a bit chilly at night and in the morning. Another inspection on today out at the parade ground. I shifted my bunk tonight up to the school as it is very open and draughty here. Bill Bowie shifted with me.
12 SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY
Another fine day. Had a good sleep last night in our new home. Nothing much doing today although I was pretty busy myself. I have about 60 men at present and a very poor offsider.
13 SEPTEMBER THURSDAY
A cold day. A big lot of men went to Boulogne today, for the day only. Had N.Z. mail today and did a little writing in evening.
14 SEPTEMBER FRIDAY
A nice day after a wet night. I was up at 5.30 this morning to get breakfast ready for the sergts as they had an early parade. They were inspected by General Douglas Haig and Winston Churchill was there also. Did some writing at night in schoolroom.
15 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY
Not a bad day. Men on parade in the morning and in the afternoon they held Divisional Sports. I had a long day and they did not come home to dinner till after 4 pm.
16 SEPTEMBER SUNDAY
Another lovely day. Weather a lot cooler now. Only church parade on today; rest of day off for men but Sunday is the same as any other day for me.
17 SEPTEMBER MONDAY
A gusty cold sort of day. Everybody had to go on parade today for a gas demonstration, but I managed to dodge it. The Pierrots gave an open-air concert tonight in front of Sergts’ Mess, using the mess room for a dressing room.
18 SEPTEMBER TUESDAY
A cold showery day. Inoculations today. I was up and got done first this morning. Went home and had a good sleep in evening.
19 SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY
A cold sort of day. Men were all home to lunch today and football matches in afternoon.
20 SEPTEMBER THURSDAY
A windy day after a wet night. Men did not go out on parade today. Some went for baths.
21 SEPTEMBER FRIDAY
A nice day. I had a busy day today. The Royal Welch Fusiliers Band was here and I had to put a flash dinner on for them, about 28 of them so I had my work cut out as I had my own 60 men also. Our Brigade’s Gen. Braithwaite used to be in the R.W.F. Regiment, so it was he who made all the arrangements about entertaining them. Pay night: drew 20 fr.
22 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY
A nice day. Had all the men home for lunch today.
23 SEPTEMBER SUNDAY
Another fine day. Church parade in the morning and at 5 pm 1st and 2nd Companies left in full marching order for a course of shooting at the range near Lumbres. We reached there at 9 pm and camped in shelter huts for the night. Pd at Mess today – 33 francs, 4 days.
24 SEPTEMBER MONDAY
A very warm day. We did some shooting this morning and left for Coulomby about 2 pm. We have got sudden news to shift from Coulomby, so the 12th and 13th Coys did not do their shooting. We finished up the Sergts’ Mess tonight. Pd 9 francs.
25 SEPTEMBER TUESDAY
Breakfast at 5 am and left Coulomby at 7 am. It was a very hot day and we marched to Argues about 15 miles reaching there about 3.30. We stopped at Argues and had lunch. We camped in some very rough billets at Argues and in the evening had a stroll around the town. It is a fair-sized town. We passed through it some months ago when going and coming from St Omer.
26 SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY
Not quite so warm today. We had breakfast about 3.30 am and left at 5 am. I can’t get the strength of where we are but we are working up to the left of Ypres. I think we did about 11 miles today and we are camped about in different farm buildings and reached our billets about 12.00 after having lunch on the road. This is our fourth day of marching now and a lot of the boys are bad with their feet. The pack gets very heavy.
27 SEPTEMBER THURSDAY
Breakfast at 4.30 am and on the march again. Still very warm. We trudged along today passing through one fairly large town called Steen something (Steenvoorde) and camped in some tents at Howe camp. We reached there about midday. Last night I had a good look around an aerodrome close to our billets. We were told tonight that we would be in this camp for about ten days.
28 SEPTEMBER FRIDAY
We were roused at daybreak this morning to prepare for another day’s march, orders having been altered during the night. We left about 8 am and passed on the left of Poperinge and had lunch about 12 then on again. The traffic is awful on this road: troops going and coming. We camped for a while about 4 pm within sound of the guns and some of the men are being sent back to the transport lines, so we are evidently in for another stunt. Wrote a few lines to Mother and Micky.
29 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY
A dull day. We slept in open last night and today are getting our fighting kits ready. Ammunition issued, also iron rations. We proceed to trenches tonight if everything turns out as arranged. I don’t think it will be a very big affair for us. We had tea at 4 pm and at 4.30 left for trenches, about 5 miles of a walk. We passed the shattered Ypres on our way up. We had a good quiet march up. I had a talk to Lieut. Gardiner for a few minutes on our way up.
30 SEPTEMBER SUNDAY
A lovely warm day but fairly cold during the night. We had a fairly quiet time so far but are shifting further up tonight. The Tommies have evidently had a pretty rough time about here as there is such a lot of equipment, ammunition, rifles etc churned up about the shell holes. Also a lot of dead bodies that the burial parties have missed.
