"An Island Unit" the 2Nd Siege Battery in the Great War

"An Island Unit" The 2nd Siege Battery in the Great War

Part Two By Earle Kennedy and Boyde Beck

"Fine little war" cellars they lived in and scrounging the infantry completed meticulous for wood. "Came off duty at 1 PM," preparations, the guns moved into ineteen seventeen was to be the Macnevin wrote on 2 February. "Cut position and began to search out the N year the Allies won the war. The some wood (Tait and I). Had a shave German positions. French planned a massive spring offen- and wash. I believe this is the longest sive near the River Somme. The British cold spell for about 90 years. Hope it Tue Mar 6 - Had a very busy day. planned an equally massive summer does not last long. Wal is sick."* Clear for observation. Put an enemy offensive near the city of Ypres. April The Battery was also adjusting to a battery out. Airmen very active. As near brought news that the United States significant re-organization. Since arriv- as I can learn three enemy planes and had declared war on Germany and ing in France they had been attached three of ours came down. One enemy promised a million troops by 1918. to a variety of British army units. plane drove one of ours down. He fol- Allied generals were confident the war They were now part of the newly- lowed it back to our battery at a very would be over by then. created Canadian Corps. Including all low altitude. Very interesting sight. It was the first full winter at the four Canadian infantry divisions; the nd front for the 2 Siege. One of the Corps7 first assignment was to seize a Wed Mar 7 - A cold hazy day with a very high wind blowing. Quiet on most daunting tasks was simply stay- ridge north of the city of Arras; ing dry and warm. The weather - near a village named Vimy. Timed cold and rainy for most of January to start just before the French offen- *Waldron Vanlderstine was hospitalized with - turned cold and snowy toward the sive, the attack on Vimy Ridge would bronchitis on 5 February. He soon developed end of the month. When not on duty both gain valuable terrain and serve a serious case of pneumonia, which wors- the men of the Battery spent much ened after he was transferred to a hospital in to drain German troops away from England. He died on 17 July, 1917. of their time shoring up the leaky where the French would strike. While

23 Wed Mar 28 - Very nice day Put 100 rds into an enemy battery Put a few rds into three others. Fritz shelled the front line along Zouave Valley heavily for a couple of hours. Hope the war does not keep on for very many years. Rain in evening. Sun April 8th - Moved into another old cellar below QM Stores. Artillery very active all along this front. Still shooting up hostile batteries. Day fire. Loaned Sgt Jenkins my revolver. Mon April 9th - Our infantry went over the top at5.27AM*Made a very fine advance. Captured nearly 10,000 prisoners. Mr Hooper, Sgt Jenkins accompanied by a party of our tele- This ruined cellar was used as a dugout phonists went to La Folie Farm. Had a hot time. Mr. Hooper had a scratch. Geo Walker received a piece in the our part of the line. Albert Dinnis and Mon Mar 26 - At about 12.30 AM arm. I was on Btty office and had a 1 were back two miles to a canteen. Fritz smashed in the side of No 1 very busy time. Shot on 34 targets. gun with an HE shell. Nobody hurt. Imagine walking four miles for a can April 11th - At Lorette all day. About of beans. Cost a Franc and one half Rain and sleet all day. Poor fighting eight inches of water to stand in. Had (worth one Franc). And glad to get weather. them at almost any price. A Franc means a days pay. Thur Mar 22 - Had a quiet morning. Cold and snowing. In the afternoon the enemy put some 5.9 stuff in around No 2 Heavies. Put one gun out of action, so that it will have to go to the shop. Two others were slightly damaged. No men injured. The infantry chaps who were in quarters were not so fortu- nate, three were killed and six wounded. Then we come to the old dogs, ourselves. We had one man wounded, fames Kinsman. Also one telephone slightly damaged and a number of wires cut. Sun Mar 25 - Around office all day Very busy. Had a knock-out shoot on an enemy battery. The CB [Counter Battery] commander was observing the shoot and said it was the best he had ever seen.

*See J. Clinton Morrison's "Bloody Easter: Islanders at Vimy Ridge," in The Island Gunner Jack Turner washes up, winter 1917. Note the homemade stovepipe Magazine #31 (Spring/Summer, 1992). sticking out of the ruins behind him.

