Survey 139-142-Trenches 76

September, 1915

Henry Bateman now with Engineers - stringing barb wire every night (Nov 1916 - now with Artillery - won military medal

Thurs 2 Thursday

Germans shelled Trenches 139-142 while we were surveying - Cut Tres to pieces at end of "Nellie's Walk" 10 minutes after Baxter & I had been chaining there.

One man of the 15th killed and three wounded Our artillery retaliate - Big bombardment toward Hooge with machine gun & rifle-fire started on us because out guns to the left were registering

All enemy troops seen within the last 3 days have been in full marching order.

Friday 3

Heavy enemy bombardment to SW. of Messines 6-9 pm 121-127 Enemy working party on right of crater (121) dispersed by hand grenades - Enemy replied with rifle grenades Sniping lively 128-134 Green flare observed - enemy working party to left of flare stopped

16th go into trenches Wet miserable night, Trenches knee-deep in mud. Baxter & I go to Nieppe to make BP.s -- Dinner with a refugee family from Rossingol - Their cottage torn down by British as it interfered with line of fire -- Name Jacquet. We get soaking wet returning - Go to Romarin with Dave Donaldson to dry out & get my new tunic shortened by Mlle Flore - charge quart' sous Four more of our boys wounded & two killed by HE at trench 141

Saturday 4

General goes very fully into the matter of an outfit with me. Trench 141 & La Plus Douve Fme shelled again - Court & Evans killed & Capt. Wood wounded - Court was oldish chap, formerly in stationery office Govt' Bldg's Victoria. - Had been corporal but reverted to ranks in June. -- Quite a talker & expert on psychology. New draft passed last night singing "Alouttee" & Henry 8th" - 30th? Trenches in awful state & roads liquid with mud - Regular cloud-burst during the night. Thirty of new draft were French-Canadians in kilts too - dead drunk - probably in disgust at having to wear kilts. Heavy bombardment at Hooge 2. am. Chateau La Hutte Crest Cottage & Dead Cow Farm shelled. Trenches 121-127, sniping brisk at daybreak -- 8 pm. heavy bombardment started to left of Messines -- Enemy guns replied. 921 pm Heavy explosion behind Messines & Fire started 3 Enemy linesman crossing 130 pm. Towards Lone Tree -- one round got two of them.

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