1 OCTOBER MONDAY
Another warm day after a pretty cold night. We moved up a bit further last night and dug an assembly trench ready for the men that are making the attack. Fritz shelled us very steady all night. Two men of our Coy were killed and one wounded by a shell early this morning dose to where we were digging. I fancy that we will go back when the attack starts and be in reserve, probably come up and relieve them after they take their objectives. Our batteries opened up this morning and gave Fritz a good strafing.
2 OCTOBER TUESDAY
I fancy we are going back tonight. Last night Fritz opened up about 7 pm and started strafing but our guns soon silenced him. We were told in afternoon that our guns were to put a barrage over him at 8.30 pm and, by Jove, they did pour the shells into him for about an hour; the same at daybreak this morning. Fritz shelled us pretty constantly all night again; some were very close. This is the most awful battlefield I have ever seen for miles. There isn’t a square foot of ground that hasn’t been torn up with shells and pill-boxes everywhere. The Hun has had a very severe push-back here.
3 OCTOBER WEDNESDAY
A dull day today. We were relieved about 9 pm last night and went back to our old front line and had a good tea and crawled into a hole or anywhere we could get for a sleep. I know I woke up in a pool of water as it rained during night. Fritz was dropping bombs amongst the batteries as we were coming out. We are waiting here in reserve for 1st and 4th Brigades who are making a push here. I had some N.Z. mail this morning including photos from C. Gray. Got a box of biscuits from Jim tonight.
4 OCTOBER THURSDAY
10 am, a cold wet morning. At 5.45 this morning all the guns opened out and the push started in earnest; Fritz has been sending a good bit back too. We had breakfast and moved up to the support lines in fighting kit and are waiting here for further orders. There has been a continual stream of prisoners and wounded coming back since about 4 am. Our boys have taken all their objectives so far and we have got some of the heavy guns right to near where our front line was last night. 6 pm – still wet and very cold. We have taken all our objectives right along the line and are now waiting in readiness for a counter-attack.
5 OCTOBER FRIDAY
All Fritz’s counter-attacks were smashed yesterday. We were relieved this morning by a Tommy division and sent back behind Ypres again. Going out some of us got a ride in a motor lorry and went through the ruined Ypres. We were to be taken back in motor lorries and we had to wait till about 10 pm at night before we got away. It was a very cold wet day. Weil, we got away and it was about 3 am next morning when we reached our destination. And where it is, God only knows, nobody seems to have the least idea yet where we are.
6 OCTOBER SATURDAY
A cold wet day again. We are camped here in tents. It was about 5 am when we got to bed this morning and it was a treat to have a blanket and get our clothes off, the first time for over a week. We are doing nothing today. Nobody knows yet what our next move is going to be. Had a letter from Micky tonight.
7 OCTOBER SUNDAY
A very cold night and morning. We left our canvas camp this morning, on the march again and passed through Steenvoorde, reaching a small town, Godewaersvelde, about 10.30 and went into some billets. It rained very heavy in afternoon. I don’t know where we are making for but everybody thinks we are back to the line. Pay night – did not draw any.
8 OCTOBER MONDAY
A better day. We had good beds last night on some straw. We had kit inspection, getting all ready for another stunt. We won’t be in reserve this time, we will be over the top first. We are waiting here at the railway ready to slip up to the trenches in the train at a few minutes notice. Rained very heavy all afternoon and night. We had some new reinforcements tonight and Bill Walker was with them.
9 OCTOBER TUESDAY
A cold dull day. We are moving tonight or tomorrow morning. I have been having a long talk with Bill W this morning and getting a lot of news from him. Had a rum issue tonight.
10 OCTOBER WEDNESDAY
A cold showery day. We had breakfast at 3.30 this morning, then marched about 4 miles and were driven up past Ypres in motor lorries. We stopped for lunch at the Y. Camp also tea then moved a bit further up the line in evening. W. Walker and I went over and saw Bill McKean for a few minutes. Also saw Jack Craig (G. Scott and A. Craig)
11 OCTOBER THURSDAY
A very cold day. We took from 6 pm till 11 pm to get up here through mud last night. It was awful – we had no shelter, just slept on the wet ground and it rained a few times through the night so we spent a pretty cold and miserable night. Today Bill Walker and I built a bit of a dug-out and had some sleep. I am not sure yet if we are going over tomorrow, but we have got a pretty tough job to do, so it is going to be very hard.
12 OCTOBER FRIDAY
An awful day. We were wandering about through mud. and shell holes all night. Had a little rest before the barrage started then hell was let loose. Well it was raining cats and dogs and the mud was awful. Bill Walker got wounded at the start, hip broken I think. I left him on the side of the road and went on. Men were dropping over everywhere. How a few of us got up the hill, God only knows. We got to within a few hundred yards of the Pill Boxes but couldn’t get any further so took cover for rest of day. C. Johnson was shot through head sitting beside me.