24 Drake is dangerously hurt. Not expected to live. Sun Apl 22 - Was out at OP. The weather was fine and we had an excellent view of our targets (Trenches and wire) near La Coullote. Fritz also had excellent observation on us. He pre- pared a little strafe for us. He apparently turned a four gun battery of 5.9" Hows on us with about 10 rds gun fire. The 40 shells arrived in about five minutes in and around our OP. It was a very warm corner and it is almost a miracle that we had no casualties. We evacuated that position and upon taking up another were shelled for the rest of the day. Later we occupied a third OP. Arrived back Near the positions at Vimy Ridge. at Carency about 9 PM. Supper, cold tea and a few pieces of hardtack and some rain and about four inches of were put into new P., 8"5.9" and 4.1". a spoonful of marmalade. Fine little war. During yesterday and today the snow. Things are not at all pleasant to Made some porridge and turned in. 5th Canadian Siege had 25 casualties, say the least. Had a splendid view of the th enemy territory for about twelve miles Wed Apl 18 - Not a very pleasant 5 of which were killed. back during fine intervals. Up to this day. Was out on OP. Walked from rd Carency to Souchez and then over to Mon Apl 23 - We attacked on a evening we have counted nearly 1 1,000 small front today. I believe it was a prisoners and 116 guns. Canadians cap- Vimy Ridge and Givenchy and on to a point where we could command a failure. Was in old position all day. tured 7 5.9" hows and 2 8" as well as Things are quiet back here. smaller guns and much material. view of our targets. The walking was terrible. I could not describe it. The Tue Apl 24th - Nice fine day, roads April 12 - The weather has cleared. whole country is torn up by shells and are dusty. One thirty PM we buried Snow is melting rapidly. Terrible mess the ground being loosened up is just Morpheus Robertson and lorrymen underfoot. The battles are still in prog- like a saturated sponge. Progress is Drake and Deck in Villiers-au-bois cem- ress. Enemy shelling of back areas has most difficult, even for a man walk- etery, which is quite near the railway decreased in this sector. ing. I was very tired when I got back. station. Nothing of importance occurred th April 13 - Artillery activity seems Sat Apl 21st - Not a bad sort of morn- today. Just heard that the 5 Canadian below normal for a time like this. We ing, as to weather. Did not have to go to Siege lost 2 men killed today. shot on Fosse 6 and a trench to the Btty today as I am going to OP tomor- Tue May 1 - Lovely fine day. Did not left this afternoon. At about 5 PM row. This morning about 9 o'clock one fire during morning. Just finished fir- we received word that our infantry of our lorries was damaged by shell ing on one target and Fritz turned on was around the Fosse and that we fire and Robertson was very seriously his fireworks, 8" stuff He certainly should not fire any more without spe- wounded in the head. Ray Morse was made it hot. Turned one of our 8" hows cial orders. Also we could see smoke hit in the arm and some wooden splin- upside down and backed another out rising from the village of Angre and ters struck him in the face. Another of its place. Blew up some 8n shells. Leivin. It looks very much as if the lorry working in the same place was Btty about 200 yards from us. He enemy were preparing to retire. 6.30 struck and Cecil Stewart was wounded also got some ammunition in a field PM. Received orders to move tonight in face and neck. Eddy Duffy in arm Btty. I do not know what if any dam- to a position about 3500 yards up, in and neck. Reg Ramsay in head and age was done to the guns. One shell the village of Souchez. It is called by arm. Tom Fraser was very badly wound- struck about 8 yds from our No 4 gun. us the mistry village. ed, body and legs. Not expected to Altogether it has been a very lively live. A new chap named William Glover Apl 15 - In old position today work- day. I was on duty in office. Can hard- struck in leg. Lorrymen Drake and Deck. ing at a new map. About 300 shells ly write on account of the concussion

25 Cutting the trail up and spade off completely. Luckily we were not firing at the time or the whole crew would have been killed. We have no guns in action. First time since coming to ' % r * :^*j^™&*&~ • -UM France. We sent Nos 3 & 4 back to workshops, at dark. Sun May 6 - We are going back to Houdainfor a few days rest. Are being relieved by the 3rd Siege. It is very welcome at this time. The weather is beautiful and if it holds we will have a fair time. Most of the boys walked back to Carancy. Jack Sterns and I went together. We were sitting on the low bank beside the road and hearing an aeroplane flying at about 1000 feet elevation we look at her and thought Ammunition dump. it looked like a Fritz, but decided that it could not be and was one of ours coming home after the days work. She of our guns firing and shells bursting Fri May 4th - Fine. Canadians still descended to a much lower elevation around. I wish Fritz would hack out of holding Fresnay and have consolidat- and after circling around for a few Lens right quick. ed their position. Enemy shelled this minutes dropped three bombs. They did no damage. Then he came at us rd village quite freely today and tonight. Thur May 3 - Fine Day. (On We had a gun come up from work- with his machine gun. We got behind office). We attacked at 3.45 AM. Very shop, arrived at 9 PM. We got her in what was left by a brick wall. Next severe fighting continued all day. The action at 11 PM. he tried to destroy a captive balloon. Canadians reached their objective but It was nearly dark and he was using the Imperial troops failed. The resis- Sat May 5 - About twelve thirty a tracer bullets, so we could see what tance was very great. Casualty lists shell struck the trail of No 3 gun (the kind of shooting he was doing. He on both sides must be very heavy. one that came in a few hours ago). came very close to her and the two men descended in parachutes. Fritz turned his attention to them and suc- £/• 'viV' M ceeded in wounding one of them in the back. We went over and had a look at his wound which fortunately was not serious. By that time the plane had gone, pursued by rifle and machine gun and anti-aircraft shells.

