46 "Three-Shell Billet" Richebourg to Oblinghem

Day 16 h 20 min. long]  May-June 1915.   [4th, Sun rises 3h. 48 m.
Sunday 30 [150-215] Trinity Sunday

Billet or Gopher hole all day Working party 8-2 am night fixing communication trench in front - disagreeable as dig out dead Germans - Only got 3 or 4 shrapnel slung at us - As we are only seven in the section every man is taken - Beautiful moonlight light

Monday 31 [151-214]

-Green-red rockets & machine gun, musketry & artillery fire very violet at midnight - evidently an attack. Hear news of Jack Milligan being killed at Ypres In the billet all day - Kept standing to from 8 to 11 then marched thru Bethune to the hamlet of Oblinghem 4 kilos away - Arrive very tired at 2 am The major & I go prowling at 5 and find a bake shop where we get "cafe sur le plat" - pommes de terres frites - Refugee from near La Bassie - Get our first good wash for a week

Tuesday June 1 (30 days) [152-213]
Trinity Law Sittings begin

Wander down to the coal mine--with Hennie & Findley Nice woman this billet - Husband with French Transport, little boy Gaston & girl MarieLouise Mme Colle Williart a Oblinghem par Choques Pas-de-Calais (see letter page 56)--

Wednesday 2 [153-212]

Full hit parade with respirators p then noble feed chez le boulanger - soupe legumes - vin blanc, salade, radis, et paurets (leek)--all over the country foraging the latter. Miss muster parade & get orderly room, but make good before the adjutant as never warned

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