13 OCTOBER SATURDAY
Still steadily cold and wet. I was on a ration party last night, a very rough job. Today I was on stretcher-bearing. It was an awful job: six men on a stretcher and about 2 miles of the most awful road imaginable to carry the men to the train line. The road is churned up with men, horses and guns strewn everywhere. We have lost most of our officers and fully two thirds of the men.
14 OCTOBER SUNDAY
Still cold and wet. I couldn’t do anything today as my feet were very bad. In afternoon G. Tremain and I were out and a huge gas shell burst about two yards behind us. We didn’t feel any effects until night when we were relieved and we were both a bit sick on the way out and in fact fairly knocked up but we got to our bit of a camp at Pommern Castle and had a good hot tea.
15 OCTOBER MONDAY (Aus. C. C. S.)
Had no sleep last night as in agony all night, so this morning discovered a lot of blisters on shoulders, hips, legs and hands. G. Tremain the same. We went to Dr and were sent on by ambulance to an Australian dressing station, our blisters dressed and put on stretchers and taken on to Poperinge to an Australian Casualty Clearing Station. A lot of our Coy have arrived here with the same complaint.
16 OCTOBER TUESDAY
Still at Aus C.C.S. expecting to be removed tonight. We are waiting here to be sent away to the Base.
17 OCTOBER WEDNESDAY
Still at Aus C.C.S. but expect to be removed tonight. We were taken to train about 4 pm in ambulances and put aboard.
18 OCTOBER THURSDAY
On a Red Cross train, a stretcher case, and feeling very pleased to be away from that hellish Ypres. We reached Rouen about 7 pm and by the time we were removed to hospital it was 10 pm. I am in an American Hospital.
19 OCTOBER FRIDAY
A cool sort of day but I have a lovely bed. I can stand a lot of this. Although I am not feeling too good, very tired and sore all over, I think it is with being out in the cold and wet so long. The Doctor was around having a look at me this morning and I think he is sending me off to Blighty in the morning.
20 OCTOBER SATURDAY
Nice day but fairly cool. I am still in this Yankee Hospital but I think I will be going to Blighty perhaps this evening. I am frightened my blisters will be healed before I get to England. The Doctor took all the bandages off me this morning.
21 OCTOBER SUNDAY
The sister came and woke me about 8 am this morning, took my temperature and got me ready for Blighty. We were taken to Rouen in ambulances and put on a train. Did not get away till about 7 am and it was about 11 am when we reached Le Havre. The train was very slow. We stopped on the train all day and were put on the boat about dusk. it must have been well on for midnight when the boat sailed. She is a fine big hospital ship “Essequibo”.
22 OCTOBER MONDAY
We arrived at Southampton early this morning but did not go alongside the wharf until after breakfast. It was after 12 before we were taken off the boat. All the
N.Z. boys were sent to Brockenhurst. We arrived there about 2.30. So I am now settled down here. It is a lovely place. I am afraid my stay is going to be all too short. I am at Balmer Lawn Hospital.
23 OCTOBER TUESDAY
A nice day. In bed all day. Dr would not let me get up. Did some writing and spent most of day reading. This is a beautiful place. The nurses and sisters are very kind and attentive. Wrote to Mr T Blanchard, Grantham Lines at the request of his son George whom I met in Hospital at Rouen.
24 OCTOBER WEDNESDAY
A dirty cold sort of day. Did some writing in morning. Still in bed getting on well.
25 OCTOBER THURSDAY
Another dull day. Handed in a cable to Mater today. Still having quiet time in bed.
26 OCTOBER FRIDAY
A fair day. Spent quiet day. Reading in bed most of day. Burns on hip are taking some time to heal up. Had a letter from Mr T Blanchard today, also some cigarettes.
27 OCTOBER SATURDAY
A pretty chilly day. Had some N.Z. mail tonight including letters up to 26th Aug.
28 OCTOBER SUNDAY
A nice day after a very hard frost. Church was held this morning for everybody that could go in one of the huts. I am still in bed. Had a rotten night last night with coughing.
29 OCTOBER MONDAY
Another very hard frost and very cold day to follow. Did some writing in the morning to pass time away. Christie Talbot was up today for first time and came in to see me.
30 OCTOBER TUESDAY
A fair day. Nothing exciting happening. Still loafing in bed.
31 OCTOBER WEDNESDAY
Another fair day. Dr asked me today about getting up but, when he had a look at my burns, he said I had better stop in bed a few days longer. Had a letter from Aunt Isa and a parcel of cigarettes, books and sweets from Mrs Bell.
1 NOVEMBER THURSDAY
A dull showery sort of a day.
2 NOVEMBER FRIDAY
A fair day. Spent day reading and writing.