The 9 April attack on Vimy Ridge exceeded expectations. Though the Canadians7 victory came at the cost of io;ooo casualties; it was considered a fine omen for the larger battles about to begin. But the fighting on and around Vimy Ridge went on longer that expected. A major reason was an unexpected crisis in the French sector. Commencing on 16 April, their much- anticipated spring offensive yielded Gun pit.

26 Mon May 28th - Came off duty at 8.30 AM. Enemy artillery very active in this village. Spotted the principal offending from OP. We directed our fire on him for some time and he remained silent for remainder of day. Leave is starting. And boys have drawn for first turn. Sat June 2nd - Went on duty at 8.30 AM. Had a very busy day, knock out shoots on two hostile batteries as well as several shoots on active batteries which we silenced. The canteen opened as per schedule, and some of the boys imbibed too freely with the usual results. There was certainly some fun around while it lasted. In the late evening I was preparing the dope Grave marker for Arthur Johnstone. to engage those HB's and went into the telephone office to get a wind report. Was talking to Jack Sterns when a little more than i2o;ooo casualties in bit of sleep. About 5 o'clock he started shell came over, bursting very close. five days. France's army; which had shelling with 5.9" HE around and in Went out and heard someone say we suffered 2.5 million casualties since our position, about 50 shells coming had some men wounded. They car- 1914; exploded in mutiny. Soldiers uncomfortably close. One of our men, ried three chaps into the old school. remained at their posts; but made it Stanley Moyle received several bad A chap named Steele and one named clear they would fight only to repel wounds. His foot was just hanging Rudderham were wounded and poor German attacks. The mutiny was the and the muscles of one forearm were little Keller died in a very few minutes. best-kept secret of World War I. Percy torn away. Another chap was hit in Keller came with us since Fricourt. He Macnevin; who was on leave in Paris the arm, not seriously. The village was belonged to Montreal The other boys during its height; wrote only: "The shelled fairly heavily all night. Mr. joined us at Thelus about two weeks people treat us very well indeed. Stephens was coming out of his dug- ago. Both are likely to go to Blighty. Not many Canadians have visited the out when a shell burst near, blowing The shell arrived at 11.48 PM. The city." In order to distract the Germans it in on him. from the suddenly-fragile French, the Major is certainly a great fellow when British had to stay on the attack, Wed May 20 - Moyle died during the anyone is injured. Cant do enough for even while preparing for their own night. Hard luck. Had a fair day and them. It is now nearly 2 AM. a quiet night. offensive. Mon June 4th - Left Angre at 11.30 Sat May 26 - Came off duty at 8.30 AM by lorrie along with 24 other for Mon May 21 - On duty for 24 hours. AM but worked around until dinner CCHA HQ [Canadian Corps7 Heavy A young chap named George Jones who time fixing up the office. Enemy artil- Artillery Headquarters] at Berthonval came to us in a draft in Feby went back lery active. Day fine. Had one man Farm where we had dinner. In the to a canteen yesterday and had not wounded this evening. Piece hit his afternoon we drove to a rest camp at returned this morning. A search party elbow. His name is JB Styche ofNS. "Division." Rotten trip in a crowded discovered his body in Neuville St. Vaux. lorry on dusty roads. At the rest camp Sun May 27 - Fine morning. On duty Poor chap. He was badly hit, his head we are in tents. It is a very nice place at 8.30 AM. Was relieved for gas hel- being gone and all his chest torn away. for a rest, but they have no camp met inspection. On duty again during Just heard that Rex Kelly received a detail and we are required to supply the night. A small piece of the breech wound in the abdomen. The Dr. does 50 men per day for fatigues and it is block of No 1 gun blew off and struck not know how serious it may be. Jones a very small camp. I would sooner be Elmer McKay on the leg. He has gone was buried near Neuville St. Vaux. up the lines. I would like to write my to the hospital. Had an SOS call dur- opinion of some people. We see some Tues May 22 - Came off duty at 8.30 ing night. fine stunts by aeroplanes back here. AM. Turned in at 11 AM and had a

