Sir Edmund Allenby

Having Service in barn, and Communion in Schoolhouse.

Pte. Wilson was mending wire in front, with a party at night, when they sprayed with MG on chance and got him. Don’t see much of other battalions. The instant a man is ill he is sent right away. One man has been sent home with appendicitis. Gen. Allenby is acting in command of 3^rd Army at present. The Germans have never been as far as this. They came within a mile of our first billets—chez M. le Curé—and a man suspected of spying was taken and tortured and killed. I don’t censor the officers’ letters. I put them on their honour. We have stopped all paper except ‘Times’ and ‘Daily Mail’, as they accumulate so when we were moving, and could not be carried.

[Ribeaucourt.]

Managed to keep quite warm last night tho’ we were under canvas. Very comfy billet tonight. Rain first, and then lovely sun. Roads exceptionally [remainder of letter missing, as are those of 28-30 October.]

[Couin and Beauval.]

Here we are back again at the place we stopped before going into the trenches. Only one casualty this week. ‘Downs’ [13^th Royal Irish Rifles] one, 11^th and 12^th [Royal Irish Rifles] eleven. We now trek away 12 miles today, and 12 tomorrow, well behind the line. 109^th Brigade go into the trenches for a week. Rumours of all sorts. 3^rd Army goes to Salonika is one. We go South West. Lunched with McClintock yesterday, and a good warm at the fire. They’re in the chateau, and they get the ‘Times’ the same evening! We got here after a 12 hour march. Large town, scattered billets. Move on tomorrow, 10 miles, when we stay for a week, when we go back to the trenches, taking the place of a Battalion in the 4^th Division, to who we and the 109^th Brigade shall belong for the period of two months we are trenching. I believe we shall take turns with a Brigade of that Division—8 days in and 8 days out. (Service in [place-name removed—probably ‘Dardanelles’] I’m glad to say, not for us.) Lovely day, cold wind. 107^th Brigade had about 25 casualties, I believe. I don’t actually live in the trenches, but in village 200 yards in rear. Was walking round them day and night, the exercise did me good. They are very much what I thought, but more maze like, and difficult to find one’s way about. More comfortable also for both officers and men. Very late before we got settled in tonight. We got a good report from the Trenches, I believe. Symon was out with the R.A., [Royal Artillery] but went to Vickers’ works to get some job. Our interpreter is troublesome and lazy. Roads very slushy today after yesterday’s rain.

Captain C H Ensor

Quiet night after all. We leave in the morn. Our people all coming out of the trench line now, and billet with the reserve tonight, setting off tomorrow morning, and having baths en route. We stay the night at a new place, and on to another place about 12 miles. We’ve had a capital week here, lovely weather and the men have enjoyed themselves. Three shells into far end of the village this a.m., and they’ve been spraying it with M.G. fire this p.m. No casualties. Three of our aeroplanes over the village this p.m., and the Huns fired at them for some time, but no result. I had a long morning round the trenches of the right battalion of the Brigade—with communication trenches, etc. They have eight miles of trenches to keep up! Geoffrey Bishop just got his commission, and Bishop with Reserve Cavalry in England. Adjutant had a sniping shot at a Hun at 800 yards range this morning. He made him move under cover pretty smart, but did not, I think, actually hit him tho’ very close. Poor Serbia seems in a bad way. Nasty blow about Bulgaria. In a way we are more comfy here, as it’s the first place we have managed to get firewood for a fire. A shell dropped near old Ensor in the trenches yesterday, and he dug up the nose of it and is carrying it about—(1 ½ lbs weight)—full of pride. Halahan is a splendid fellow, and Berry excellent, too. Service for Transport today, all the rest of the Battalion in the trenches.

Still lovely weather. A fairly quiet day and night, and all well. Today we are going to strafe them with MGs and guns of all sorts. We are not to return to our old billets but go somewhere else near here, I fancy, and take over a bit of the line from some Division gone away. At least that is the rumour. Dined last night with Nicholson. Capital fellow. He told me ours were the best lot he’d had under instruction, which was satisfactory. Had our first casualty last night—Pte. Wilson, ‘C’ Company, flesh wound in arm, rifle bullet.

Col. Balfour commands Royal Artillery. Just had tea with him. He left 18 years ago, and years ago took up Terriers RFA. Lives at Tetbury. Says Dickie is up north in Flanders. Great gunner. Hotham with him. Great strafe on our part, for half an hour, from 3.30 pm. All our guns—howitzers and 6-inch heavies poured in high-explosive shell on the Hun trenches. I watched it with the General from a capital place. Very pretty and accurate shooting. So far no reply at all. We leave here on Monday, I believe, and go behind the line again into safety for some time. Our movements are uncertain, but we move back on Monday. Carson made a fine speech on resignation, one of the best he has ever made. All very fit and well, and now quite into the changed conditions of living.

Footnotes

Sir Edward Carson resigned from the coalition cabinet on on 19 October 1915 over the Government’s policy on military operations in the Balkans. See Hansard.

I arrived just as they were bringing the German into the trenches; shot through the lung. Fairly quiet night, lovely day. No more shelling. 2^nd Division gone from here to Salonika and we to take their place in trench line, and not to return to our billets.

