May 3/18 -
Allot of epidemic Influenza in the lines - quite a number in the 58th. Unofficial word that we move tomorrow night.
May 5/18 -
It rained all evening a perfect dampness at times. The batteries moved to waggon lines. We broke camp and started to march about 11pm to Divion, near Houdan. Sent 9 H.Q. men to hospital before starting.
May 6/18 -
A very hard night on all. I gave Betty to one of the signallers that went lame and he rode her to about 4am. In the early dawn everyone had a pinched expression and a pea green complexion.
May 7/18 -
It rained through the night and off an on through the day. Divion the usual dirty little French village but with pretty surroundings. Our mess in a large house by the Emerg - suites in evidence of reminder of bygone luxurious France.
May 10/18 -
Tremendous sick parade (I seem to have it too) - lasted from 9:15 to 12:20
May 12/18 -
Tried to draw some supplies at 4th C.C.S. Sent Edna a handkerchief. Arthur & Lt. May from the 209 squadron come for dinner. Battery out on Mounted Parade.
May 18/18 -
Reveille about 3:30 am. Inspection by General Sir Arthur Currie. 14th came second, 13th brigade came first.
May 21/18 -
Still very hot Exercise ride & grazing for the 61st. Capt. Bailie, dental officer arrived to attend to dental work in the Brigade. Bombers overhead - a great sight to see the [Gothas?] in the search light glasses and see the anti -aircraft’s bursting. A great number seemed to be dropping towards Houdan.
May 22/18 -
Up unit @ 4:30 am & well on the road by 7am. A very hot, dusty day & several of the lads overcome with the heat. Arrived at Belrose about 2pm. Town a very pretty village with a break of clear water running through - a beautiful moonlite night. Hun bombers over & very lively until midnight.
May 24/18 -
Moved from Belrose to Anzin. Angus & I were left behind trying to get a man to hospital. Finally waylaid an ambulance, got him off & started to catch up to the Brigade. Just out of Belrose my mare went lame & I had to walk. Finally made Anzin at 7pm, tired, wet & hungry - tried to find another mount.
May 27/18 -
Bread issue very mouldy. I rode to [Frevin Cepella?] to see divisional train and rail head. Got 423 lbs extra of good bread. “E” section in 58th battery had a premature. Killed ..Thompson, Lt. Dixon, Sgt. McGrath, Lity, DeGrass & Watkins.
May 28/18 -
Made rounds of our positions - all close together just south of Rochlincourt, our old positions. Great excitement with Hun slave over our lines. He killed 9 men just below us in a hut Mustard gas still coming in frequently.
[Editor’s note: Transcription and transcription annotations provided by collection donor; minor formatting changes have been made to layout and to clearly mark transcriber’s annotations.]