27 afternoon Harry Fownes, when dodg- ing from a shell, cut his knee rather badly and went to hospital. Sat June 30 - (Rain) Off duty. Our troops are still advancing slowly but surely. Fritz persists in keeping us well supplied with poison gas. It is very uncomfortable. July ist - On office. Showery. All Batteries in Can Corps fired three sal- voes, one at 12 noon one at 12.02 & one at 12.04 in honour of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Dominion. Mon July 2nd - Our Armourer, Staff Sgt John Charles Beck (No 590) was killed this morning about 3.10 o'clock. German mass grave. He came out with us and was an excellent fellow. Fritz still shells heavily with gas. Looping the loop and spinning nose Mon June 18 - Off duty. Fritz very Tue July 3 - At 6 Am the last of a dive and side-slipping are among the busy on counter battery work. His series of shells struck by our dugout hair rizers. artillery does not appear to do as and destroyed the blankets which help good shooting as last year. protect us from gas. Also broke our Tue June 5 - Had five eggs and a dou- mirror, which was a very nice one over ble order of chips. Feel OK now. Did not Mon June 26 - On office. Our team 2 ft by 3ft. Albert Dinnis and I are do much today. Am certainly lazy. won the championship of the First buddies in that dugout. We along with Army (Art.) in tug of war. Art. Very the other boys were nearly smothered Wed June 6 - Fine hot day. Am active all day. About 6 PM received with the foul gasses. On duty all day not feeling up to much. I think it is word that the enemy were retiring on and most of the night. Stayed up at the effects of the gas I ate last fall. a portion of our front. And we received office and read a book for remainder Escaped work today on that account. orders to take up an advance posi- of night. Imagine it being necessary to say tion, about a mile from the trenches that at a (Rest Camp?) Our ball team now occupied by him. We continued Sat July 7th - On duty in Btty. Fine played a game at CCHA. Lost. firing until 8.30 PM. At nine our outfit day and we had a knock out shoot Fri June 8 - Rained heavily again last had gone with sufficient material to on a Hun battery. Nothing very impor- night. Today is hot. We have 81 men carry on in the new position. As usual tant happened. in our div. Of the camp, 16 only were it rained very hard. Sun July 8 - Showery today. I stayed not on fatigues and they were ordered Tue June 27 - / am in old position between the blankets until dinnertime. out on infantry drill. I did not go, but preparing a new fighting map. My After dinner I had a hair cut and protested to Mr. Ritchie. Dont think brother went up to NP [new position] shave also a bath. About 3 o'clock a it will do any good. Two others and last evening. Received a phone mes- shell came over and wounded Arthur myself beat it from camp and walked sage this morning saying that at — Johnstone in the leg. He was taken to to Houdain. Got paid 50 Francs. AM a shell landed near the tail of our the dressing station and everything Bought some underwear. Had a hot gun #2 . Some of our men were work- possible done for him, but the loss of bath. Feel fine this evening. ing there and Aubrey Densmore of blood and shock proved too great and Thur June 14 - Received orders to pre- Moncton, Jerry Gallant of Ch'Town he died at 7.15 PM. The Batty loses a pare to return to Btty. Left rest camp at and Harold Kerr of Quebec were good man and I along with others a 11.20 Am. Motor transport to CCHA. No killed. Percy Bell, Mike Cheverie, Sgt good friend. I thought a great deal of transport provided from here to Btty. Duff Albert MacPherson, Dave Ross, him and feel very badly. Had to walk. Very warm day No sport. of PEI and WA Ross wounded. In the

28 named Passchendaele, at the top of one of the ridges overlooking the British trenches. But the offensive soon bogged down - literally - in one of the wettest summers on record. Two months of almost con- tinuous assaults and 300,000 casualties later, the British were still at the bottom of Passchendaele ridge. By late September every division in the British Expeditionary Force was exhausted and the Australia-New Zealand (ANZAC) Corps assumed the brunt of the fighting. By late October they too were worn out. The Canadian X „ lit •i fill! SO" Corps was moved north and on 26 r"' \ ill m •HBl IliliB *€;; October took over the assault. Twelve O it ^ .,'"Ii V III mil • 1 days later they entered the collection Belgian refugees. of shell craters that had once been the farming village of Passchendaele - at a cost of 16,000 casualties - and the offensive was closed down. Thur July 12 - Off duty. A year ago Wed Aug 15 - Went on duty 9 AM. By the luck of the draw, Percy Walter Lantz was killed. It seems a Feeling sick, effects of gas. This is the Macnevin missed most of the battle. much longer time. day for a little drive at the Hun. Had The Battery had just settled into its Mon July 23 - On office. Fritz was a very hard day. Shot on 33 targets new positions west of Ypres when very nasty this morning. Between six during my 24 hours. The weather is word of a 14-day leave came through. and seven o'clock a few shells came ver bad for us. The affair was suc- He left with Lt. Jenkins to play tourist over. Apparently for registration. From cessful. Canadians reached all objec- in Italy. Even there, the Islanders seven until nine he put about 500 tives. The Germans lost very heavily couldn't escape the war. The first of shells into and around our billets. especially the Prussian Guard. All the November found them at the train sta- It was certainly hot and luckily we boys returned safely. They did exceed- tion in Venice, caught up in the general had no casualties. A number of men ingly well and were complimented. panic that followed the Italian's disas- belonging to other units were killed trous defeat at the Battle of Caporetto. and wounded. One of our guns suf- "A devil of a time77 After getting our tickets fixed fered some damage to the carriage. up we found seats in a first class The "little drive" Macnevin mentioned Wed Aug ist - Starting another month carriage, ''Macnevin wrote. "Shortly was an assault on a treeless ridge of this crazy slaughter. There seems before starting time the people sud- outside the town of Lens. Military no chance of the end coming this denly went mad, crazy, such scream- maps called it "Hill 70" and like Vimy year. In fact, owing to the Russian ; ing and shouting. In about ten sec- Ridge it was territory the British had disaster we may be heavily attacked ; onds the train was emptied, Mr. been trying to capture since 1915. uy Kjerman troops reieaseu jrom trie Jenkins and I being alone in our car. Also like Vimy Ridge, it fell swiftly to east. However we are here, so let them At first we were tempted to follow, the Canadian attack. Though it cost pass the men along. It is just as well not knowing why the others went. the Canadians 4,000 casualties, it was to kill them here as 20 miles further Then thinking an enemy air attack considered a minor affair compared east. I had the day on office. by bombing planes, we sat down. to the huge battle going on 30 miles Soon they decided to start the train Tue Aug 14 - Off duty. The boys are north. There, in the Ypres Salient, the people rushed into the cars in getting ready for the drive. Fritz put the British had launched their major great disorder. One woman sat down over a great number of gas shells dur- offensive on 1 August. beside me and commenced sobbing ing the night. Some of us received Officially, it came to be called the and wimpering. Mr. Jenkins tried to slight amounts of it. Third Battle of Ypres. The objective persuade me to put my arms around for the first day was a small village her but I merely patted her on the

