26th October 1916
Had my first gas attack today, when it started I thought the Hun was just shelling again then I stated to notice a yellow haze drifting towards my trench. I had practised putting on my gasmask lots recently for just this occasion my mates had laughed at me for this but five of them paided the price for it, one of them was leofrick, he couldn't put his gas mask on and I had to watch him die. I took hold of him to drag him to a cart to take him to a field hospital and I could see his pleading eyes roll back into his skull and him start to foam at the mouth as he choked up his own blood and lungs, it made me sick to watch.
All my mates I met on the train are dead now its only me left... I feel alone and just want to be back home with my girl and family I miss them so much. I wish this war was over and that we could sort out our differences with other countries and stop this pointless bloodshed and persecution.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Birthday Present!
25th October 1916
Today was my birthday, I was 20. I recieved my parcel from my mum, she'd given me some new socks which I really needed and some chocolate and cigerattes. Then there was my present from the Hun a counter attack proceded by heavy shelling and another 1000+ killed Hun to my name. We were having breakfast when the shelling started we all climbed into holes and little dugouts to protect ourselves about an hour later we got the call that the Hun were coming. As I was on the flank of our set of trenches I manned our lewis machine gun. As they started across no mans land I opened fire, the bullets cut them down in waves but more kept coming I kept firing and firing with leofrick reloading and feeding the bullets, I couldn't fire to fast though otherwise the gun would overheat and jam. I also had to be careful ofthe flying crank handle on the side of the gun otherwise it would smash my knuckels. Then our guns started firing over gas shells, this soon stopped the Hun coming out of their trenches, when I looked out over no mans land all I could see was rows and rows of dead or dying Hun and it was mainly due to me. Even now i'm still shocked I killed that many people. We lost another man though, crisps was on the shelling and he gassed himself, silly bugger. What a great birthday this was maybe it'll be better next year, I hope.
Today was my birthday, I was 20. I recieved my parcel from my mum, she'd given me some new socks which I really needed and some chocolate and cigerattes. Then there was my present from the Hun a counter attack proceded by heavy shelling and another 1000+ killed Hun to my name. We were having breakfast when the shelling started we all climbed into holes and little dugouts to protect ourselves about an hour later we got the call that the Hun were coming. As I was on the flank of our set of trenches I manned our lewis machine gun. As they started across no mans land I opened fire, the bullets cut them down in waves but more kept coming I kept firing and firing with leofrick reloading and feeding the bullets, I couldn't fire to fast though otherwise the gun would overheat and jam. I also had to be careful ofthe flying crank handle on the side of the gun otherwise it would smash my knuckels. Then our guns started firing over gas shells, this soon stopped the Hun coming out of their trenches, when I looked out over no mans land all I could see was rows and rows of dead or dying Hun and it was mainly due to me. Even now i'm still shocked I killed that many people. We lost another man though, crisps was on the shelling and he gassed himself, silly bugger. What a great birthday this was maybe it'll be better next year, I hope.
All quiet on the western front???
24th October 1916
Today was quiet, no shelling, no attacks we sat playing cards again and smoking we had to do a bit of repair and patching work on the trench but that was all we did all day though. However we did lose another man Huge he was going to the privy and a sniper got him right between the eyes, serves him right he didn't go over the toplast night he was to scared and was going to be shot for cowardice at dawn tomorrow anyway. I just hope we can finish this war soon " years is long enough for anyone.
Today was quiet, no shelling, no attacks we sat playing cards again and smoking we had to do a bit of repair and patching work on the trench but that was all we did all day though. However we did lose another man Huge he was going to the privy and a sniper got him right between the eyes, serves him right he didn't go over the toplast night he was to scared and was going to be shot for cowardice at dawn tomorrow anyway. I just hope we can finish this war soon " years is long enough for anyone.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Over The Top
23rd October 1916
We had just gone over the top, the ground ahead was muddy, wet and full of shell holes some 5m deep! We have been sent out to observe where the Huns are setting up more machine guns, the stench of rotting bodies as we trudged on almost made my cold bully beef stew come back! We had to use signals to communicate so that the Hun can't hear us, the worst thing is that if one person gets something wrong we all may die. There is also the constant threat of snipers which really doesn't help the confidence.
We had made it! We had just started to do sketches when we came under heavy machine gun fire we all the immeadietly hit the deck but not before mick got two bullets in the leg and arm. We started to fire back it, was horrible I had never shot at another human being before and been able to see the look of terror on their dieing faces, I felt so muderous.
We supressed their fire and finished our drawings when we got back to our trench we were all tired cold and extremely wet and muddy, sadly we had to leave mick behind cuz he copped 3 more bullets, one in the neck and two in the groin. That was 2 men we had lost in as many days this war is terrible i just want to go home back to Warwickshire.
We had just gone over the top, the ground ahead was muddy, wet and full of shell holes some 5m deep! We have been sent out to observe where the Huns are setting up more machine guns, the stench of rotting bodies as we trudged on almost made my cold bully beef stew come back! We had to use signals to communicate so that the Hun can't hear us, the worst thing is that if one person gets something wrong we all may die. There is also the constant threat of snipers which really doesn't help the confidence.
