Survey Trenches 128-134 - Facing Messines Page 77 Day 12h. 57m. long ] SEPTEMBER, 1915. [10th, Sun rises 5h. 28m SUNDAY 5 [248-117] 14th after Trinity "On Top" survey of Fort Eberle.

MONDAY 6 [249-116] Survey around Fort Eberle + Higginson Ave - Walk around in plain view of 4 German Trenches on messines slope - Too far for sniping and evidently not reckoned worTh wasTing a shell on. make plan in evening for The general + finish list of supplies. SgT. Murrough 'recuperaTing' Very little shelling today, but heavy bombardmenT sTarTs aT 9 p.m. on our right. ForT Eberle heavily held by belTs of barb wire. Gen Leckie did not approve of our running our lines on Top of The Trenches " The Germans mighT shell you and register on our Trench" - He didn't seem to worry about our faTe differenT to Turner. Allan Liner "Hesperian Torpedoed sinks while being towed inTo QueensTon Harbour

TUESDAY 7 [250-115] Survey Front Line Trenches 136-137- 4 'whizz-bango' explode in fronT of parapeT near us. BaxTer geTs sTruck wiTh flying chunk of clay. 'Doc'[?] SuTherland wounded - 6" shell ricocheTs in fronT of parapet, bounds from Top, crashes Through roof of Docs DugouT. finally burying wiThouT exploding - 'Doc' struck on head by roofing[?] Timber - CurrenTly reporTed ThaT The shell ricocheTTed off his cranium. 128-134 - Trench 131 heavily bombarded wiTh whizz-bongs[?] 11 10am. Shrapnel fired aT 136 11 15am Large working parTy heard To lefT of La PeTiTe Dowe[?] unloading sTeel-beams, driving sTakes + dumping rubbish

WEDNESDAY 8 [251-114] Spend whole day in FronT Line Trenches - Meet Howard GresTock in angle of Currie Ave. Last saw him on Ry.Explor. Survey, 1901 - since been[?] in yukon - now CpT. [STraTheonas ?]in Trench 135 ran inTo Jas Landsborough from TemberTon - Now 7th Bn - jusT over German Trenches by La PeTiTe Dowe Fme 150 yds away - Risky work running survey back of Trench While chaTTing wiTh Landsborough Three whizz-bangs knock down parapeT 60 yds To our righT. - Throw sandbags in all direcTions - Same Time 5 men caughT by shrapnel in Currie Ave CT. - leave long Trail of blood along The clay walls 4pm. Boches aT La PeTiTe Dowe float over a red balloon abouT 4 fooT diam. - we fire + bring iT down inside our lines - red oiled paper - To Test wind for gas?

Landsborough later wounded - 6 mos hospital - [Returered?] to Walter Landsbouough[?] Killed on the Somme [Fron?] 1[?]

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