3 NOVEMBER SATURDAY
Another dull day. Burns not doing too well. Haven’t been feeling too bright the last couple of days, had fairly high temperature. Had some N.Z. mail tonight. 3 letters from Grays (Liz, Charles & Nancy) including photos and a couple of notes.
4 NOVEMBER SUNDAY
A rather nice day. Today all the gas cases from Balmer Lawn were shifted to Morant about half a mile away near the village. Two ambulances came for us after tea. I was sorry to leave Balmer Lawn as the nurses and sisters were so good.
5 NOVEMBER MONDAY
My first day at Morant. It is a nice place but run on different lines to Balmer Lawn. They are using a different dressing on my burns here and they have been very sore, probably with the shifting yesterday. I am in a bed beside Ted McMahon, one of our Sergeants. He was acting Sergeant Major at Ypres. He has been slightly gassed also but is up and about.
6 NOVEMBER TUESDAY
Not a bad day after a wet night. Hughie McTeague came in to see me in the afternoon, also Chris Talbot. The Doctor had a look at me in the afternoon and he told the sister to use Picric acid on my burns. It is very hot stuff. I don’t think they know so much about this gas here as they did at Balmer Lawn.
7 NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY
Another quiet day. Spent most of day reading. This Picric dressing makes my burns smart awfully for an hour or two after dressing but after that they are fairly comfortable.
8 NOVEMBER THURSDAY
A wet sort of day. Did some writing today. Burns healing slowly but still very painful. Had two parcels tonight, one from Alice and one from Mater. Had letter from France from (Marck) Sergt Johnson.
9 NOVEMBER FRIDAY
A cold wet day. A big crowd left today for Hornchurch including Sergt McMahon. Dr had another look at me today; still to remain in bed. Got a great surprise tonight when Micky came in to see me. He has just come down from Torquay and is stopping till Monday.
10 NOVEMBER SATURDAY
A fair day. Had Micky in all afternoon and most of evening gossiping with me.
11 NOVEMBER SUNDAY
A nice day. Came here 1 week ago today. Had Micky in for morning also Chris Talbott and in afternoon Micky brought Reg Humphries in. He was A.J. Sergeant and is also awaiting a boat back to N.Z.
12 NOVEMBER MONDAY
A quiet day. Micky left this morning for Torquay. Had some N.Z. mail today and did a little writing.
13 NOVEMBER TUESDAY
A cool sort of day. Burns not doing much good and very painful.
14 NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY
A dull quiet day. Had a sort of easy day today as they did not dress my burns with Picric. Had letter from High Commissioner today.
15 NOVEMBER THURSDAY
A hard frost this morning. Had a letter today from G Mumby, a very decent chap I met in hospital at Rouen. He is in a hospital at Bournemouth and was wanting me to go down. However I won’t be able to go for some time yet.
16 NOVEMBER FRIDAY
A pretty cold raw sort of day. Burns progressing slowly. Had a letter from Micky prior to leaving for either Liverpool or Glasgow to embark for N.Z.
17 NOVEMBER SATURDAY
Another cold day. Burns healing very slowly, but are feeling a lot better.
18 NOVEMBER SUNDAY
A dull quiet day. Had a parcel from Helen last night. And a letter from the N.Z. War Contingent Association to see if I was in need of anything.
19 NOVEMBER MONDAY
Another dull day. Burns are looking and feeling a lot better the last few days.
20 NOVEMBER TUESDAY
Pretty quiet day. Doctor Scouller had a look at burns today but didn’t say much. They are looking a lot better lately. Captain and Mrs Cotton were in this afternoon.
21 NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY
A very mild day. Had Padre Briscoe round seeing us this morning. Some went away to Hornchurch today. Had a letter from Bob Massey tonight. He is leaving for N.Z. In about three weeks.
22 NOVEMBER THURSDAY
Not a bad day. I started to make sweet peas today from fancy paper for Christmas decorations in the hospital.
23 NOVEMBER FRIDAY
A nice mild day. Captain and Mrs Cotton came today and brought some pears and a pot of Loganberry jam for Sergt McKean and I. Everybody admiring my sweet peas today. I am quite a dab hand at making them now. I went to a concert tonight in the mess room, given by some ladies and gents from about the village. They gave me a pair of crutches to hobble along and a couch to lie on during the performance.
24 NOVEMBER SATURDAY
Spent a quiet day making sweet peas and reading. Sister Freeman took some boys down to Bournemouth today for an outing.
25 NOVEMBER SUNDAY
A nice day. Doctor had a look at me today and said I could get up for a while in afternoons so I got up for an hour after tea.
26 NOVEMBER MONDAY
A sharp frost this morning. My burns are doing very well, some of them practically healed up. I got up for tea.
27 NOVEMBER TUESDAY
Not a bad day after a wet night. Got up about 3 pm and went back to bed about
4.30. Feeling pretty well but very thin. Jim McDonald was in today. He just reached Tin Town this morning from Netley, Southampton. His arm is nearly better. Had a letter from Sergt. F. W. Johnson from France.