29 In the winter of 1917-18, the mood among the British and their allies was one of foreboding. No one knew when - if ever - the armies of France would be able to resume offensive opera- tions. American troops were begin- ning to trickle into Europe, but they were barely-trained, poorly-equipped and months away from being ready to fight. Russia was out of the war, allowing the German command to transfer over a million experienced, battle-hardened troops to the western front. It wasn't a question of if, but simply where and when they would attack. The hammer first fell on 21 March near the Somme, at the boundary between the British and French sec- tions of the front line. "Heinie7s great offensive started this morning.77 Macnevin wrote on 22 March. shoulder and gradually quieted her. On 11 November Macnevin was "Evidently he is making a great bid 7 Then we settled down for a quiet back in the trenches. "Not very pleas- for victory/ The Germans hoped to time. No such luck. It was in the mid- ant. The gunners are having a devil split the British and French armies, dle of the Italian reverse and the ref- of a time in the mud.;; The Canadians forcing the British to retreat toward ugees were coming back heartbro- were moved back to the Vimy Ridge the English Channel and the French ken and almost irrational. All classes sector; and Christmas Day found the to fall back on Paris. The battle raged of people were put into all classes of 2nd Siege in their old positions at for three weeks. The Germans drove cars. Between Mr. Jenkins and I, we Lievin. "Had no breakfast but arose a 25-mile-deep dent in the Allied line cared for a wee girl for most of the in time for dinner, which was good. before the British and French were night. Our impression of the Italian Chicken, dressing, spuds and pud- able to hold - at the cost 250,000 people so far is that they are very ding. We had some peas and toma- casualties. The Canadian sector, north easily disheartened and almost as toes which we bought. Made tomato of the main battle, was remarkably easily cheered up again. Kind and soup. The boys had some vin rouge, quiet, but the news and rumours polite." vin blanc and champagne. Run issue trickling in kept the men on edge. and beer. She was a merry day for "Wind up,77 wrote Macnevin on 26 On their way back to France, the the place." March. "Fired on walking trees and two almost got to meet Field Marshall The Battery settled in for another moving hedges during most of night. Sir William Robertson, Chief of the winter at the front. "Quiet days,77 However we succeeded in repelling Imperial War Staff. Macnevin wrote, "but some of the them for they were in their usual 7 "Happened that Sir William had nights are quite busy. Quiet means: places in the morning/ the next compartment to ours on the Canadian front quiet; other fronts, The hammer fell again on 9 April train leaving at 11 PM for Paris. At perfect peace/7 In another reorga- near Ypres, this time entirely on the the last minute he was detained and nization, the Battery's compliment British front. In a single day German we travelled without him. His staff of guns was increased from four troops swept through terrain that officer Capt. Robertson was a very to six. "Six guns, No good," was had taken three terrible months to fine chap. Not at all like the average Macnevin7s terse judgement. As in win the year before. The British were English officer. He invited Mr. Jenkins the previous winter, weather was a able to turn back this assault as well and I into his carriage to partake hardship. "Rain and snow. Our boys - at the cost of another 100,000 casu- of Sir William's luncheon. There was were kept busy all day and were alties. Again, the Canadian Corps ample for two meals. We had a very very wet. This is a very bad place for was almost untouched, and some pleasant chat and a good sleep." the health/7 of its members were surprisingly

