Diary of Lieut. H.A. McCleave
64th Battalion C.E.F.
Commencing March 31st 1916

This diary is merely a brief account for the purpose of aiding to remember places and dates afterwards. No attempt is made to give details, impressions etc.

March 31st, 1916
Embarked on the RMS Adriatic. 73rd also on board, and No. 8 Field Ambulance and Cobourg Heavy Battery. Embarked about noon and left free anchoring in centre of harbour about 6:30.

April 1st, 1916
Set sail. Caernarvon in the lead. Then Baltic, Adriatic, and Empress Of Britain. Sea calm but weather rather foggy.

April 2nd, 1916
Weather still foggy.

April 3rd
Weather still foggy. Ordered to wear life- belts for remainder of voyage.

April 4th
Weather clearer. Sighted three - masted schooner on starboard side.

April 5th to 7th
Weather clear but quite breezy. Boat pitches quite a little and there is a little sea - sickness aboard. In night of 7 & 8 are met by destroyers.

April 8th
About 5 o'clock in the afternoon we sighted the coast of Ireland.

April 9th
In morning coast of England visible. Boats take a very zig - zag course. Arrive at Liverpool about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, entrain after supper for Bramshott Camp. Find cars very uncomfortable.

April 10th
Arrive at Bramshott in morning and march to camp. Men are fed by 41st. Officers mess with 54th for a few days.

April 11th
Men complain quite a lot over food on account of short rations here. Understand that we have to leave our quarters and move up to 15th Brigade.

April 12th
Expect to move at 3 o'clock but this does not come off. Dull in morning. Roll call by staff officers at 3 o'clock. I am detailed to take a guard of 50 men and 4 sergeants and report to 15th Brigade Headquarters. Do so. Have to relieve guard of 10th Brigade in huts which the 71st will occupy sometime in the night. Also relieve quarter guard of the 11th Brigade. Next day learn that this guard was not to be relieved. Am not certain whether the mistake is my own or Headquarters. Mr. Acland, acting Brigade Captain orders me to march guard back at 11:30 except quarter guard.

April 13th
Dull in morning. Inspected by G.O.C Lord Brooks and staff at 11:00 a.m. Dull in afternoon. Dust terrible.

April 14th
Orderly Officer today, and have a fairly easy time.

April 15th
Dull in morning. Afternoon Keswick and I visit Tennyson's old home. See poet's study, and have tea there. Dine at Whitehorse Inn at Haslemere.

April 16th
Church service on brigade grounds at 8:30. Weather rainy in afternoon. Place terribly monotonous.

April 21st
Good Friday. Week has been very uneventful. Except on Monday April 17th . No 16 platoon refuses to go on parade. Quite a noise over it but ends by men getting 10 days C.B. all round. Sergt. Smart reduced to ranks. His punishment out of all proportion to that of men. Today we had service at 9:30, and lined the streets at 11:30 to receive George Perley. Then officers all march in file up near headquarters to shake hands with him.

May 1st
Move from Bramshott to Otterpool Camp near Westenhangar Station. Camp on good spot with grassy parade ground.

May 2nd
Inspected by Colonel Ashton.

May 7th
Weather has been very warm. Today rains quite severely, clearing up about 4:30 p.m.

May 14th
Am detailed to take three month course at Napier Barracks Shorncliffe. Arrive at Barracks at about 6:30 p.m.

May 15th
Get located. In room with Gunn and Quinn and MacMillan of the 78th. Course looks as if it would be very interesting. Meet Roche of the 66th Halifax, also Capt. Woodbridge.

May 16th
Meet Lt. H. Clair Jones of the 40th. He is machine gun instructor at the barracks here. Also Lieut. Howe of R.C.R., The course is looking much better. Hours as follows
A.M.
7:00 - 8:00 Squad drill
9:15 - 10:15 Riding
11:30 - 12:30 Lectures
P.M.
2:00 - 5:00 Lectures
5:00 - 6:00 Squad drill
Enjoy riding immensely, and all the lectures are interesting and instructive. The lecturers are all men who have done their bit at the front, and consequently know what they are talking about. Capt Collins especially is very interesting. In riding school today one horse ran away and carried one of the officers right into the stall.