28 NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY
I had a big day today. This morning Mrs Grant took two boys from Balmer Lawn and myself for a drive to a place called Sway about three miles away. We had morning tea at Mrs Grant’s place and got home for dinner. One of the boys happened to be George Tremain who was gassed with me and I lost him at Poperinge. In the afternoon I walked up as far as Tin Town and met Jim McDonald and Jack Johnson.
29 NOVEMBER THURSDAY
Another mild dull day. I got up before dinner and in the afternoon I walked with Jim McDonald up to the cemetery to see Hughie 0′ Conner’s grave then we went to the Y.M.C.A. and had afternoon tea.
30 NOVEMBER FRIDAY
Got up as usual before dinner and in afternoon walked down to Balmer Lawn and saw George Tremain. Mrs Cotton was up today with fruit and lollies. Concert here tonight by some of the ladies and gents of the village. I did not know until tonight that Bill Walker had died of wounds.
1 DECEMBER SATURDAY
Another dull day. Strolled around village in afternoon with J. McDonald and in evening did some writing including a letter to Tom Walker.
2 DECEMBER SUNDAY
A very chilly day. I was up before the Doctor today but did not get marked out for Hornchurch. The sister put in a good word for me so I will be here a few days yet. Had a walk around with Mac in afternoon and did a little writing in evening.
3 DECEMBER MONDAY
A bright day but very cold. In the afternoon we went to Balmer Lawn and saw some boys I know down there, then watched a hockey match between some school girls and the Medical Officers. The girls lost but played a great game.
4 DECEMBER TUESDAY
Another very cold day. Did not see Mack this afternoon. The Doctor marked me out this afternoon so I will be going to Hornchurch about the end of the week.
5 DECEMBER WEDNESDAY
A lovely sunny day. I went with a party to Bournemouth today. We left at 12.30 and got home again about 6.15. It is a very nice place; we went down the pier, there is a lovely beach and promenade. We were going to the theatre but could not get seats, so we went to the skating rink for an hour then had a very nice tea and caught train at 5.20. One of the sisters went with us and paid all fees.
6 DECEMBER THURSDAY
A very sharp frost this morning. In the afternoon I met Mack and Jack Stevens and we went down to the Kai-Ora Club. At the club I met Rua, the first time I have seen him since we left the Devon at Plymouth. At 3.30 I paraded before Colonel Wylie and was passed for Hornchurch so may go any day now.
7 DECEMBER FRIDAY
A damp day, raining most of day. Did not get away to Hornchurch today. Went down to the Club in afternoon.
8 DECEMBER SATURDAY
A dull day. Only two men went away from here to Hornchurch today so I will be here a few days longer. In the afternoon I went down to Balmer Lawn with Mack and saw George Tremain and later in the afternoon I met Arthur Dawson in the Kai-Ora Club.
9 DECEMBER SUNDAY
A dull day and pretty cold. Went for a walk around the village in the morning and in the afternoon Mack and I went down to Balmer Lawn. We got George Tremain and we spent most of the afternoon at the Club. Had a letter from Aunt Isa last night.
10 DECEMBER MONDAY
A pretty cold day. Went to Balmer Lawn in afternoon for George Tremain and spent the afternoon at the Kai-Ora.
11 DECEMBER TUESDAY
A nice bright day. In the morning I went down to Balmer Lawn and saw the meet of the Forest-Park Hounds and in the afternoon did the rounds of the Club with G. Tremain and Mack, I was supposed to go to Brockenhurst today but they did not come for me so I will be here for a few days longer.
12 DECEMBER WEDNESDAY
A very cold, frosty day. I went to Balmer Lawn today and was examined by the Doctor and proceed to Hornchurch tomorrow. I got some N.Z. mail tonight.
13 DECEMBER THURSDAY
An ambulance car called for us this morning and took us to Balmer Lawn where we changed from Blues to Khaki. We caught a train at 10.30 and reached London about 1.30 where we had some tea at the Soldiers’ Buffet at Waterloo Station then got on a suburban train for Hornchurch and ambulances met us and drove us to Hornchurch. We were kept messing about till late at night getting Blues to wear and handing in our Khaki. We also had to parade to the Dentist and Doctor.
14 DECEMBER FRIDAY
Paraded to Doctor again this morning and got classed B.6 that means to do nothing for ten days then report to Doctor again to be classified again. In the afternoon I went to the dressing room and had my remaining burn dressed. It was practically better when I left Morant but seemed to have broken out again since I came here.
15 DECEMBER SATURDAY
This is a busy camp. Every day I am meeting somebody I know. This morning I went for dressing at 9 am and had nothing else to do all day. In the afternoon I walked as far as Romford, about 2 miles away from here, then I went to a concert in the Mahutonga Club at night.
