10th November 1916
Great day. Bty got heavily shelled with 8.2 this morning. They had to leave the guns and get out for an hour. Blew everything to blazes but never got the guns. Had a strafe this afternoon.
11th November 1916
Very misty today. No good for observing so kicked about the OP all day. Admiring the scenery etc. Down to the mess tonight and the major insisted on Faulkner and myself tossing to see who goes down to the Waggon Line for 2 days to let Robertson come up and I lost so down I go the day after tomorrow. Rotten luck but it's a toss.
12th November 1916
Very misty again. Sundry Bombardments all day. Becks, Harvey, Allan and Hassel went west last night.
Infantry from the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Regiment, New Zealand Division near Flers.
13th November 1916
Huh-bloomin-ray. Nothing doing about the W.L. Robertson came up all right but we've just got orders to shift to the other side of Flers so I stay up and do some more work. Very misty, no good for observation.
14th November 1916
Gee Wizz, what a Hell of a time. We attacked early this morning. Got dashed sudden orders, but hopped into it to time. Results very satisfactory. Our chaps took Bayonet trench, while the Guards had a big advance capturing over 3000 prisoners. On our little sector we took about 700. Bty got Hell today. The whole detachment went west or nearly all. Strafed a Hun aeroplane that happened to come down in their lines also sprayed the road to Thilloy with shrapnel, and the ambulance was wanted several times. Got pasted with 5.9 and 8.2 ourselves later on, but all is still merry and bright. Had another attack tonight but don't know how we got on. Fancy it was OK.
15th November 1916
Bitterly cold. Huns threw over hundreds of Gas shells this morning early, result, we had to wear gas bags for an hour or two. Visited new Position this morning. Rotten 'Posy'. Can't call it anything else. Absolutely unapproachable by road. Horses just sink out of sight in the mud and slush of the shell craters. Got bogged of course. Visited HQ this afternoon. The officer of the returning Bty staying with us.
16th November 1916
Handed over to returning Bty at OP. Reported to new Position during the afternoon and took over four guns etc. Bitterly cold. Major got over late at night.