1918

Aug. but pleasant on the whole. Found H. Cole but nobody there. Tried & fine Chan as Hers but nothing doing only French hoops. Tried Hautecloque where we arr'd 1.30 am. - Beautiful modern Chan with best flowers & gardens yet seen - (We were now near St. Pol & West of ARRAS).

Aug 22. Very hot. On the move again - Billets - at ERUN near ARRAS. Old towers of Nat St Eloy in view from my windows. Too hot at night for blankets. Heavy bombardment by our guns & some 15 HV shells dropped in ETRON.

23. With Col Spry engaged all day & until 11.30 pm. entraining troops at Pt HOUVIN & WARRANS. Rain shelling at night - Dined in St Pol .

24. Cool. Move to WARLUS again. I had driver at transport lines of 29the with Nelson Bridgeman & Jones out in the open.

25. Sund. Ch Parade - visited 29th lines again

26. Heavy thunderstorm during night. Divn attacked on right of ARRAS at 3 am. Very successful - more rain

27. Showery wh. meant lots of mud. Attack progressing well & Casualties v. small

BC Archives, MS-2879, Box 83, File 1 CREASE FAMILY, "Diary of the War", diary and scrapbook of Arthur Douglas Crease, 1915-1919.