May 20th
Week has been quite monotonous , and uneventful. Today had examinations from 9 until 12. In the afternoon went down to Hythe Golf Club with Murray, Gunn and Gordon. First time I have played golf. Got over the 18 holes with 168. Had dinner at club and got back about 11:00. Set clock ahead to 12 o'clock according to Daylight Saving Act.

May 21st
Gunn has been sick for several days, and today is pronounced measly. He is removed to hospital. MacMillan is in London and may escape quarantine but Gunn and I are quarantined for fair.

May 22nd
Gunn, MacMillan and myself are quarantined in tents outside Barracks. Our batman Pearce is also quarantined with us. Had a little trouble getting our meals at first but M.O. has since fixed that up alright for us.

May 28th
Sunday, still in quarantine and getting more disgusted every day. About 10:30 saw 14 aeroplanes making for sea. Must be something doing in that direction. My marks for last week's exams were:
Engineering 100, Law 100, Topography 73, Organization 75, Administration 100
Tactics 92,
Total 540, Average 90

June 6th
Still in quarantine but expect to get out either today or tomorrow. All the subalterns of the 8th and 9th classes as well as any Captains who are willing to go as subs are leaving for the front tomorrow to replace casualties in the 3rd Canadian Division. This looks as if we may expect our turn to come soon. Wish I was going with the crowd that are leaving tomorrow. Understand that the 69th has already sent away about 500 men on different drafts. Well I trust they will give a good account of themselves. Anyway I feel confident they will do so.

June 11th
Got out of quarantine on the 7th and back to work with the 10th class. Expect, however to go into the 11th class tomorrow. Murray, O'Leary, Guildford, Russel, Winslow, and Campbell leave for the front tomorrow. Was over to Otterpool yesterday. The battalion was leaving for Lydd this morning at 4:oo a.m. Was down to the 40th camp Friday. MacIntosh MacLeod was over here this morning to say "Good - Bye". He is going to the front also.

June 14th
Called to Orderly. Told I am to go to the 13th Batt. and to report to my unit at once.

June 16th
Spent last night at camp at Otterpool. Went to Folkestone this afternoon. Arrived back about 10:30 pm. to learn that I am to report to Embarkation Officer at Folkestone Pier next morning at 10:45 a.m.

June 17th
Report at Folkestone at 10:00 a.m., sail at 12:15 arriving at Boulogne. Put up at Loune[?].

June 18th
Leave Boulogne at 7:30 p.m.

June 19th
Arrive at Poperinge. Put up at Talbot house.

June 20th
Go out to camp. They are back in billets. Everything is fairly quiet for the next few days.

June 23rd
Preparing today for going into trenches in the evening.

June 24th
Left camp at 8:30. I am in command of No 10 platoon. Entrain at Brandhoek and detrain at Zillebeke Salt. March from there on foot. Going is rather bad and have difficulty keeping line intact.

June 25th
Arrive in trenches about 1:30 a.m. Have only 9 men and and 2 srgts. MacDonald and King have fallen out leaving only 7 men. MacDonald reports later and King turns up on front line trench. I am in support trench. Take over trench from 7th Batt. It is in a terrible condition. They have not even buried the CMR's and Germans who had been killed about two weeks before. Sent Corporal Bentley to company headquarters to report. Later I am reinforced by 1 sergeant and 8 men from No 9 platoon. Stand to at 3:30 a.m. Major McCraig comes around later. After stand - down I try to get a little sleep. Am awakened by Colonel Buchanan. So far it has been pretty quiet with only a little artillery action.

June 26th
About 1:00a.m. brisk bombardment commenced along the line by our artillery. Fritz did not reply. About 7:00 a.m. a German plane was brought down behind our lines by our aeroplanes. Very quiet during the day. Work on trench. At 8:15 p.m. one of our planes brings down 3 of the 4 captive balloons in front of our trench by means of incendiary bombs.