16 DECEMBER SUNDAY
A very cold day. Church parade in the morning and nothing to do for the rest of day. In the evening I went to pictures in the Y.M.C.A.
17 DECEMBER MONDAY
A very cold wet day with snow on the ground. I met Stan Howie in the afternoon and strolled around the camp with him for a while.
18 DECEMBER TUESDAY
A very cold day. Not doing much; sitting at the fire in the Y.M.C.A. most of day. There was to be a concert in the Mahutonga Club in the evening but about starting time the lights in camp were switched off as there was an air-raid on. The guns were making a great row and we could see one of the raiders with the search lights.
19 DECEMBER WEDNESDAY
A very cold day. Met Ted Hayes this morning and got a lot of news from him. In the evening I went for a stroll down to Hornchurch.
20 DECEMBER THURSDAY
Another very raw cold day. Saw Willie Hall today also Drew Snowden. In the evening after tea J. McDonald and I walked to Romford.
21 DECEMBER FRIDAY
Another cold day. Just loafing about the Club all day. In the evening I went to a concert in the Y.M.C.A. Met Jim Maxwell from Waikouaiti tonight.
22 DECEMBER SATURDAY
Still cold raw weather. Went for a walk around Hornchurch in the afternoon with Jim McDonald. Got a nice card today from Mrs Cotton of Lymington.
23 DECEMBER SUNDAY
Church parade in the morning but I did not go as I was but orderly. In the afternoon Jim McDonald and I went to Romford for a walk and came home after tea.
24 DECEMBER MONDAY
Had to parade to the Doctor today for classification but he was too busy so I go back on Thursday. Doesn’t seem a bit like Christmas Eve. Went down the village in the evening for a walk.
25 DECEMBER TUESDAY
Another Christmas Day in England. We had a good Christmas Day today. All the Mess Rooms and Y.M.C.A and Mahutonga Club were nicely decorated and in the afternoon they had sports in the Mahutonga Club. I got a parcel of shortbread from home today. In the evening some of us went to Romford for a walk.
26 DECEMBER WEDNESDAY
A cold day with a good fall of snow. There wasn’t much excitement about the camp today. In the evening there was a concert in the Y.M.C.A.
27 DECEMBER THURSDAY
Up to Doctor today and got marked B.6 for another ten days. Pay day drew 4/-. Went to a concert in the Mahutonga Club in the evening, given by some ladies from London.
28 DECEMBER FRIDAY
Paraded at the dressing but this morning and the doctor put the Fulham light on my leg.
29 DECEMBER SATURDAY
Went down to Romford in the afternoon per train and returned at tea-time and in the evening I went up to the Hornchurch P.B. and got some money.
30 DECEMBER SUNDAY
Church parade this morning. We had the Chaplain General of the British Forces preaching to us this morning.
31 DECEMBER MONDAY
The ladies of the Club and the Y.M.C.A. gave all the boys in camp a splendid tea tonight. In fact it was a dinner – all sorts of good things to eat and plenty of them.
Napu finish monsieur
Postscript
When Arthur Lindsay and his companion G. Tremain were effected by a mustard gas shell on 14 October 1917, they were able to make their way from the horrors of Passchendaele to an Australian Casualty Clearing Station and thence to Brockenhurst and eventually Hornchurch on 13 December 1917.
He remained at Hornchurch as a patient until 25 January 1918 when he was transferred ‘on duty’ to the hospital staff. While he was not considered fit enough for active service his cooking skills were sufficient for him to be retained.
Private Lindsay remained in the UK until 2 December 1918 when he embarked on the Tahiti for repatriation to New Zealand.
Private Lindsay went before a medical board while on the Tahiti. The board considered that he should retain a pension of 75% of his salary for 12 months on his return.
Private Lindsay landed in New Zealand on 13 January 1919, was granted leave and a pension and subsequently discharged from the NZEF on 9 February 1919. His intended address on discharge was c/- C. Gray, Waimapihi, Hutt County. At that time the Post Office at Pukerua was named Waimapihi. Charles Gray, a farmer, married Arthur’s sister Elizabeth in 1906. Charles Gray set Arthur up as a storekeeper in Pukerua Bay in 1925. With his wife Arthur raised three children and for 32 years was a respected member of the community who supported many organizations.