30 Line.77 The task of puncturing it fell "• v ^*S& to the Canadian Corps. Thur Sept 26 - Making final arrange- ments for the blow. Mr. Jenkins, Wag and I are going over as soon as possible after zero. Roads are very bad. Many horses and some men being killed by harassing fire. Fri Sept 27 - Zero hour at 5.20 AM. A wonderful barrage was put down on the enemy for 18 minutes after which our infantry went over the top. Mr. Jenkins, Sgt Wagner and I walked to the transport lines and boarded the tin can. We took Mr. Fisher to the 6™ CSB and drove over forbidden roads which were being harassed by 5.9" Abandoned communication trench. and 4.1"gun shells. Through aBinchy' and "Barelle" and into the machine gun barrage where we were compelled to abandon the car and seek what unsympathetic. "Since the first advance for instance, a nonchalant Percy shelter we could find in the village. by the enemy we have been taking Macnevin wrote: "Hot. Visibility Took snap of Mr. Fisher and Wag every precaution to prevent a like good. Heinie shelled Battery quite running through a hail of bullets. 7 occurance on our front/ Macnevin heavily this afternoon. Also the OP Proceeded on foot with our DR to the wrote on 14 May. "The replacing of our in the sandpit where he killed three Canal, which we waded and passed own superb infantry by men who were officers and wounded several men. through. One of the 13th Batn men in the retreat on the Somme keeps Baseball team worked out between mistook the DR for a Heinie aviator us on pins and needles. One hears spasms of shelling. Material OK. and started to ball him out. Then we nothing but plans for retreat when we Should make good team.;; But proceeded down the Cambrai Road to should think of nothing but the best things were also quiet because the railway crossing where we select- means of holding on." The Canadians' the Canadian Corps was being rest- ed a position for the battery. We were ability to hold on might have been ed. By the summer of 1918 the shelled a good deal. I remained there severely tested, as the first of May Canadians were considered to be and Mr. Jenkins and Wag went back. found them at the head of a danger- some of the best troops in the Just before dark we got two guns up ous salient with German troops on British army, and a great deal of the - the first siege guns to get over. Had three sides. Fortunately the German coming battle would rest on their a bad time during the night. Lost Command chose to launch their shoulders. Simcoe Morrison killed and Les Smith, next attack against the French and The offensive began in mid- Tom Martin, Bert Stewart, [PJ] Daly, Americans. These too bogged down, August, and the first time since Bill Norris, {RLJ Levane wounded. Also and by the summer of 1918 the Allies 1914, the Germans began to retreat. Jack Harding and Raymond in the realized they had weathered the worst The advances were only a few miles transport, making a total of 9 men. I of the storm. It was now their turn to at a time, but in a war where success worked most of the night and we got go on the offensive. had come to be measured in incre- into action in morning for a barrage ments of a hundred yards, they were at 6 AM. 77 significant. On 30 August Anzac "We continue to attack and Canadian troops broke through Sat Sept 28 - Made a further advance today. 10th Battery held up at Douai- The 2nd Siege enjoyed three of its qui- the trenches at the Somme, and the Germans fell back to their last line of Cambrai road by wire. Was at an Op etest months since landing in France in morning. Had a bit of sleep in after- between May and August, 1918. In defense; a daunting maze of barbed wire and concrete gun emplace- noon. Bombed at night. Colpitts and part, the men had simply become Ellis went down wounded today. inured to life in combat. On 22 May ments nicknamed the "Hindenburg

