20th June 1917

The day was quiet and as soon as darkness fell the QWRs were relieved by the Rangers and the London Scottish.

The whole of the area being a maze of deep trenches the way back was complicated and tiring.  In single file we negotiated the contours of the communication trenches by walking along the parapets and parades, occasionally crossing over the six-foot drop between in order to cut off corners.  Suddenly my foot caught in a section of telephone wires and I pitched headlong into a deep trench.  I was not badly hurt but two nasty gashes were bleeding on forearm and hip.  Cuts and wounds were a matter of daily occurrence, especially when handling the masses of German barbed wire which still created pitfalls for the unwary.  No doubt we had to thank the abominable A.T. injections by RAMC for the fact that such untended mutilations of the flesh healed without any sign of festering.

We plodded on for hours but the awaited road in the back area, which would take us to food, rest and sleep, failed to materialise.  B Company, Lieutenant May in command, was lost!


Fairly quiet.
Relieved at night by the Rangers and Scottish.
Back to Achicourt. Billet. Ruins of estaminet.

Original diary entry
Original journal notes