We leave here 26^th, and return to our original billets. Been all round another Battalion trenches this morning. Good walk; foggy morning. Am dining with another CO, and going round his trenches tonight. Wonderfully quiet last night, and we all slept like tops, and were most comfortable. Stronge and transport are about 1½ miles away and he comes in for each meal. Fanshawe is Divisional General of this Division, brother of the gunner. Very nice fellow. The mail bags I use as a zareba round my bed to keep off the wind. The first night we were here a working party composed of a few Glo’sters and some of our men, had two shells into them. Two Glo’sters were killed, and two of our men knocked down by the blast, but not touched and quite unhurt. I expect they will write home a useful account!

Second Lieutenant Tom Shillington

I visited the soldiers’ cemetery. About 30 graves, nicely kept, all with wooden crosses, about four feet in height. While here three of our aeroplanes came over and the Huns opened fire on them. No result, but very pretty to watch the bursting shell very high up. Our howitzers then shelled the Huns over our heads. Pratt and I dine out with Micklem, CO of 1/6^th Gloucesters. Was a subaltern in 1^st Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Knew Freddy. Wounded in November. Took over Adjutancy of Territorial Battalion and has now got command. After six years’ service!!

7.00 pm. In the middle the Huns fired two shells into the village. One burst in our yard, and one in the next. Pratt, Adjt and I retired to the cellar, but we’re up again now. A joint patrol of our men and the others, with young ‘Shill.’ and another officer, went out last night and met a similar patrol of Huns—result a scrap, in which we bagged one Hun, brought in and heard groans from three others. Our casualties nil, which was very good. Young ‘Shill.’ I hear, was excellent.

[Hebuterne.]

Here we are, in the firing line, billeted in a very dilapidated village, about 500 yards from the Huns. We got in a good bit after dark, and it was difficult to find the way about, and settle down into the various tumbledown houses allotted to us. Every company split up, half in trenches, and half in reserve, in a village. Adjutant and I in kitchen on ground floor. No food procurable last night, so I had a F. & M. [Fortnum and Mason] consommé—delicious. Walked round one company’s trench. It took two hours. Back at midnight to sleep fitfully. This a.m. went round with Brigadier Nicholson. Was in Hampshires. A three hours’ walk at top speed through a maze of trenches.

Halahan is splendid, and is now living with us, Munro goes to Dardenelles. I think we just escaped Balkans. They put 200 large shells into this village the day before we came in; no casualties to speak of. None yesterday or today. They hammered on part of this trench line two days ago; 400 high explosive shells; only three casualties, owing ot the line being held lightly in front. Some of the 107^th Brigade (Belfast regiments) got shelled whilst bathing, and had 15 wounded. Firing (somewhat desultory) rifle—goes on always. If place is bombarded we retire to cellars. We are all very fit and cheery. McClintock (late Berks) commands one of these Brigades; he is now in reserve, resting. We have captured a table and three chairs. Last night coming in we had to move 150 yards between platoons, and a like distance between vehicles. A guide met each company and took it off. This place is a ruin, the church battered to pieces, and shell holes in most houses. Not an inhabitant in the place. I met Munro attached to ‘I’ Battery, after Staff College, in 1890. Yesterday before leaving I addressed a few words to the men, and Halahan held a 10 minute service. Very nicely done.

Major A C Pratt

The trenches here are most comfortable, brick floors and officer’s dug-outs, with shelves, mirrors and beds; far more comfortable than billets. We have made our billet much better today. It is a one-storied house, with four rooms. Padre, Fergie, and Pratt in one room, Adjt. and I in another, which we use an ante-room, and a mess room and kitchen. We have rigged up a door and window and got the fireplace in order, so tonight are very cosy. A great outbreak of rifle and machine gun fire lasted from 4.30 to 6.00 p.m. and has now died away. A good cellar to this house. Plenty of derelict houses from which to take wood, doors, etc. but not a pane of glass in the place.

[Couin.]

We came here yesterday, 11 miles, and got into the trenches this evening, half company for 24 hours, then the other half. The half company takes over a half company front for 24 hours, and then each company takes over a company front, and then we return to our old billets for three weeks, I believe. Weather glorious, lucky, as we are not in billets here. Men came well yesterday. We are all very fit and well. The men get on very well with the inhabitants. The interpreter says the people like them. We don’t actually move from here until 4.00 pm I believe. Battalion headquarters in a house in the village. German trenches 700 yards away at this part of the line. This is a Territorial Division here; very good. I believe out since March. I think we come out of trenches Monday.

Footnote

It was now common practice for New Army units to undergo training with more experienced formations, in this case units of 36^th (Ulster) Division were attached to 4^th and 48^th (South Midland) Divisions. 9^th Royal Irish Fusiliers was attached to 144^th Brigade, 48^th (South Midland) Division—a Territorial Force formation comprising 1/4^th and 1/6^th Battalions, The Gloucestershire Regiment and 1/7^th and 1/8^th Battalions, The Worcestershire Regiment. To these battalions were attached A to D Companies respectively, with battalion headquarters attached to 1/4^th Gloucesters.

[Puchevillers.]

Am writing about 7.00 a.m., just before starting. In billet. 12 miles today and 10 tomorrow.