Bert Henson Diary - 3
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The War Diaries of Bert Henson
Diary 3 of 10 is summarised below - View full text of Diary 3
Summary of Diary 3
1916 Jul/Aug
29—7
Headquarters to Trenches C129. Warm weather. Romania joined Allies. Aircraft overhead and artillery fire.
1916 Aug
8---15
To Tissage. A lot of practice. German machine gun captured—Spandu. Cap. Scott is now Major.
17
Tissage to Armentieres.
18---20
Armentieres to Blaringhem via Steenwerck. By train and foot, Blaringhem very rural.
21---22
By train to Pont Remy then 8 mile march to Airaines.
1916 Aug/Sept
23---1
Airaines. Today 23 , 12 months ago was in camp at Trentham (NZ). Parades, Flag drills and signal practice also Major Campbell gave bayonet instruction.
1916 Sept
2
Airaines to Cavillon. Three and half hour march. Billeted in old shed.
3---6
Reached Breilly after 2 hour tramp. Billet a shed with plenty of hay. Near Somme River.
7---9
By foot to Rainnville. Passed an Aerodrome and saw Hun prisoners working on roads. Rainnville to camp near Albert. Break in Diary entries except a brief entry Sept 15, “Commenced Somme advance again” and about Sept 16 another entry describing fierce fighting.
Diary recommences Thursday 5 Oct.
1916 Oct
5---10
Redoubt to Pont Remy. By train and foot. First billet rough, found another, clean hay and good food.
11---13
Pont Remy to Armentieres. By train to Strazeele and lorrie to Armentieres.
14---19
Armentieres, trenches C126. Relieved the Australians.Trenches not in good repair and wires need fixing.18th Oct Capt. McKinnon wounded,Capt. Urquhart new O.C.
20---25
Trenches to SS. Frosts and rain. A little enemy fire.
26---31
Subsidiary Line to Support (GRQ). New station is good. Parcel from home.
1916 Nov
1---6
GRQ to Armentieres. Relieved by Otago Sigs. Working 2hrs on 15hrs off.
7---12
D R B to Armentieres trenches GR15. Trench in bad order. In concrete bunker. A bomb landed close and we all got a bit of concussion.
