Henderson & Bajus go to Hospl. They have fevers.
Archives for 2017
Tuesday 20 February 1917
No entry.
Monday 19 February 1917
– thaw
Very busy with secret maps “pour le grand avance”.
We make considerable gains in the Ancre. Capture 761 prisoners & 12 officers.
*The Ancre is a river of Picardy, France. Rising at Miraumont, a hamlet near the town of Albert, it flows into the Somme at Corbie. The Battle of the Ancre, 13–18 November, was the final large British attack of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, before winter. After the Battle of the Ancre , British attacks on the Somme front were stopped by the weather. During the rest of 1916 and early January 1917, military operations by both sides were mostly restricted to survival in the rain, snow, fog, mud fields, waterlogged trenches and shell-holes. British operations on the Ancre from 10 January – 22 February 1917, forced the Germans back 5 miles (8.0 km) on a 4 miles (6.4 km) front, and eventually took 5,284 prisoners. On 22/23 February the Germans fell back another 3 miles (4.8 km), soon resulting in their complete withdrawal from the region.
(www.wikipedia.com)
Sunday 18 February 1917
– thaw
I speak to Capt. W. re sergeancy. He concurs. We send all maps other than secret to 1st Army (Maps).
Saturday 17 February 1917
– thaw
I get permission to go to Bethune via Bruay. Make many purchases & return to Divion via Chocques, Marles-les Mines.
I arrange to sleep with Cpl. Harper @ “Magasin” in Divion.
*Divion is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.
Friday 16 February 1917
No entry…..
Thursday 15 February 1917
Stay all night at Bois d’Alleux, Mount St. Eloy. The boys are given an extra ration of rum & – Oh! be joyful.
At 8 am I start out on bike for Division near Bruay. Meet Cpl. Harper & have dinner @ Houdain & later – tea in Bruay.
*Introduced in the winter of 1914, the rum ration was initially given to soldiers to combat the chill and damp of the trenches. In the front line, rum was issued twice a day – at dawn and at dusk. A rum jar held 1 gallon – enough for 64 men. Each man got approximately one third of a pint each week. On the side of the jar were stamped the intiials “S.R.D.” thought to stand for “Service Rations Depot” or “Service Reserve Depot”. Soldiers however, said they stood for “Seldom Reaches Destination”, “Soon Runs Dry” and ”Seldom Rarely Delivers”.
Wednesday 14 February 1917
Heavy bombardment on our right. Absolutely fierce. Many aeroplanes are up. Several fighters. General MacDonell praises me for the maps I’ve made & general work in connection with draughting office.
We hand over to 5th Bde. 2nd Div.
Tuesday 13 February 1917
Cpl. Harper & I watch from Ouvrage Chassery.
42nd Battn. (2 Company) make a raid into enemy trenches, get two prisoners. Others who were in dugouts & refused to come out were bombed by Stokes trench mortars. Enemy retaliated with a heavy bombardment. 16 killed of [Bosches].
[Our losses.]
4th Div. make a raid @ 4 am. Result 40 prisoners & one officer.
To see Lt. Gleam in La Targette at 9 pm.
*Ouvrage is the French term for a large fort.
**42nd Battalion of the Royal Highlanders of Canada
Monday 12 February 1917
– thaw
A day of [re…]
The General thru’ the kindness of Capt. Wallis turns my application for special leave down. Mrs. B. Smith sent General a Registered letter explaining & pleading, but apparently of no use. Capt. W. is the Rizzio of my fate. Major Widd goes to Hosp. with fever.
*Mrs. B. Smith is Draycott’s cousin in England. Draycott speculates in his memoir that no special leaves were being granted because “the Grand Push was getting near!”
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