3 i today. Met Capt Taylor and Lay Mclnnis and Vern Schurman. Ran across Cal McCoy. 2 of our planes crashed for no apparent reason. Wed Oct 9 - Our troops went over the top at 1.30 AM and reached and passed the objectives. Enemy appear to be retreating. Cambrai fell to us today. It is still burning and our troops are fighting the flames. Had to get up during night and prepare stores for a new position. Moving out at dawn tomorrow. Thur Oct 10 - We moved our battery to a position near Bantigny this AM. Tait, Dinnis and I went up in a lorry. All the villages show the effectiveness Canadians advancing, September 1918. of our fire. The enemy are doubtless having a very bad time. His fire is weak. Jack MacLean was wounded today - leg. Sun Sept 29 - Nice fine morning with Thur Oct 3 - Fine. Some aerial activity white frost. Took a snap of some of during day as well as a good amount Fri Oct 11 - Tait and I went to the boys and some smoke caused by of shelling. At rear position all day. Cambrai today. The city is badly shellfire. Over the top again at 8 AM. Harassing fire all night with 4.1 HV wrecked and the buildings show every Waiting orders to reconnoiter a new gun. Some close calls. Dump fired. evidence of Hun vandalism. Furniture which could not be carried was bro- position. Mr. White, Allison Tait and th Fri Oct 4 - Cloudy. At rear. Some I went out to reconnoiter a new posi- ken. Stoves smashed and even chil- harassing fire on roads. Tom Martin tion in the outskirts of Cambrai. We dren s toys broken. Many buildings are died of wounds. Fine fellow. had a rather awkward time and found falling down as a result of being burnt the machine gun officers looking for Sat Oct 5 - At forward positions. Albert, out by fires deliberately set by the positions near and behind ours. We Bob, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Court and me OP enemy. Much material has been cap- walked about twelve miles and arrived on the Cambrai-Douai Road. Just right tured. We continue to attack. Enemy back an hour after dark Very hard ofEpigny. Enemy artillery active. counter attacked three times today. fighting. He lost heavily. Sun Oct 6 - Started for OP with Mon Sept 30 - At Btty positions most Bishop. Arrived at forward to learn Sat Oct 12 - Rain. Still advancing of day. Orders to take up new positions that a party went from there. Came though we are meeting strong resis- at Haynecourt. Moved up at dark. Poor back across. Got payed. Albert and tance. move. Remained up there until 10 PM. Bob went to see the General. Jim Hoar Sun Oct 13 - Some peace talks on the The boys were laying lines most of and Red McMoran wounded by bomb rounds. Our battery are firing a large night. Bulgaria has accepted uncondi- afterward. amount to ammo. Enemy artillery fire tional surrender. th Mon Oct 7 - Rained during night not very severe. Tait, Simpson and I st went over HQ wire which was down Tues Oct i - Lloyd Jenkins was so we did not have any bombers over. at HQ door. wounded in the arm. Likely to lose Had orders to move along line. the arm. We again attacked north of Tue Oct 8th - Went forward with Mon Oct 14 - Some of the boys were Cambrai. Objectives reached. Tait. Brought some stores back in a in Abancourt - brought back some Wed Oct 2nd - Fine day. Quite active lorry. Few shells along road during stuff. Tait had a small music box. War all along our front. Enemy plane suc- our run back. We attacked to right news from all fronts is good. ceeded in bringing down one of our of Cambrai reaching all objectives. Tue Oct 15 - Dull. Our people are balloons in flames. McGowan went Allison Tait Albert Dinnis and I was putting over a large amount of propa- down wounded this morning. through Bourbon and Bourbon Wood ganda as well as a lot of shells. Things

32 a small shelter. 24 hr OP. I came in for lunch and remained in. Wed Oct 30 - Day was fairly quiet. About 8.30 PM he started harassing fire with 5.9". One of which struck the front of our mess (to the right) and the pieces riddled a lorry beneath. One fellow was instantly killed and another hit in hand. One escaped. Thur Oct 31 - Halloween. Took some snaps of our mess, which was par- tially wrecked by a 5.9 HE shell. Quiet during day. Halloween light show as put on by Heinie was not very enter- taining but was quite exciting. One shell went into the billet where Tait, Canadian advance, 1918. Simpson, Brooke and Pete live. Petes bed was blown to pieces and the house destroyed. Sgts billet filled with yel- are apparently settled and practically Mon Oct 21 - Moved whole battery low cross gas. We had to sleep else- ready for another big drive should with stores to Escaudain. Remained in where. I slept with Wag. GHQ so decide. echelon. Many civilians here. Billited Fri Nov 1st - We attacked south of Wed Oct 16 - Albert and I made two in house with very nice people. Shaw, Bishop, Regan and myself. These peo- Valenciennes. 3000 prisoners and sev- trips into Abancourt and salved some eral guns. Enemy fire on this village dishes and chairs. Mr. Jenkins and Mr. ple tell some very terrible stories of ill treatment by the Germans. was not very heavy. Reported armi- Court took a lorry up and got a pump stice with Austria and Turkey. and some chairs. In the afternoon Heinie Tue Oct 22 - Rain. Moved to Bellaing put 100 5.9" shells into Abancourt and and went into action. No firing. The Sat Nov 2 - Valenciennes fell today. it is a good place to be clear of Very roads and railways are badly dam- Not much enemy shelling in this area. encouraging news tonight. aged by explosives, though our people Cloudy. th could make a more complete job of it. Thur Oct 17 - Albert and I came Sun Nov 3 - Orders to move forward. Evidently his work was hurried. Slept in early with the pots and pans. We Had driver in Raismes. Passed through in some straw in a barn. caught the lorry to billets. Cleaned up. Valenciennes and up the Mons road Heard some music. Our piano is very Wed Oct 23rd - Fair. Moved from to the village of St. Saulve, 1000 good. Very tired, good sleep for me. Bellaing to Raismes where we arrived yards from front line. Enemy bombing Very good news - the fall of Ostend, at 10 AM after doing some road repair planes over dropped bombs and fired Lille and Douai. Advancing here. work. Battery went into action. Got road with machine guns. Went into action at dark. th good billets. A few civilians still in Fri Oct 18 - Very foggy. Our guns here. Enemy shells, which is very hard nearly out of range. Orders to stand Mon Nov 4 - Cleaned out cellar in on the women. by for a move. Moved the guns to the morning. Tait, Simpson, Pete, Brooks, village of Hem Lenglet. Quiet night. Thur Oct 24 - Moved guns to a better MacPherson and I. Worked in BC post position on the edge of town. Large fire and checked lines of fire in afternoon. Sat Oct 19 - Moved our billets to Woman wounded by pieces of cup Abancourt today. Was up to Hem in direction of Valenciennes. Enemy shelled square and railway station. being blown into abdomen. Lenglet in morning. Enemy retreating. rd Battery moving tonight to Marquette. Harassing fire. Yesterday 3 Army Tue Nov 5 - Rain. Moved forward. advanced on 20 mile front, capturing Started at 2 AM. Arrived in Onnaing. Sun Oct 20 - Had great difficulty 6000 and 100 guns. Disagreeable time. Stood in rain for in getting our guns across Canal de many hours. Shelled Onnaing heavily. Sousee and did not reach Marquette Sun Oct 27 - Showery. Visibility very low. At OP with Mr. Court. Putting up Slept in an old cellar. Sgts mess in until about 2 PM. Did not go into chateau. action but remained in echelon.