See our post The Shops and Stores of Pukerua Bay
He Ara Pukerua, June 2025
Glossary
| Term | Explanation | Date |
| A.S.C. | Army Service Corps | 1/5 |
| Bivy / bivvy | Bivouac, shelter | 24/5 |
| Blighty | Used by British soldiers to refer to England often with affection | 5/2 |
| Bull ring | Training ground at Étaples | 11/1 |
| Bully | Tinned beef | 20/1 |
| C.S.M. | Company Sergeant Major | 15/3 |
| Catacombs | Extensive underground tunnel for shelter, communication, and offensive operations | 12/6 |
| Clink | Where soldiers were held for disciplinary reasons | 4/3 |
| Coy | Company | 5/2 |
| D.A.C. | Division Ammunition Column | 10/7 |
| Dinks | Men of NZ Rifle Brigade | 23/3 |
| Dixie | Heavy oval billy | 14/2 |
| Duffs | Grenades | 19/2 |
| Estaminet | Café with bar | 18/4 |
| (on) Fatigue | Labouring | 5/1 |
| Fritz | German | 12/2 |
| Fulham Light | Phototherapy using red and infrared light, can be used to treat burns and promote healing. | 28/12 |
| Green envelope | As a privilege, soldiers were given one green envelope per month to send uncensored personal letters to loved ones. | 19/3 |
| H.E. | High Explosives | 21/7 |
| Hun | German | 12/4 |
| Hyde Park Corner | Road junction at Red Lodge, Ploegsteert Wood in Belgium. www.awm.gov.au/collection/C174843 | 18/7 |
| Jock’s Joy | Place near Bois Grenier | 19/2 |
| Kamerad | German meaning Comrade | 7/6 |
| King | George V | 4/7 |
| L.D. | Light Duties | 11/3 |
| L Gun | Lewis Gun | 26/7 |
| Limber | Gun trailer for ammunition | 25/2 |
| M.D. | Mess Duties | 4/3 |
| McConachies | Canned stew of veges and beef in broth, made in Scotland | 3/4 |
| Mess | A designated area where military personnel socialize, eat | 23/1 |
| Napu | WW1 slang for – finished, no more, gone | 31/12 |
| O.C. | Office Commander | 4/5 |
| Picket | Guard duty | 19/1 |
| Picric | Antiseptic and astringent acid used in anesthetic ointment to treat burns | 6/11 |
| Pierrots | Concert party | 17/9 |
| Pigs | Type of artillery shell | 2/6 |
| Pill box | Blockhouse, or concrete dug-in guard-post, equipped with loopholes to fire weapons. | 2/10 |
| Pineapples | Grenades | 24/5 |
| P’ston Buster | Newspaper | 17/1 |
| Plum(b) duff | Type of mortar shell | 2/6 |
| Quartermaster | In charge of supplies for soldiers | 26/1 |
| Queens | Queen’s Royal Regiment | 11/4 |
| S. Army | Salvation Army | 24/1 |
| Sally | Attack | 5/4 |
| Sap | Trench | 22/3 |
| Scran | Food | 8/1 |
| Shaftesbury Avenue | Long communication trenches near Bois Grenier | 14/2 |
| Strafes | Bombardment | 22/5 |
| Subsid. Lines | Positions behind the main front line trenches. | 12/8 |
| The Shrine – Hill 63 | Place near Ploegsteert in Belgium | 12/3 |
| Told off for | Ordered | 6/6 |
| Tommy | British Soldier | 19/2 |
| Whiz Bang | Small-calibre high-velocity shell | 26/5 |
| Witness | Otago Witness newspaper | 9/3 |
| Yankee | American soldiers | 20/10 |
| Y.M. | Y.M.C.A. | 11/2 |
| Bulford Camp | 1. Military camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England
2. Camp in Neuve Église, a village in West Flanders, Belgium |
1/1
28/6 |
| Balmer Lawn | Balmer Lawn Hotel used as an auxiliary hospital to nearby Brockenhurst. | 22/10 |
| Brockenhurst | № 1 New Zealand General Hospital (1NZGH) military hospital in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, England. | 7/3 |
| Kai-Ora Club | Entertainment venue for the New Zealand General Hospital, Brockenhurst | 6/12 |
| Hornchurch | Hornchurch Military Hospital, and the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital, in Hornchurch, Essex provided convalescent care for wounded and sick New Zealand soldiers. | 9/11 |
| Mahutonga Club | Club for convalescing soldiers at Hornchurch, named for the Southern Cross constellation | 15/12 |
27315 Private Arthur Kitchener Lindsay, 1 Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment
By Terry Brown
Arthur Lindsay’s diary
Arthur Kitchener Lindsay was born on 4 April 1889 in Palmerston South, the son of Thomas and Agnes Isles Lindsay (née Paterson). At the time of his attestation Arthur was working as a baker for W.J. Clark, with an address of Levels.
Arthur entered Trentham Camp on 30 May 1916 as a member of the 17th Reinforcements and was attested the following day. Following a period of training at Featherston the Reinforcements travelled back to Trentham by train, thus missing out on the usual march back across the Remutakas. Arthur embarked at Wellington in the troopship Devon on 25 September 1916. The ship sailed for Devonport, England via Albany, Durban, Cape Town, and Dakar arriving on 21 November 1916. During the voyage Arthur was employed as cook for which he received an extra 2/6 per day as Extra Duty pay; his daily rate of pay as a private was 4/-.