June 27th
At 4:00 a.m. Fritz commences a hellish bombardment along our front. My dugout is blown to pieces when I am but 4 feet from it. E. H. Clark, D. MacDonald, King and Stephens are wounded from No 10 platoon and 3 from No 9. No. 12 platoon has 6 killed, No 11 has 1 killed. After bombardment Fritz makes an attack but is driven back by our bombers in front. His losses are considerable. Among the killed are Major Smith and Lieutenant Roche, the latter was buried by a shell with Lt Browne, Browne was dug out alive but Roche was suffocated. A sergeant who was buried on top of Browne probably saved his life.

June 28th
During night had 3 short bombardments, silenced each time by our artillery. I spent night at company headquarters.

June 29th
Spent night at front line. This is the best place to stay. Night was quiet, however.

June 30th
Are relieved by 10th Battalion. I take out 10, 11 and 12 platoons. Leave at 12:00 and arrive in billets about 4 and go to bed. In afternoon go to Poperinge with [? ]

July 1st
Do very little today. Go to ball game in afternoon.

July 2nd
Do very little today. Attend church parade in morning,. In afternoon go into Poperinge with Gunn and have a bath. Then have dinner.

July 3rd
Taking a bathing party into Poperinge at 8:00 a.m. Censor letters all afternoon. Am orderly officer today but have little to do.

July 9th
Battalion has been having a rest but go up to railway dugouts tonight in Brigade reserve. Gunn and I go down to the grenade school for a course.

July 15th
Finish course this morning and come back to transport line in afternoon. Leave at 7:00 p.m. for front line. The Battalion had gone in the night before. Arrive at company headquarters at 10:30 p.m. First words of greeting from Capt Rust was "Thank God" I had met Bryson going out as I came in. Capt Rust took me around and showed me all the trenches. They had had quite a strafing during the day. One of our trench mortars fell short and killed one man and wounded 9 more in No 9.

July 16th
Had quite a bombardment this morning. Mostly minenwerfers. In the evening hear considerable bombing on right.

July 17th
Mr. Higinbolham goes out to take a course. One of my men Sutherland is killed by machine gun while on sentry duty.

July 18th
Fairly quiet during the day but about 7:00p.m. strafing starts. Mostly on left where 15th is. Germans enter their front line [?] as they had all retired into support trenches. Our bombers on left of No. 1 company stop them coming over into our line. One of our patrols goes along about 200 yards of the 16th front but find no 16th there. Captain Rust is wounded by a minenwerfer and dies in the morning. Cameron and I are left to handle company. Have to sent a party of 20 men to help No 1 company rebuild their trenches. I go over to No. 2 company's Headquarters to see how they are getting along. [?] from No. 4 comes over to help us out.

July 19th
Have a quiet day. Come out at night to Devonshire line. We are relieved by the 8th Battalion.

July 20th
After a sleep we clean up. Go to Capt. Rust's funeral in the afternoon. I am one of the pallbearers.

July 21st
Carl C. Green is appointed O.C. No. 3 Coy. I take a party to Reninghelst for a bath this afternoon.

July 22nd
Battalion goes over to Gas School for inspection of helmets and gas demonstration. Officers and N.C.O.'s go to Connaught lines for a lecture on aeroplanes in the afternoon. Later ball game with 15th in which they win.

July 23rd
Attend services at 10:00a.m.

July 27th
Things have been quiet during the last few days. Inspected by General Currie this morning.

August 1st
I go up to Bat[ter....?] farm in afternoon to take over from 1st Battalion. No. 1 Coy.[?] under Capt Nellis. They move out at dark, and there is a little [?] relief.

August 2nd
Quiet today. Green has working party tonight.

August 4th
Quiet again today. Bryson and I toss for working party. He loses.

August 5th
Quiet again to-day. I am ordered out in the evening to take a Lewis gun course.