33 car. No firing since arriving. Story of mutiny in German navy. Sat Nov 9 - Made an early start forward and crossed into Belguim at 7.45 AM. Passing through Quiverain, the Belgian border town on the Mons Road. We soon reached another mine crater where our lorry got stuck. In getting her out one man, AA Costly was nearly killed, being thrown beneath the wheel. The lorry stopped quickly and Costly went to the hospital with a crushed ankle. We reached our position at 10 AM. The gun being ahead we laid out the lines of fire. Position at Thulin Station. A tremendous mine crater at main road and railway crossing. Many Belgians working on Lt. Parker Hooper. Most of the photos filling. Our mess in very nice chateau. Gunner J. Simcoe Morrison. Gunner used in this article were taken by Lt. German representatives in Paris could Morrison was the last member of the Hooper and Gunner Turner. not agree to our terms. One returned 2nd Siege to die in action. to Berlin to consult his government. Another to be in Paris Mon 11th. Wed Nov 6 - Rain (heavy). Another Percy Macnevin came home with Sun Nov 10 - Fine. Work and war still attack this morning. We fired from sergeant's stripes on his shoulders going on. Around Battery in morning. 6 AM to y.30 AM. Jack Ringer and and a recommendation that he be Walked to Elouges in early evening JS Oulton were wounded at the cook- accepted for officer training. He with H. McEwen and Joe Barton. Had house. Wag and I visited ist Bgd and returned to work as a machinist a good dinner at mess. Our bombing also a woman who was wounded by after the war but remained in the planes active again tonight. the explosion of a mixture of coffee Militia; eventually rising to the rank and sugar in a china cup. Supposed to Mon Nov 11 - Cold, bleak day. of Colonel. He died in 1958. be the work of Germans. We obtained Our troops advanced until 11 AM, Although no official record was samples of coffee and sugar for HQ. when hostilities ceased. We are in the ever kept, the 2nd Siege Artillery suf- Belgian town of Thulin. We are clean- fered at least 23 killed in action, 60 Thur Nov 7 - Dull. Packed up in ing up and standing by. Great excite- wounded and two deaths by disease morning. Prisoners passing say war ment amongst civilians. during its time at the front; an over cannot last many days. Moved off 40% casualty rate comparable to the at 2 PM for Blanc Messeron. Arrived Before the final offensive began infantry. Even though replacements there at 3.30 PM, having been delayed ; optimists among the Allies forecast an diluted the Battery's "PEI content," by by a mine crater in Mons. Weak bridg- end to the war sometime in 1919. No war's end it was still predominantly es which had to be strengthened for one dreamed it could end so quickly so staffed by Islanders. Did the men heavy ordnance. Ours being first there. ; the armistice came as a welcome sur- of the Battery fight better, or worse, Went into action in railway yard. prise. Just before Christmas; 1918 the or even differently because most of Fri Nov 8 - Remained in Blanc Battery was stationed in Cologne as them were Islanders? Probably not. Messeron during day. This was a large part of the Allied Army of Occupation. But Percy Macnevin, for one, was nd manufacturing centre before the war. Early the next year came word of their proud of the 2 Siege's record and Our planes bombed it heavily. The demobilization. April found them back would have argued that, in all the people nearly all evacuated. During in England; waiting to embark for Allied armies, there were few artil- July a great ammunition store was home. On 8 May 1919 the 2nd Siege lery units as good - and none better. blown up, wrecking most of town. Artillery disembarked on the same Spent the day visiting workshops. Got Charlottetown wharf that had seen it the coat of arms of a German staff off three and a half years earlier.