Saturday 5th February 1916

Front line trenches east of Bois Grenier.

On what was described in the War Diary as “a beautiful morning”, there were some sporadic artillery exchanges, but conditions remained generally quiet. The most remarkable aspect of the day was the passage overhead of a squadron of nine or ten British aircraft passing over the line and on over the German positions. It was reported that, “it is though they were a raiding party. As far as the eye could follow they were all flying in perfect order, hundreds of shots were fired upon them. In the late afternoon one of our planes also worried the enemy very much, he was constantly over their lines and shots were rained upon him. He escaped without injury.”

Pte. Harry Iredale (see 5^th September 1915) wrote a letter home expressing his thanks for parcels which he and his pals had recently received and he gave some insight into his experiences:

“Dear Mr. Bartley, - I received the parcel about a fortnight ago, but as several of the lads have not yet received their parcels I thought I would defer writing. We do very well for clothes and socks, and as a rule we have a bath and change of underclothing every five days, so that socks and comforts from home are hardly necessary. We all do very well for food, though it is plain, but we can hardly expect anything else out there, so we have to rely on the parcels sent from home. The weather is gradually changing for the better, and, I suppose, harder fighting. Our regiment has been out here nearly six months now so we are expecting the usual month's rest, and probably a pass. We received a parcel for Pte. (Tom) Greenwood (see 7^th May 1915), who is in hospital, but as men in hospital are not allowed parcels we divided it amongst the lads. We have not much time to spare in the trenches, so I shall have to bring this letter to a close, again thanking you for the most welcome parcel”.



Pte. Harry Iredale

Pte. Tom Greenwood

 
Pte. Robert Callaghan (see 2^nd January), who had spent a month in hospital after suffering a sprained ankle, was discharged from 18^th General Hospital at Camiers and posted to 6^th Convalescent Depot at Etaples; from there (date and details unknown) he would re-join the Battalion.