August 6th
Go out on P.P.C.L.I. transport. Stay at transport during day, and go down to Ab[?] in the evening.

August 7th
Spend day on Lewis gun.

August 8th
Am ordered back to unit. Here find that we are not to go back to unit until later. Return to Ab[??] in the morning.

August 9th
Spend day on instruction in Stokes gun. Dine at Ab[??] in the evening.

August 10th
Return to unit. Visiting 25th during the day. Gunn and I visit 25th and 26th at night. See Major Mott. He arrived on August 5th.

August 11th
Leave at 6:30 and march about 5 miles, about 1 mile past Ab[??]. Billet here for the night.

August 12th
Reveille at 11:30p.m. yesterday. Breakfast at 12:00p.m. Leave at 1:30. March through Steenvoorde and Cassel. Billet beyond Nordpeene. Distance about 12 miles. I am in charge of the stragglers, and have a fairly hard day. Arrive about 11:00a.m.

August 13th
Leave at 3:15a.m. Arrive at destination fairly early as we have only 5 miles to go. Have some difficulty in locating billets, but manage after a little looking around.

August 14th
Drill from 9:00 to 11:00 this morning, and have kit inspection in the afternoon.

August 19th
Have been working hard marching out to Ballingham nearly every day for drill. Yesterday we were received by Major General Sam Hughes on the way out and practised an attack with the whole brigade. It rained in the afternoon. Today we practised advanced guards and it began to rain immediately we arrived at Ballingham. We came back at once, and arrived about 2:00 p.m.

Aug 20th
Vist St. Omer this afternoon with McAulay and Gunn.

Aug 27th
Leave Eperlecques in the evening and move to St. Omer. Entrain here for Conteville going by Boulogne. Splendid to see the channel once again. We almost persuaded ourselves that we were on our way to England. Detrain at last at Conteville and march out to our billets about three or four miles. This is the evening of the 28th.

Aug 29th
Leave early in the morning and march about thirteen miles to [left blank] and put up for the night. Mr. Haldane proved himself very valuable in looking around for a meal.

Aug 30th
March to Ferme De [R??l] Arrive there just in time to escape a rain storm. Nos. 1 and 3 company officers are billeted in a farm where we cause the lady who owned it much annoyance. She retaliated and caused us some trouble to the tune of 20 francs.

Aug 31st
March to Harponville. Passed through where the Australians are billeted. They appear a dirty undisciplined crowd and impress us very unfavourably.

Sept 1st
March to a field just outside Albert and encamp in the open. On the way we pass an internment camp for German prisoners. Prepare for night by stretching a rubber sheet over my bed and tying the edges down. Then digging a trench around. It looked like rain but fortunately didn't.

Sept 2nd
March up to La Boisselle in the evening and encamp in mine craters here. This is the start of the offensive.
The officers sleep in a German dugout. All the ground from here [back?] is ploughed up about three feet deep by shells.

Sept 3rd
Move up further in the early afternoon and about three o'clock company goes up into support in Park [Lane?]. We are shelled here the rest of the afternoon and night. We have a great many casualties. Major Peterman, Bryson, Haldane, and myself are the four officers to go in with the company. Haldane goes out with shell shock. All the batmen including the Sergeant - Major's are casualties. Also Sgts Naylor and Wood. Wood comes back a few nights later.

