No entry.
Archives for 2017
Thursday 11 January 1917
Among the P.P.C.L.I. honours are:
Capt. Clarke Mil. Cross
Co. Sergt. M. Gillingham D.C.M.
Mentioned in Dispatches:
Colonel Pelly
Major Gray
Capt. Niven
Lt. Richardson
Sergt. Cooper (4 Coy)
Sergt. Sinclair
Pte. (A/Cpl) W.M.L. Draycott
Misty today but it does not deter our artillery.
Wednesday 10 January 1917
Wednesday 10 January 1917
Gas attack on our left by the enemy.
Cold & misty rain.
I go to Neuville St. Vaast to survey north of the village, a piece of ground with many trenches over it.
Enemy busy with T. Mortars. Our Stokes guns reply vigorously. I make my survey & on way back visit P.P.C.L.I. H.Qtr. where I learn from Regtl. Sergt. Major Jordon that I’ve been “Mentioned in Dispatches”. It appeared in Regtl. Orders.
*Considered uncivilised prior to World War One, the development and use of poison gas was necessitated by the requirement of wartime armies to find new ways of overcoming the stalemate of unexpected trench warfare. Although it is popularly believed that the German army was the first to use gas it was in fact initially deployed by the French. In the first month of the war, August 1914, they fired tear-gas grenades (xylyl bromide) against the Germans. Nevertheless the German army was the first to give serious study to the development of chemical weapons and the first to use it on a large scale. (www.firstworldwar.com)
*Mention in Dispatches is awarded for valiant conduct, devotion to duty or other distinguished service. During the First World War, 5467 MIDs were awarded to Canadians. (www.forces.gc.ca)
Tuesday 9 January 1917
Heavy bombardment on our left by us and the enemy. Our heavies reply vigorously.
I go to Aubigny on bicycle, which I stole, for drawing material, etc. Call at Division and get Chinese white. Sergt. i/c Draughting gets Meritorious Service Medal. (Sergt. Lewis)
Whole journey was 30 Kilometres. Many German prisoners working on road. Heavy wet mist & later rain. I got soaked.
*The Meritorious Service Medal during WW1 was a British honour. The Canadian MSM was instituted for military service in 1984 and for civilian service in 1991. (www.forces.gc.ca) In 1916, the British MSM was awarded to all ranks: “duly recommended for the grant in respect of gallant conduct in the performance of military duty otherwise than in action against the enemy, or in saving, or attempting to save the life of an officer or soldier, or for devotion to duty in a theatre of war.” (www.veterans.gc.ca)
Monday 8 January 1917
Heavy firing on Vimy Ridge. Enemy comes over en masse. Our machine guns mow them down. Their (enemy) attack fails.
McWallis promoted Capt. So it makes two Captains on Brigade.
[I send an opion sco….. to Maj. Southam. 35 for]
Sunday 7 January 1917
Attended a church service in officers mess.
Present – General MacDonnel, Brigade Major, McWallis & 5 NCOs & men.
Enemy shelling vigorously on all our fronts.
Saturday 6 January 1917
No Entry
Friday 5 January 1917
Huns open up with all kinds of hell on our left section. 5.9s, 4.1s, trench mortar and rifle fire.
Lt. Gleam pays a visit to our dugout and stays till 1:30 am.
*5.9s and 4.1s refer to the bore size of German guns. The 5.9 was a howitzer with a 5.9” bore used by the Germans in WWI and the beginning of WWII. The 5.9s were particularly loathed as they were fitted with so–called ‘instantaneous’ fuses that burst before they hit the ground, scattering fragments travelling at the speed of a bullet for metres around. (www.ww1westernfront.gov.au)
Thursday 4 January 1917
Sergt. Barber gets DCM
Capt. Colman gets Mil. Cross
No more New Year Honours for this Brigade.
Many on Brigade are sore on a/c of being left out in the cold.
Capt. Colman gets his M.C. for “Brilliant” staff work. We all wonder whence the brilliancy?
*The Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) was awarded to Warrant Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, serving in any of the sovereign’s military forces, for distinguished conduct in the field. It was thus the second highest award for gallantry in action (after the Victoria Cross) for all army ranks below commissioned officers. The Military Cross can be awarded to commissioned officers of the substantive rank of Captain or below (therefore acting and temporary Majors are eligible) or Warrant Officers for distinguished and meritorious services in battle.(www.veterans.gc.ca)
Wednesday 3 January 1917
Damn the Hun. He has spoiled our dinner with his blasted shelling.
Have to run the gauntlet between here and Neuville St. Vaast. By jerky running I outwit him with his shells.
Get ‘ell for running risks. The old General MacDonnel very fatherly over my escapades.
Get valuable nose-caps.
*”Hun” is a derogatory term for German used particularly during the First and Second World Wars.
*The expression “running the gauntlet” is derived from a form of physical punishment where a captive is to run between two rows – a gauntlet – of soldiers who repeatedly strike them.
*Nosecap is that part of a shell which unscrews and contains the device and scale for setting the time fuse.
