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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

*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum. Some materials may contain content that is racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. The Royal BC Museum is only the custodian of archival materials; the content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Royal BC Museum.

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Trenches 134-142

August 1915

Half-day in trenches - Spent afternoon plotting in the General's bedroom - 2 6" HE. shells come over at 2 pm. - one landing directly in front & other directly behind battery 150 yds back of La Petite Munque where we are. Splinters drop all around but nobody hurt - the 3rd shot, if it had come, would have got the battery sure. The court-martial in the garden beat a hurried and undignified retreat for shelter.

Baxter & I in trenches all day - Exceedingly hot work - Start chained compass traverse, throwing tape over traverse or chaining in rear of firing trench 'at the double'. Manage to get 100 foot chords in most places - Pretty risky chaining down ditch of Messines Road, as raked by fire of two German high-command trenches.

Gen. Leckie very appreciative of the work Canon Scott tells us of his visit to Ypres and how a shell crashed through roof of crypt killing 60 soldiers sheltering there.

Half day in trenches surveying Dragoon Alley get deliberately sniped at several times - Now expert at bobbing up & reading prismatic like greased lightning. Under cover I get dial approx. bearing - then Baxter holds bayonet above parapet ahead & I bob up & clamp exact bearing. Baxter takes some awful risks dashing across with the chain. Germans shelling Ploegsteert today. Start plotting map - Make Gen Leckie sketch proposed new trench.

Palethorpe of the 30th killed near me at Nellis Walk - Got through the head by a sniper. Sniper at Romarin chez Flore - shown draft of letter to Ada "Pour la fête de baptême ils avaient une bouteille du vin de Malage ce qu'ils boivent très rârement. Dereumaux

Pailthorpe killed

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

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