Bde Major moves into a “safety first” dugout. Foggy & cold. Enemy strafe our resistance line with heavy trench mortars & rifle grenades. An American Colonel visits the trenches. A parade is held in Mont St Eloy for the distribution of Medal ribbons.
Archives for November 2016
Wednesday 29 November 1916
No Entry
Tuesday 28 November 1916
Very foggy. Enemy sends over some 5’9” shells, no damage. Two days ago enemy torpedoed another hospital ship – the Braemar Castle in the Aegean Sea. Two Zepps are brought down in England.
*German Airship Raids – German’s sent 9 Zeppelins to bomb the Midland and Tyneside on November 27th and 28th 1916. Again the bombing was not very effective, killing 4 people and injuring 37. Two zeppelins were shot down by defending British Aircraft. This was the last Zeppelin raid of 1916.
Monday 27 November 1916
Hard at work on road maps for bringing up reinforcements in case of a barrage.
At 9:50 PM the 1st Div, on our right, blow up a mine. The sight was magnificent. There followed a heavy bombardment of a very severe nature, a raid follows. The enemy blow up one of our dumps (Liverpool) which is a mighty explosion. My Rgt has a scuffle also. General MacDonnel goes on leave to England.
Sunday 26 November 1916
Lieut Wallis speaks to me of probable promotion. What a difficult path for promotion!!!
The large map for the General is shown to Gen Lipsett who says it is excellent.
Enemy torpedo Britannic, a hospital ship.
*HMHS Britannic – The largest Olympic-class ocean liner of the White Star Line. She was launched just before the start of the First World War as a transatlantic passenger liner. With the outbreak of war, she was commissioned as a hospital ship instead. In 1916 while in the Kea Channel near Greece she hit an underwater mine and sank. Of the 1,066 people on board only 30 died; however the Britannic was the biggest ship lost during the war. The Britannic was also the sister ship to the Titanic.
Saturday 25 November 1916
Busy with maps all day. Raining hard. General MacDonnel introduces my name to Major General Lipsett of 3rd Division and talk of promotion is mooted- Sergt or Sergt Major in Division.
Friday 24 November 1916
L/c White & I go to Coliseum Redoubt at back of 1st Division line to make survey. Also visit Empire Redoubt & O.P. on Quarry line. Come home via Pont Pylones, Chepstow and Ray trenches. Much activity on front.
Thursday 23 November 1916
Mr Henry, Intell. Officer of 49th, visits me & we have an old time chat. thinks of joining RFC. We correct crater plan.
*RFC – Royal Flying Corps the military organization in charge of aircraft which would become the Royal Air Force in 1918. The RFC was in charge of aerial reconnaissance, artillery support and later aerial combat and strategic bombing. The Canadian Branch of the RFC was established in 1917 to train aircrew in Canada; this would later become the RCAF.
Wednesday 22 November 1916
Lt Col GA Borden is “reported” wounded by shrapnel, all a bluff to get a gold stripe, for he does not report to dressing station – Brave man!
Tuesday 21 November 1916
I go over trenches of 9th Brigade & afterwards thro’ [Boyau Rietz?], Lundy Island Redoubt & Chateau works.
Enemy shelling badly. Has also a machine gun playing on HDQRs near [cross?]Roads at Aux Rietz.
