Arthur Douglas Crease Letters, Diaries and Scrapbooks
Letters from Arthur Douglas Crease of Victoria to his brother Lindley Crease and his mother Sarah Crease; instructions for the offensive of July 26, 1917; a regimental notebook, diaries and scrapbook. Learn more.
*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person.
BC Archives MS-0055; BC Archives MS-2879
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26 Sept Tues. About 10am. (zero hour being 12.30) Recd orders to go to front line to replace casualties. (Ben having moved to place of assembly in Courcelette the night before) Everett & Harper having been killed & many others - Dashed off at once with Watson & Dagger & after v. exciting trip reached Bn Hqrs in Sunken Road Courcelette at noon - (This road was one of the hottest spots in France or Belgium) after a long wait, almost suffocated & stiff with cramp, was told to take over A. Co. from last officer there (Adams) who was practically all in - Had to pass through the famous quarry wh. was a death trap from snipers & MG's in daytime but did not reach trench till 10 pm & when J took over command found many casualties and everyone too worn out to give useful information - only 3 Véry lights for flare pistol. Almost immediately shell dropped on our only Lewis Gun killing the whole crew & burying the gun. Sent a runner to Bn HQ & tried to establish connection on left which was in the air - Beat off a German counter
BC Archives, MS-2879 CREASE FAMILY Box 83 "Diary of the War," diary and scrapbook of Arthur Douglas Crease, 1915-1919. File 1