Frank Swannell Diaries: Part I
Diaries of Frank Cyril Swannell Learn more.
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BC Archives MS-0392 - Box 1, Volume 4-5
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Festubert 42 (continued p. 8)
At work at 4am making firing cover & grassing glacis - Bill Guiney who sleeps next me takes my turn at sentry as he & Kennie think I need next on account of my crack on the head & ration-packing
Under heavy shell fire most of day - we being within 300 yds of German advance trenches & directly behind Ger. comm. trench which Germans snipers creep - stench here awful at times - are partially enfiladed casualties to 4pm. 29 in company, 3 killed, Elliot struck with shrapnel & Rictehal 5 times, Morton a nervous wreck, struck in back about 2 pm, Van Dyke struck over eye by spinning splinter while observing for sniper, Shell fire very bad 6-8 pm, Never thought to see it through
Charge ordered 815 pm, Crossing Germ. Communc. Trench & German machine guns train on us & mow us down, I rush 50 yds then fall flat besides Hammond, shot thru leg, Poor Milburn (Plat. Sargeant) leading killed almost instantly - M.G. Traversed 1. my life saved as I tripped in Milburns equipment & fell on my face. Bullets clipped the high group in which I lay. Pitched on his face & gave a kick or two--We cross back Thru. shell gap in communication trench & prepare under Corp. Carr to advance along it - do so & start to dig in (now dark) Carr gets it in the hip & Jack Bradbury & Chapple--Lieut. Wallis finds us, orders us in the communication trench & to cut rampart down for rifle fire then we are told to move along & connect with the 13th (5th Royals) Are stopped by wire barricade & 250' of trench blow to pieces and heaped with dead--Cut gap & crawl thru one by one under bad fire & start to dig shelter trench to span the gap--Got down three feet. Wallis in altercation with O.C. of 13" who says his battalion cannot retire "We have held it with 40 men for you & you have 500"
(Continued beginning of book) Page 8
Friday, Saturday in the 3rd line, all Friday we are half dazed & most of us cannot sleep - Doubtless reaction from the terrific shell fire. In eveng 22d move to Essar Les Bethune
BC Archives, MS-0392 Box 1 Volume 4 / FRANK SWANNELL PAPERS / Diary and enclosures, 1915.