Made sketch map in graph ink of the trenches - Germans shooting at aeroplane - over us -shell casing falls close by in the corn & a piece on the corrugated iron over our beds. Howitzer battery near us firing into LaDouwe Ferme. Receive news from Margaret of the birth of a baby boy on Aug 2nd. very much relieved to find everything has gone well. Go to 16th & rustle stationary. Strike off over 50 copies of the map. Capt. Woods shows me letter from Col. Armstrong stating no vacancy school at Thorncliffe. Am asked if I will take commission with the Imperials. Go on pass, Baxter & I to Steenwerck & Bailloul to find what draughting supplies can be purchased - amusing interview with girls in stationery store - call on Oliviers & post office & Mme Chieux - indulge in a bottle of malaga in honour of the new arrival. Trenches 121 - 127 - enemy were busy at work at La Petite Douwe Fme - sounds of pumping & mixing cement being heard. Go on pass to Dieppe. Officers at Bde HQ: Br.Gen. Leckie Brig.Maj. Staff - Capt. Villiers, Clark-Kennedy - Aide-de-camp & Orderly Officer Cotton. Killed 1916. Borrow 100' tape from Divisional Engineers and survey front line trench 138. Down by "Lone Tree" we just finish when a "Whizz-bang " (small filed gun shell ) lands exactly where we had been - cuts branch clean of a tree. by the way our old Corporal Shaw (now degraded for [?] ) is nick-named "Old Whizz-bang" - owing to his erratic habits & way of 'flying off the handle'.