On disembarkation Arthur marched-in to Sling Camp, one of the NZ camps on Salisbury Plain, posted to the combined Canterbury/Otago Reserve Battalion. He embarked for France on 7 January 1917 and marched into the Base Depot at Étaples two days later. On 6 February Arthur joined 1 Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment and was posted to 2 (South Canterbury) Company. It now becomes impossible to follow Arthur and the account becomes a general narrative of the battalion’s activities. As his file shows nothing to the contrary it has to be assumed that Arthur was with the battalion throughout this period until his evacuation in October.
At that time the battalion was in the line in the Bois Grenier sector in the area of Armentières. The battalion remained in the line until the night of 25/26 February when it was relieved and moved to billets at Nieppe, north-west of Armentières where it remained until 12 March. The New Zealand Division was now to be committed to the fight for the Messines and Wytschaete Ridges. When out of the line the Canterbury battalions provided work parties to dig positions for arriving supporting artillery batteries. In mid-April the battalions moved back to a training area west of St Omer to prepare for the attack and then moved back to the divisional sector where 1 Battalion was engaged in digging trenches in the front line and assembly area, with most work occurring at night. The enemy conducted harassing fire and on the night of 5/6 May 1 Battalion was forced out its camp on three occasions by enemy artillery fire. Finally at 3.10 a.m. on 7 June the attack began with 2 Company the right forward company in the battalion’s attack, with the initial advance across the hundreds of yards of No-Man’s-Land. By 3.25 a.m. the leading companies had crossed the German front line without opposition and had captured the support line, the limit of the leading companies’ advance. The Canterbury battalions spent the rest of 7 June and the night of 7/8 June improving their positions. They were under continuous and heavy shelling during the period. Late in the afternoon of 9 June both the Canterbury battalions were relieved and moved to the rear for a three-day rest before 1 Battalion took over a reserve position in a system of deep tunnels in the area of Hill 63 and Ploegstreet Wood. A period of in and out of the line followed before the 2nd Brigade, to which the Canterbury battalions belonged, was relieved on 30 June. Following a further period in and out of the line the NZ Division was relieved in late July. 1 Battalion had already moved to a training area south-west of St Omer.
Training now commenced for an attack in the salient east of Ypres. On 25 September 1 Battalion began the move forward on foot and by 28 September was in the Ypres North area to the west of the town. On the night of 30 September/1 October 1 Battalion moved back into the line for a two-day spell taking over the left sector of the 2 Brigade’s area of responsibility.
The next attempt by the New Zealanders to break the line would be in the Passchendaele area with what would become the first attack on 4 October; this would not involve 1 Battalion. The attack was a success, but not so for a follow-up attack by the British on 9 October. A further attack was now planned for 12 October. It would be an attack in depth, meaning that as the first battalion took the first objective the next battalion would move through to take the second objective and 1 Battalion then move through and take the third and objective. The attack commenced at 5.30 a.m. and very soon literally bogged down. The advance included crossing the area through which Ravebeek stream flowed. Normally an easy crossing the area of the stream had been heavily shelled. The stream clogged and eventually flooded and continuous enemy artillery fire turned the area into a morass. The advancing troops were also under heavy enemy machine-gun fire and came up against masses of uncut wire. It now became apparent that an advance was impossible until the wire was cut and pill boxes destroyed. Word was received, however, that the advance would continue, but fortunately word was later received that orders for a further attack were cancelled. The next two days were spent recovering casualties from the battlefield and moving them to the rear. The Germans were similarly engaged and an informal truce took place.
Arthur Lindsay and family, late 1930s
On 15 October Arthur’s part in the campaign in France came to an end. According to his diary, on the previous day he had been close to an exploding gas shell. On the 15th he entered the medical evacuation system moving through a New Zealand Field Ambulance and an Australian Casualty Clearing Station before ending up at 12 General Hospital in Rouen on 18 October. Three days later he was evacuated to England by hospital ship and was admitted to the New Zealand Hospital at Broadhurst Arthur remained within the hospital until 13 December 1917 when he transferred to the New Zealand Convalescent Depot at Hornchurch. On 25 January 1918 he was detailed for duty at Hornchurch and it is possible that advantage was taken of his baking skills, as he was unfit for front line service. On 26 October Arthur left Hornchurch for the depot at Codford on Salisbury Plain, reporting there on 11 November following a leave period. He remained at Codford until embarking in the troopship Tahiti at Liverpool for his return to New Zealand on 3 December 1918. Arthur disembarked at Port Chalmers on 13 January 1919, the Tahiti having returned via the Panama Canal with a coaling stop at Colon being the only port call. He was discharged from the Army on 9 February 1919, “in Consequence of being no longer physically fit for War Service (Gas Poisoning)”.
For his service in France with 1 Battalion, and in England at Hornchurch, Arthur received the:
British War Medal 1914-19, and
Victory Medal
