Relief went off all right, but I didn’t get in till nearly midnight. There was a good deal of firing of all sorts going on up to 11.00 p.m. Another lovely day, but getting very hot. This place is crammed with people, and a great dearth of water. Much less comfortable than when we were here before. Guns everywhere. We had a capital show yesterday p.m. Huns were very busy on railway about 150 yards from us. We got How. [howitzer] Major to come down and get his Hows. on and gave them 14 H.E.s (high explosive shells], two of which were most effective, and one saw baulks of timber flying in the air. Spoilt his little game for a bit and made him stuffy, and he just bursts trench mortars and whizz-bangs into the Battalion on our right during the evening. The How. Major, one Scott, was Geoffrey White’s Capt. in Riding Troop. Very nice fellow. Am going to visit his O.P. [observation post] this p.m. While we were at lunch an H.E. near a working party of R.E. [Royal Engineers], and killed a Sergeant.

Another lot of men go on leave May 3^rd, and the last lot of officers May 8^th. Then we begin again on 13^th. Wonder what the Govt. will do with Sinn Feiners, and Casement. Hope they’ll shoot the latter. There must be great excitement in the North over the capture of Dublin. Very hot. No paper, so we don’t know how Dublin is faring.

About 11.00 a.m. the Bosches began to put whizz-bangs all over our sector with a good many 4.2 Hows. into some new works. Lasted till about 1:15 p.m. No casualties. Movement about the area was difficult. Spent a most instructive three hours in R.A. observation post near here, and had a thorough examination of Bosche lines. Their line is marvellously strong. The Med. Officer of 12^th was wounded in both hands today, in the line.

Hope you’re having this grand weather? Had tea with Scott and How. Bde. [Howitzer Brigade] Schweder is one of his Subs [subalterns]. Notwithstanding water difficulties we bathed 150 men this p.m. I hope to do 200 tomorrow. Very warm evening again. Am trying to get eight days relief, instead of six, now the weather is good. One is just getting settled down to the work when one has to go out, and then the nightmare of relief. Monkhouse is Brig. R.A. 29^th Div. near here, I believe.