|
This
extract from Alf Durnell`s World War I diary was published in Toby Neal`s history page in the Shropshire
Star 100 years after the events.
Exactly
100 years ago a Shropshire soldier was going through hell on earth,
meticulously recording the horrors he saw every day in October 1917 in hand
written diaries
Alf
was in the Royal Garrison Artillery and was pitched into the maelstrom of the
Ypres campaign. Born in Wellington in
1895, he was the son of a policeman. He
joined up in December 1916 and served with 113 Siege Battery, firing a six inch
howitzer.
Thursday
4th October 1917
Left rest camp at 2pm for our new position at
Ypres. Got there at 3pm and went to the
billets of 123 Bty (i..e. gun battery) who we were relieving. Had my first issue of rum, it was very strong
and nearly got over me.
Friday October 5th
Went
to Bty at 8am and took over all guns.
The Bty is in an awful place and in going there I saw some most pitiful
sights on the Menin Road, dead horses lying everywhere and smelt awful. Here and there some poor chap was lying on a
stretcher dead waiting to be buried. Next we come to the field ambulance station,
poor wounded lying everywhere. Over on
the right a burial ground and a chaplain is just burying a few dead. That is a sight you see each time you pass.
I
was on No 4 gun, we fired 80 rds (i.e. rounds, shells) in reply to one of our
infantry S.O.S. call. Rum issue again
and my word you want it for its raining hard and no shelter.
Sunday October 7th
The
day which will remain in my memory as long as I live. Paraded at 7.30 and went to Bty. Got spades and 25 of us, under Lieut.
Sizeland went another 3kilos (kilometres) further on to dig a new
position. It was an awful journey. Fritz was shelling all round us, but we had
to go through it, horses, wagons and men were knocked into the air like bits of
wood. It was most pitiful, men were
lying dead everywhere, horses all over the place and such a smell. I can say Fritz knocked hundreds out in a few
minutes.
Well
we pushed on amongst it all, bits flying everywhere and thinking every second
would be the last, then one of our wagons skidded and the driver fell off,
breaking his leg, so we had to patch him up.
Well we got to the site of new position at last and what a site too, it made
you feel bad to look at it, shell holes everywhere and poor horses which carry
shells up were stuck up to their stomachs.
There
is not even a blade of grass behind where Fritz is shelling.
Went
and had a bit of bully beef and Wilcox got wounded. The shelling went on until 4pkm and we had
to wait until 7pm on before we could start back through and mud up to our knees,
and what a long walk it was. Distance 9
kilos. Landed back at billet at
9pm. Got a cup of hot cocoa at
YMCA. That was all we had since 12
0`clock.
As
I have said, I shall never forget it as long as I live for it was cruel.
Tuesday October 9th
Started
a big barrage fire at 5am and the infantry went over on a big push. They got all their objectives and a lot of
prisoners. Our guns fired 800 Rds
between 5am and 11am. It was awful hard
work on the gun for the mud was up to our knees. A big lot of wounded came down all day long
and one case I noticed was two German prisoners helping one of our chaps down
the line, they were only boys.
Saw
several tanks, they were not as large as I thought they would be. Fritz sent three shells close to No 4
gun. Covered me in mud. Expected to have a Blighty one (i.e. a wound
requiring him to return to Britain) every second.
Saturday October 13th
Fritz
still shelling heavy. I ws hit in the
back with a piece of shell, but it did not go through my overcoat. Tired out not having had any sleep for 48 hrs.
Sunday 14th October
 |
 |
 |
| Alf Durnell, was gassed twice but returned to resume his career as a railwayman. |
"I noticed two German prisoners helping one of our chaps down the line". | "shell holes everywhere and poor horses which carry shells up were stuck up to their stomach". |
