Thursday 28 December 1916

Enemy busy with r.g. fire & trench mortars. We name a heavy trench mortar of their’s – “Anania” and another one “Josephine II.” In the night we blow up a mine. I watched it go up, a fierce looking affair with a huge column of fire & smoke. Machine guns open fire & we are active. The whole affair is a success & the 49th occupy the crater lip. It is a bitterly cold, wet night with biting wind. I have neuralgia curse it.