63 surveys Ploegsteert E Fme Grand Westhof 26th, full moon 0 11 p.m.] JULY, 1915. [30th, Sun rises 4h. 22m.]

                                           Sunday 25 [206-159] 8th after trinity
                                             St. James. Last Day Lodger old Claims

Still on survey - get sniped at from messines

         MONDY 26 [207-158]

Hill while pacing fish Ho Road- bullets fly a little high. Supercilious staff-maj. 1st Bde very oniffy - Privates should not be given a job they are incapable of doing etc. Have To Take it all, bat see a bit red.

• - Col. Rennie on the contrary greatly interested in the notes Combat of aeroplanes Sunday night our artillery opens fire 830 pm. on Messines. Then Fritz starts, mostly on chateau, but half a doz shells land near us. Complete survey today.

        TUESDAY 27 [208-157]

Germans shell ridge 1/2 mile from Headquarters and drop 32 shells into Niappa. Made attack near Hooge by liquid fire and reported to have taken a front of 400 metres. Go back to Regt & report to Maj. Tech- Leckie - sent on to Bde Hgrs. put to work in the General's dining room at Ferme Grand-Westhof - Buy a little hay for 10 sous[?] & sleep in a disused stable. Get a cake from Miss Ethel Elliot - divide up with the section

        WEDNESDAY 28 [209-156]

Very quiet day. - Working at Headquarters' Ferme Grand Westhof. Some of the batmen steal a little hay & mme appeals to me "lls sont des voleurs, des voleurs" maid -of-all work Marie very buxom - Paddles around with bare feet stuck into huge sabots.

• Rennie was Col. of the Bn. who took over from the 16th He has Told this Staff-Maj about us. The latter had demanded to see my pose. He then took my field-book, snorted & threw it in the mud. exclaiming "all wrong, quite wrong" Rennie saw this incident & later said he was awfully sorry

BC Archives, MS-0392, Box 1 Volume 4, FRANK SWANNELL PAPERS, Diary and enclosures, 1915.