Saturday, March 13, 1915
Morning spent in physical and bayonet drill, and in the afternoon had a bath and change of linen. Very nice indeed, and after a good meal spent evening in recreation-room.
Sunday, March 14, 1915
Ye Gods! what a day; turned out at 5 A. M. and left billets in full marching order for unknown destination at 9. Marched all morning over an awful cobbled road and bivouacked in wheatfield all afternoon. In evening marched to trenches about four miles to the north of Armentieres. Got right to firing line to find we were not expected and not wanted. Here we are twelve or thirteen miles from billets and done to the wide. Spent two hours lying on the road whilst an empty farm was found which we reached about midnight. Went straight off to sleep, and never remember feeling as whacked before.
Monday, March 15, 1915
Spent day in farm waiting for further orders, and at 8 P. M. once more marched to trenches. Placed in supports in what once was a village—now not a whole house standing. I and six others put into a small coal cellar of a house of which one wall is now standing. Spent night on guard. Plenty of snipers about and grenades fairly frequent, but no shells.
Tuesday, March 16, 1915
Quiet day in cellar. Only two shells over, but no harm done. Evening on guard again similar to last night.
Wednesday, March 17, 1915
Another day in cellar. Slept most of the time and only a few shells over. In evening relieved by Dublin Fusiliers, and started on our return march to Bailleul about 9 o’clock. Reached our billets at 1:30 A. M. Thursday morning, very, very fagged. That beastly cobbled road is too awful, and everyone felt whacked, although the total distance marched could not have been more than twelve miles.