Sept 4th
About 4 o'clock in the morning Bryson took 9 and 10 platoons up to the front to dig in across the open. He gets 9 to work all right. But it is breaking day when 10 gets up, and they have to go out in shell holes in front in the daylight, and have a large number of casualties. Cpl Rodgers is wounded. Cpl Miller and Mathews killed. Before this Sgt Fraser had been wounded. A shell burst in the midst of the platoon when going thru the quarry. Fowlie, [Paul?], and Collier are missing and I feel sure they were killed here. I remain in Park [Lane?] all day. Sergeant Marriott is killed and I'll have about eleven other casualties. In the afternoon I got orders from Major Peterman to have both platoons ready to march off at dusk. Later I get further orders to take No. 11 up to join [Mr B?] at dusk. Do so. Find where No. 9 platoon is without a guide and start No. 11 digging in line with them, as directed by Sergeant Finch with whom Bryson had left instructions. Then Mr. Bryson comes along and we collect the remnants of No. 10 out of the shell holes and start them digging on the left of No. 11, thus getting a complete line across. Unfortunately Fritz begins shelling us and we have part of the line cleared out. Sergeant Crowe is killed, also Pte. Hooper. Cpl MacLeod is wounded. And the two Hill boys both go out with shell shock. However, we get holes dug for most of the men and get them partly connected. I discover four more men of No. 10 under Cpl. Bentley between 11 and 9.
Sergeant - Major Spencer brings No. 12 up on the left of No. 10, extending over almost to machine gun position at end of trench 77.

Sept 5th
Everything fairly quiet all day except for the continual shelling. I rest a little in the quarry but there are so many stretcher cases there that it is impossible to sleep. See the German stretcher bearers out gathering in their wounded under a red cross flag. One takes his stand on a very high position where he can look over all our lines. He did this every morning. I have since been very sorry that I did not shoot him down. About 10 o'clock I hear someone calling for stretcher bearers out in front. Send out three men with a red cross flag and they bring in Australian who had been out there wounded for four days. Have changed my opinion of the Australians. Individually the men are splendid and if given a job to do they carry it out. Much better than a great many of the Canadians do. In fact we had brought in several Australians under the same conditions. Also two Germans. At night we continue digging trench but the work is very hard and it is slow work. Lose a few more men during the night.

Sept 6th
Dig until morning then rest during the day except for the bombardment which continued. At night continue digging. Machine guns on left do a lot of firing, claiming that they saw Germans coming over. I put out a post of three men from No. 12, but I don't think they went out far enough to do any good.

Sept 7th
Towards morning word comes up that the Germans had got into trench on our left. I immediately went down and got two bombs and two bombers from Cpl Pratt section, and started down the trench. I soon found the Sergeant - Major coming after me with fixed bayonet. We went right through the machine gunners, and found that Private Wentzall of the machine gun crew had put the run to them with bombs. Early in the morning I see two Fritz's coming in left of our line and discover that Fritz has a stronghold about 200 yards behind our line. Cpl Pratt and I do some sniping, and Pratt gets one German. His comrades carry him out under a Red Cross flag. We continue sniping at them all day, and I hit a box of flares and raise quite a commotion. They start sniping back but don't get anyone although they put a bullet through one man's collar.
At night we are relieved by the 8th Battalion. 10, 11 and 12 are relieved well but the platoon to relieve No. 9 gets lost up [Toms Cut?] and they are relieved about 2 o'clock in the morning. The other platoons get a hot meal at La Boisselle. They are kept there by Major McC[?] waiting for the other platoon until about 1 o'clock. Then we march to Albert and billet for the night.

Sept 8th
Stay at Albert all day. I learn that G[avin?] [H?] had been killed. Also Jacques of our battalion while Lovett, Mc[?ean] & Mont[?] are wounded, and Higinbotham & Chisholm go out with shell shock.

Sept 9th
Leave Albert at 9 o'clock in the morning and march to Worloy [probably Worloy Baillon] where we billet for the day & night.

Sept 10th
March from Worloy to Hérissart & billet there.

Sept 11th
March from Hérissart to Montrelet and billet there for several days.

Sept 15th
Are ordered to stand in readiness. March to vicinity of Le Val de Maison and billet in tents.

Sept 16th
March to Harponville and billet there. At Monta[?] Mr. Mingo came back from England and took over second in command as Capt Green had been made adjutant. Then Major [?] takes Major [?? Coady's?] place. At Harponville Bryson goes to [?] as second in command. This leaves Mr Mingo in command of No. 3 and myself second in command.