We had made it! We had just started to do sketches when we came under heavy machine gun fire we all the immeadietly hit the deck but not before mick got two bullets in the leg and arm. We started to fire back it, was horrible I had never shot at another human being before and been able to see the look of terror on their dieing faces, I felt so muderous.
We supressed their fire and finished our drawings when we got back to our trench we were all tired cold and extremely wet and muddy, sadly we had to leave mick behind cuz he copped 3 more bullets, one in the neck and two in the groin. That was 2 men we had lost in as many days this war is terrible i just want to go home back to Warwickshire.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
First Assignment
22nd October 1916
Today we have been ordered to conduct a artillery barrage on german trenches across no man's land. It is a horrible day, dark, cloudy and raining, the worst day possible for a artillery barrage. We trapsed off to the artillery trench after breakfast. Teams of 4 men to each cannon, their are 5 cannons and 19 of us in total. In each team of four, one guy aims the cannon, one re-loads it, one fires and the other views what was hit by the shell. Today our aim is to destroy some machine gun nests set up by the Huns on the flanks of their trenches. The cannons make an awful noise. In the artillery trench, it is really hot and stuffy. We were successful in our attack though, we took out both machine gun nests and killed the two Huns in each.
Got back to find we were going over the top tonight on a reconissance mission, not a good idea even in the cover of darkness no sleep tonight then ah well thats life!
Today we have been ordered to conduct a artillery barrage on german trenches across no man's land. It is a horrible day, dark, cloudy and raining, the worst day possible for a artillery barrage. We trapsed off to the artillery trench after breakfast. Teams of 4 men to each cannon, their are 5 cannons and 19 of us in total. In each team of four, one guy aims the cannon, one re-loads it, one fires and the other views what was hit by the shell. Today our aim is to destroy some machine gun nests set up by the Huns on the flanks of their trenches. The cannons make an awful noise. In the artillery trench, it is really hot and stuffy. We were successful in our attack though, we took out both machine gun nests and killed the two Huns in each.
Got back to find we were going over the top tonight on a reconissance mission, not a good idea even in the cover of darkness no sleep tonight then ah well thats life!
First Day At The Front
21st October 1916
Woke up to heavy shelling this mornin'. My Sargent then made us dig a trench for ourselves to stay in this toook us till lunchtime. Lunch was a tin of bully beef dumped on top of hard biscuits that had obviously been around for a couple of months. We stayed in the trench playing card games and smoking to pass the time. Then the rain started, it poured down for 3 hours after which the trench had 2ft of water in the bottom of it. We took turns doing sentry duty but thats how we lost the first guy Spatrick, he was on duty and decided to light up, unfortunatly for him a sniper was watchin and he took a bullet through the head. This brought everyone closer to the realisation that death was around every corner. That night we got a tot of rum to keep us warm and we slept under our trench coat trying to keep out of the water as best as possible.
Woke up to heavy shelling this mornin'. My Sargent then made us dig a trench for ourselves to stay in this toook us till lunchtime. Lunch was a tin of bully beef dumped on top of hard biscuits that had obviously been around for a couple of months. We stayed in the trench playing card games and smoking to pass the time. Then the rain started, it poured down for 3 hours after which the trench had 2ft of water in the bottom of it. We took turns doing sentry duty but thats how we lost the first guy Spatrick, he was on duty and decided to light up, unfortunatly for him a sniper was watchin and he took a bullet through the head. This brought everyone closer to the realisation that death was around every corner. That night we got a tot of rum to keep us warm and we slept under our trench coat trying to keep out of the water as best as possible.
Friday, March 2, 2007
The Journey
20th October 1916
Goodbye said I, stood waiting for my train at Victoria station. The training had been quick only 2 weeks - they are desperate for men at the front after the "big push" went wrong! I am regretting signing up but I had to, people were looking at me funny in the street.
I got on the train and immediately got talking with a bunch of guys from my new regiment. Mick (www.bangwazoo.blogspot.com), Leofrick (www.stonedbobmenchuk.blogspot.com), Crisps Mcboner (www.oychimichi.blogspot.com), Spatrick (www.myworldwar.blogspot.com) and Huge (www.myww1trenchdiary.blogspot.com) We got on really well and the train had arrived at the port.
We took a boat across to France on which many people were sick and then they marched us 50 miles to the front along already packed roads, the amount of supplies and men going up was enormous. Have to sleep in a muddy shell hole tonight, not that great for a first experience but it'll have to do!
Goodbye said I, stood waiting for my train at Victoria station. The training had been quick only 2 weeks - they are desperate for men at the front after the "big push" went wrong! I am regretting signing up but I had to, people were looking at me funny in the street.
I got on the train and immediately got talking with a bunch of guys from my new regiment. Mick (www.bangwazoo.blogspot.com), Leofrick (www.stonedbobmenchuk.blogspot.com), Crisps Mcboner (www.oychimichi.blogspot.com), Spatrick (www.myworldwar.blogspot.com) and Huge (www.myww1trenchdiary.blogspot.com) We got on really well and the train had arrived at the port.
We took a boat across to France on which many people were sick and then they marched us 50 miles to the front along already packed roads, the amount of supplies and men going up was enormous. Have to sleep in a muddy shell hole tonight, not that great for a first experience but it'll have to do!
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