·        General training.  Afternoon shooting. Boys did well.
·         Evening had a very good time at Sgts. Canteen.
·         Wrote home. 
Received no news.

·        Paraded at 8 AM.
·         Instructional classes all day.  Returned at 6PM.   Lads happy.
·         Russians doing well. Expect Greece to join soon.
·         Lads left to get commissions.
·         Sgt. Gun, L/C May.
Letter from Mina and Ma.

·        Paraded as usual. Route march. Service in fields.
·         Went bombing at 3PM.
·         Had sing song in private house.
·         Packing up and preparing to move.
·         Wrote home and to friends.
No mail.

·        Preparing to leave for the Somme.
·         18^th passed through at 9AM; 19^th at 11AM, and 20^th at 3PM;   advance party of 21^st at 4PM; Battalion at 10PM.
·         Took train at Audruicq in cattle trucks.
No mail.

·        Detrained at Auxi la Cateau Stayed in barn.  Not so very bad.
·         Up at 5AM and left at 9AM. Beautiful scenery.
No mail.

·        Billeted in house-fine quarters.
·         Arrived at and stayed at Grammont.  Pretty village and a good set of girls here.
·         Wrote home and to friends.
No mail.

·        Up at 6AM and started at 10AM.
·         Kept on walking until 6PM.
·         Arrived and stayed at Rubempre.
·         Billeted in stable. Lots of straw.
·         Faintly hear the guns.
·         Great news in papers.
At last. Mail!

·        On again at 7AM.  Bivouacked at Senlay.
·         Very cold during the night.
·         Artillery going strong in the distance.  Sounds very good.
·         News in papers great!
Wrote home and to friends  Received no mail.

·        Left Senlay at 10AM and arrived at Albert at 4PM.
·         Allowed downtown-church an awful wreck.
·         La Bassie the same.  Highest wall 4 feet.
No news.

·        Hard to tell the difference of days.
·         Left Albert for trenches behind Pozieres.
·         Very rough going in. Casualties very heavy in Brigade.
·         Relieved 3^rd Battalion.
Received no mail.

·        Morning bright.
·         Afternoon went and looked over line with Major Cooper and Lieutenant Fee.
·         Awful place.  Dead and wounded being brought out.
·         Nothing but shell holes.
·         Immediately behind Pozieres.
·         Artillery going very strong all day and night.
·         Captain Black (Blighty).
Canadian mail.

·        Very cloudy, a little rain, cleared up by noon.
·         Aeroplanes about in squadrons.
·         German brought down in flames.
·         Went through Pozieres and La Boiselle.
·         Saw Mametz Wood about 200 yards to the right.
·         Artillery very active.
Went to front line. Lots of casualties.

·        Very dull and damp.
·         Aeroplanes about (ours).
·         Prisoner brought in.  Big fellow, downhearted.
·         Lots of casualties. Awful sights.
·         More of the old boys gone.
·         French 75 placed behind us.  Awful artillery all day.
·         Rain.
2 platoons relieved the 19^th Battalion.

·        Very cold during the night.
·         Bombardment opened up at 9AM going strong.
·         Troops moving in readiness to advance.
·         Transports about in numbers.
Mounted troops in Albert.

·        Moved to positions at 3AM.
·         Advanced at 4:21AM, 1500 yards.
·         Captured and held the Sugar Refinery before Courcelette.
·         Jack wounded.
·         I was wounded (8AM.).
Walked into Albert-dressed and sent down the line.

This marks the end of "D" Coy CSM   Lou Verdon's part in the war as he received his "Blighty" on September 15, 1916

Return to biographies list

Return to Diary Main Page

Contact us

Home