Sept 18th
Leave Harponville in afternoon and march to Brickfields near Albert where we encamp in fields. It rained all day, but cleared up a little towards evening.

Sept 19th
Rain continues at intervals. Fixed up shelters with bo[ards?] and tarpaulins and gradually improved them.

Sept 20th
Rain clears up a little today. Have one hour's drill in the afternoon, see 24th and 26th and I learn that Hot[?] & Fairweather have been killed, and Flowers & Wetmore wounded. Am [?] to take 50 men on working party on Ou[?] Courcellette road at 12:30 a.m.

Sept 21st
Fall in working party and march out. 200 men from the battalion under Major Gilroy. Arrive at working point all right but there are no shovels to work with, should have started work at 2 but only get shovels about 5. Work throwing chalk out of pit and throwing on wagons until 8 a.m. Fall in and are brought back to Albert in lorries. March out from Albert arriving about 10:00a.m. Sleep until 5:00p.m. Mingo and I visit artillery in evening. [?] Capt. Churchill and [?] Mowatt. Meet Jimmy MacLean in Mowatt's hut.

Sept 22nd
Company drill in morning. Attend lecture by Major Bertram in afternoon 3:30 p.m. Receive orders to move [into?] Albert. Do so, arriving about 7:00p.m.

Sept 23rd
Set out to relieve 2nd Battalion in front of Courcellette. Meet guides at Contalmaison and all goes well until we are going through Courcellette village a shell lands among No. 11 and 12 platoons. A large number are wounded and guide is either lost or killed. No. 12 platoon is cut off from the rest of the Company, I am in rear of company but go up and take charge and lead the platoon along at last finding Company headquarters when I get a guide to lead us over to the platoon we are to relieve.
[Written on margin]
Everything quiet during 24th except for heavy shelling.

Sept 25th
Day passes fairly quietly. In the afternoon I am called to H Q's and told to take charge of the machine guns as Mr McCallum had gone out sick and Mr Chanter had been wounded coming in. Cpl Krendel visits guns with No 1 & 4 Coys and I go over to No. 2 Coy and bring in two guns that had been left over there.

Sept 26th
All goes well. The 14th came in to take up their position preparatory to attacking which they do in a grand style at 12:30p.m. Later reporting all objectives taken, the 18th are also successful as are the British at [?]. The 31st on right fall down completely however. Am ordered by C.O. to send up [?] ammunition to 14th which I do. In the early part of the night while I am sitting with No 9 platoon I hear [runners?] calling for Mr [?] I accost him and learn that there has been an explosion at [hill??] and Mr Mingo has sent him to tell Mr [?] to take his platoon up. I [?] Mr [?] and hustle the platoon up to [originally 'the front line'. scratched out and replaced with HQ] Here we find a large number of men unconscious and immediately start pulling them out. The ration party fairly comes back and gets in our way at first but we soon get them out of the way. The doctor has been sent for and arrives with a flash lamp after I had got our men out. I leave him working and go around to the other entrance. Here I get six more men out. By this time all the men had been removed and among them Capt. Green's body and the bodies of six other men. We then start to dig in where Col. Buchanan and Maj. Peterman had been buried but find their dead bodies. They must have died instantly. Apparently something must have exploded the gasoline and the shock brought in the weakest part of the dugout. Maj. McPherson takes command and the next day Maj MacCuaig and Capt. Craig come in just back from leave. We had expected to have been relieved but relief did not turn up.

Sept 27th
Shelling less violent today. We are relieved by 22nd during night and get out quite successfully.

Sept 28th
Arrive at billets in Albert. Get orders to move at 1:30 a.m. but later cancelled til 2:30a.m. Move out to Worloy into billets.

Sept 29th
Rest today. Col. Buchanan and the other three officers had been buried on the 28th.

Sept 30th
Are inspected by Gen Currie in the morning. Minor work in afternoon.

Oct 1st
Church parade in morning.

Oct 2nd
Bath and pay parades in morning. Cannot work in afternoon on account of rain.