LeTouret Richebourg L'[?] & Festubert Standing by all day, Called to figure out maps for Maj. Peck. Capt. Moore called in for consultation as to roads.. First time I had a talk with Moore, and last as he was killed May 20. Battle of Festubert. Leave 6 am & go to LeTouret( on Grande route 6 km from Neuse Chapelle) 12 (by road) from LaBassee.. Raining nearly all day &pretty sloppy. Tacker & I crowded out of reserve trenches Built shelter. 6" howitzer firing 100 yds away, but only get two or three German shrapnel. Sikhs next to us & Gurkhas. Gunners now firing 6000 yds (33 degree elev), had been firing 2000 yds. Big advance evidently going on - several battalions advanced at evening & 1000 prisoners brought back- roads blocked with artillery [?] & Red Cross ambulances- after dark moved back to billets in a squalid farm house -along Neuve Chapelle road-very tired as column halting every few steps on account of traffic. During day Tucker & I get leave to go back to estaminet by canal to rustle eggs & bread for the section- German Red Cross man brought into house- big hulking peasant- face half shot off & blinded. In reserve trenches until 3 pmm then moved forward-crowded together in communicating trench between 1st & 2nd line for an hour owing to mix-up in orders * of course get shelled- Metcalfe, Thorn & Rewes struck by shrapnel bursting in trench- I get struck on top of head with spent shraapnel bullet-half stunned- put on fatique packing up No2 log rationns & shovels. At 10:30 start for frontline -arrive 2:30- very bad going thru muddy trenches & shell cut roads- tumble in ditch while packing box of rum- dig in by dawn only 500 yds from German & 200' behind old Ger. trench captured by British but untenable-blown to pieces by shells & full of dead bodies & debris. Get a lively time with flares & shrapnel while digging & several hit. Fell crack on head more now-half comatose. Raining nearly all day & night- plastered with mud. (See sketch of trench preceding page). Lie low all day 'taking it ' from shrapnel, coal box & snipers-very bad enfilade fire at times-one coal box explodes in trench 60 yds up & kills 3 men-about 4 other shrapnel casualties & one by sniper. VanDyke struck over eye & sentry 15' from me thru greatcoat & tunic-timing-ring of shell & fragment tear thru my sheet & plaster me with mud. Rainy miserable day & cramped muddy quarters- on as sentry twice at dark go 1000 yds down road for rations-buildings only gables & [?] road full of craters & 6 dead men. Transport shelled - watercart horse killed. "Stand to" all night with fixed bayonets & equipment on. Alotgether a miserable night & in great danger from coal boxes.